LAMPS SWITCHED ON AS FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT
Dark days disappearing as Everton move on up
FRANK LAMPARD stopped Everton from falling through rotten floorboards last season but now the club’s renovation is moving on to stage two.
Having strengthened foundations and cut out the dead wood, the Everton manager has progressed onto the building phase and there were definitely glimpses of his grand designs on the south coast.
There was the sturdiness of a quick recovery having gone behind and then the rapid construction of a lead thanks to goals from Conor Coady and Dwight Mcneil.
But the foreman is not yet talking about passing building regulations, even though Everton are up to 11th and level on points with bitter rivals Liverpool.
“When I came in, it was all about digging in on the pitch to get a result,” Lampard said.
“Then, it’s about moving forward from that. Myself, the staff, and the players have all worked hard. But my gut instinct is that we can get a lot better. I expect more of us.
“It was a game we should have won without the last 10 to 15 minutes of biting our fingernails. But I’ll take that because I know the group understands that. It’s in our hands to work hard now and get better.”
Work in progress then, but Everton have something to build on. And the cornerstone on Saturday was the defiance of Jordan Pickford (below) in the last 20 minutes.
The Goodison goalkeeper gave a performance that will have pleased England boss Gareth Southgate as much as it did Lampard – nothing flashy, but just a stone-solid display, especially in twice denying Saints substitute Adam Armstrong.
The steadiness of Everton’s revival is mirrored in their results. They laid down four successive draws and have now constructed back-to-back victories for only the second time since Lampard took charge.
They have few frills but they work hard – qualities that ran through this display from Coady at the back to Mcneil, who was used in an advanced role to support Neal Maupay.
Mcneil was a purchase that raised eyebrows when former Chelsea boss Lampard spent £20million to bring the 22-year-old from Burnley in the summer.
But Southampton never really matched his energy and he was rewarded with his first goal for the club when he thumped home what proved to be the winner.
“I have had opportunities in the last 12 months, which I haven’t always taken,” said Mcneil, who came in after Anthony Gordon felt unwell.
“But today I took it. It’s about having people around me, both on and off the pitch, who will keep believing in me.”
Mcneil and the rest of Everton’s squad spent a long time celebrating with their fans, not because victory at Southampton in October is any kind of litmus test but out of gratitude.
“They were class,” said Mcneil. “It’s a long way to come, especially when the trains are not running. It shows the commitment and the love they have for the club. They showed that.
“I am new to it but the support is unbelievable, home and away.”
Ralph Hasenhuttl must feel as if his own support might slip away as three successive defeats leaves his Saints side above the drop zone only by a single point. And next up are Manchester City at St Mary’s on Sunday.
Joe Aribo put them ahead, but their lead was short-lived and as unconvincing as their overall display.