GRAHAM THOMAS
SHANE CONDEMNS FRANK TO ANOTHER AWAY DEFEAT
FRANK LAMPARD’S homesick troops crumpled once again on their travels – leaving the new Everton boss with a real headache.
The Toffees are a different team at Goodison Park, and unless Lamps solves these dreadful performances on the road, his side are doomed to a relegation struggle.
Second-half goals from Stuart Armstrong and substitute Shane Long kept a dominant Southampton – now with only one defeat in their last 11 matches – in touch with those clubs chasing European football next season.
By then, Everton could well be in the Championship unless they can somehow become more of a force away from Merseyside
They have only won once away, back in August, and while the former Chelsea boss has his new side responding in front of their own fans, it’s a different story on their travels.
Since winning at Brighton in the summer sunshine, they have failed to win in 10 league away games, including defeats under Lampard at Newcastle and now at St Mary’s.
They are only four points from safety and have Manchester City and Tottenham as their next Premier
league opponents. Asked whether Everton are in a relegation battle, Lampard admitted: “That’s not something we have to debate.
“We don’t have to deny our position. The position is quite clear, just as it was last week after we had won.
“The table doesn’t lie and our away form is one of the reasons why I’m here.
“I saw things today that I didn’t like. What we have to do is stay together in tough times, but I am confident we will get better.”
Among those things Lampard did not enjoy must have been a lack of application and fight once Armstrong had put Southampton 1-0 ahead in the 52nd minute.
The second goal conceded late on, scored by Long only a minute after the 35-yearold had come off the bench, said much about the disparity between Everton’s hunger at home and their lack of it everywhere else.
Seamus Coleman was a force of nature against Leeds United last week but here, when Tino Livramento hoisted a cross towards Long at the far post, his challenge was wholly inadequate to stop the striker’s header.
“I saw a lot of things today that I need to put right,” added Lampard.
“It wasn’t tactical. We stopped trying to play after we went behind and we lacked belief.”
For Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, this was another impressive exhibition of their neat, intelligent attacking game, made all the sweeter with their first clean sheet since November.
“Sometimes it takes a bit of time, and for a while they were on the same level, but we had another gear in the second half,” said the Austrian coach.
“In the second half we were dominant and could have scored more goals.”
Hasenhuttl also had praise for Long, whose goal was his first in the Premier League for two years.
“I’m very happy for him, he’s a fantastic player and everyone loves him in the dressing room.
“He is a role model. He is calm when he is out of the team and he contributes.” Everton’s best spell was the first five minutes, but after that Southampton could easily have scored three times before the break.
On-loan and in-form striker Armando Broja, the impressive Kyle WalkerPeters and skipper James Ward-Prowse all spurned decent chances.
The first goal was a simple illustration of everything that is straightforward and efficient about Saints’ counter-attacking game.
Having blunted another Everton thrust, Southampton moved the ball rapidly down their left through several passes before Che Adams rolled his assist into the path of Armstrong.
The Scotland midfielder clipped his shot low inside the near post from the edge of the area.
As Everton wilted, Long made the game safe when he headed home a cross from the right by Livramento.
The table doesn’t lie and our away form is one of the reasons why I’m here. And I saw things today that I really didn’t like.