Everton’s Frank Lampard has revealed that he has been unable to handle some of his “big players” since taking over as manager.
Following Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Southampton, the former England international was keen to call out the Blues’ injured absentees (February 19).
Lampard also mentioned the midfield as a problem for the Toffees’ upcoming match against Man City, which could be helped by the return of Abdoulaye Doucoure.
He told Liverpool ECHO: “Since I’ve been here at the club we’ve got injuries to big players. We’re missing Ben Godfrey today, missing (Abdoulaye) Doucoure, missing Demarai Gray, Fabian Delph.
“What I am saying is that they are big players for the club and sometimes your decisions are half made for you by the injuries in the squad.
“And the rest of them are made for you by things you want to select for the game. So, we will have to see who is able and ready.
“We weren’t good enough in midfield today. That’s the job for us in the week to get right.”
If Everton are to get anything out of Manchester City, they will need more than just some midfield improvements.
With that considered, they do face the Premier League champions at Goodison Park, a venue where the Toffees have a habit of winning.
Away from home, it’s a different story, with the Toffees’ away worries confirmed by the loss at St. Mary’s.
It’s almost as if the instant anything doesn’t go their way, they’re incapable of winning, which is strange.
In all honesty, they’ve been set up in a negative way for a long time, which is going to sap the players’ energy whenever they face an uphill battle.
The former Chelsea manager has a lot of work to do with the team’s mentality, and it will undoubtedly take some time to resolve some of the squad’s deep-seated flaws.
