2022/23 Frank Lampard

[bluestevon]

Joint-stingiest defense in the league after the carnage at CB, and City still has a game to play.

The man has done a job curing the leaks at the back. Impressed.

Knowing he wanted to play a back 4 and bringing in Coadey who literally everyone was saying couldn't play in one was for me the single most impressive decision he's made (in conjunction with Thelwell).

The guys now first name in the team sheet.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Barring a disaster with injuries, I`d think Mina will go in January.

He`s just on too much money and too injury prone. ( as much as I like him )

It’s a shame as I think he’s actually a decent defender but he’s never fit and he’s very expensive.

Tarkowski Coady Godfrey Holgate Branthwaite would be a decent selection of CBs to take us through for a few seasons.

Sell Keane and Mina and start developing Branthwaite and Godfrey as a pairing to eventually take over from Tarkowski and Coady in a few seasons.

 

[Nymzee]

 

[Neiler]

Tbh all good points mate, but I'll add that he's still evolving imo as a manager, think when he arrived and look at how far he's already progressed in terms of flexibility, and I see that being a continuing trend.

As a player he got the very most out of his talent by working constantly to improve and learn, I see that character trait in his managerial career too.

Think we've hit the mother load in terms of getting the perfect manager for the club

I agree wholeheartedly mate, my comment is a critique and identification of an area he needs to work on in his evolving development rather than a criticism.

I do think he will improve as you say because i think hes clever enough to be self aware and has the work ethic to improve.

Football is a fickle business though and hes a good fit now, people will be happy with better this season then last and be entertained, next season i think people will want to further signs of progression rightly or wrongly, its the way it just works. That not how i believe in things personally, but patience is thin in football and often at this club.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

To be fair, I think realistically we don’t have the attack to be pushing Europe this season (unless some players find some magic form / we make a unreal purchase in January). I reckon the long term plan is to consolidate this season, then push for top 7 next season

Agree but you can never (or shouldn't) be planning to achieve something the following season as we may improve the attack next summer but then Gana's legs go and we fall away in midfield.

I think a serious decision needs making on DCL in January and we offload 1-2 to bring in a goalscorer.

 

[Nymzee]

He’s a Chelsea boy through and through, and he loves West Ham, but even if it doesn’t end up working out here there’ll be a part of us with him always. Think he’s really understood now what makes our club special.

 

[BirkenheadBlue]

Agree but you can never (or shouldn't) be planning to achieve something the following season

What?! The entire problem at this club over the last ~6yrs has been that we’ve tried to do things in one hit, rather than having a coherent plan over a few seasons.

 

[deipnosophist]

Tbh all good points mate, but I'll add that he's still evolving imo as a manager, think when he arrived and look at how far he's already progressed in terms of flexibility, and I see that being a continuing trend.
As a player he got the very most out of his talent by working constantly to improve and learn, I see that character trait in his managerial career too.
Think we've hit the mother load in terms of getting the perfect manager for the club

a very Freudian slip there? lol

...it's mother lode

 

[ForeverBlue92]

What?! The entire problem at this club over the last ~6yrs has been that we’ve tried to do things in one hit, rather than having a coherent plan over a few seasons.

It is but you dont see any club achieve anything who writes off current seasons because nothing stays constant - the attack may be stronger next season but then Ganas legs may go, Iwobi may tear a hamstring and next season we sit there talking about improving the midfield the season later and so on.

If there is any sniff of hope this season (which I think there is with our GK, Defence and Midfield all in form) then we cant sit on our hands and let it pass us by - we have to strenghen the attack in January.

 

[BirkenheadBlue]

It is but you dont see any club achieve anything who writes off current seasons because nothing stays constant - the attack may be stronger next season but then Ganas legs may go, Iwobi may tear a hamstring and next season we sit there talking about improving the midfield the season later and so on.

If there is any sniff of hope this season (which I think there is with our GK, Defence and Midfield all in form) then we cant sit on our hands and let it pass us by - we have to strenghen the attack in January.

No one is “writing off” a season, but we shouldn’t be compromising whatever the plan is (mostly because it seems like a fairly solid one), to chase some outside chance of getting into Europe this season.

If we’re literally in the European places in Jan then maybe you have a look at who’s available (unlikely to be a terribly inspiring list).

But to say “you shouldn’t be planning to achieve something the following season” is just daft. That is precisely what well run clubs do.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

No one is “writing off” a season, but we shouldn’t be compromising whatever the plan is (mostly because it seems like a fairly solid one), to chase some outside chance of getting into Europe this season.

If we’re literally in the European places in Jan then maybe you have a look at who’s available (unlikely to be a terribly inspiring list).

But to say “you shouldn’t be planning to achieve something the following season” is just daft. That is precisely what well run clubs do.

Whilst they achieve things in the current season !!

Top 6 is probably too far a jump but 7th is more than capable with Leicester and WHU faltering. Outside of them pair its probably Newcastle, Brighton, Brentford and Leeds who are our competition - strengthen the attack in January and we can hold our own against any of them imo.

Nows the time to be bold not dampen expectations and talk ourselves down we've got a good team with a good mentality just need more cutting edge up top.

 

[JohnRoss23]

Boss

 

[Drico]

I think it's true, but I wouldn't like to get rid off Godfrey easily, think he can be very, very good player, he just need opposite of what have you written...

I'd allow him recover from injury and give him the rest of the season to prove he has a future with us. In all likelihood, I'd sell him in the summer.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

The key people this applies to is the players. They’re no longer able to implement their usual cycle of downing tools to get a manager they don’t like fired. Mainly because half of them aren’t in the team any more. Lampard’s best move was to be ruthless enough to cull half the players that kept him up. Their biggest mistake was being so poor the second half of last season that they didn’t blag Lampard into keeping them all as they have several other managers.

So refreshing seeing an Everton team battling for points without Keane Jenny Davies Gomes Delph Siggurdson Tosun etc. just walking through games making error after error completely not caring

Outstanding post. Frank puts on this facade of being a nice guy, but behind that facade lies a ruthless operator, who won't tolerate any obstacle barring his way to success.

Any other manager would have let those players off the hook after the Crystal Palace game, oh it's been such a great night, well done lad's i'll give ye another chance next season. Frank has been a breath of fresh air to this club. It's a pity we didn't hire him as our manager, a few years earlier than we did imo.

 

[Drico]

Joint-stingiest defense in the league after the carnage at CB, and City still has a game to play.

The man has done a job curing the leaks at the back. Impressed.

My kind of team-building. Start at the back. We have a fine goalkeeper and are now developing a firm defence, supplemented by good defensive midfielders. He has studded the side with leaders/personalities, too. So, all in all, I am very pleased with what he has been doing. He is doing a little better than I thought he would right now - but there's still plenty of time to fall back into trouble before the World Cup break, so wins like yesterday's are critical.