I've been giving Frank Lampard the benefits of the doubt but at this point in the season, I think what he would need is a miracle because the mood around his camp is not that encouraging. It's not working for him at Everton at all and he has lost as many games more than he has managed to win for Everton. It's funny because he either wins or loses ever since he took over from Rafa Benitez in January. There is no draw...it's either a win or a loss.
He has managed 8 games so far in the Premier League this season since he took over and he managed to win just 2 games which came against Newcastle United and Leeds United and he has lost 6 games in the process. Even though he played just 3 games in the FA Cup, he won 2 games too and lost 1. It hasn't been the best of the season for Frank Lampard and his managerial skills have been called into question many times this season.
He is still confident that he can steer them off the relegation zone but time is going against him despite having 2 games at hand over 18th placed Watford and having 3 points ahead too. He looks poised to navigate the relegation zone but we know that in the Premier League, only the points you have gathered count, not the games you haven't played.
I don't think this is entirely his fault because things got terrible for Everton under Rafa Benitez but he was brought in to salvage the situation but they keep going further down the table which makes it his responsibility. If he was the owner of the club, having a manager win just 4 games from 11 games (losing 7 games) is enough to deserve the sack but at this crucial stage of the season, they cannot afford that uncertainty looming around the dressing room.
Leeds were smart enough to do their sacking of Bielsa early but I don't think Everton can afford that with just a few games left in the season. It is about salvaging what's left of their season rather than being optimistic about it. I expected much from Lampard especially when he was backed with Van De Beek and Dele Alli and in the last game against West Ham, Van De Beek pulled out due to injuries and if anyone has been following Dele Alli they would know he has never been consistent but I was hoping Van De Beek would push him to stake his claim in the team and injuries has never been kind to him either.
Lampard would have to steer this sheep till the end of the season but I have serious doubts over his managerial capabilities due to how he has struggled badly this season. He did okay with Chelsea but he had the materials with him even though at some points it looked as though he didn't even know how to get the best out of his arrays of stars. He is never the aggressive kind of coach and I won't judge him based on his calmness on the sideline but let's face it, he hasn't gotten a hang of this Everton team yet.
It's hard to predict what would happen to him before the end of the season and how his team would respond but they are not confident at the moment and despite trying to claw their way back into the game against West Ham, their equalizer didn't even last up to 5 minutes before Bowen gave West Ham the lead again.
Individual mistakes also plagued his team this season and a notable one was Micheal Keane's unnecessary challenge that saw him get the red card when his team should have been trying to get back into the game again. It's not going well for Lampard this season and the frustration is evident even though he is trying too hard to mask it. It's only a matter of time before we know what is level would be. I am sure he is staying calm because of the two games at hand but others are also fighting to stay in the league, he should know better never to expect an easy game.
I don't wish to see Everton get relegated because they are a decent team but being decent should involve getting the needed points to stay in the league. It has to be earned and worked for and at the moment, they are not and time is ticking for Lampard and Everton as a whole.
Legend or not, no one would judge him based on what he did in his playing days with Chelsea and in this new chapter as a manager, he is expected to thrive and if he fails at it yet again, his options would be limited and his legendary status won't save him. This is the problem with having players with only footballing experience take the reigns rather than coaching experience. He had experience with Derby County just as Solskjaer had with Molde, Lampard even had with Chelsea but I guess coaches are cut from different clothes and Lampard would have to learn that art again.
Cheers.
Gingered Up! ❣️