Frank Lampard warns tougher tests lie ahead after winning start to Everton reign
The Toffees beat fellow Premier League side Brentford 4-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup
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Your support makes all the difference.New Everton manager Frank Lampard is not getting carried away with a debut win as he knows there are much tougher tests ahead.
They start with a relegation six-pointer at Newcastle on Tuesday and the former Chelsea boss knows the 4-1 FA Cup win over fellow Premier League side Brentford proves little.
Goodison Park certainly warmed to their new manager “Super Frankie Lampard” ringing out at the end and the ex-England international responded by applauding all four sides of the ground.
He admits he allowed the emotion of the day to take over but insists he will be straight back to work on Sunday.
“I have to put some perspective and calm on yesterday,” he said after seeing goals from substitutes Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend bookend strikes from Richarlison and Mason Holgate.
“It was a good performance and we are through to the next round but we have a lot of work to do, we need to get results within that process because it is so important for our league position.
“When we go to training I will say, ‘Well done, here are the positives, but we need to get better’.
“We want to play and make more passes and support each other better in possession.
“We are an Everton team, we must be aggressive and sprint and tackle when the ball is there to be won.
“And those things were there in abundance, which makes me very happy.”
Everton won with 56 per cent possession and 14 shots – considerably more than they ever enjoyed under predecessor Rafael Benitez’s more defence-minded football.
And that is something Lampard wants to encourage and improve, while harnessing the spirit displayed by academy graduate Anthony Gordon who is enjoying a breakout season in the first-team.
“I’d like to think it a visible from the outside. We want to play, we want to make more passes, we need to support each other better in possession and that’s how I want to coach my team,” he added.
“First and foremost we are an Everton team team and we must be aggressive, must make tackles when the ball is there to be won.
“It was there in abundance and that is the base and it made me very happy to see that.”
On Gordon, Lampard, who hopes to have striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin back for the trip to St James’ Park, said: “I’m really excited. I’ve been watching Anthony this season as an outsider, a neutral, and I love things about his game.
“When you come to see someone you try not to make too many judgments but I’ve seen him first-hand and he loves this club and he has a great attitude and all the attributes to do what he wants in this game.
“I won’t give him an issue to live up to something after one game but the attitude he showed and the love for the club he showed is something to work on and something for me to harness.”
While Everton have received a significant boost following Lampard’s arrival Brentford counterpart Thomas Frank has to find a way for his side to get a result after a fifth successive defeat.
However, their next stop is at defending champions Manchester City and he is not that optimistic about their chances, although his one avenue of hope remains the form of Ivan Toney who scored for the third successive game after going eight matches without a goal.
“I’m very aware we need to get back to winning ways but I am aware going to the Etihad is relatively difficult if you are a club in the bottom 14,” he said.
“It is rare for clubs to take points. We are going there with belief we can get points but aware it is one of the most difficult games of the season.”
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