Frank Lampard sounds warning after Everton’s summer transfer window

The Toffees boss made eight additions to his squad this summer

Richard Jolly
Senior Football Correspondent
Friday 02 September 2022 17:30 EDT
Comments
FPL GW26: Top five Premier League players for your fantasy football team this week

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Frank Lampard has warned Everton have not solved all their problems in one transfer window and cannot “go to the moon” quickly.

While Lampard made eight summer signings, Everton only narrowly avoided relegation last season and then lost top scorer Richarlison.

And Lampard believes he is at the start of a long-term rebuilding job as he said they should not be expected to finish in the top six or eight this season.

“It could take longer,” he said. “History tells you when you are building for something it takes time and there are bumps in the road. You are working against others who are very stable and have invested again.

“To think we can go from a relegation battle, just staying up and solve those problems in a window... you can’t solve them straight away in one day on the training pitch. It takes time.

“We are in that early stage. I think Evertonians are very understanding. That is my gut instinct. No-one is expecting us to go to the moon and if we try to we will make mistakes trying to get there too quickly. It is my job to get the balance. I don’t feel like  I am fighting within the Evertonian bubble.”

Everton are yet to win in the Premier League this season but Lampard feels supporters are realistic and that the wider world demands more of him and his team.

He added: “I think Evertonians are sensible in how they see their football and are aware. They watch us and see things. Of course they have expectations and they expect us to be driven. Who doesn’t want to finish in the top six? Because this club has been there and wants to get back there but there is a realism about where we are at.

“Outside the fanbase maybe there is a more casual or lazy view that Everton are big historically and should be in the top eight after the money that we spent a while ago. But it doesn’t work that way. And now that we are here.

“There was that comment about Everton should never go down but that’s not football. The important thing is that us within the Everton bubble understand it and I think we are there.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in