TalkSport pundit Trevor Sinclair has questioned Frank Lampard’s decision to bring on Dele Alli during Everton’s defeat in the Premier League.
Everton’s hopes of staying in the top flight took a bit of a blow last night as they lost a relegation six-pointer in what was Lampard’s second game in charge.
The 3-1 defeat to Newcastle United leaves them just three points above the relegation zone, with the loss to a fellow contender for the drop showing Lampard just how much work needs to be done to keep Everton away from the mess at the bottom of the table.
Part of that work will involve knowing what substitutions to make as the game progresses, and according to Sinclair, he made the wrong one in the first half.
Following an injury to Demarai Gray inside the opening 25 minutes, the Everton boss decided to bring on the newly signed Alli to take his place, but speaking on TalkSport, Sinclair felt it was the wrong move to make.
He said: “I think the substitution Frank made last night was probably the wrong one. He’s got two wingers on the bench, with [Anwar] El Ghazi and [Alex] Iwobi, and he brought in Dele Alli for Demarai Gray. That’s a square peg in a round hole. It doesn’t work.”
TIF Thoughts on Trevor Sinclair’s comments about Frank Lampard and Dele Alli at Everton…
Will Lampard get Dele back to his best?
Yes
No
Whilst you could argue that the decision did have an impact on the game with all of the goals coming after that substitution was made, it is perhaps a bit harsh of Sinclair to be criticising Lampard this early in his tenure at the club.
Having only been in charge for less than a fortnight, he is still getting used to things at the club and getting to know his players’ strengths and weaknesses.
Plus, seeing as Everton were playing without traditional wingers on the day – with Seamus Coleman and Andros Townsend serving as wing-backs, while Gray and Anthony Gordon were fielded as two No 10s – playing Alli, a natural attacking midfielder, would have made sense.
So Lampard should perhaps be given some slack for his decision on the day, but hopefully, his substitutions will make a little bit more impact moving forward.
In other news: Lampard frustrated, Branthwaite delighted: Romano drops Everton transfer reveal – opinion