Tony Scott has claimed on the All Together Now podcast that Frank Lampard will almost certainly stick with a five-at-the-back formation at Everton this season.
The Toffees have had some pretty tough results to take this pre-season, including a heavy defeat at the hands of Minnesota United out in the United States, but against Blackpool last weekend, Lampard opted for a more defensive approach and it yielded a positive outcome.
Everton went on a solid run of form during the back end of last season which saw them avoid the drop by the skin of their teeth, and this coincided with Lampard deploying three centre-backs and a pair of wing-backs.
Scott now expects Everton and Lampard to persist with this heading into the new campaign.
He said: “I do worry about that midfield. Obviously, we’re going to speak about the players coming in later on, but that is a concern of mine, while you’re playing that back five, I’m pretty much certain that’s what Frank Lampard will start with against Chelsea.
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“A week and a half away from the Chelsea game, you’ll have to play like that, because as I just touched on there, that’s the cards he’s been dealt with. I just worry about that.”
TIF Thoughts on Everton’s five-at-the-back system…
Considering that as things stand, Everton’s only summer arrival has been James Tarkowski – although they could soon wrap up deals for Ruben Vinagre and Dwight McNeil – it makes sense that Lampard is keen to deploy five in defence if possible.
There’s no doubt that the Toffees attack has got significantly worse since last season as Richarlison has departed the club and nobody has yet come in to replace him, so it’s little surprise that Lampard is thinking of shoring up at the back before trying to be expansive at Goodison Park.