Frank Lampard called on his side to be more clinical following Everton’s win at Southampton. Reacting to the win, which extends the Blues’ unbeaten run to six games in the Premier League,
Frank Lampard said: “I thought we were in control in the first half and could have been more ruthless to try and get the lead. Then you worry what can happen and it happened, you go one down with your own mistake. But we showed good spirit, good reactions and I think we deserved to win the game. In the latter stages we had to dig in a little bit – that will always happen if you don’t go and get the third goal while you are on top. There was a couple of chances to do so but I am delighted to get two wins on the bounce.”
Everton were the better side for much of the first half with Idrissa Gueye a controlling influence in midfield and Demarai Gray creating several opportunities, although the Blues lacked an end product. In the opening minutes of the second half they made several mistakes, however, escaping an early scare when Che Adams misjudged a back-post header before Gueye conceded possession and Southampton started the attack that led to Aribo’s goal. Asked how he felt to see his side concede so early in the second half,
Frank Lampard said: “That’s on us and sometimes that can happen in the Premier League and maybe that is why we are where we are – and we want to get better. First thing of that will be to get more ruthless. I thought there were areas like that where Southampton, and they are a good team and there is no disrespect here, were not at it in the first half and I thought there were areas we could really have hurt them more efficiently and be more ruthless and we didn’t – down the sides and the last pass, we were a bit short. So that was my message and then you give a goal away. So we have to tighten up on bits like that. But to be fair to the lads they have been tight this season, they haven’t conceded many goals and I think as a group they got what they deserved today and for this season. There have been moments when things have not quite gone our way. Today we reacted quickly and got our two goals. We are improving. There is a lot of work to do but we are getting much better.”
Seamus Coleman started his first league game of the season and picked up the captain’s armband – previously worn by Jordan Pickford and Conor Coady, who also played on Saturday. With James Tarkowski also touted as a leader, Everton have a foundation of strong personalities that have created a resilient spine for the side. So often the Blues would fail to recover from going behind last season and, asked whether he thought this was a game that, had it taken place last season, his team would likely have gone on to lose,
Frank Lampard said: “We came here and lost 2-0 after my third or fourth game, I think. We were in the game and then they scored and they scored again and we didn’t really have anything about us to get back in the game. I think [this win] shows a progression. It’s certainly not the end of the story. We need a lot more progression to get to where we really want to get to but it is a positive that we have a stronger spine now and an idea of how we want to play, playing through lines. At times we are giving it away, at times we are not being as ruthless. On switches of play we have to switch it and be quick, and attack quicker. At times we switched it well and then we were slow. But you know there are sometimes things when you look at a game like today – off the back of an international break, the pitch was not perfect, things break down a little bit, so there were some circumstances [for the players to deal with] but I am certainly not disappointed. I’m delighted for them to get that feeling of two wins because that’s a feeling of confidence for the group.”
