Can Everton win over Chelsea spark survival for Frank Lampard's side?

Thousands of Toffees supporters filled the streets around Goodison Park to welcome the team bus for Sunday’s crucial Premier League fixture against Chelsea, making clear the commitment levels needed on the pitch. The players didn’t let them down.

From the first minute to the last, Everton gave it their all as they ground out a priceless 1-0 win and move to within two points of safety with a game on hand on Leeds and Burnley above them. But they wouldn’t have been able to do this without the platform given to them by Frank Lampard.

The former midfielder has faced criticism at times this season, but he set up his team to claim all three points on Sunday.

Last week’s Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool might prove to be a watershed in Everton’s season. While the Toffees lost, their compact approach restricted one of the best teams in Europe to only a handful of opportunities.

It proved Everton can play with the organisation and discipline needed to squeeze enough points from their remaining fixtures to avoid the drop.

Premier League relegation odds (via Sky Bet)

• 7/4 - Leeds
• 11/8 - Everton
• 2/1 - Burnley

Odds correct at 1710 (01/05/22)

Tactical tweak proves crucial

Lampard made two changes to the team that lost to Liverpool at Anfield with Fabian Delph and Yerry Mina picked to start over Allan and Michael Keane. However, the biggest alteration concerned the formation as Everton lined up in a 5-4-1 shape with Vitaliy Mykolenko and Alex Iwobi deployed as wing-backs.

Against Liverpool, Lampard pushed Anthony Gordon and Demarai Gray back to help out the full-backs and prevent Liverpool from finding any space out wide. Against Chelsea, though, Everton were happy to let their opponents have the ball in the wide areas, instead choosing to congest the middle.

There were still some pressing triggers. Iwobi and Gordon were quick to close down Marcos Alonso whenever he moved into the half-space on the left, restricting his route into high value attacking areas. Alonso was frequently forced inside which only served to further congest the centre of the pitch. This played into Everton’s hands.

Seamus Coleman has endured a difficult season with the 33-year-old’s fading physicality a problem, but Chelsea were never able to expose his lack of pace with the Irishman tucked inside as the right-sided centre-back. Nobody made more clearances (five) than Coleman whose five long passes also gave Everton a way to bypass the midfield and find the channels.

'Richarlison embodied Everton spirit'

As an attacking outfit, Everton are reliant on the ball-carrying ability of Gordon and Gray while Richarlison’s harrying skills make him an effective nuisance to lead the line. Lampard hasn’t been able to construct much of a final third structure, but by allowing Gordon, Gray and Richarlison to do their own thing Everton stay compact behind them.

Richarlison embodied the spirit of an Everton team that appeared determined to pull off a big result - the Brazilian won five aerial duels and two ground duels, but also mustered two shots on target and the winning goal.

Lampard needs the 24-year-old, who came off early with a limp, to be fit for the rest of the season. Nobody else in the Everton squad can offer his quality on both the attacking and defensive side of the ball as a number nine.

This attritional attacking approach might not produce many opportunities down the stretch, but Lampard is playing the percentages. If Everton can stay tight at the back, as they have in their last two Premier League outings, there’s a good chance they will grind out the points to stay in the division.

Lampard and Everton earned their luck

Of course, Everton rode their luck at times against Chelsea. Jordan Pickford made a number of stops (including one with his face from Antonio Rudiger) while a series of blocks prevented the Blues from troubling the Toffees goalkeeper further.

In the long-term, Lampard has spoken about turning Everton into a possession-focused team. Recent reports have detailed how the 43-year-old has changed training since the departure of Rafael Benitez with Lampard favouring possession drills and small-sided games over tactical analysis.

Everton’s win over Chelsea might not have been pretty, but relegation scraps never are. For the here and now though, Lampard must be a pragmatist. And for the first time this season, the Toffees appear to have acknowledged the sticky situation they are in.

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