With four Everton players featuring at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, others taking part in international friendlies and some unavailable through injury, the club’s mid-season tour of Australia has afforded Frank Lampard the opportunity to promote some members of the U-23 squad to the first team, with Isaac Price’s performances catching the eye of the Blues’ boss.
“He’s been brilliant on the trip. He deserved to play because he’s trained great. His energy is amazing. I think you can see that natural energy to his game. Isaac wins a lot of second balls, and he’s calm when he gets there, and his passing. When I put him higher on the pitch in the last 20 minutes, he’s finding lovely little passes in great pockets, which is a bit of a natural knack.
“It’s been a real positive trip for Isaac, and he puts himself now in the frame to be in the First-Team squad when the games start. You know, we’ve got a couple of injuries so that’s what young players have to do. When they sniff a chance, they have to take it and he’s taken it this trip.
Additionally, the impact of both Stanley Mills and Tom Cannon didn’t go unnoticed, with Lampard suggesting they too could have a role with the first team when Premier League football resumes. Lampard said, “Yes, both of them. They’ve both done great. Stan’s been great for a long time and he’s training with application, consistency of performance and his attitude. The same with Tommy. They’re a delight to coach because they’re low maintenance and they want to play for Everton. They’ve both shown their qualities and again, they’ll be with the first-team squad in the short-term future.”
Everton’s limited fire power up-front has been an issue for Lampard’s side so far this season, with DCL suffering an injury setback and Neal Maupay struggling for form since his summer move from Brighton. Could Tom Cannon’s introduction to the first team improve Everton’s chances in front of goal?