After six weeks of preparation Everton hoped to hit the ground running when they returned to action following the World Cup break.
Instead, just four games later, the Blues have dropped into the relegation zone and have been knocked out of the FA Cup after a traumatic fortnight. A battling draw at the home of the reigning Premier League champions amid those three defeats only muddies the water further when trying to assess just *where* Everton are at.
But two things appear clear - firstly, they need attacking options and, secondly, they are in a relegation battle for a second consecutive season unless progress can quickly be found. As the club enters the second week of the transfer window Lampard's squad has only been boosted by the recall of young striker Ellis Simms from a loan deal at Sunderland. Meanwhile, his position is under scrutiny and the wider management of the club is the subject of growing discontent. The past fortnight has been a troubling platform for Everton's entry into 2023. Against that backdrop, the ECHO's Everton writers discuss the coming 12 months.
