Everton have been training in Washington DC ahead of the first game of their USA tour on Saturday when they face fellow Premier League side Arsenal.
Frank Lampard's side then go to Major League Soccer side Minnesota United – managed by Everton legend Adrian Heath – before returning to the UK for a trip to Blackpool and then rounding off their pre-season programme against Dynamo Kyiv in a fundraising fixture for Ukrainian humanitarian charities at Goodison Park.
Here’s some things spotted from the Blues' training session in the American capital as manager Lampard put his squad through their paces in what is his first pre-season at the helm.
On and off the ball
Lampard has declared that after coming in midway through last season following Rafael Benitez’s sacking after just one win from the Spaniard’s last 13 Premier League games in charge, a run of form that chairman Bill Kenwright would later describe as “unacceptably disappointing”, the current pre-season is his chance to make this Everton squad “his team” and how he wants them to look. All the signs appear to be that the former Derby County and Chelsea boss will try and place a greater emphasis on possession and it was telling that there are several shots of the players doing ball work.
Conditioning is also crucial, though, as Lampard acknowledged that “we need to be a fit team” with “a big capacity to run” in order to satisfy the way that Evertonians will demand they play. Therefore, there was also predictably evidence of drills such as kneeling lean backs which are supposed to be good for your abdominal muscles, glutes, lower back and quads.
Scared of the Tark?
Lampard has also hailed his first signing of the summer, James Tarkowski, who came in on a free from Burnley after his contract expired at Turf Moor. Although the 29-year-old centre-back ultimately suffered relegation with the Clarets, his new manager insists he offers “proven Premier League quality and durability” having played 35 or more top-flight matches in each of the past four seasons, adding, “there’s a great physicality to him”, so it therefore comes as no surprise to see Tarkowski getting stuck into his team-mates in training with a picture showing him challenging Ben Godfrey.
Team spirit
Everton have taken no fewer than 32 players with them on the US trip as Lampard wants “everyone to be involved” and there’s plenty of evidence of team bonding. Wide men Anthony Gordon and Demarai Gray are shown arm in arm on one shot while Yerry Mina holds Dele Alli aloft as the pair embrace on another.
The Blues have even brought some injured players along with captain Seamus Coleman and Allan not participating yet but the Brazilian was still all smiles while Andros Townsend – who Lampard praised for attending all the matches, including aways, after suffering his ACL injury last season – is also with the group as he continues his rehabilitation.
Everton’s 'powerhouse' number 9
With Richarlison having been sold to Tottenham Hotspur in a £60million deal, the emphasis on Dominic Calvert-Lewin getting back to his best and spearheading the Everton attack could now be even greater. The Blues centre-forward suffered a stop-start campaign in 2021/22 before ultimately heading in the goal that secured the club’s top-flight status and Lampard has proclaimed: “A fully fit Dominic will be something for us to get excited about this season.”
The Blues boss hit back at the critics who have questioned the Sheffield-born centre-forward’s off-the-field pursuits, saying that his “personality” and “uniqueness” should be applauded. Calvert-Lewin’s bold choices of garments in fashion magazines have turned heads in recent months but here there was a topless shot that showed he’s every inch “the powerhouse” his manager proclaimed him to be in Everton’s matches during the run-in last season.
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