Frank Lampard has warned Everton have not solved all their problems in one transfer window and cannot “go to the moon” quickly.
While Lampard made eight summer signings, Everton only narrowly avoided relegation last season and then lost top scorer Richarlison.
And Lampard believes he is at the start of a long-term rebuilding job as he said they should not be expected to finish in the top six or eight this season.
“It could take longer,” he said. “History tells you when you are building for something it takes time and there are bumps in the road. You are working against others who are very stable and have invested again.
“To think we can go from a relegation battle, just staying up and solve those problems in a window... you can’t solve them straight away in one day on the training pitch. It takes time.
“We are in that early stage. I think Evertonians are very understanding. That is my gut instinct. No-one is expecting us to go to the moon and if we try to we will make mistakes trying to get there too quickly. It is my job to get the balance. I don’t feel like I am fighting within the Evertonian bubble.”
Everton are yet to win in the Premier League this season but Lampard feels supporters are realistic and that the wider world demands more of him and his team.
He added: “I think Evertonians are sensible in how they see their football and are aware. They watch us and see things. Of course they have expectations and they expect us to be driven. Who doesn’t want to finish in the top six? Because this club has been there and wants to get back there but there is a realism about where we are at.
“Outside the fanbase maybe there is a more casual or lazy view that Everton are big historically and should be in the top eight after the money that we spent a while ago. But it doesn’t work that way. And now that we are here.
“There was that comment about Everton should never go down but that’s not football. The important thing is that us within the Everton bubble understand it and I think we are there.”
