In all honesty, with how Everton has been struggling of late, I felt they can't beat the drop but after Manchester United gave them hope, Chelsea extended the courtesy to them and now, Everton won against Leicester City and I have to say that it's looking like Leeds United would be the one to replace Everton at the bottom of the table.
Burnley are in better form after getting results in their relegation scrap which saw them climb up the table but I can't say the same for Leeds United who, despite knowing the situation they are in, the results are not going the way they would have wanted. With Leeds United now back in 18th place, they are on the same point as Burnley while Everton stays in 16th place, a point ahead of the two while still having a game at hand. It's looking like Everton might beat the drop with just a few games left in the season.
After seeing the fixtures list for Everton, I could have sworn that they can never avoid the relegation and I don't know what Frank Lampard did but whatever he did worked to have steered them away from this precarious situation. They shouldn't be in this position in the first place but here they are and it's hopeful for the fans as they have pulled off massive upsets at the right time to get their safety hope in place.
This still doesn't mean that Frank Lampard is a good coach all of a sudden but for him to have gotten the results he needed while being under immense pressure says a lot about his character as a coach. He knew this is the last shot he has in redeeming whatever is left of his career after the Chelsea episode and he is giving it everything he can just to do that. The ability to withstand the pressure is what would stand him in good stead and the last 4 weeks haven't been kind to him but he seemed to be in a position where he can smile again.
I don't know if this would be enough for him to save his job or maybe it's enough for the board to back him next season but no board would be foolish enough to have sacked him with just a few games to go at least. They would want to see if he can pull off a miraculous escape first to decide his fate over the summer.
His lack of managerial experience is playing a huge part but one thing we can't rule out now is that he is learning on the job. I would say I am surprised with the results he has gotten to keep his team away from the relegation slot and this is the kind of fight the fans would always want to see. The fans want to know they are not alone. They want to know that he is ready to fight and give everything to make this escape happen.
They still applaud him when he lost some of the games he did because they saw how wonderful they played especially against Liverpool after the decisions of the referee didn't go their way. I wish I can say the same regarding Ralf Rangnick because all I can see with Ralf is a coach that wants to distance himself from the consequences of the results by throwing the players under the bus. I am not saying the players don't deserve it but he also needs to look at himself in the mirror as I wrote in my article yesterday.
The difference I can see is the attitude of the players. They are ready to fight and do everything necessary to stay in the league. They understood the consequences of missing out and all they needed was self-belief and encouragement which they managed to get against Manchester United. That gave them the belief and the lifeline they needed to grind out more points and as it stands, they are out of the danger zone but the season is not over yet. If they can win their outstanding game, I believe it would help them a lot and they would still have 3 more games to play for.
The future I felt looked bleak for them a few weeks ago is looking hopeful for them suddenly and now I think they can beat the drop. A change in attitude, a stroke of luck and the needed motivation were all they need and they got. Now, the fans can hope, yet again.
Thank you for your time.
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