'The question': Frank Lampard admits he's not sure what 21-year-old Everton player's best position is

By Ben Evans

Everton manager Frank Lampard has been discussing the second half of the Premier League, via Liverpool Echo.

The Toffees currently find themselves just a place and a point above the relegation zone.

Goals have been hard to come by, with Wolves the only side to have scored less than them this season.

However, it’s hard to argue that Everton’s summer business didn’t improve the side.

Richarlison joining Tottenham was a big loss, and Neal Maupay isn’t of the same standard as a replacement.

However, Lampard has transformed the centre of the pitch with his new recruits.

James Tarkowski and Conor Coady has given Everton a much more stable platform on which to build on.

The pair have really impressed this season, and helped make up for Everton’s lack of goals.

The majority of Everton’s investment came in midfield, where Lampard made three signings.

James Garner arrived from Manchester United, and has already impressed Everton’s coaches in training.

Idrissa Gueye returned to the club after a spell at PSG and has slotted straight back into the base of midfield.

And the club’s biggest outlay was to sign Amadou Onana from Lille, who has been at the World Cup with Belgium.

Lampard has admitted that he’s not sure what Onana’s best position is yet, but he knows how important he is.

There’s already been a marked improvement in his performances since signing in August, and he could end up being the player Lampard builds his team around in the future.

Lampard unsure on Onana’s best position

Speaking about the young Belgian, via the Liverpool Echo, Lampard said: “I think the question is about trying to get the best out of him when we are in possession.

‘And that’s probably a bit of a process for us and him, a case of how high we want him and sometimes how much we want him a little bit deeper.

“Because against Newcastle, we played him deeper, pretty much next to Gana [Gueye], and it affected our play through the lines, we couldn’t be as fluent.

“So, it’s trying to search for the right tweaks at the right time.

“There’s maybe some work to be done in trying to find that right combination [in midfield] and I think that’s pretty understandable.

“But this break is also a time of reflection to try and make sure we get the right balance.”

Onana’s versatility in midfield makes it difficult to know what his best position in the team should be.

Once Lampard can work out who he wants playing alongside Onana, he can adapt the Belgian’s role to fit in with them.

He’s got a fantastic skill set for such a young player, although he’s admitted he needs to add more goals to his game.

There are few managers who will be better suited to coach Onana to do that given his playing record.