Frank Lampard’s two Everton decisions which ask burning recruitment question

Frank Lampard has much to ponder during the international break.

Just as he'd hoped Everton had turned a corner after a dramatic defeat of Newcastle United, they reverted to type by suffering a humbling 4-0 loss at Crystal Palace.

The Toffees crashed out of the FA Cup quarter-finals with a whimper.

Archetypal away-day performance

It was an archetypal away-day performance of this season, littered with individual errors, a dearth of quality and, as Lampard described it, a display that lacked cajones.

A bright start was curtailed by Marc Guehi's opener before things got gradually worse, with Jean-Philippe Mateta giving the hosts a two-goal lead at half-time.

Still, there was ample time for Everton to claw themselves back into the game and Dominic Calvert-Lewin was brought off the bench.

When he emerged from the tunnel after the break in the place of Jonjoe Kenny, most thought it would lead to a change in formation.

The expectation was that Ben Godfrey would shift to left-back in a 4-4-2 system.

Instead, however, the set-up remained similar. To accommodate Calvert-Lewin up front, Anthony Gordon was shifted to wing-back in the 3-4-3 set-up and Richarlison moved to the left of the attacking triumvirate.

When that didn't yield success, Lampard again rolled the dice. This time Seamus Coleman was sacrificed for Alex Iwobi, fresh off netting the dramatic winner against Newcastle three days earlier.

Again, it failed to reap the dividends. Everton would concede two more goals and suffer yet another ignominious defeat.

Lampard was understandably irked by what he'd witnessed while conducting media duties in the aftermath.

January recruits again overlooked

And when conducting a post-match autopsy, a pertinent talking point is that Vitalii Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson were yet again overlooked.

Despite Lampard continuing with a wing-back system, the January arrivals were surplus to requirements.

In truth, it leads to the conclusion that Lampard regards them as not ready for the current challenge.

Heading into the winter window, it was clear Everton needed to recruit sagely.

On 1 January, they sat 15th and eight points above the drop zone. Some fans feared a relegation battle, although the predicament was nowhere near as alarming as its current state.

Both full-back roles were regarded as a priority for many Evertonians to strengthen.

Lucas Digne was always expected to depart after an off-field falling out with then-boss Rafa Benitez at the beginning of December.

Granted, Digne didn't hit the standards he's capable of in the first half of the campaign

Yet he was still an experienced operator who many regarded as one of the best left-backs in the Premier League. It's why Aston Villa were more than willing to fork out £25 million for his services.

His replacement, Mykolenko, was signed from Dynamo Kyiv even before Digne exited the club.

So far, though, the Ukraine international has totalled only six appearances. Coleman, Kenny, Godfrey and now Gordon have all been preferred.

There are mitigating circumstances for Mykolenko's slow start. His homeland being invaded by Russia is the main one and the mental fortitude he's showing has to be saluted.

Yet the 22-year-old - who cost Everton a fee reported to be in the region of £18 million - has endured a moderate Merseyside opening.

Supporters hoped that Patterson would be the player who'd finally ease the burden on Coleman. For some years, Evertonians have clamoured for an adept successor to the club captain - similar to Digne and Leighton Baines.

The soundbites north of the border were that Patterson was as good as a young talent Scotland had produced in a long time.

He'd won the Scottish title with Rangers and a senior international at the age of 20.

But despite reportedly costing an initial £11 million fee, Patterson's managed just 45 minutes of game-time against non-league Boreham Wood.

Coleman has remained first-choice right-back, while Kenny's also featured prominently.

Lampard's decision not to play Mykolenko nor Patterson can be defended by the fact he did not sign either.

The money was splashed on the pair before he succeeded Benitez as manager. Both were seemingly long-term targets that Benitez and former director of football Marcel Brands were involved in.

Patterson was linked last summer and Dynamo Kyiv manager Leonid Buryak revealed that Carlo Ancelotti had held discussions over Mykolenko while at the helm.

Lampard will instead be scrutinised on the impacts deadline-day signings Donny van de Beek and Dele Alli have on Everton's survival bid.

Amid a relegation dogfight, fresh recruits capable of making an immediate and tangible impact were imperative.

Indeed, Newcastle are feeling the benefits of astute business, albeit with more cash to spend than Everton.

Mykolenko and Patterson may have bright futures ahead and go on to become Everton regulars.

Yet with 11 Premier League matches remaining for the Toffees to retain their top-flight status, questions will continue to be asked about the rationale of bringing in either.