Frank Lampard has called on his Chelsea players to be more aggressive after a sluggish start to his second spell in charge. The visitors struggled to cope with Wolves in their 1-0 loss at Molineux on Saturday and the caretaker manager pinpointed the physical side of the game as being the difference between the two teams.
The defeat leaves Chelsea in 11th place, averaging fewer than a goal a game, and they will need to massively improve for their trip to Real Madrid on Wednesday. The Champions League is the only thing that can give meaning to a season of three managers, Premier League struggle and new owners.
“Without that [aggression] you can’t win games and you can’t be the team that Chelsea has been at different times and want to get back to,” Lampard said. “It was interesting to see in many ways, and I am here to help with that. It’s not stinging criticism, this is like: ‘What are the reasons we can be like that?’ and find that. I know there is a lot of talent in the squad, I’ve seen that in the last couple of days. I am looking forward to working more with it.”
He added: “I think it was a performance, if you really analyse it, if you want to win a Premier League game, you have to have more aggression, more speed, win more competitive duels. That baseline stuff, against a team fighting for their Premier League lives, will always dictate the turning of the result of the game, regardless of the talent on each side.”
Chelsea’s one shot on target against a team in a relegation battle will not provide Lampard or the fans with the confidence things are going to improve in the final weeks of the season. However, the manager hopes more time on the training ground will allow him to shape the team into his style.
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“I am very happy to be back and disappointed I couldn’t give the fans a win in my first game but we go again,” Lampard said. “We have a huge game on Wednesday where everything changes. It is the Champions League buildup. I am very excited about that feeling.”
N’Golo Kanté was rested, while Mason Mount was ruled out with a pelvic problem despite training for the two days before the match. The France midfielder will be fit to face Madrid but the England international is a doubt.
After the game both clubs and the Premier League issued statements condemning homophobic chanting heard during play. The stadium announcer issued warnings after chants targeting Chelsea fans were heard more than once.
Chelsea called the abuse “totally unacceptable”, while the Premier League said it “has no place in football or society”. Wolves confirmed three arrests had been made by West Midlands police, adding: “Homophobia, like all other forms of discrimination, has no place in football or society, and anyone engaging in discriminatory behaviour is committing a criminal offence.
“We thank all supporters and staff who reported incidents, and will continue to campaign for inclusivity and tackle discriminatory abuse, whether inside stadiums or online. The club will offer its full support to the police as they carry out their investigation.”
