蘭帕德：普利西克可上場、英超競爭太激烈 - 切爾西足球俱樂部 Chelsea Football Club

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2020/12/14/
frank-lampard-injury-updates-wolves-christian-pulisic

Lampard reports positive Pulisic update and considers team's reaction

14 Dec 2020


Before departing for the West Midlands, Frank Lampard addressed the media
at Cobham, explaining what his team must do to get back to winning ways
and providing the latest on Christian Pulisic's fitness.


https://i.imgur.com/dlmpvC8.jpg


The American missed out on the weekend loss at Goodison Park due to a
hamstring problem, but Lampard has confirmed he is in contention to play
against Wolves.


The boss also answered questions on Gerard Houllier, the possibility
London is going into tier three and the title race, but it is his update
on Pulisic we start with…


'He trained on the day we played against Everton and felt better,'
reported Lampard. 'He's in the squad tomorrow and it's yet to be decided
whether he starts or not. It's obviously positive news from the weekend.'


Lampard considered how his team must react to the Everton setback


'The Premier League is unforgiving. You saw that with different results
over the weekend. We weren't at our top level on Saturday and we got
beaten. That's it.


'We've been on a long unbeaten run playing some really good football, as
well as winning games. We dropped our level for a game. It's on us to pick
up it again straightaway.


https://i.imgur.com/vl4ZFvW.jpg


'It's important for us to stay in the race. When people were touting us as
title contenders, after the Leeds game particularly, I felt it's a long
race to win a Premier League. I did it as a player and I understand there
are lots of elements of it.


'One of those is losing a game and trying to bounce back from it quickly
which is what we need to do, and sustain performances and results over a
period of time.'


Lampard commented on speculation London is going into tier three and so
fans won't be allowed at the Bridge


'Even though we are in tier two and we had fans for a game or two, I did
feel it should be a level-playing field for fans. We have seen and felt
the backing they give you and what it does to the game.


'I also think, and I'm not telling the Government what to do, we can
really control 2,000 fans coming into a stadium. It's unfortunate to say
the least.


'We are making up as we go along and that's not to be critical, it's just
a fact. We have never been in this situation before. Clubs are showing
they can control it and I would like to think there could be something
done to get that 2,000 number in, but that goes above my station.'


Lampard also spoke about Gerard Houllier following the sad news of his
death


'I came across him on and off the pitch. He was always an absolute
gentleman whenever I met him. Reading some quotes from people who knew him
much better than me, that seems to be the resounding feeling.


'He was a great football person, very successful in his managerial career,
a great person, and our thoughts and respect go to his family from myself
and everyone at Chelsea Football Club.'


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https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2020/12/15/
lampard--the-league-is-tighter-so-we-have-to-keep-improving

Lampard: The league is tighter so we have to keep improving

15 Dec 2020


Frank Lampard believes the unusual circumstances of this season, along
with the improvement in quality and consistency of a number of our
competitors, means the top of the Premier League will be more congested
this campaign than it has been for many years.


https://i.imgur.com/VK1OwtX.jpg


Champions Liverpool have already dropped 11 league points, four less than
they lost in the whole of 2019/20, while Manchester City, who won the
title in the two preceding seasons, have been beaten twice and drawn on
four occasions in their dozen games to date.


Simultaneously, the likes of previous challengers Tottenham and Leicester
City are enjoying strong starts, while Southampton, West Ham and Everton
have offered the surprise element in the top seven a third of the way
through this term.


Lampard's Chelsea are currently fifth, albeit averaging a slightly
improved points per game tally on last season's average and sitting just
three points behind the joint leaders Tottenham and Liverpool, who meet
this midweek at Anfield.


For perspective, at this stage last season we were eight points off the
early pace set by the Reds and, since last winning the title in 2017, we
haven't finished closer than 30 points off the top.


The Blues boss has admitted it is likely to require a lower points total
than in previous recent seasons to lift the title this campaign and, even
though he doesn't see his team as strong title contenders, he has urged
the players to continue striving for improvement.


'That's just where we're at this season,' he said. 'We've seen the results
and we felt it first-hand at the weekend with Everton.


'They have good players, they invested in the summer, they're a good
squad, they were well-organised and they made it difficult for us.
Watching the other games, you see that all over the place. Teams are
strengthening and the league is getting tighter.


'I certainly felt our preparation into the season was slightly different
so we've been a bit of a work in progress. We feel ourselves that we've
already lost some points that we maybe wouldn't have done and everyone
will feel that in their own way.


https://i.imgur.com/afXLc4I.jpg


'I do think the level of the points will be less but we just have to try
to make sure we maintain our levels and keep improving to stay in that.'


There has been a significant about-turn in recent months from some pundits
when analysing Chelsea's prospects for this season, with the criticism
following high-scoring draws with West Brom and Southampton followed by a
12-match unbeaten run that was brought to an abrupt halt on Merseyside at
the weekend.


That upturn in form led to some categorising the Blues as serious title
contenders but Lampard has maintained his position that in reality his
side are probably somewhere in between right now.


'I just don't see it,' he admitted in response to claims that he has the
strongest squad in the country. 'I'm not talking down my squad by saying
that.


'Some people are saying we've got the strongest squad and we can swap
players with no change but these are the same people who were saying those
players weren't so good when we drew with West Brom and Southampton.


https://i.imgur.com/fpYsvt8.jpg
Good vibes in training as we prepare for Wolves


'The tide has turned pretty quickly but the conversation is pretty
irrelevant because it's only what we do on the pitch that matters. I look
around and see strong squads that have been winning things over the last
few years and that are very stable.


'There are squads that can have one of the best players in the world
sitting on the bench most games as their back-up and teams that have got
Champions League winners throughout their squad. We're not quite there at
the moment but we hope to get there.


'We've got some new players that have come in and people maybe want to
look at the price tags but at the same time some of them are young players
who are coming to play in this league for the first time and they clearly
need a little bit of time. There are lots of elements to the squad.


'I believe we will improve, we are improving as it stands and I think
we'll continue to improve but strong squads will only be referred to when
you win something.'

--


Hoddle: 'Matthew will be sitting up there looking down now and

loving Chelsea being winners. He'll just love Chelsea winning.'


--