No win yet for Super Frank
Lampard’s Chelsea drought now three games as Leicester earns a draw
Frank Lampard climbed the steps in the tunnel and emerged to rapturous applause from Chelsea fans, a flame display and a giant banner at one end of Stamford Bridge that read “Welcome Home Super Frank.”
“The stuff of dreams,” Lampard described his homecoming on Sunday.
He couldn’t mark it with a victory, though.
Lampard’s winless run as manager of the club where he is the record scorer and one of its greatest players extended to three games after Leicester fought back to earn a 1-1 draw in the Premier League.
“It’s very early for us,” Lampard said after his first home match in charge of Chelsea. “We have to be patient as we are working toward something.”
After a 4-0 loss at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the Premier League and then a penalty-shootout defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday, Chelsea couldn’t hold on to the lead given by youngster Mason Mount’s seventh-minute goal.
Holding midfielder Wilfred Ndidi was at fault for that goal after being dispossessed by Mount on the edge of Leicester’s area, but he made amends by scoring the equalizer.
James Maddison swung over the corner and Ndidi rose higher than marker Cesar Azpilicueta to plant a firm header into the corner.
Chelsea struggled in the second half, perhaps through fatigue having been taken to extra time by Liverpool in the Super Cup, which finished after midnight local time in Turkey.
Leicester wasted a clear chance to take all three points when Maddison weaved past Chelsea’s static defence in the 73rd minute only to blaze over from point-blank range.
“It’s a results business,” Lampard said.
“It’s strange because the performance against Manchester United overall made me happier than today.”