SERMON FOR THE MOUNT
Lampard tells his matchwinner Mason: You must learn to get in the box more.. then you’ll get 15 a season (in other words, become the midfield goal poacher I used to be)
MASON MOUNT has answered the call for Chelsea this season more often than a Covidiot being contacted by track and trace.
And it was the England star to the rescue again to ease the pressure on Frank Lampard and deliver victory over 10-man Fulham.
Whether he’s been asked to do a job in midfield, attack teams from the wing, or be a creator, Mount has done the business for Lampard and the Blues this term.
So you would not bet against him answering his manager’s demand to start scoring more goals like his match-winner here.
It was his first in the league since September but Lampard believes the 22-year-old is capable of scoring 15 times a season if he gets into the box more often. The Chelsea gaffer (with Mount, below) said: “It’s a conversation I have a lot with Mason because I feel he can get more goals from midfield. My feeling is he needs to get into the 18-yard box more.
“When he gets older it will become very natural for him to understand the moments he can get in there.
“With his quality, his smartness, if he keeps getting in there he will get chances and he will score more goals. That’s why
I’m really happy for him. To score the type of goal he scored was a big deal for me.
“Rather than a 25-yarder he scored last week, goals in the box are what Mason can definitely add.
“By the time he’s 23 or 24 and maturing into the prime of his career, I’d like to think that Mason Mount will be a player of the highest level who has at least 10 goals – maybe 15 – in him. That’s
ALTHOUGH ONE IS USUALLY ENOUGH FOR CHELSEA Chelsea have won 131 Premier League games by a 1-0 scoreline, the most common winning score for a single team in the competition’s history. the potential I believe he has and the great thing is I know he knows it and wants it. So it will happen.”
Chelsea struggled to break down a Fulham team who had plenty of chances before Antonee Robinson was sent off for a wild tackle on Cesar Azpilicueta.
But Mount broke Fulham’s resistance in the 79th minute with a controlled volley into the bottom corner after Alphonse Areola could only parry a Ben Chilwell cross.
It was his second goal in a week after he opened the scoring against Morecambe in the FA Cup. But his only other came four months ago when he started Chelsea’s comeback in a 3-3 draw at West Brom.
Mount, who also hit the woodwork against London rivals Fulham, said: “Two in a week is obviously very good for me. I aspire to score more goals so I’m happy with that. For me, the next step is continuing to play as many games as I can, and winning trophies. All players want to be successful and that’s a big goal of mine.
“I want to win a big trophy for this club. Hopefully I can keep getting better and keep challenging myself to do more and be an even bigger leader in the team.”
Despite winning 13 England caps, Mount is still not popular with a large section of the Chelsea faithful who want to see bigger names like summer signing Kai Havertz in the team ahead of him.
But the midfield star, who spent time on loan at Derby before making his Chelsea breakthrough, said: “I let my football do the talking, and scoring goals and putting in performances will do that.”