Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
LAMPARD PRAISES BLUES’ CUP SEMI-FINAL HERO GIROUD
CHELSEA BOSS LAMPARD PRAISES STRIKER GIROUD FOR HIS WORK-RATE DURING THE BLUES’ FA CUP SEMI-FINAL WIN
FRANK LAMPARD sang the praises of Olivier Giroud and raved “he sets an amazing example”, after Chelsea reached the FA Cup final with a 3-1 win against Manchester United.
The Blues might be getting praise for signing the likes of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, but Giroud proved once again why his one-year contract extension was a masterstroke.
In Sunday’s victory, it was obvious to see why Giroud is such an asset to this side.
Tammy Abraham deserved his time to start earlier in the campaign, but there is no doubt that right now Giroud is the main man for the Blues.
Chelsea extended his deal for next season and he is showing his class right now, with five goals since the restart.
“He sets an amazing example,” Lampard said after the game. “At the beginning of the season, Tammy was playing well and Oli didn’t have many opportunities. He kept training.
“In January he could have left, but he had the most positive attitude possible. When I speak to him man to man he is so easy to speak to because he exudes professionalism.
“I am not surprised because I know what Oli can do and the way he is playing, the presence he has, the way he trains every day, means that he can play to that level.
“What we have to make sure we do is work off and around him as well.
“We had speed and energy and we took time to get up the pitch, moving the ball from side to side, which allows Oli positions to get into the box. He has been great and the young players should see in him everything it takes to be a professional – work ethic, humility and a team player. He has done that all season.
“Now he is getting the absolute credit he deserves and I am getting a player who is scoring really regularly after lockdown.”
It is fair to say that over the course of the campaign United have had the upper hand over Chelsea.
Out of the previous three encounters, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side won every game, and pretty convincingly.
However, this game could potentially have been the biggest out of all four, especially if the Blues do eventually clinch that Champions League place.
“We have finals ahead,” added Lampard. “We know we have Arsenal, but we also have two finals in the league.
“At the start of the season, we weren’t in the race for top four in most predictions I saw, although quietly I was hoping and you work away to try and get that.
“I don’t want to put everything on three games, defining the progress that individuals have made and I think we’ve made as a team collectively, but of course we want top four and we want to win that final.”
Meanwhile, in the Championship, Brentford’s chances of automatic promotion suffered a potentially lethal blow in a 1-0 defeat at Stoke City. They could still overtake West Brom on the final day for second spot, but Fulham have also jumped into the reckoning and they could sneak in. Scott Parker’s side travel to Wigan Athletic, while Brentford host Barnsley, who need to win to have a chance of escaping the drop.
The Championship play-offs begin on Saturday, July 25.
Elsewhere, mid-table QPR finish off with a trip to West Brom – the hopes of the other two west London clubs resting on their shoulders.
■ Newly-promoted Wealdstone could be in action again in September as the National League gears up to start the new season that month.