LEICESTER 2 LAMPS’ RUD AWAKENING Double-strike Ant told to do better
CHELSEA 2
CHELSEA boss Frank Lampard gave a message to double-goal hero Antonio Rudiger: You can do better.
The German defender scored twice to earn Chelsea a point, but Lampard insists he should be hitting the net more.
He might have a point. Rudiger’s opener was his first in well over a year when he scored against Manchester United back in October 2018.
The big centre-back even admitted he was shocked, saying: “To score was great, but to then score twice – that’s the first time in my career!”
Lamps felt a draw was a fair result, but said: “I was delighted with his two goals, but he needs to score more from set pieces.”
Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers also felt a draw was the right outcome, but how different it might have all been if Harvey
Barnes had converted a great 80th-minute chance. He was put clear by a magnificent pass from Jamie Vardy and had only keeper Willy Caballero to beat, but shot wide of the post.
Rodgers (below) clasped his head in his hands as he realised his man had missed, saying: “Yes, I thought it was in. It was a great move, a brilliant pass from Jamie and
Harvey shapes his body great. I couldn’t quite believe it when it went the other side of the post.”
He also couldn’t quite believe Rudiger got away with a late, late handball when a Barnes cross struck him.
Rodgers added: “I felt, after the one we didn’t get in midweek, I don’t have any great hope that we’ll ever get any more.
“I think their boy has been quite cute on it, but VAR was brought in to clear things like that up.” Rudiger said: “It touched me, but it was never my intention. It was all part of a natural movement.”
That really would have capped off a miserable week for Lamps, who saw no one brought in during the transfer window. He added: “I don’t look back. I’m not interested in the window now – it’s done.” An entertaining first half had thrown up a handful of chances for both sides – but not a goal to be seen. Tammy Abraham completely failed to connect on a superb opportunity close in and Barnes and Ayoze Perez could have done better with good chances.
But Chelsea broke the deadlock less than a minute after the re-start when Mason Mount swung a corner to the far post and there was Rudiger to head home from close in. The Foxes responded quickly and were level on 53 minutes, thanks to a stunning goal from Barnes.
Youri Tielemans sent the winger away down the left, Barnes cut inside and thumped a perfectly placed shot into the far corner.
Ten minutes later, the home side surged in front with that rarest of things – a Ben Chilwell right-footed shot.
The young left-back is hardly renowned for his prowess with his other foot, but you certainly wouldn’t have known it as he seized on a superb ball from Tielemans and gave Caballero no chance with a curling shot into the far corner.
Stand-in Caballero, who had made a great first-half block to deny Vardy, justified his selection minutes after Leicester’s second when he beat away a 25-yarder from Tielemans.
And the importance of that was really underlined in the 71st minute when that man Rudiger