GOLD EN YEARS! Blades’ David beats Goliaths... TWICE
CHELSEA 0
CHELSEA boss Frank Lampard confessed that this humiliating defeat against Sheffield United has acted as a huge wake-up call for him and his squad.
He was worried by how easily his Champions League-chasing side capitulated once they fell behind to a club who were playing in the Championship last season.
Lampard said: “They were better than us physically, better then us mentally, better with the ball.
“They were also stronger than us. With no crowd you can hear every voice. All I could hear were Sheffield United voices.
“You know if you come here below-par collectively, as we did, then something like this is going to happen.
“We have to put this to bed and keep fighting to finish in the top four. We are still in that race because of what we have done already this season.
“I learned a lot today – I learned a lot that I won’t forget. We might be outside the top four when we play again but it’s not about that right now – I’m more concerned about this performance.
“I know we can’t approach our games against Norwich, Manchester United, Liverpool or Wolves in the same vein.”
Chelsea had won six of their previous eight games before the trip to Bramall Lane.
But Lampard added: “You tend to learn more from tough moments and tough games.
“We are nowhere near the finished article. We have to learn and improve.”
Sheffield United could finish in the top six of football’s top flight for the first time since 1975.
Delighted Blades boss
Chris Wilder said: “We will never get carried away.
That can be very dangerous.
“But we are enjoying all this. My players have been outstanding.
“I will let others talk about Europe.
If I hear any of my players saying it they get a rollicking. Here we are staying grounded.”
■■Sheffield United have won four consecutive home top-flight matches for the first time since March 1991, when they had a run of six consecutive wins.
CHELSEA were victims of a double Mac-attack on their first trip to this part of Yorkshire for 14 years.
Blades strikers David McGoldrick and Oli McBurnie did the damage to repay boss Chris Wilder’s faith in them.
McGoldrick had gone 25 games without hitting the back of the net – not exactly the credentials to lead a Premier League forward line.
Like London buses, two came at once to help make it an evening of complete embarrassment for the illustrious visitors. McBurnie, who was banned from the roads for 16 months last week after a drink-drive offence, might have been surprised to be involved yesterday. Chelsea will wish he hadn’t been.
But his brilliant header left the Blades in the driving seat and the Blues chasing shadows.
McGoldrick could hardly believe his luck at the golden invitation to end his long personal goal drought.
George Baldock scurried into the box and his cross was met by a deflected volley from McBurnie which Kepa just managed to get a hand to despite moving in the opposite direction. But
■■Chelsea have lost 11 Premier League games this season, at least two more than any other team currently in the top-eight places. ready to pounce from close range was the eager McGoldrick.
The 18th-minute opener was a shock to Frank Lampard’s side who had bossed possession and created the sharper chances, with Christian Pulisic heading narrowly over from a dangerous ball from the adventurous Reece James.
Lampard scored the last time they were here but this time around he was anxiously patrolling the technical area hoping to exert some influence on his Champions League wannabes, who were having to do things the hard way.
Even harder when once again Chelsea’s defence – the Achilles heel in