LAMPARD: WE’VE CONCEDED TOO MANY GOALS Blues boss to focus on weak defence
FRANK LAMPARD has admitted he must solve Chelsea’s defensive frailties to become a top coach at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues boss insists he can reinforce his rearguard in the long term, despite the west Londoners leaking 54 goals in 37 Premier League matches this term.
Chelsea need just a point against Wolves today to seal a topfour finish and Champions League qualification, but the Blues’ instability has been a constant blight on the campaign.
Lampard will overhaul his squad this summer, with a leftback and a centre-back among the priority recruits.
And the former England midfielder believes he already knows what changes he wants to make, whether to the system or personnel.
“If you want to become a top coach you have to try to be very aware of all parts of the pitch,” said Lampard.
“Some of the greatest coaches will come from different positions on the pitch, it’s more how aware you are of how you want your team to be collectively, and how you work with them individually.
“And we have a coaching staff that works very hard to try to be as defensively good as we can be.
“There are lots of mitigating circumstances around that, we’ve conceded too many goals, I’m very aware of it. I feel like I know a lot of the reasons why, and we need to keep working to make sure that we get that down.
“Both when we look at the two domestic games ahead of us and when we look on to next season and onwards.”
Chelsea were 3-0 down at halftime against Liverpool on Wednesday but rallied with three goals after the break to make a fist of the encounter. Yet lost 5-3.
Prolific RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner and Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech will bolster Chelsea’s attacking ranks next term, and playmaker Kai Havertz could yet join from Bayer Leverkusen too.
For now, Chelsea will hope the likes of the in-form Christian Pulisic can help seal Champions League football, and then defeat Arsenal in the FA Cup Final on Saturday.
Whatever the craved defensive improvements, Lampard maintained he will still tell his men to chase victory this afternoon – even though a draw would be sufficient for Champions League qualification.
“We’ll approach the game to win it. I don’t think there’s any other way to approach a game of football,” said Lampard.
“So we’ll do that, prepare right, respect our opponent. Wolves are obviously a very good opponent, we’ve seen that all season in the league.
“So no, we prepare to try to win the game, we’re aware of the situation, but we try and win.”