PETIT IS A BLUES FAN
Being gaffer is a fine Art ‘Frank’s got them playing so well now... I’d rather watch Chelsea than Gunners
FRANK LAMPARD has warned Mikel Arteta that the honeymoon period for a new young Premier League manager does not last long.
Lampard, just 19 games into his Premier League managerial career with Chelsea, meets Arsenal’s new boss Arteta at the Emirates
Stadium today.
The Blues boss already knows about the trials of management in the top flight after seeing his young Chelsea side crash to their fourth home defeat of the season at the hands of Southampton on Boxing Day. But they have a much better record on their travels, with six wins from nine games.
Lampard faced Arteta as a player at Everton and Arsenal many times, and admitted he has a huge respect for the Spaniard, who worked for nearly four years as assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
Greatest
The 41-year-old, who had a season in charge at Derby before taking the Chelsea job in the summer, said: “Mikel has worked under one of the greatest, if not the greatest. He was always an intelligent player so I don’t buy the whole inexperienced thing.
“Who’s to say a manger is better or worse if they are in their first year of management or if they are in their 50th? There is a difference in being the No.1. Now it’s his turn to make the decisions. From the years he’s had working with Guardiola, at a hugely successful club, that puts him in great stead.
Now it will be purely be about Arteta, his quality, can he get Arsenal to the position they want to be in? The honeymoon period doesn’t go on for ever and it shouldn’t do. But Arsenal fans will treat Arteta as one of their own.
“As a player Mikel seemed to be a leader. It looks like he could be well suited to management. I wish him well – but obviously not against us!”
One of Lampard’s early decisions was to let Brazil defender David Luiz move across London to the Gunners in an £8million deal.
He said: “It was a decision that was made and I will be making countless more of those. I wish David well. He was part of a Champions League-winning team, played with half a hamstring in the final – I know that. I will always respect that.”
Tom Hopkinson
EMMANUEL PETIT admits he’d rather watch Chelsea than Arsenal this season after being blown away by Frank Lampard’s start to life as manager at Stamford Bridge.
Petit played for both clubs – three years with the Gunners between 1997 and 2000 and three years at Chelsea from 2001, with a year at Barcelona in between.
Lampard arrived at Stamford Bridge from West Ham in the same summer as Petit arrived from Spain.
And the Frenchman knew from the start of their time together that his fellow midfielder would ultimately be cut out for management.
And as his two old clubs prepared to meet today, Petit (below) said: “Frank has made such a huge improvement since he left Derby. The results for Chelsea are so-so – they win, they draw, they lose.
“But I’ve been very impressed by the way the team is playing, when they have the ball, when they don’t have the ball.
“And, if he keeps on doing that, he can do great, great things as a manager.
“I’m not surprised at all. He was one of the most intelligent players I’ve played with on the pitch, in terms of movement, decisions, spirit, mentally, his efforts on the training pitches and diet.
Ambition
“You could see that and feel it when he was there, the way he was preparing himself all the time. He was a professional with such desire and ambition – and he always wanted to win, with no fears.
“He has no problems in terms of self-confidence – he is a proud guy.
“I enjoy watching Chelsea again, which hasn’t been the case for a couple of years. But it’s a pity to see what’s going on now with Arsenal.”
He added: “Frank has the good vision, he knows very well the the players’ quality and took strong choices straight away.
“With the striker, Tammy Abraham, but with other young players in the team.
“From the start, he knew what he wanted. He can change the system with the players, especially the midfielders.
“The face of the team is completely different to last season with Maurizio Sarri.
“It’s not that Sarri didn’t do a good job – he did a good job. He won a trophy with Chelsea in the end. But what you’re seeing on the pitch are not the same things. “With Frank, he brings talented British players with him. We were all fearing the transfer ban would make it difficult for him with all the young players.
“But they showed so many qualities – and Frank is the momentum for everything.”
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