LAMPS: FANS BITE BUT MY ROSS BARKS
FRANK LAMPARD is backing Ross Barkley to beat the Everton boo-boys this afternoon.
In a week when fans abusing players is in the spotlight – after Eric Dier’s clash with a Tottenham supporter – Chelsea ace Barkley is sure to be targeted by the Toffee faithful at Stamford Bridge.
The ex-everton midfielder has been Public Enemy No.1 with the blue half of Merseyside since his £15million move to the Londoners in January 2018.
But Lampard, no stranger to stick during his playing days from West Ham supporters, believes Barkley can hack the flak coming his way.
And he is urging the England international, 26, to silence the snipers with a match-winning display – similar to the one that helped knock Liverpool out of the FA Cup.
The Chelsea boss said: “Ross has been away from Everton for a couple of years, but in the life that footballers live if you move you will get abuse.
“I’m not coming down on the fans. There’s abuse and there’s the typical behaviour of a fan who gives some light-hearted reaction to a player who played for them. That I get.
“To try and take as little of it as possible, and actually show what you can do on the pitch, is always the best answer. That’s what Ross must do. What I know with him is he is a really goodnatured lad. He is very close to his family, who obviously have roots back in
Everton. So I don’t think he’ll have a crazy reaction and revel in it. He’s not that type. But he is the determined type. He’ll want to do well against his old team.”
That was something Lampard specialised in whenever he faced his first club West Ham.
The more the Hammers hate-mob attempted to rattle him, the more pleasure he took in beating them.
The ex-england star recalled: “In the early years, playing them fired me up too much. But after I had settled down, it fired me up in a good way.
“I liked the challenge of going up against them. Your personality dictates that, but I’m confident
Ross will handle it in a good way.”
With a lengthy Chelsea injury list, including midfielders Willian, Ruben Loftus-cheek, N’golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic,
Barkley starts again today. And if he has been disappointed with his lack of first-team action this term, the midfielder’s reaction to the situation has definitely impressed.
“Earlier in the season, Ross would probably say he could have done better. But he’s taken that in the most positive way, worked hard and got his nose in the team,” said Lampard.
“If he plays like he did against Liverpool and Tottenham recently then he’s a big player for this club.”
As for Barkley – whose wonder strike killed off the Reds – finding the net more regularly, Chelsea’s record goalscorer is optimistic.
Lamps, 41, said: “His shooting, right and left foot, is as good, technically, as I’ve seen on the training pitch.
“But he’s not just a scoring midfielder. He can play, run, tackle – he
can do the lot.”