Lampard channelling inner Jose as Blues fail big test
EVERTON 1 CHELSEA 0
IF there was frustration for Frank Lampard over his team, he disguised it well with a touch of anger.
Anger at the referee for being influenced by 2,000 fans inside Goodison Park, anger at the tactics of Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton
– or so it seemed – and even anger at Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp and his apparently “ridiculous” claim that Chelsea have the best squad in the Premier League.
It was a technique from former Blues manager Jose Mourinho’s playbook, a diversion from the real issue. Tactically, the visitors got it wrong as Ancelotti, another of Lampard’s old bosses at Stamford Bridge, organised his side to swamp the midfield, forcing Chelsea to cross from deeper.
“To come here on a night like this against a side who were going to play like this against us, it’s a big test and we didn’t pass it –- but we will pass it in the future,” Lampard said.“A crowd back in, and the ref reacting to every crowd noise and giving them things, and the game got broken up.”
Everton presented a physical test and striker Dominic Calvert- Lewin was superb in consistently winning the ball, especially when he won the first- half penalty that Gylfi Sigurdsson scored to clinch victory. Chelsea can expect many more tests like this. The likes of Kai Havertz and Timo Werner seemed too timid – Havertz in particular a shadow of the player who wowed the Bundesliga and cost almost £ 80million.
But Lampard said: “Just give a young player time.”