Frank
Lampard lauded his Chelsea players after their 3-0 win against Burnley,
calling the performance their "best at home this season".
Chelsea had lost and failed to score in their previous two home Premier
League matches against Bournemouth and Southampton but showed no signs of
nerves as they swept aside an out of form Burnley.
It was a result that delighted Lampard, who said: "It was one of our best
[performances] at home this season for sure - it had everything other than
more goals.
"Some of the football we played was great against a Burnley team who are
notoriously difficult to play against when they want to be but we made it
hard for them. We were positive with our play from the first minutes of the
game.
"Conversion of chances [has been a problem at home] because in most of the
games, particularly the ones we've lost recently, we've controlled big parts
of the opening half at least and haven't scored like we did today.
"We scored two goals in the first half [against Burnley] and that changes
the face of the game. We've been working on that a lot, working on arriving
better at crosses and scoring from them - we scored from two of those today
- and there's more to come, but that was the big difference today.
"I'm not getting carried away, but it feels good. It feels nice to smile in
a game, enjoy what you're watching - really positive football, great
movement of the ball, getting combinations down the sides, getting crosses
in the box a lot, looking like we're going to score - and that's what
excites the fans.
"I hope so [it gives encouragement for the weeks ahead] because we've had
out moments this season where we can be accused of some inconsistency and
until we lose that tag, we won't get to where we want to be. It's certainly
too early to say 'here we are' and that's what you're going to see every
week, but we have to work towards that."
Praise for Hudson-Odoi, James and Abraham
It was another Chelsea line-up that included their top young talent, with
Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi on the scoresheet while 20-year-old
Reece James provided a wonderful assist for Abraham's header.
Lampard was impressed with their contributions, explaining: "For Callum to
score in the six-yard box is more exciting for me than for him to score from
35 yards without a doubt, because it means he's prepared to run the extra
bit, to sprint in there and it's not the only time he did it today.
"That was the real Callum Hudson-Odoi and what he can be and there is
obviously more to come. I thought his goal was brilliant for him and if he
can carry on doing that then we know the serious player we have there.
"Reece has got a great delivery of a cross and more than that, you give him
the ball and he's technically so good as well. He's so young and this is
just the start for him. He's a big weapon at the minute that we have to use
well, we have to anticipate those crosses because there's a lot of juice on
them. We have to be ready to get across people and make goals like we did
with the Tammy one.
"I hope Tammy's upset tonight because he should have had two or three.
That's how a striker will be and I know Tammy is like that, but at the same
time, he got his and he keeps getting in there with his energy. He was that
all around striker and the next stage is being that little bit more clinical
but I'm delighted with Tammy."
Dyche: McNeil one of country's best
talents
Saturday's result was the fourth successive Premier League defeat for
Burnley, but despite a tough spell, manager Sean Dyche singled out
20-year-old Dwight McNeil for praise, hailing him as one of England's best
young players.
He said: "On a platform like today, a tough game, I thought Dwight McNeil
was absolutely outstanding. He's got to be one of the top talents in the
country at the moment.
"The game is getting away from you and it's a hard day at the office, but he
is just a different class. He's getting the ball, dribbling through four or
five players and he's an absolutely different class for me. I don't think
he's talked about enough as one of the best young players in the Premier
League because he absolutely is.
"I wouldn't expect so [for McNeil to be sold in January] but who knows.
We're a club who likes players coming in rather than leaving."
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