Saturday
marks the one-year anniversary of Frank Lampard being appointed Chelsea
boss. He’ll hope to celebrate that milestone with a win over Watford but
regardless of the outcome of that clash at Stamford Bridge, there’s still a
long way to go on the journey before Chelsea are at the level he wants them
to be.
There have been encouraging signs throughout his first season in charge. The
1-0 win away at Ajax in the Champions League group stage, a historic double
over Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham, and last week’s superb victory against
Manchester City all underlined the potential of this developing, talented
young group at Chelsea.
There could yet be silverware too, with an FA Cup semi-final with Manchester
United coming up.
But there have also been frustrating inconsistencies and individual errors
which have, at times, undermined that progress.
In attack, finishing has been a problem. Only Manchester City and Liverpool
have created more clear-cut chances than Chelsea, but Lampard’s side rank
15th in the Premier League for taking them.
Defensively, their problems at set-pieces – only three teams have conceded
more – and vulnerability to counter-attack goals – only Aston Villa have
conceded more – continue to resurface, with Wednesday’s defeat at West Ham
the latest example.
“The players, in those moments, have to show an extra mentality to do the
bits that see a game through like this when you have a lot of domination,"
Lampard said after that loss at the London Stadium.
Speaking to Sky Sports two days on, the Chelsea boss expanded on the
psychological skills he is looking for from his players, the mentality it
takes to become a serial winner – just as he was in his playing days – and
why champions Liverpool are an example of why the path to achieving that
mindset is never easy.
“They have to bounce back and that is a mindset thing,” Lampard told Sky
Sports via a video call, as he reflected on the 3-2 derby defeat at West Ham
which prevented Chelsea jumping up to third in the Premier League table.
“We had been playing well, we were on a good run, and then we lose a game
where we made mistakes to lose the game.
“We’ve had some issues this season with teams that sit deep against us and
try to counter-attack and some teams that are maybe physical and rely on
set-pieces. We have to just be more astute on the pitch to that. The players
know that so it’s going to be what we deliver on the pitch.
“I just think, against West Ham, the tempo was slightly slow, slower than
what it needed to be to break them down better and then we switched off to
make mistakes. And that is mentality, that is focus and concentration and
you work on that and it comes over time as well.”
West Ham’s comeback win means Chelsea have now given up 18 points from
leading positions in the Premier League this season. To put that into
perspective, if Chelsea had held on for those wins, Liverpool would still
have work to do to be crowned champions.
But this season’s dominant title winners are also an example for this young,
relatively inexperienced Chelsea squad of how to learn from the setbacks and
errors they’ve made during this first campaign under Lampard.
Speaking to Jurgen Klopp in January, the Liverpool manager insisted his
side’s relentless mentality was honed by the tough hits they’d had. Losing a
Champions League final. Losing out in a title race. “The boys have had
really tough times. Now they have better times,” Klopp said.
That is an attitude which resonates with Lampard, who, was in his ninth
season as a Premier League player before he got his hands on the trophy.
Experience can only be built over time.
You have to understand, anywhere in sport, to move up and to
close gaps and to try to be successful, there will be difficult bumps. The
important thing is you learn from them.
Frank Lampard
“I’ve got full confidence in that,” Lampard says. “And I agree with Klopp.
It can be as much as a Champions League final or it can be a Wednesday night
at West Ham. It can be moments in games that got away from us.
“When you look at Liverpool, one of the greatest teams of the modern era for
sure, to do what they’ve done this year, we’ve all seen their journey. We’ve
seen inconsistency in them and how they’ve recruited and how they’ve grown
and how individuals have grown within that.
“Now, that’s an incredible model. You don’t have to necessarily follow that
but you have to understand, anywhere in sport, to move up and to close gaps
and to try to be successful, there will be difficult bumps. The important
thing is you learn from them.”
A winning mentality in the modern era
As Lampard says, development is not just about responding just to seismic
moments – huge victories or defeats – but a daily education. And he wants
his players to set the tone, the environment for that winning mentality to
grow at Chelsea. It might feel like a John Terry or a Frank Lampard has to
lead that attitude in the dressing room, but it can be more subtle than
that.
“I think the players are very aware of it, it has to be a day-to-day thing
as well, for me, mentality,” he said. “It’s how you train, how you focus,
how you sit in meetings, how you think about the next game, how you think
about your opponent.
“If we get that right with the players we’ve got then I’m confident we’ll
finish the season well.
You just have to contribute and be determined, and want to win
daily in training and want to improve daily.
Frank Lampard
“I think every team is different, every era is different. There’s no use in
comparing eras because squads will throw up different personalities. And
there may be an argument that the modern squad looks different to what it
did 10 years ago, 20 years ago, or more.
“So I don’t think it has to be a clear leader visually. I think it is a
feeling within the group that needs to be built up and worked on daily,
weekly. You don’t have to be 6ft2in with big muscles and thump your chest.
You just have to contribute and be determined, and want to win daily in
training and want to improve daily.
“We certainly have that but we can improve that and we need to work on that
too.”
Fighting for their goals
As well as the setbacks, the good moments for this Chelsea team will help to
build the attitude Lampard is after, too. An FA Cup triumph would be a
tangible achievement but standout wins in that competition have already
played their part, says the Chelsea boss.
“The brutal reality of this elite level is you get to a semi-final and
you’ve got to beat a team like Man United to get to a final to have another
tough game,” he said. “We’ve already had to go against Liverpool and
Leicester. It’s a good test for us this year, it’s a good test for this
young squad and it will help.
“Whatever the case at the end of the season, I think the benefits of all the
experiences we’ve had will help this young group.”
As well as added experience, Lampard’s young squad will also be boosted next
season by the arrival of high-profile signings Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech,
who officially became Chelsea players on July 1.
Lampard is excited by what they’ll bring to his attack. “Werner: Goal scorer
with great pace. Great attitude. Ziyech: Gives us a different aspect. Very
talented player.” But amid all this talk of development it is important
Chelsea see through the strong campaign they’ve had so far and give
themselves the platform to step up again next season.
Fifth place could be enough for a Champions League qualifying spot,
depending on the outcome of Manchester City’s appeal against their ban, but
fourth-placed Chelsea now have just a two-point cushion over Manchester
United and Wolves below them in the table.
This is a race which could go right down to the wire – right down to
Chelsea’s final-day clash with Wolves. And Chelsea will need to show they
have the mentality to get over the line.
“It’s going to be a really exciting part of the season but it’s going to be
tough,” says Lampard. “We’ve spoken about mentality and we must give
everything right now in how we tackle these games head on and believe in
ourselves.”
top