Chelsea
head coach Frank Lampard insists patience is required with £71m summer
signing Kai Havertz.
The Germany international joined the Blues from Bayer Leverkusen on a
five-year deal but the 21-year-old's Stamford Bridge career is yet to
ignite.
Havertz, who missed three games in November after testing positive for
coronavirus, has started Chelsea's last four games but he failed to make an
impact before being substituted during the 1-0 defeat at Everton on
Saturday.
"In the modern day, there is going to be criticism for every player of every
club who loses a game," Lampard said.
"We should be patient with Havertz from a Chelsea end because he is a
top-quality talent who has come into this league.
"He can play in any position across the front three and he has played on the
right countless times before he played for Chelsea.
"But we have to be patient, particularly with any young player playing in
the speed of the Premier League.
"People who want to jump on to criticise (should) just wait and give a young
player time. I know the player that Kai Havertz is going to be."
In an interview with Sky in Germany, Havertz credited the opportunity of
working under Lampard as a pivotal factor in his decision to move to
Chelsea.
"Of course, having someone like that as a coach cannot be taken for granted.
I appreciate that very much," said Havertz, who has scored four goals in 16
appearances for Chelsea.
"As a coach he is very helpful for me, he can teach me a lot. That's also
because I'm playing a bit in his position."
Chelsea have dropped to fifth in the Premier League following their defeat
at Goodison Park - a result which ended a nine-game unbeaten run in the
English top flight.
"This will be a challenge for the players," added Lampard, whose side visit
Wolves on Tuesday.
"In the Premier League you are going to lose games and it is important to
put perspective on it.
"The game was the game. I'm not going to say I learned anything in one game
necessarily."
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