‘I was forced to do this’: Frank Lampard reveals who to blame for Brighton defeat
According to latest report, Chelsea caretaker manager Frank Lampard admitted that he had to make team rotation in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton as he criticised his team’s performance.
There have been games in which Chelsea were the better team and lost due to their inability to convert their chances, but this is not one of them.
Brighton were clearly the better team, and Chelsea were very lucky to concede just two goals in this match.
There is a clear lack of cohesion in this Chelsea side and this is no surprise considering that many of the players in their line-up had not played together before.
Lampard said it was necessary, which suggested that he had the Real Madrid game in mind when making team decisions.
“Some of our changes were forced, we needed to spread the minutes,” the caretaker manager told BBC MOTD.
“We should have a squad where people are chomping at the bit to make impressions.
“So we were by no means taking it lightly.
“This is my first home game on my return so there is no way I would do that. But the result is what it is.
“There is only one way out and that’s to work.
“Because you come against a team like Brighton who are so good in possession the work side of the game is the crucial one.
“But for me the level today wasn’t good enough.”
Before the game, Lampard explained that Havertz had a minor injury problem and is expected to be back for the second leg against Real Madrid.
Reece James, Joao Felix, and Mateo Kovacic, who started at Santiago Bernabeu, also only featured as substitutes.
Unfortunately, none of their replacements in the team repaid the manager’s faith in this game, let alone make a case for their inclusion in the starting line-up against Real Madrid.
Trevoh Chalobah, Christian Pulisic, and Denis Zakaria had a disappointing afternoon. Although, it must be said that in Chalobah’s case, he had to play in a rather unfamiliar right-back position.