'The Lampard Derby' - Reaction

With the times.

Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide, based on the February 2025 Nielsen report.

Greetings, Matt. Thanks for that.

Let's do it.

Yes, I think it is certainly for him. And whilst he spoke positively, as you'd expect in any sort of post match presser that he did, you could tell just watching him, as I did from the confines of the press box, that he was frustrated. And you could tell even before the game, actually on the eve of the game, in the press conference on the Friday at Cobham, that he wants more from this team. Everyone's praising them because of the youth and he's sort of saying that they're ahead of schedule, which they are, and there's certainly a lot of positives, but the facts say that five games against the big teams and they've yet to win any of them. And I think that's the next thing that he wants, the next box he wants to tip.

Yes.

I think the thing you have to bear in mind, and this is why I sort of nosed in on Lampard, is there's the standards that other people are setting for this Chelsea team and there's the standards that Lampard is setting for this Chelsea team. And I think that this is a guy who's a winner, who never settled for being second best or settled for one season where he scored 20 goals. He wanted to push for another 20 goals. This is a guy that wants this Chelsea team as well as their playing. And my piece was in no way critical of him or Chelsea as such. As I said, I think they are ahead of schedule. But he wants more. He wants more from this team. And the thing is, in the five games, the same issues have come up each time. They're too easy to score against, they make sloppy mistakes, and they're not as clinical as he wants them to be up front. And so he's constantly pushing them for more. And I don't have a problem with that. And I don't think any Chelsea fans should either.

It was a bit of a 5050 as Dom can testify, because we had a, we had a little exchange ahead of the game trying to figure out the team. I, I think it would have been a tough call either way because you've got to bear in mind Mason Mount's had his injury problems as well lately and he went away with England, whereas Pulisic, yes, he was carrying a hip problem, but he was able to stay behind at Cobham Rehab properly. And also you have to factor in that he was the form player. I mean, Mason's had a tremendous start to his Chelsea career now that he's actually getting time in the senior team. But Pulisic has been ahead before the international break, he was the man in form. So you could argue actually that Lampard went for the more aggressive option, the more attacking option, because there's no doubt about it in terms of who you'd prefer to have pressing from a left wing position, you'd pick Mason Mount over Pulisic, but he went for the more adventurous one. I thought Pulisic, certainly in that first half an hour when Chelsea were playing well, he looked dangerous. But like a lot of the, the attacking players, you could argue the same for Willian and Tammy Abraham. They kind of did fade once those two goals went in and City began to sit a bit deeper. But yeah, I think as Lampard said to you, I think in the post match interview you did with him, there's plenty of time for Mason Mount. He's not worried about him at all. He'll get plenty of game time.

Sorry, Matt. The other thing I was going to say about Azpilicueta is whilst there have been some critics out there among the Chelsea fan base back form, he is one of the leaders, if not the leader of that dressing room. And I think if you take him off the pitch, you're going to miss out. So I just think moving to left back, as Frank did with Reece James on the right flank, I thought Chelsea did sort of get an element of control back. Once they did that, they just didn't find a way to cut through City like they had in the first half an hour.

Rather than it's autopilot. Well, also, there's a feeling that, oh, now Gary Cahill's gone, who's the next one that you can sort of find faults in? And look, there's no doubt about it, Esper De Quesa started the season in not the best form, but I think in the last few months he's been as solid as ever and certainly his captaincy has also been, I think, key to helping these young players.

Well, what was interesting again, obviously, with this game coming up at the weekend on the Friday, he talked about it. He said, I wanted to see out my career at Chelsea. But then he went on to say, but I really benefited from one going to Man City, going to another club, seeing how another club operated and also New York City. And he's actually said that's benefited now, his coaching, because he sort of seen another way of working. And what was also interesting about the game itself is, whilst he was clearly upset about how it went in the end, the reception he got now, it didn't mirror that he got at Chelsea, obviously not. But after the game, he walked on the pitch, clapped all four stands, all the City fans applauded him. There was lots of hugs and braces with the City staff that he knew, of course, City players that he knew, of course. And it was really telling that this is a guy who only spent one season at this club and yet he made a huge impact. In fact, I bumped into a few City fans after the game in a pub and over a few beers, we were talking about and they were going, he's an absolute legend. He was only there for one season, but we consider him a legend. And it was a bit baffling because he only scored a few goals, of course, one against Chelsea, but in such a short time, he made a massive impact and I think that says a lot about Lampard. But I think you're right, Tom. I think he was very much enjoying proving a point in the season. He was there. And I think from what I've heard, Mourinho was very worried that Lampard might actually come back to Haunchels in that tight race, particularly when they move level on points after that 53 defeat to Tottenham.

Secret agent.

I mean, the thing is about Reno and certainly the Chelsea fans reaction to him is I always found quite amusing when Mourinho would launch barbs from. From Old Trafford and Chelsea fans would take great exception to it. And it's like, hang on, that's one of the reasons why he liked him when he was Chelsea manager. I think when he's. When he's your manager, that us against them is what you love. And of course for everyone else in the league, you can't stand it. I for one, am glad he's back in some shape or form. I hope we see more of the old Mourinho, the one that has that sort of personality, that sort of cheeky sense of humour, rather than the kind of real miserable one that. Not so much the Chelsea second spur. I think that's been overplayed, how things went wrong there. It was a very short, sharp decline and he was gone in four months. But let's not forget he won the title the same year he was sacked. I think the Marino we saw at United was almost unrecognizable from the character we saw. He just never seemed to enjoy what he was doing, which was bizarre because he thought this is the job he supposedly wanted, but he never seemed to really sort of Give that impression that he was enjoying his work.

Yeah. I think being away from his family was a big, big factor and that's why of all the clubs he was going to join, it was going to be a London club. But there's no doubt about it, the game against spurs on December 22 is going to be lively. I don't know which end, which supporters are going to have the most to sing about. I think, I think from what I've heard there were the first chants at the Etihad that were anti Jose and so I'm led to believe there were a few. I can't repeat the language really. There was apparently. I didn't hear it myself. You heard it? Yeah. There were some chants against him. So you can imagine what the away end are going to do.

Well, you can imagine if spurs win then perhaps the spurs fans, that might be what will start to really win. Quite a lot of omega.

Last time, the food again.

I think like, like most teams where they can hurt Chelsea is that they are vulnerable to lapses of concentration, whether it be in midfield where the two goals on Saturday came from. Jorginho and Kovacic both trying adventurous passes that were cut in midfield. And once you sort of pass beyond those two, then, then you're suddenly at the back four and it. There does seem to be also a real weakness on, on that left flank as we discussed and occasionally Tomori. I'm a big fan of Tomori, don't get me wrong. But there's some, some of his passing of late in the last six weeks or so has been certainly in the. In his own third, in his own areas has been a bit, you know, if you put him, if you start to press him, he tends to give the ball away in dangerous areas. But I would actually flip it around and talk more positively about Chelsea if you actually talk about, you know, in contrast to my piece about lack of wins against the big six, their big wins you could say arguably in the season was away in Lille and then more notably away in Ajax, which is their, no doubt about it, their outstanding result and outstanding performance of the season. So actually I think whilst when they're talking about this is a must win, I think in the dressing room they're also thinking can win because they have done it in the two away games so far. And the only other caveat or the only other thing I'd add to this is this is the scene of where Lampard, during a period of his Chelsea career which was going wrong under avb, scored a goal. It ended up being a one all draw.

Yeah. And I just think, I don't know, there's something in the script that Lampard's going to come back to Valencia and.

I tell you what, his body language on Saturday looked like someone that was about to come on and come on himself and make the difference. But yeah, no, I just think Chelsea would be well up for it. It's a big game for them after City to show that they can respond from that disappointing defeat.

Yeah, absolutely. I'm still sort of. There's a plan A and a plan B. It very much depends on the result. But one of the things that I'll definitely be delving into at some point, even if it isn't the Valencia game, is this left back issue. Because I do think that is one of the sort of standout areas where, if you were looking as Chelsea, where to strengthen. I think that is a decision that Chelsea will have to take, whether it be in January if the ban is overturned or reduced. Sorry. Or next summer.

And she'd quickly point out that Liam and I will also be understandably focusing on Frank Lampard against his old club, West Ham, for our joint read this week. Understandably, it's going to be one where West Ham fans, I'm sure, will have plenty to sing about and I'm sure Chelsea fans, they will come under scrutiny for what they sing. So that's definitely something to be explored, as me and Liam will be doing later this week.

It's a good shout he got.

Sorry, Food is the theme of this.

Here.

With the times.

Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. Based on the February 2025 Nielsen report.