Chelsea boss Frank Lampard spoke at a press conference on Monday afternoon ahead of the Champions League game against FC Krasnodar. Here are seven things we learned.
Hudson-Odoi is out injured
“Hakim Ziyech is out and so is Callum. He picked up a hamstring injury in training.”
Kepa will play
“Kepa starts. It’s a game for Kepa, who is training brilliantly well and acting brilliantly well.
“These (bad) periods will happen in players’ careers. Sometimes they may be stronger and better at the other end. I’ve got no qualms about putting him back in.
“He’s training really well and that’s the main thing that I look at. I’m very pleased with that. His reaction has been absolutely spot-on.”
Ziyech’s injury doesn’t look serious
“I hope this is a minor injury. We’ll find out with the scan. The feeling he’s had since the game is that it doesn’t feel too bad, which I’m hoping means (he’ll be out) a couple of weeks.”
No discussions yet about potential Gilmour loan move
“I don’t want to have that thought or conversation until there would be any point where it would take place – firstly when the window opens, as it’s not open now.
“I value him a lot in this squad. We have a lot of options in midfield but that could quickly change as we’ve seen with the wingers situation – Hakim gets injured at the weekend, Callum gets injured yesterday and the numbers are not so great. So I’ll make that decision going forward.”
Lampard’s not worried about Werner
“I’ve got no worries about Timo. He’s come into this league and made a big impact straight away – his speed, his direct nature, things he’s creating for the team, the fact he’s getting lots of chances, and he makes lots of chances through his explosive nature and his eye to be in the right areas. And that I love.
“I’ve got no worries about him. Timo’s going to be a huge player for this club. He’s scored some goals already. Of course he’ll want to score more and he’s missed a couple but keep getting there and he’ll score those goals.
“I just think it’s a small moment as all strikers have and I have no worries.”
And he isn’t taking Klopp’s claim that Chelsea are title favourites seriously
“I’m not sure anyone actually really went for it. Liverpool and Manchester City seem to be everyone’s favourites. When they perform how they have over the last three years and build up the squads they have over the last three years or four years, quite rightly so.
“Even with injuries when you look at the Liverpool squad and the team they put out last night to cover those injuries they have a big squad. Most teams at the top of the Premier League do.
“Tottenham are in the equation so are Manchester United so are others at this point. It’s very tight.
“He can have his opinion, whether it is that I don’t know. It’s pretty clear where we’re at we’re in good form at the moment but as I keep saying we have players who have just come in, some younger players, some players who have come into the Premier League.
“Some of the teams like Liverpool and City who’ve had a lot of success have very established players in positions that have been performing at really high levels for a long period of output in the Premier League so we’re trying to get there and reach that and that takes a lot of consistency over the months ahead.”
Covid hit Havertz hard
“He had really strong symptoms and was ill and struggling for quite a while. That’s why it took two or so weeks before he started a game.
“He was playing some really good stuff in the number eight role, the advanced midfield role. I was delighted for him because you could see he was enjoying it and Covid cut that short. Long term I have absolutely no worries about Kai, in fact the opposite.
“He is going to be a huge player for this football club. He has all the attributes, he has all the personality and all the attitude and he is going to be an absolutely top-class player for me, in the Premier League and in the world.
“That’s how highly I rate him. There are quick reactions sometimes to how people analyse new signings straight away with price tags etc. We have to understand that some of the best players to have graced the Premier League found it hard for quite a long time to get used to it, but I think he has done very well.
“Covid has made it very difficult but he is going to be a top player for us. He is a top player.”