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A week and two games in the pre-season, Frank Lampard's first steps as new head coach at Chelsea look promising.
The good vibrations were numerous, the good mood obvious, and the effort and joy already shown both on the training ground and on the matches themselves have changed radically compared to the big parts of last season. Admittedly, our opponents have not really been competitive, but in terms of fitness tests, they have been perfectly adequate.
Chelsea's 4-0 win over St Patrick's on Saturday was no different, especially in the first most dominant period when Chelsea was not lucky enough to find the back of the net twice. Coach Lamps was more than satisfied with the amount of work but also with the quality of the work shown.
"Big elements of the performance [were positive], especially in the first half. The negative is that we should have scored more goals [but] Some of our games and combinations in the middle of the field and around the surface were fantastic and really enjoyable to watch.
"These games are important for victory, for feeling, but they are very important for guys to enjoy something physically. It was a good exercise in this respect: we are one step further. We've seen better pbadages, better quality, but fitness is always a goal we need to look for. Especially in the first half – less in the second half – we got everything from the game. "
Lampard has practically played so far in four 45-minute games, changing the entire team and training at half-time in each of his matches, ensuring that every player has a chance – Drinkwater, Ampadu , Maatsen were the only non-injured position players. absent today – but also begins to familiarize the team with the notion of adaptability after the dogmatic membership of last season to one and the same plan.
"We want to be adaptable, we want to be able to change games or for games. I want players to do that. We train in this way; we are training to be able to change things.
"We know where we are. We know we will not be training any new player this year. We must therefore find small solutions in pre-season. [to gain an advantage]. It's good to test yourself in pre-season in different ways and to prevent teams from playing against us. […] As we get in shape, the combinations get better and we train more, we hope to see more [first-half dominance]. "
In addition to the first motives of hard work and adaptability, the summer theme of Chelsea was one of the imminent revolutions of youth. On Saturday, the youngest players were, for a man, the stars of the day, connecting well with older players in the first period and sometimes carrying the team in second. Lampard then praised a few of them, reserving a special mention to Billy Gilmour, just 18 years old (who, unsurprisingly, already idolizes the manager for a midfielder) .
"Tammy's energy up front, alongside Michy, was really good. Between them, they showed exactly the kind of things I want, energy and quality. Mason showed what I saw at Derby last season, his energy – he and Ross. There was a lot of good performances.
"In the second half: Billy Gilmour. He had a brilliant trip and showed a real personality at the level he played for a young boy in both games. He was great. I just hope Billy will continue this momentum this season. "
-Frank Lampard; source: Chelsea TV
Lampard had made it clear at his first press conference that the door was open to any young player who impressed. Even though Gilmour probably will not stay with the team first beyond this weekend, he should not be the last one we hear from him this season and in the future.
Lampard and the rest of Chelsea's hierarchy have many difficult decisions to make with a stalemate of older players in various positions, especially in the middle of the field, combined with strong performances from young players pushing for the promised meritocracy.
Chelsea's pre-season schedule will harden next week, with matches against J-League champion Kawasaki Frontale and a tiny team called FC Barcelona, which will hopefully help to separate the good grain from the tares and to maintain that positive momentum of summer. season itself in four weeks.
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