Chelsea boss Frank Lampard said his attacking players had to do more to break down visiting teams after Thursday’s 2-0 loss to Southampton left them with two straight Premier League defeats at Stamford Bridge for the first time in eight years.
Goals from Michael Obafemi and Nathan Redmond gave improving Southampton a surprise win while Chelsea’s struggles against a tight defence left Lampard facing questions on whether he needs to add creative players in the January transfer window.
Chelsea have been cleared to sign players in January after the Court of Arbitration for Sport this month halved a transfer ban imposed on the club.
“I learn about the players, and I learn about the players particularly in games like that,” Lampard told reporters when asked if Thursday’s performance had nudged him in a certain direction on transfers.
Fourth-placed Chelsea — beaten by Bournemouth on their own patch earlier this month — last lost two successive games at home in November 2011 under Andre Villas-Boas.
They were beaten by West Ham United at Stamford Bridge last month and Lampard said that his front line had to respond.“Players have to go one v one if you’re an offensive player, play round the corner, mix up your game and break defensive lines because teams aren’t stupid,” Lampard added.
“They’re well organised and you need to do more in an attacking sense.
“You cannot have 70% of possession and control, particularly the first half, and not do more, not hit better crosses, not hit better final passes, not get more clear chances at goal.”
Chelsea travel to 11th-placed Arsenal tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Everton defender Seamus Coleman said the club’s players were learning from one of the best in manager Carlo Ancelotti, who tweaked their defensive formation in Thursday’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Burnley.
Italian Ancelotti, a Champions League winner with AC Milan and Real Madrid, replaced the sacked Marco Silva last Saturday and changed Everton’s formation from a 4-4-2 under interim manager Duncan Ferguson to a fluid 3-5-2.
He enjoyed a winning start thanks to an 80th-minute Dominic Calvert-Lewin header at Goodison Park while the team produced a number of chances going forward, with 21 shots on goal.
“It was something the manager worked on during the week — when we have the ball to drop into a back three. I was happy to do it, we did it for a few days in training and I enjoyed it,” Coleman told the Everton website.
“He’s a manager who, when he speaks, you listen. When he walks into a room, you perk up. He’s made a few tweaks and I think our performance...deserved three points.
“A manager with his track record...as a club we should be proud, we should embrace it as players, soak it all up and learn from the best. Hopefully this can kick us on.” It was a second successive clean sheet for Everton and the club are unbeaten in four league matches to sit 13th with 22 points, having dropped to the relegation zone before Silva’s dismissal earlier this month.
Everton travel to 10th-placed Newcastle United today.
“I think momentum’s been building from the few games Duncan had, so we’ll rest up, get ready to go again...hopefully it’ll be another three points and we can keep climbing that table.”
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard looks disappointed during his team’s match against Southampton on Thursday.
