Football

Lampard angered by Chelsea’s defeat to Arsenal

Chelsea's English head coach Frank Lampard (C) celebrates at the end of the game during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Leeds United at Stamford Bridge in London on December 5, 2020. - Chelsea won the game 3-1. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Chelsea’s English head coach Frank Lampard (C) celebrates at the end of the game during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Leeds United at Stamford Bridge in London on December 5, 2020. – Chelsea won the game 3-1. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / POOL / AFP)

Frank Lampard has expressed his anger following Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday (December 26).

The Blues missed the chance to move up to second on the log following their Boxing Day defeat to rivals Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Goals from Alexandre Lacazette, Granit Xhaka and Bukayo Saka were more than enough to steer Mikel Arteta’s under-fire Gunners to a first domestic win since November 1.

Though Tammy Abraham struck late to give the visitors a glimmer of hope for a last-gasp result, a subsequent penalty miss from Jorginho summed up a rough day at the office for Chelsea. Lampard was less than pleased with the performance.
“It wasn’t good enough,” the Blues boss told Sky Sports. “We fought in the second half but in the first half we gave ourselves too much to do. The players who came on added speed, energy and intensity.
“I’ll take responsibility on the outside but the players also have to take responsibility. The message was clear – Arsenal are a dangerous team. When you go out and play 60 or 70 per cent then you’re not going to win any games.
“I am angry because I want us to win games. It was an opportunity to go second. You get what you deserve.”

Lampard further doubled down on criticism of his side’s drive, stating that they made too many mistakes while adding that he believes they are still well shy of being the complete package.
“In the second half we showed some urgency but it was too late,” he told BBC Sport. “The first half, we gave ourselves too much to do, we were very poor. You can’t lack energy and desire in the Premier League and we did.
“You can prepare as well as you want but if you turn up like that, that’s another thing. It’s in the mind.
“If you perform below par things go against you like the Saka goal. That’s life. On another day we could have scored the penalty and come back but it’s not a day for us.
“The teams that win, win, win relentlessly weren’t winning two or three years ago. We are not there yet, that’s clear. I felt it when we are on our long unbeaten run and I feel it now. We got a lot wrong today.”

Sammy Wejinya