Lampard: First-Team Spot Open To All At Chelsea

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard says Chelsea’s first-team selection is made available to all the players at the club as he urges the youngsters to up their game to make match-day squad.

Lampard: First-Team Spot Open To All At Chelsea
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard

Chelsea’s youth players produced resounding performances in their Carabao cup game on Wednesday and Lampard, who was marvelled with the display insisted it will be good for them to be consistent to merit first-team opportunities. 

“It was pleasing on lots of levels," he said at his post-match news conference.

"They've deserved to this point to make it into the team. Billy Gilmour had a fantastic debut, running the game from midfield. 

“Marc Guehi was solid and they deserved their starts since I've been at the club - and I've known them before when they played for the Under-23s. I think they've been outstanding this year. 

"The young boys that come on as subs, who are still young boys, to show their comfort on the ball and who they are. The opportunities are there but now the hard work really begins to get in there regularly and show they're worthy of the squad."

“Reece's performance last year at Wigan show the talent he has got. I think he is going to be a big player for this club. He showed his real qualities on the ball today," he said.

The former Derby County trainer also commended injury returnee Callum Hudson-Odoi, who scored for the first time since undergoing surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon in April.

"Callum's performance, first half I wasn't so sure. I thought him and Christian [Pulisic] as wingers, the message was to hurt the line and run behind and get into the box to take people on. 

“It wasn't happening and that message didn't get across. It was reinforced pretty strongly and in the second half he [Callum] managed to get into better positions. Callum's talent means that he absolutely works hard to run behind people, to get at people, to be inside, be outside and work off the ball, all those things. 

“That’s where he needs to learn, because if he wants to play week in and week out, that is what he is going to have to do."