Big-spending Chelsea focus on win at Brighton
Frank Lampard believes Chelsea already are showing the great things about his o200 million ($257 million) spending spree because they kicked off their Premier Little league campaign with a 3-1 win in Brighton on Monday.
Blues boss Lampard provides splashed out on a host of new signings and the early returns on his lavish purchase were promising.
Germany striker Timo Werner, a o53 million recruit from Leipzig, received the penalty that Jorginho changed into put Chelsea ahead.
Kai Havertz, who made a o70 million swap from Bayer Leverkusen, wasn’t quite so impactful, but Lampard will be self-assured there are better days to come from the little Germany forward.
“Timo’s speed to win the penalty showed he is sharp and he was a threat all night. He is very cellular and I liked his functionality,” Lampard said.
“With Kai we saw a lot aswell. To get these a few minutes will only be very good and both of them will be enormous players for this club.”
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was guilty of another oversight when Leandro Trossard equalised for Brighton.
But Reece James’ exceptional strike put Chelsea back front before Kurt Zouma’s deflected work sealed the points.
It had been an encouraging final result for Lampard, who has accepted he is under pressure to provide a title obstacle after spending more than any other club up to now in the summer transfer window.
“I think to anticipate everything to select day one is quite difficult. But what they does do was display a bit of dedication,” Lampard said.
@I really liked the task ethic and the self-discipline of the workforce. We’ve been mutually as a workforce for four days following the international break. We'd a whole lot of quarantines before that and brand-new signings.
“We would have dropped tips in this game previous season. I’m certainly not getting excited by that on time one, nonetheless it had a small amount of determination and resilience about any of it I thought.”
Chelsea finished 33 items behind champions Liverpool found in fourth last time before a good disappointing FA Cup last defeat against Arsenal, nevertheless they are primed to boost if Lampard may gel his new signings.
Lampard’s various other expensive recruits, former Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech and ex-Leicester left-again Ben Chilwell, had been both sidelined by accidents, while Thiago Silva wasn’t obtainable as he returns to training following his no cost transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.
The historians among Chelsea’s fanbase will have noted this was the third time they have started a Premier Little league campaign with a Monday night victory, with the Blues going on to win the title on the prior occasions in 2014-15 and 2016-17.
The simply frustration for Lampard was Kepa’s howler.
The world’s priciest keeper was already under pressure to boost after an error-strewn season and with Chelsea having spoken to Rennes about Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy, his days as initially choice may be numbered.
Insisting he hasn't created off Kepa yet, Lampard explained: “We am pleased with Kepa, We saw confidence in him, he's here, he is our keeper and I am pleased with him.”
- Classy Werner -
Werner was first Chelsea’s central striker even while Havertz prearranged on the right flank found in the three-man attack.
It had been Werner who showed all his course as Chelsea took the lead found in the 23rd minute.
Brighton midfielder Steven Alzate surrendered possession with a good wayward move and Jorginho fed Werner, who raced through on objective and was brought straight down by Mat Ryan as he rounded the Albion keeper.
Jorginho stepped up to take on the penalty and Chelsea’s captain delivered Ryan the wrong manner along with his trademark hop before shooting.
Brighton equalised found in the 54th minute when Trossard’s 20-yard shot slipped under Kepa’s weak attempted conserve.
Kepa’s blunder wasn’t fatal for Chelsea as James restored their lead just 100 seconds down the road with a beautiful 30-yard blast.
Chelsea sealed the tips in the 66th minute when Zouma met James’ corner with a good volley that took much deflection of Adam Webster to wrong foot Ryan.
