[ad_1]
Frank Lampard has admitted that he will need to bolster Kepa Arrizabalaga’s fragile confidence following the goalkeeper’s latest mistake in Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League loss to Liverpool.
Sadio Mane blocked Kepa’s clearance and scored his second goal as Chelsea succumbed to defending Premier League champions Jurgen Klopp at Stamford Bridge.
Andreas Christensen’s red card gave Liverpool an advantage that they took full advantage of, but Blues manager Lampard admitted that Kepa was to blame for the second goal, and he desperately needs a confidence boost.
Lampard revealed that veteran Willy Caballero will start Wednesday’s League Cup clash with Barnsley at Stamford Bridge, but insisted that was always the plan, even before Kepa’s last costly mistake.
“It’s a clear mistake that has cost us,” Lampard said.
“Because we happen to have a penalty, things could be different if we score, and margins as thin as that change games.
“So we have to keep working, Kepa has to keep working and he has to have support around him, that’s very clear. But it was a clear mistake that day.”
“And now we have to try to give him confidence, because that is important. It is a clear mistake, he accepted it and we have to raise our hands for that.”
“Nobody tries to make mistakes in football, that’s the nature of the game. So we have to be strong and keep going.”
“I can say now that Willy Caballero will play Barnsley, and that was always my feeling facing him on Wednesday, regardless of today. So I don’t want people to make judgments about that game itself.
“He’s our player and it’s clear now from the two games, today was a clear mistake and there was also a mistake in Brighton, and he reflects on that in that way.
“So we have to keep working, those are the rules of football, difficult times, individual players need support, especially from me and I give it to all the players. So we have to keep working.
“Nobody tries to make mistakes in football, that’s the nature of the game. So we have to be strong and keep going.”
Rennes cap Edouard Mendy is about to complete his move to Chelsea, but Lampard has maintained his policy of refusing to talk about players from other clubs.
However, Kepa’s poor form from the last period has carried over into the new campaign, and the £ 72 million signing in 2018 appears to face a hugely uncertain future at Stamford Bridge.
“I have no news on Mendy’s so I will stay away from that,” Lampard said. “Until nothing is confirmed, you should never talk about other players, so that’s it.”
Liverpool dominated Chelsea once the Blues were down to 10 men, and new Thiago Alcantara impressed from the bench after replacing Jordan Henderson.
Henderson suffered a thigh blow that Klopp doesn’t expect will keep him out of the game for long.
However, Thiago excelled from the bench in Henderson’s place, leaving Klopp to praise the Spanish midfielder.
Alisson saved Jorginho’s penalty in the second half, ending an impeccable eight-shot streak from the Italian’s spot for the Blues, and that left Klopp celebrating the ideal West London afternoon.
“Jordan (Henderson) said he had a hit and I told him not to continue because we didn’t want to take chances with him,” Klopp said.
“But even without training, and even against 10 men, Thiago made the perfect play in that position.
“Everything he did was perfectly natural. Alisson saved a penalty, Thiago made his debut, and if Hendo has absolutely nothing on his injury, it’s a perfect day.”
Klopp added: “(It was a) super game to be honest, well the first half there were no goals, but it was a very good game from both teams.
“I really liked our game, it’s very complicated, Chelsea are a first-rate team.
“He may not be 100 percent in tune on offense because that’s clear and at these positions (Kai) Havertz and (Timo) Werner, it may take some time, but really very good.
“I liked our own football, really good situations, we went through the lines, good organization and everything was fine but we didn’t score and the last situation before the break, the red card, so the second half was a different game.” . “
[ad_2]