[ad_1]
Frank Lampard has admitted that Edouard Mendy has already become Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper.
The former Rennes goalkeeper helped the Blues secure Lampard’s first goalless draw as Chelsea manager in Tuesday’s Champions League draw with Sevilla.
Senegalese international Mendy shook off a thigh problem to start the opener of Group E at Stamford Bridge, which left Lampard delighted with his team’s more robust form.
When asked if Mendy is already Chelsea’s number one goalkeeper, Lampard said: “At the moment yes, he has shown his quality. The way he has played, he has played very well, it is two clean goals for him.
Chelsea drew 0-0 with Sevilla in the Champions League
“As it is, it is [the number one] but that is always at stake. But the way he’s playing, I’m very happy. He was satisfied with the professional element of victory.
“Sevilla is a top team in European football, without a doubt. The concentration and focus to achieve the result was great on the part of the team.
“We made a lot of good decisions tonight so it’s a really nice place to build. I think it’s a positive result. The clean sheet was very important to us.”
Kepa Arrizabalaga, out of shape, fell to the bench on Mendy’s return after another afternoon to forget in Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Southampton.
Chelsea were solid against Sevilla, albeit a bit boring in attack, although the Blues will be delighted with a better defensive performance.
Lampard: Registering Cech is a no-brainer
Petr Cech has been entered as part of the Chelsea Premier League squad
Chelsea signed former goalkeeper Petr Cech into their Premier League squad on Tuesday, with the 38-year-old on hand if needed in a coronavirus-related emergency.
Cech is still younger than veteran Blues goalkeeper Willy Caballero, 39, and is available if needed now despite retiring in the summer of 2019.
Chelsea’s manager has been training with the senior team for several weeks, and Lampard insisted it was a “no-brainer” to add him to the league’s ranks.
“It’s definitely not made for romance, Pete enjoys training, that’s right,” Lampard said.
0:44
“With Pete it’s something I wouldn’t expect to happen, but with how fit he is if we were in crisis, we couldn’t have anyone better than Petr Cech.
“I don’t expect him to play, but nobody expected what happened in the last six or seven months, so that would explain why he is there. He is invaluable because of his experience, transmitting it to the goalkeepers.”
“We had a space this year, and Covid makes this a year like no other. He’s very fit, he’s still relatively young, and he’s finished playing when he could possibly have continued when he took on the role that he does very well here.” .
“He trains very regularly and very well. I don’t know if we will see him this season, it depends on how things go, of course. But it is a no-brainer to have him on the squad for the reasons of the pandemic and everything that has happened.
“He trains every day, and that can only help the goalkeepers that we have, to have one of the best of the modern era training with them.”
[ad_2]
