Chelsea are preparing to take on Newcastle United tomorrow afternoon after what has felt like another incredibly long international break plagued with injuries once again.
Blues manager Frank Lampard has been addressing the media at Cobham ahead of the 3pm kick off tomorrow, and he has delivered some key bits of information.
Firstly, N’Golo Kante will miss the game tomorrow due to injury once again, and Andreas Christensen will be out for the next two weeks. But Mateo Kovacic IS in contention to play.
As reported by Football London, Lampard said:
“N’Golo is not fit. A small groin issue with France, he isn’t fit for Saturday.
“Kovacic had a knock on his thigh, but in contention. Ross is fine. Andreas has a hamstring problem which is going to see him out for two weeks.
Rudiger is outside training, a bit of work to be done for match fitness. But a positive that he is outside.”
Lampard is unhappy about the Kante injury saga and feels that there has been a lack of communication from Didier Deschamps and the French camp. He believes Kante should have been sent back to Cobham.
He said:
“We all have our selection problems, but the Kante one was not a laughing matter.
“We communicated before the first international break. It was clear that he wasn’t fit to play the second game and he sat on the bench. I think it could have been handled better.
“I understand that when a player is on international duty that they are their players, but it was clear that he wasn’t fit.”
So what about the opposition tomorrow, Newcastle United? On this, Lampard said:
“It would be easy to look at us as favourites, it would be a casual mistake for us to make that a story.
“We have to control what we can control, can we create chances and to make sure that we are at our best.
“I saw them at Tottenham put in some resilience, they have got templates to get results in that way. What can they do to hurt us? I expect nothing different.”
Lampard was asked his views on the racism witnessed coming from Bulgaria fans at the England match in mid-week, he said:
“I kind of remember the game back then [when he played for England against Bulgaria], I may have been on the bench.
“I think the big progression of Monday night is that the governing body have to take a big step. The collective nature that England dealt with it was really good to see.
“I spoke to the players there, they are strong boys. They know I am there to support them.
“It’s a learning curve in all cases.”
So what about the international break and whether it has come at the wrong time for Chelsea?
Lampard said:
“Hopefully not. We were playing well and we have to hope that we don’t have short memories and that we can get straight back to that.
“It was good to take a bit of a break [for him personally], but we worked through it as well. I am chomping at the bit to get back.”
On Mason Mount’s England debut and the young players at the club, Lampard said:
“He tried everything to get into the game, he gave everything. I don’t really see much of me in him. We had different styles but I love his work ethic.
“It pleases me [to see the young players coming in] because of the academy and for the players.
“These boys are contesting and having to prove why they should be in the team. They have proved it on merit and they are competing to get their place.”
