Lampard and Cole in agreement on concerning issue hampering Chelsea stars

12 April 2023 , 22:07

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Lampard and Cole in agreement on concerning issue hampering Chelsea stars

Chelsea's interim boss Frank Lampard and former star Joe Cole believe a "lack of belief" among the players is one of the biggest problems affecting the Blues at the moment.

Chelsea are currently 11th in the Premier League table and are facing an uphill battle if they are to qualify for the semi-finals of this year's Champions League, having lost 2-0 to Spanish giants Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

It was just Lampard's second game since returning as interim manager after Graham Potter was sacked and Chelsea have not won any of their last five matches in all competitions. They have also failed to score in four successive games for the first time since 1993 and have now lost more games this season than they have won.

Much has been made of Chelsea's struggles up front, with Kai Havertz currently their top scorer with nine goals in all competitions. And Cole, who won three Premier League titles during his time at Stamford Bridge, feels Chelsea's forwards are simply lacking confidence.

"You look at some of the players and names they've got, in the forward line, all of them top players - Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix, Kai Havertz," he said on BT Sport. "We've seen them have big moments and won multiple trophies between them but you've got to get them some kind of belief, only a result can do that."

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And Lampard echoed Cole's comments in his post-match interview, admitting they need to be more positive in the second leg at Stamford Bridge. "It's been a difficult period for [the players] and there's a little bit of a lack of belief," Lampard told BT Sport.

"I think the players have got to understand how good they are and what they can do. Maybe we're a bit short on that at the minute and it's not easy to come here like that. There was some good in there with the spirit, but the result is a fact so next week it's going to be a big fight.

Frank Lampard has admitted Chelsea are lacking belief after they were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid (PA)

"There are some details and mindset stuff, we have to be more positive. If we do that... I've been involved in those nights at Stamford Bridge. We keep going."

Former Blues striker Chris Sutton even accused some players of "hiding", warning that Brighton could "tear a strip off Chelsea" when they face them at the weekend. "A lot of Chelsea players, especially in forward areas, are hiding," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It's an impossible task for Frank Lampard to come in, click his fingers and think everything will change. It won't change against top class opposition. They play Brighton at the weekend and they could tear a strip off Chelsea."

Matthew Cooper