Frank Lampard may have only been back at Chelsea for less than two weeks but our caretaker manager can see his players are lacking belief at the moment. He has explained what can be done to improve individual and collective confidence.
The loss to Brighton on Saturday was our third on the spin and our fourth in five games this month. It has been a turbulent campaign and the Blues have struggled for consistency, which understandably has affected the squad’s mentality.
Lampard acknowledge football is an unforgiving game but there are things he and his coaching staff are doing to try and lift the group.
‘The work to build confidence is what we need, because there is talent in that squad,’ he stressed.
‘Everything is there for the players in terms of how we can push and drive them, individual and collective work, we’re here to do that.
‘Every conversation is different. Every player needs confidence but there are different ways to get there. When you can’t train, and I’m in here for this period, it’s important you do everything you can that is not physical to try and help.
‘There have been more conversations and meetings than training pitch stuff,’ he added, noting the busy schedule since his arrival.
‘We’re talking individually to the players. When we get a chance to work, the team needs some physical work.
‘That’s important because at this level you have to be on the limit, and I’m not sure we’re on the limit now. That can only be a capacity thing with the players for whatever reason. It doesn’t matter how we got here, it needs to be addressed now.’
Not only did Brighton outshoot us by 26 attempts to eight, they also won six more tackles than us, and their ability to get to loose balls first was noticeable on a difficult afternoon at the Bridge.
However, Lampard does not believe that is down to a lack of effort on the players’ behalf. Rather, he says it come back to the confidence issue.
‘When players are lacking confidence, it can be seen as a hunger thing,’ Lampard said.
‘Sometimes you are a yard short, or you receive the ball and you’re not confident so you take your first touch backwards. That can look like a hunger or a passion thing, but I don’t feel that.
‘I will back the players absolutely that they’re hungry to be successful as Chelsea players. At the minute we have to find all the things that get you to that. We just have to work.’