As a manager craving the comfort of a straightforward victory, Frank Lampard could not afford to take any unnecessary risks. The merest hint of an upset was not a risk worth taking after a series of stumbles in the Premier League. Lampard knew Chelsea’s reputation for impatience too well to gamble, even against lower-league opponents who had not played since Boxing Day because of a Covid-19 outbreak in their squad.
On shaky ground after losing four of his last six league games, Lampard needed Chelsea to secure safe passage into the fourth round. The visit from Morecambe, lying seventh in League Two, was not the moment to throw in the kids. Chelsea needed belief to return, for Hakim Ziyech to build fitness after his injury problems, and for struggling stars such as Timo Werner and Kai Havertz to play themselves into form.
Written by Jacob Steinberg at Stamford Bridge
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/10/chelsea-morecambe-fa-cup-match-report under the title “Werner and Havertz end goal droughts as Chelsea breeze past Morecambe”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
