Here is your Chelsea morning digest for Sunday, October 18th.
Lampard discusses Kepa performance
Chelsea signed Edouard Mendy to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga this summer. However, on Saturday, Mendy missed out due to injury, meaning Kepa returned to the starting line-up. He committed yet another error as Chelsea conceded three goals.
Kurt Zouma sold Kepa short with a poor back pass, but the Spaniard rushed off his line and failed to connect with the ball as Che Adams raced in to score.
After the match, head coach Frank Lampard discussed the shattered confidence of his beleaguered goalkeeper.
“We know that all eyes are on him,” he told reporters in his post-match press conference. “As a goalkeeper, you know all eyes are on you. Kepa has to deal with that and also feel the support of me and the team-mates.
“It is unfortunate because he did make a couple of good saves today. When you are a goalkeeper, people will judge you on other moments as well. He has to keep working and there’s only one way of getting through those periods and it is to work and to feel support around him.”
Chelsea standouts vs Southampton
Chelsea squandered a 2-0 and 3-2 lead to drop two points against Southampton on Saturday afternoon. The Blues constructed some lovely attacking moves, but as has been the case throughout the Lampard era, they shot themselves in the foot with some hapless goalkeeping and defending.
As a result, Kepa was rated a 4/10 in Alan Smith’s player ratings and Kurt Zouma was given just a 5/10. The pair combined for Southampton’s second goal, Zouma’s under-hit back pass leaving Kepa stranded, who covered himself in little glory as he rushed out and failed to clear the ball.
At the other end of the pitch, Timo Werner was awarded a 9/10 rating. He scored the opening two goals, both of which were superb efforts. He also assisted Kai Havertz second-half strike with a nicely weighted square ball.
Meanwhile, Ben Chilwell was rated an 8/10 on his Premier League debut. The left-back made his first start for Chelsea since his move from Leicester City in the summer transfer window and impressed with a vibrant attacking display.
Werner’s brilliance in vain
While Chelsea will be disappointed to drop points from a winning position on two different occasions, the performance of Timo Werner is a point of huge optimism to Frank Lampard and the squad, as Alan Smith writes.
Werner had not scored following his summer transfer, despite playing in all four Premier League games before this weekend. Against Southampton, however, he quickly dispelled the doubts that he could adapt to English football.
Moved into the centre-forward position, Werner produced his best performance of his Chelsea career, scoring two sensational goals and providing an assist for the third. His movement off the ball was relentless, he dragged the Southampton centre-halves all across the pitch, and he showed his natural goalscoring streak with two clinical finishes.
Sadly for Werner, he was let down by those around him, especially his defence and goalkeeper. Chelsea have now conceded nine goals in five games. This comes after they conceded 54 goals last season, the most of any team in the top half.
