Michy Batshuayi wants to stay and fight for his Chelsea place this season but he still has some way to go to impress Frank Lampard.
The Belgian was not in the squad for either of the opening two Premier League matches, and was an unused substitute in the Super Cup defeat to Liverpool.
The 25-year-old finally got some minutes in midweek, netting an impressive brace for the Development Squad in a 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
Blues boss Lampard was in the stands for the game, and while impressed the striker is still behind Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham in the pecking order to start.
Batshuayi is fighting to get his place in the first team and Lampard has explained to the Belgian what he must do to earn that.
“Fitness was one thing. To give him a bit. It’s been a hard pre season and I had three strikers to use,” Lampard said.
“But every training session has to be an opportunity to work and really work and get fitter and train on the edge whether it is a simple game or possession, or running.
“Not just Michy but all the players have to understand that. Yes, Michy could be fitter but so can the others it’s early season yes.
“I will work with Michy. What I demand or ask for from the strikers is that they work hard off the ball because we want to win the ball back high up the pitch.
“It needs a lot of work which is not nice work. It is hard. Also to be a striker who is always going to give defenders a problem by always attacking the defensive line.
“Michy has all the qualities to do that and I want to work with him to achieve that; hopefully do it better and do it well for us.”
The striker situation appears like it could develop into another issue for Chelsea this year with the Blues frontmen failing to really shine.
The Blues have never really replaced Diego Costa, with high-profile names Alvaro Morata and Gonzalo Higuain failing to make a big impact.
Long are the days of key strikers in Costa and Didier Drogba, but Lampard still insists he has faith in the ability of his leading men.
“They are gone and the Didier Drogbas and Costas don’t always come along and they are not always easy to find,” Lampard added.
“It is not nice to compare but what I will say is the players that are here now have to try and show what they have got.
“They have got the qualities there. I have belief in Tammy and Oli and Michy, our wide players, from midfield to score goals.
“It is certainly not the way we should be looking at it ‘I wish we had a Didier Drogba.’
“No, this is 2019. We need to try and score goals and look at the problem ahead of us.”
