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Chelsea vs Sevilla Champions League opener short on chances, but mature defending will please Frank Lampard

Pool via REUTERS
Pool via REUTERS

Chelsea kicked off their Champions League campaign with a stalemate against Sevilla. And you suspect Frank Lampard would be quietly satisfied with a rather dour affair at Stamford Bridge.

After the goal frenzies his side have been involved in this season, here was a dose of sanity against a very good, battle-hardened side with European know-how.

Sevilla were reduced to very few chances.

Chelsea, too, in fairness – but the defensive horror shows that have been all too evident in the opening weeks of the campaign gave way for a mature performance and potentially a valuable point in Group E.

Lampard had to face questions about his defensive record since taking charge of Chelsea in the build-up to this match.

He insisted stats of 63 goals conceded in 43 games under him didn’t tell the whole story.

Those questions can be put to one side for now – and if his team defend in this manner going forward, it is a record that will change considerably.

Chelsea were mean; Edouard Mendy largely untroubled and Thiago Silva commanding.

Unfortunately for Lampard, the free-flowing football his side have produced up front also gave way.

Timo Werner was bright and busy – but nowhere his clinical best.

Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic were largely ineffective.

With defences on top, it was game of little incident – and one that is unlikely to live long in the memory.

Lampard, though, will be happy to change the narrative.

Goalkeepers new and old dominated debate beforehand, with the surprise news that 38-year-old Petr Cech had been included in Chelsea’s Premier League squad list as emergency cover in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Of more significance was Mendy’s inclusion in the starting XI – displacing under-fire Kepa Arrizabalaga after recovering from a thigh injury.

Lampard had made it clear where he felt Chelsea’s defensive problems lie when talking ahead of the game – and the question is where that leaves Kepa going forward. At this rate, he may be fearing Cech overtaking him in the pecking order before the season is out.

Thiago Silva’s return was another boost.

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

But it is the last line of defence that has been Chelsea’s greatest issue and the hope is that Mendy will finally instil some confidence at the back.

He denied Nemanja Gudelj’s header, which took a deflection off Kurt Zouma in the first half to keep the scores level at a time when Sevilla were dominating.

He stopped Lucas Ocampos just before the break when dropping down to hold a low effort through a crowded box.

Both were simple enough saves – but in recent times just about anything on target prompts hearts in mouths for Chelsea fans.

In response Lampard’s side looked dangerous when turning over possession at pace.

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Werner was their greatest threat – but he couldn’t get his feet right whenever the opportunity fell to him in the box. He was guilty of snatching at chances – forcing one save Yassine Bounou when he should have made the Sevilla keeper work more on another couple of occasions.

Bounou was grateful to see Kurt Zouma’s header directed straight at him at the start of the second half after the Chelsea defender rose to meet Ben Chilwell’s corner.

Werner then had the keeper stretching to his left with a curling effort from distance.

Lampard had told his players to take the game to their opponents and force them to retreat. It worked, with Chelsea’s full backs pushing high and Havertz and Mason Mount having more influence around the edge of the box.

Chelsea failed to make this period of dominance count and the game remained in the balance as Sevilla began to assert more control.

Even still, Mendy was given little to do as the match petered out to an uneventful conclusion.

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