Chelsea's Tiredness, Dealing With Pressure & Coping Without Hazard - Lampard's Post-Match Quotes

Chelsea 1-1 Leicester: Tiredness, Coping With Pressure & Transfer Troubles - Lampard's Post-Match Quotes Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has revealed his belief

Chelsea 1-1 Leicester: Tiredness, Coping With Pressure & Transfer Troubles - Lampard's Post-Match Quotes 

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has revealed his belief that tiredness was a factor in the team's second-half performance against Leicester.

The Blues came into the game fresh from their penalty shootout defeat to Liverpool in the Super Cup on Wednesday night, held in Istanbul, and, though he claimed he hated the fatigue excuse, Lampard did concede he believed it was a reason behind his side's slump in the second period.

Michael Regan/GettyImages

"I hate the tiredness excuse, but it has to be a factor in the second half," he said. "I saw Liverpool play yesterday, and I know it would have been tough for them. 120 minutes, flight back the next day, up until five in the morning, so I think it did have an impact on us late in the game."

Chelseastarted exceptionally well in Lampard's emotional return to Stamford Bridge, with academy graduate Mason Mount scoring a well-deserved goal, but allowed the Foxes back into the game with a jaded second-half showing, as Wilfred Ndidi equalised with a crashing header.

Lampard continued: "But again, I think we're good enough to take that factor out and be better on the ball. I feel for the players a bit on that one, but still I don't want to use it as the overriding excuse."

"We can only look at ourselves. I think today once the pressure came, we didn't have enough angles or options to keep the ball moving. We were camped in their half for the first 20, 25 minutes, but we need to be ready when the game changes, to grab it back.

"We need a bit of personality about us. We saw it in midweek but today we didn't quite have it. We have to improve, this is a process, and it will take time.

"I was under no illusions when I came here that there would be moments like this. It takes time to work to get to where we want to be, and that is thinking and working time."

What a moment for Mason Mount. Finally joins the Chelsea set up and scores on his home debut. Stuff of dreams 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/fUanOyKI8k

— 90min (@90min_Football) August 18, 2019

The club's record goalscorer was also quick to again point out the myriad of other hindrances he has faced, and therefore pushed for patience, explaining: "We know that in the circumstances there are some tough elements to this year. We couldn't bring players in, I couldn't bring in any players to help try and push the way I'm thinking. And we lost Eden [Hazard], someone who is so pivotal to this club.

"So I think everyone is understanding of that, and will be patient, but again I don't want to use that as an excuse, because we can be better than we were for 60 minutes today, and we will be for sure."