Chelsea vs Leicester City. Premier League.
Stamford BridgeAttendance40,629.
Wilfred Ndidi error allows Mason Mount opener, but Leicester man atones for mistake with equaliser
Monday 19 August 2019 06:08, UK
Frank Lampard remains winless as Chelsea head coach after being held to a 1-1 draw by Leicester at Stamford Bridge on Super Sunday.
Chelsea's energetic start brought a goal as Wilfred Ndidi's error allowed Mason Mount to tuck home his first goal for Chelsea (7), but Ndidi made up for it in the second half with a towering header from a James Maddison corner (67).
While Chelsea had chances to build on their first-half lead, Leicester too had clear opportunities to win it after levelling, as Lampard's first game back at Stamford Bridge ended in frustration.
The result means Lampard is the first Chelsea manager to fail to win any of his first three games in charge of the club since Rafael Benitez in the 2012/13 campaign.
There was an unusual officiating change before kick-off as Graham Scott, who was VAR for Manchester City's controversial 2-2 draw with Spurs on Saturday, was delayed by traffic, meaning Oliver Langford came in to take charge of his first Premier League game.
Lampard was given a hero's welcome, and the good mood continued in the first half as Chelsea burst out of the traps; Pedro hit the side-netting before Kasper Schmeichel saved low from Mount's half volley, but the 20-year-old got his goal just minutes later.
Putting pressure on Ndidi in the final third, Mount robbed the Leicester midfielder before slotting low past Schmeichel from just inside the area.
Chelsea dominated the rest of the half and should have gone in 2-0 up as Mount headed straight at Schmeichel unmarked from eight yards, while N'Golo Kante was denied from close range by a superb last-ditch tackle by Christian Fuchs.
Leicester upped their game after the break, going close as Maddison rounded Kepa Arrizabalaga, only to see his centre cleared by Jorginho, before Tammy Abraham was introduced to a huge ovation from the Stamford Bridge crowd after suffering racist abuse on social media in midweek.
Leicester's leveller was deserved as Ndidi made amends, rising superbly above Cesar Azpilicueta from Maddison's right-wing corner to leave Kepa rooted.
And Leicester should have been ahead minutes later through Maddison, who blazed over in space from eight yards after somehow dancing past two Chelsea challenges, before Jamie Vardy struck inches wide from an acute on the left of the box.
Youri Tielemans then stung the hands of Kepa with a late drive, and it was the Foxes who would have felt like they should have left the Bridge with three points, as both sides look for their first win of the season.
Frank Lampard: "Really good start, fantastic start. We could have been two or three up, quick and bright energy in the team. But after that we allowed Leicester back into the game, and then second half I wasn't very happy. We offered them too many chances to counter attack, we didn't have enough calmness on the ball, and that allowed them right back into the game.
"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."
Brendan Rodgers: "I was very, very pleased with how we played. To come here against a top-class team, and play with that courage and quality. The courage of how Wilf performed, our willingness to take the game to Chelsea, our disappointment is that we didn't win. The players were very concentrated, and created enough to win it. We played like a big team, which really pleased me."
Speaking on Super Sunday, Sky Sports' Graeme Souness believes Lampard has the most difficult job since Roman Abramovich arrived in 2003. Lampard is the 14th manager to take charge of Chelsea in that time.
"I think this is the most difficult job for a Chelsea manager since Roman Abramovich took over the club. The owner appears to have lost interest through circumstances not of his own making, but that's a factor I think," he said.
"The transfer ban is also a major issue and losing arguably one of the best players in the world, or certainly the best player in the Premier League over the last five or six years, it's not easy.
"He needs time and you can't be judging Frank Lampard on what you see now, this is what he's inherited. There's not a lot wrong with them, just people being slightly different at vital times and scoring more goals."
Maddison was left frustrated in the first half, struggling to break through Chelsea's back line and looking for a few fouls that never came.
In the second half, he came to life. His ball for the equaliser was perfect, and he was a constant menace as Leicester pushed for a winner. A mention, too, for team-mates Ricardo Pereira and Christian Fuchs.
Jamie Redknapp said on Super Sunday: "His second-half performance had everything. He started to get after the ball, he started to get into pockets and pick up nice positions. His final ball was brilliant, he was starting to get his tail up and he enjoyed the game. He's 22 years of age and this kid has to play for England now. He's ready. We don't have many other players like him."
Chelsea now go to Norwich on Saturday at 12.30pm, while Leicester are at Sheffield United at 3pm on Saturday.
