After being in the starting line-up and scored in each of the club’s last three games, Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard says England striker, Tammy Abraham deserves credit.
Abraham, who is of Nigerian descent was Chelsea’s saviour last season, scoring 15 goals for the club that was suffering from a transfer ban. He alongside Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori upped their games for Lampoard that eventually led the Blues to the Champions League spot last season.
However, the 23-year-old striker lost his starting place during the second half of the campaign after recovering from a hip injury.
‘We didn’t let the international break distract us, we had to come out with all guns blazing which is what we did.’ @tammyabraham 💪
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 22, 2020
According to Lampard, it seems people have “forgotten” how good the teenage striker was during the first half of last season. He added that the resurgent striker deserves more credit.
Abraham began the new campaign on the bench, but forced his way back into Lampard’s starting line-up and has scored in each of their last three games – victories over Sheffield United, Newcastle, and Rennes, who Chelsea will play again tonight in the Champions League.
The former Chelsea midfielder believes a drop-off in Abraham’s form over the second half of the campaign caused many to forget the role he played in the club’s success.
How Abraham survived obstacles at Chelsea to regain his starting shirt under Lampard
Last season, Abraham stepped up his game at Stamford Bridge after a loan stint in the Championship with Aston Villa the previous season, and scored 10 of his 15 Premier League goals in Chelsea’s opening 12 games.
But after the restart in June after the coronavirus pandemic, the 23-year-old often found himself on the bench with Olivier Giroud preferred up front.
He was again presented with another obstacle with a new signing, Timo Werner. In his quest for first-team action, he was an unused substitute in Chelsea’s season opener against Brighton, making his situation appeared bleak.
But Lampard believes Werner’s arrival may even have helped the Englishman.
“The whole point of bringing in players like Timo is not only bringing in quality, but to lift others around him, by linking up on the pitch or by squad competition.
“I have more options in forward areas and I need good reactions. Tammy’s shown a brilliant reaction and he needs to be on that edge. All the young players need to be on edge daily to push themselves to try and play in this team.
“When they play like Tammy is at the moment, he starts making my decisions easier because he’s playing so well. Linking up with people like Timo will obviously help, but first and foremost, it always has to be about the player himself. Tammy should take credit for his start and understand that the next challenge is to remain consistent.”
Despite not being happy about the situation at the beginning of the season, Abraham maintained professionalism. Once he got his chance, he grabbed it and that what matters to the manager and the team as a whole.
“With Tammy he hasn’t really come to see me. I’ve spoken to him regularly and sometimes you can see in his face, that they’re not happy.
“Particularly young players can’t hide it always, which is fine, because if he’s training well and he’s preparing well and he looks great and he doesn’t start, I understand why he would be frustrated, and he has been doing that.
“The flip of that is that they need to know that there’s competition at a club like Chelsea in forward areas… and it’s competitive. So everyone sort of has to take that one.”
With Abraham and Werner appeared to be in good form, they could help the Blues secure passage to the next round of the Champions League tonight with a win at Rennes.
Chelsea Team news ahead of their visit to Rennes
Lampard now has Thiago Silva and Kai Havertz back in the squad after the duo missed Saturday’s win at Newcastle due to COVID-19 infection.
Rennes-bound! ✈️🇫🇷#RENCHE pic.twitter.com/AaoUYLT3Pp
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 23, 2020
Winger Christian Pulisic is not part of the contingent that has already arrived in France. According to the manager, the USA international should be available for Sunday’s clash with Premier League leaders Tottenham after recovering from injury.
