Frank Lampard left Holland last night a very happy man. His young team took all three points from Ajax in their own back yard in a game they were supposed to struggle in.
The Dutch side are very good, young, quick, and full of energy. They got to the Semi Finals of the Champions League last year and could easily have gone all the way.
But Chelsea did more than match them, more than just take the points. They deserved the victory in the end, especially after their second half performance. It was professional, calm, and mainly controlling.
Lampard was proud of his team that features at least half of the players in that squad experiencing their first taste of Champions League football.
It’s Lampard’s first taste as a coach, as well as his coaching team. So to get this result was absolutely huge for many reasons.
As reported by The Independent, Lampard spoke after the match.
He said:
“I’m delighted with every element of the performance. It feels huge – it’s just six points in the group and we play Burnley on Saturday. But I think we’re allowed to be excited tonight.
“That’s the blueprint. There are no excuses for us now. That’s the standard and we can’t drop it. The young players are still babies in terms of Champions League minutes so this was a huge test for them.
“There was a good balance of young players and experience. We need to realise the things that made that happened tonight because Ajax are a top, top team.
“The subs were second to none. Sometimes the hardest thing is leaving someone out. But it’s great for the spirit of the squad when subs come on and have an impact like that.
“I was frustrated when Michy missed, and whatever had happened after that I would have been proud, but I know Michy can finish. Christian’s assist is as important as the finish, and the fact the sub scored makes me so happy.”
