"Young players will bring that" – Frank Lampard identifies problem with Chelsea under Enzo Maresca after Crystal Palace draw
Chelsea great Frank Lampard has suggested that the Blues squad's inexperience could prove to be a problem following a recent 1-1 Premier League draw against Crystal Palace.
Earlier this Sunday (September 1), the west London outfit registered their first draw of the 2024-25 season against the Eagles. Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring in the 25th minute before Eberechi Eze levelled things with a right-footed curling shot in the 53rd minute.
After the end of Chelsea's clash at Stamford Bridge, Lampard highlighted one potential issue that could hinder the Blues' season. He told BBC Match of the Day 2 (h/t Metro):
"Inconsistency will be there, young players bring that. If you look at moments in the game where Chelsea are on top, maybe they aren't clinical enough and then you can always feel the game can swing on them. You do wonder if that bit of experience through the spine of the team isn't there and you'll have to wait for that but there's certainly a lot of talent in there."
Sharing further thoughts on Enzo Maresca's side, Lampard continued:
"In terms of where they are at, Maresca mentioned today that they aren't the same team that won the Champions League and he is right. I was there 18 months ago and at that point, it was a really low point from my point of view because it didn't feel like the club that it had been which was so successful for 20 years."
Expressing his optimism about the Blues' trajectory, Lampard added:
"A lot of that was the environment and getting that right. I feel like they are on an upward curve but there will be good days and bad days because of the squad. But there is a lot of talent and if they can keep improving, especially at the top end of the pitch, they can give teams a lot of problems."
Which stars did Chelsea sign this summer?
Earlier this summer, Chelsea revamped their squad by signing a number of players. They also parted ways with the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Thiago Silva, Conor Gallagher, Hakim Ziyech, and Ian Maatsen.
The Blues spent over £200 million in incomings, which included just two stars over the age of 25. They permanently signed the likes of Joao Felix, Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Filip Jorgensen. They also loaned in Jadon Sancho on deadline day.
Chelsea were reportedly keen to strengthen their strikeline before the end of the window. They were believed to be in advanced talks to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, but a move failed to materialize.