MX23RW : Saturday, November 23 21:42:50| >> :60:3367:3367:
[monks data]
Chelsea logo
Premier League | Gameweek 38
Jul 26, 2020 at 4pm UK
Stamford Bridge
Wolves logo

Chelsea
2 - 0
Wolves

Mount (45+1'), Giroud (45+4')
Giroud (45+3'), Azpilicueta (90+2')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Jota (22'), Neto (45'), Dendoncker (83')

Frank Lampard: 'Top-four spot will help us in transfer market'

Frank Lampard: 'Top-four spot will help us in transfer market'
© Reuters
Mason Mount and Olivier Giroud were on target as the Blues ended the Premier League season with a 2-0 win over Wolves.

Frank Lampard has admitted qualifying for next season’s Champions League will boost Chelsea’s recruitment drive this summer.

The Blues sealed a fourth-place finish with a fine 2-0 win over Wolves, with Mason Mount firing a smart free-kick and teeing up Olivier Giroud at Stamford Bridge.

Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz could yet join the Blues this summer, with Chelsea also weighing up recruiting a new goalkeeper and further defensive reinforcements.

Lampard insisted his decision to start veteran Willy Caballero ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga revolved only around the Wolves clash, but the Blues could yet change their goalkeeping situation in the close season.

Chelsea v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Premier League – Stamford Bridge
Frank Lampard’s team clinched fourth spot with Sunday’s 2-0 win (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)

While Chelsea boss Lampard wants to keep his cards close to his chest on summer targets, he did acknowledge that Champions League qualification carries a bearing.

Asked if reaching the Champions League will make recruitment easier, he said: “In brutal honesty I would say yes. Not to say exactly where that will go, because that’s not a conversation today off the back of the game straight away.

“We know that the economics of the Champions League are big, we know that.

“We know the prestige, top players want to play in the Champions League.

“The top players that are here already, even the young players, they want to play in the Champions League.

“To get too far ahead of ourselves and to be concerned for what it might mean from the outside is not a question for today, it’s a question for the players that have produced today.

“That can improve anyway, we can all improve.

“The idea that we haven’t kept enough clean sheets is definitely not just a reflection of our goalkeeper,

“But if we’re looking to recruit in certain areas then I think it may help, but those are conversations for after Arsenal, after Bayern Munich, see how we go, because now we’ve had a good year, we want to have a better year next year.

“So we’ll try to better ourselves in any way possible.”

Refusing to let Kepa be the focus of Chelsea’s defensive shortcomings this term, Lampard insisted he will put aside the club’s goalkeeper situation until after the FA Cup final against Arsenal and the Champions League trip to Bayern Munich.

“The idea that we haven’t kept enough clean sheets is definitely not just a reflection of our goalkeeper,” said Lampard.

“That’s something that we have to work on as a team, look at how we train, maybe how we recruit generally going forward. But I don’t want to pinpoint it on Kepa today.

“That was a decision today probably on recent form, recent situations for him, he’s had a tough time.

“And I felt Willy coming in off the back of a good performance against Manchester United last week would be what we needed today.

“So I don’t want to jump forward beyond the Arsenal game next week. It would be wrong.

“The squad is really strong as we are and I want it to stay that way for one more week domestically and then going to Bayern Munich. Looking forward to next season will happen after that.”

Wolves failed to secure an automatic spot in the Europa League thanks to their costly Chelsea defeat, with Tottenham swiping a sixth-place finish.

View this post on Instagram

It ends in defeat for Wolves at the Bridge.

A post shared by Wolves (@wolves) on

The Molineux men could still qualify for Europe’s second-tier contest should Chelsea beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final.

Wolves would even reach the Champions League should they win this season’s delayed Europa League, and with less than two weeks until facing Olympiacos, manager Nuno Espirito Santo knows that can be his side’s sole focus.

“The season is not finished yet, it’s not over for us yet; we have 10 days to prepare a game,” Nuno said.

“The draw against Olympiacos is what we have to focus on. We have to play a good game, because that is important. It’s going to be very hard for us next Thursday because Olympiacos are a good team.

“This is what we have to focus on. What happens (in the FA Cup final) happens, but we should do things so we deserve it.”

ID:408044: cacheID:408044:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:22291:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Crystal Palace121561017-78
19Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
20Southampton11119721-144


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!