CHELSEA fans have been stunned by Frank Lampard’s team selection ahead of the Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
The interim manager named what fans are saying is a very ‘negative’ side with four defensive midfielders in the line-up ahead of the quarter-final at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea need to overturn a two-goal deficit if they are to progress past the semi-finals.
The team’s midfield includes Conor Gallagher, Enzo Fernandez, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic.
They will play ahead of a back five of Wesley Fofana, Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah and wing-backs Marc Cucurella and Reece James.
Kai Havertz is expected to lead the line by himself.
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This means that Lampard has benched attackers Joao Felix, Hakim Ziyech, Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic and Mykhailo Mudryk, despite needing goals.
In the build-up to the match, pundit Steve McManaman was asked if he thought Real Madrid would be worried after seeing Chelsea’s line-up.
He had a hilariously blunt reply, simply saying: “No.”
And fans have jumped on to social media to slam the defensive nature of the team.
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One Blues supporter tweeted: “This is the worst Chelsea team I’ve seen in my entire life.”
A second wrote: “Wow Chelsea are trying to draw this game 0-0. Most negative team I’ve ever seen.”
A third commented: “Considering the circumstance (2-0 down) and the players at his disposal this is genuinely shocking.”
A fourth said: “5 defenders 4 midfielders 1 false 9 on the pitch. As a Chelsea fan you always believe when it comes to must win European match. I genuinely have no faith at all today.”
While a fifth added: “This lineup doesn’t make sense to me in any way.”
Another declared: “This lineup is actually horrendous. I’ve only been watching football for 6 months, yet I can tell you this lineup is very very confusing.”
Explaining his squad selection before the game, Lampard told BT Sport: “When I look at us at the moment – firstly, you have to respect the opponent and the level of the game.
“I have to pick players that I feel are in good shape and nick. It’s up to us how that looks and how we use that offensively and defensively and how we can join in with pace.
“With the wing backs in the team, shaping up how we were last week was a part of the game we didn’t use enough.
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“When you use this system you must have possession of the ball, you must get your wing backs up the pitch and you must have players from midfield who will get in the box.
“We have the legs and energy and the capacity defensively to deal with the most important parts of the pitch with the level of player they have in there.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
