An insight into two key personnel decisions opted for by Chelsea head coach for the club’s latest outing have been provided late on Saturday evening.
The Blues, of course, were back in action a short time ago.
Fresh off a morale-boosting victory over Bournemouth last time out, Frank Lampard’s troops welcomed Nottingham Forest to Stamford Bridge, eyeing a 2nd league win on the spin.
When all was said and done, however, despite the best efforts of Raheem Sterling, the capital giants’ efforts came up short.
This came as Sterling’s brace was cancelled out by a pair of goals by way of Forest frontman Taiwo Awoniyi, en route to an eventual 2-2 stalemate in west London.
It ends all square this afternoon. #CheNfo pic.twitter.com/xm7BrtO0mg
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 13, 2023
Chelsea’s latest disappointing result, meanwhile, came amid questions over the team selection decisions opted for by Frank Lampard.
Lampard, though, went on to reveal that he was left with no choice but to leave Kante out, owing to a groin injury which looks set to see the midfielder sit out the remainder of the season:
New injury for N’Golo Kanté — he’s not in the squad today. 🚨🔵 #CFC
“We lost N’Golo, he felt something in his groin — so that’s probably a couple of weeks and we know what that means pretty much”, Frank Lampard says. pic.twitter.com/VWupZaEMG2
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 13, 2023
Elsewhere on Saturday, Edouard Mendy was reintroduced between the posts, taking the place of the heavily scrutinised Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The Frenchman subsequently went on to endure an outing to forget, but Lampard was adamant that Mendy was deserving of his inclusion, after impressing in training of late:
Frank Lampard on Edouard Mendy:
“It is an opportunity that I think for his part is well deserved from how he’s training. We’ve got two very good goalkeepers here that have played for us and Kepa’s playing really well.”
[via @ChelseaFC]
— Absolute Chelsea (@AbsoluteChelsea) May 13, 2023
