Lampard calls for senior players to lead the charge as Chelsea close on UCL spot
Frank Lampard has urged his Chelsea players to stand up and find their voices ahead of a 'critical time' in their top four pursuit.
The pressure in the chase for Champions League football has been cranked up on the chasing pack behind Liverpool and Manchester City after the latter's ban was overturned, meaning only a top four finish will guarantee a spot in Europe's top competition next season.
Chelsea have their fate in their own hands with three games left though Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United underlined issues that Lampard has detected throughout the season.
Lampard bemoaned only being able to hear Sheffield United voices as his side went down, something even more noticeable in the absence of fans.
Ahead of Norwich's visit on Tuesday night, Lampard, whose side also have an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on Sunday, said: 'I've got big personalities and there will be big personalities in the team. They need to stand up.
'Show the quality they've shown for big parts of the season. I trust they will do and because we're at the business end it's very important that they do. It cannot be understated how big mentality is.
'How big attitude is. When you talk about players it is very easy and natural to look at talent but you also have to look at attitude and character within the team.
'We're in a good place but it's something we can improve.
'Younger players can be more vocal, grow as they go along. Older players can take on responsibility of helping that as well.
'Critical times like this, where there's a lot on the line, it's time for people to make that improvement. It is much easier to improve opening your mouth than it is to beat three players and put it in the top corner.'
On the problem Lampard picked up at Sheffield United he said: 'It's something I picked up before, something I talk about with the players and one of the easiest things to do on the pitch, to help your team-mates, to help the group by being vocal, driving people on, being vocal and talking,' he said.
'We don't have enough of it, for sure. We have to get better at that and it's something I drill into the players, particularly now where you can hear it because the stadiums feel different, it's something we need to be better at and I expect it from the players.'
And having played in teams for club and country full of dominant characters Lampard knows the value of having team-mates with big voices.
He said: 'It adds a lot, I know that. It's one of the basics and I remember being taught as a young boy playing, about communicating with your team mate, wanting the ball, demanding the ball, demanding from others, supporting others.
'The main thing is that you can be as quiet as you want off the pitch, we have some quiet players here who keep themselves to themselves, but they must come out of that on the pitch, they must demand the ball, otherwise the game can pass you by.
'They must have character and spirit to talk to people around them and where we are young we have to improve on that.
'It's a daily thing of working, maybe as the players grow into themselves a little bit. I keep telling them, the staff keep telling them then hopefully that message will hit home.
'But sometimes it's not that easy when players are generally quiet and it's something that we need to look at generally, keep improving on.'
Chelsea also have the top 10's poorest defensive record, their goals conceded tally now up to 49.
Lampard has chopped and changed his defensive set-ups but when asked if he needs to find a regular centre back pairing to resolve the problem, he said: 'I don't think it's about just a partnership.
'Can we be more settled if we improve? Yes, for sure. Will it be just two players who are going to be your centre backs? I don't think that's going to be the case.'
Any improvement against Norwich will have to come from the same players Lampard had available to face Sheffield United.
But N'Golo Kante 'has a chance' of recovering from his hamstring injury time to be fit for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.
The pressure in the chase for Champions League football has been cranked up on the chasing pack behind Liverpool and Manchester City after the latter's ban was overturned, meaning only a top four finish will guarantee a spot in Europe's top competition next season.
Chelsea have their fate in their own hands with three games left though Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United underlined issues that Lampard has detected throughout the season.
Lampard bemoaned only being able to hear Sheffield United voices as his side went down, something even more noticeable in the absence of fans.
Ahead of Norwich's visit on Tuesday night, Lampard, whose side also have an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on Sunday, said: 'I've got big personalities and there will be big personalities in the team. They need to stand up.
'Show the quality they've shown for big parts of the season. I trust they will do and because we're at the business end it's very important that they do. It cannot be understated how big mentality is.
'How big attitude is. When you talk about players it is very easy and natural to look at talent but you also have to look at attitude and character within the team.
'We're in a good place but it's something we can improve.
'Younger players can be more vocal, grow as they go along. Older players can take on responsibility of helping that as well.
'Critical times like this, where there's a lot on the line, it's time for people to make that improvement. It is much easier to improve opening your mouth than it is to beat three players and put it in the top corner.'
On the problem Lampard picked up at Sheffield United he said: 'It's something I picked up before, something I talk about with the players and one of the easiest things to do on the pitch, to help your team-mates, to help the group by being vocal, driving people on, being vocal and talking,' he said.
'We don't have enough of it, for sure. We have to get better at that and it's something I drill into the players, particularly now where you can hear it because the stadiums feel different, it's something we need to be better at and I expect it from the players.'
And having played in teams for club and country full of dominant characters Lampard knows the value of having team-mates with big voices.
He said: 'It adds a lot, I know that. It's one of the basics and I remember being taught as a young boy playing, about communicating with your team mate, wanting the ball, demanding the ball, demanding from others, supporting others.
'The main thing is that you can be as quiet as you want off the pitch, we have some quiet players here who keep themselves to themselves, but they must come out of that on the pitch, they must demand the ball, otherwise the game can pass you by.
'They must have character and spirit to talk to people around them and where we are young we have to improve on that.
'It's a daily thing of working, maybe as the players grow into themselves a little bit. I keep telling them, the staff keep telling them then hopefully that message will hit home.
'But sometimes it's not that easy when players are generally quiet and it's something that we need to look at generally, keep improving on.'
Chelsea also have the top 10's poorest defensive record, their goals conceded tally now up to 49.
Lampard has chopped and changed his defensive set-ups but when asked if he needs to find a regular centre back pairing to resolve the problem, he said: 'I don't think it's about just a partnership.
'Can we be more settled if we improve? Yes, for sure. Will it be just two players who are going to be your centre backs? I don't think that's going to be the case.'
Any improvement against Norwich will have to come from the same players Lampard had available to face Sheffield United.
But N'Golo Kante 'has a chance' of recovering from his hamstring injury time to be fit for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.
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