The preseason exhibition slate has now started for Chelsea FC meaning the Frank Lampard era has officially begun. Yes, it won’t be long until the season begins for real, on August 11 at Old Trafford against Manchester United. On Wednesday night though, the result was a 1-1 draw versus Bohemian FC in Dublin, a match that saw a stalemate snatched from the jaws of victory.
“It was a tough game for us,” Lampard said of his first game in charge of the club where he is the all time leading scorer. “We haven’t been back for long and this was our first game after just a few days so there was a bit of pressure on the lads to work today.”
“We’ve been working them very hard and we did the same this morning as well. I want to stretch them because that’s what preseason is all about.”
Michy Batshuayi netted just eight minutes in, and the scoring strike was almost enough to stand up as the game winner, but in the 89′ trialist Eric Molloy scored to rescue a result for the Bohemians. With the Bats Man, as well as Danny Drinkwater, being handed a start, it really shows that the Frank Lampard era is truly a new beginning.
Footballers who didn’t have a chance at a place under Maurizio Sarri will now be given a new life in regards to playing time. Of course, another main storyline, (in addition to the Lampard transition) to watch this preseason will be the integration and development of Christian Pulisic, the $73 million wonder-kid acquired from Borussia Dortmund in January.
The American international and 20-year-old winger is coming off a Gold Cup tournament performance in which he earned Best XI honors.
Pulisic said that he won’t go on much of a holiday after the Gold Cup, which ended with a 1-0 loss for the United States to Mexico in the finale.
It’s likely we’ll see him in action when the Blues travel to Japan next week against Kawasaki Frontale and FC Barcelona.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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