Chelsea forward Callum-Hudson Odoi returned to the starting line-up yesterday, but wasn’t able to seize his opportunity.
Hudson-Odoi came back into Chelsea’s team yesterday for their game against Southampton, but he failed to have the desired impact.
The English winger didn’t manage to trouble Southampton’s defence, as Chelsea lost 2-0 in a shock result.
But Lampard insisted that he could not be too hard on the teenager after the game.
Lampard has previously publicly criticised Hudson-Odoi, but he insists that the youngster was putting in a good effort for Chelsea yesterday.
“I thought he put a lot of effort in today, he was trying things, making runs, not quite coming off for him in the first half,” Lampard said.
“He’s come off the back of a big injury and this is certainly a period where we have to stick with him. He’s very young. A lot of talk last year about contract and would he or wouldn’t he and now he has and he’s in a period now where he has to get his head down and work and he knows that – to show what he can be for this club. It’s down to him now.
“I showed faith in him playing today and I will continue to do that. But we also have to go with him a little bit. And I’ve sat here and I’ve probably been relatively harsh on Callum a couple of times and I don’t think now is the moment to do that because I think today I saw an effort and a desire, I’ve seen it in training these last couple of weeks.”
Whether Hudson-Odoi will keep his place in Chelsea’s team for their next match now remains to be seen.
The Blues are in action again Arsenal on Sunday, when they will be under pressure to put in a much improved performance.
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