Chelsea have now lost back-to-back Premier League matches following their 1-0 defeat to West Ham United on Saturday.
Sky Sports pundit Matt Le Tissier has admitted that he was left baffled by Frank Lampard’s decision not to bring on Michy Batshuayi during Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to West Ham.
In the absence of Tammy Abraham, Olivier Giroud started up front for Chelsea, as Le Tissier felt that he didn’t cause too many problems for the opposition during the game.
With Chelsea trailing to Aaron Cresswell’s first-half strike, Lampard opted to bring on Callum Hudson-Odoi for the big Frenchman after 70 minutes.
Speaking to Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (30/11/2019 5:00 pm start), ex-Saints man, Le Tissier admitted that moment during the game was a ‘big surprise’ to him and pretty ‘strange’.
“He [Abraham] has been terrific for them so they were bound to miss him,” Le Tissier told Soccer Saturday. “Giroud didn’t create too many problems.
“He ended up getting substituted, and the only big surprise was that when he did get substituted I was expecting Batshuayi to come on because they needed a goal and he’s a poacher.
“But instead, he brought Callum Hodson-Odoi on and put Pulisic up top, and that was the only strange decision for me.”
That result and performance by Chelsea against the Hammers is a reality check for Lampard’s players, who have had a brilliant start to the season.
The Chelsea fans will be hoping that Abraham is back to face his former club Aston Villa next Wednesday, as Lampard will face Dean Smith for the first time since that play-off final defeat in May when he was Derby County boss.
Another individual making a return to Chelsea will be Villa coach John Terry, who will be in the opposition dugout against his boyhood club for the first time in his career.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
