Lampard believes that the Blues’ £71m summer signing Kai Havertz needs time.
Chelsea manager coach Frank Lampard has backed Kai to become successful at Stamford Bridge, saying critics need to give the young midfielder time to adjust to life in the English top flight.
The Germany international joined the west London club from Bayer Leverkusen for £71m and put pen to paper on a five-year deal, but the 21-year-old hasn’t hit the form expected of him just yet.
However, Lampard says critics need to hold their breaks as he is convinced Havertz has all the attributes to succeed at Stamford Bridge.
"In the modern day, there is going to be criticism for every player of every club who loses a game," Lampard said. "We should be patient with Havertz from a Chelsea end because he is a top-quality talent who has come into this league.
"He can play in any position across the front three and he has played on the right countless times before he played for Chelsea. But we have to be patient, particularly with any young player playing in the speed of the Premier League.
"People who want to jump on to criticise (should) just wait and give a young player time. I know the player that Kai Havertz is going to be
Chelsea were thrashed by Everton over the weekend and Lampard admitted that it was a 'tough night' for his side at Goodison Park.
The Blues fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees, thanks to a penalty kick from Gylfi Sigurdsson in the 22nd minute.
And following the loss on Merseyside, Lampard told BBC MOTD: "It was tough, it was a tough night for both teams, the difference was they got the early goal and stopped up playing after that.
"After that we found it too hard to break them down. We didn't play well."
On summer signing goalkeeper Edouard Mendy who was responsible for gifting Everton their penalty as he bought down Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the 42-year-old said: "I don't know he got caught in the middle a little bit. He has been incredible since he has been here, I just think it was one of those.
"It was absolutely the game we expected and I expected. I expected the style of the game, the unity, the fans back in the ground.
"We are a young squad, new players that haven't won leagues. Sometimes you learn on your feet and tonight was one of those games.
"I am not going to criticise, when you have an off night you rely on other things like keeping a clean sheet, and then Mason's free-kick goes in off the post, not the other way round."
Comments