📣 Frank Lampard on Timo Werner, Scott Parker, Fikayo Tomori & more | OneFootball

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard spoke to the media on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s west London derby with Fulham.

Here’s what he had to say …

On Chelsea’s preparations for the game

“We’re all good. N’Golo Kante is suspended but he’s back in training tomorrow. So we’re all good.

“We’ve had two pretty long weeks where we’ve had a chance to work on elements of our game. Now is our chance to show that.

“I know the rules of football. No matter what squad you have, you need time to work.

“One of the big pluses of last season was that we had that opportunity. We had a long pre-season and opportunities to work.

“These two weeks have given us a chance to focus on the basics of our game, how we want to play.”

On Fulham and former team-mate Scott Parker

“Fulham played very well last night against Tottenham. That’s been their recent form so I think any previous history before that goes away.

“They have threats across their team. They’ve drawn with Liverpool and Tottenham. It will be a tough game but we have to focus on ourselves.

“He’s [Parker] diligent, has a good football brain, very determined, wants to do well in everything he does.

“Everything he did as a player made me think Scott could go on to management.”

On players being advised not to celebrate during the pandemic

“We’ve been told that and there are meetings planned for today and tomorrow. But football is a game of instinct and if we want to take them out of the game…well that’s not simple.

“Players are good lads and they don’t want to do the wrong thing.

“It’s going to be very difficult to police with the excitement and energy football brings. The players have been asked to not show natural instinct in the game, so we will have to see how it works.

“Some people are being asked to work from home, footballers aren’t. I think we have to understand these guys are human and they’re being asked to do their job.

“If you understand the passion for football, it can bring out emotions in you. To control the emotions is a fair ask, but to dictate them will be very difficult on the pitch.”

On Timo Werner’s form

“The more he works with his team-mates, the more he works with the Premier League, he needs time to feel how the team players. Timo hasn’t had that opportunity.

“Everybody has to be patient with the idea that we will maximise Timo’s talent in this team.”

On Fikayo Tomori’s future

“He absolutely has a long-term future. We will see if and when he goes out on loan. I took him on loan to Derby and he was one of the best players in the Championship.

“There is a long-term plan for Fikayo in my head and if he goes out on loan it will be to enhance his personal development and come back as a better player.”