Chelsea 1-1 Leicester Match Report – By Simon Mack

Chelsea 1-1 Leicester

Stamford Bridge 18^th August 2019 16:30

Attendance: 40,629

The foxes spoiled Frank Lampard’s homecoming party with a dominant second half display that earned them a well deserved point in the first match on their travels this season with a high tempo draw at Chelsea.

Frank Lampard left Derby County in the summer to take the vacant blues hot seat, and he certainly wasn’t shying away from a test in taking on the job as Chelsea’s transfer embargo came into force and the former skipper and all-time top goal scorer for the club put his legend status on the line.

This was Lampard’s first game in charge at home and the blues seemed to feed off of his rapturous reception from the fans by getting out of the blocks quickly and pressurising the visiting foxes in the early exchanges.

Lampard didn’t have to wait long to see his new charges get on the score sheet in the familiar surroundings of Stamford Bridge as young youth product Mason Mount picked Wilfred Ndidi’s pocket on the edge of the city box and managed to continue his stumbled stride onto the ball and with no one about the challenge him rifled the ball into the back of the net past a helpless Kasper Schmeichel. Post-match Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was quick to accept the blame for the goal explaining he had asked his men to press the game and Ndidi’s error was a result of the tactics he had asked his 11 to deploy.

Leicester made just one enforced change to the side that drew with Wolves last week with Christian Fuchs coming in at left back replacing England international Ben Chillwell who had been a last-minute omission with a hip problem. For the rest of the first half this was a building exercise for the foxes, and as Chelsea worked quickly to try and double their lead to city’s credit they were patient, hung in here and worked hard to negate the home sides threat.

After the break it was a different story and early on you could see shoots of a foxes spring. As the half continued city bloomed into the dominant side and were now pressing the blues back into their own half and not letting the home side gain breath.

This game was high octane to the last and the conductor of city’s second half masterpiece was fast becoming James Maddison who was showing his creative prowess whilst at the same time displaying he wasn’t afraid to get stuck in when it was needed. Leicester were building pressure on their hosts and you could see growing levels of concern on the faces of Chelsea’s coaching staff, with Lampard and his sidekick Jody Morris increasingly shouting at their team to regain control.

In the first half Pedro and Kante had been amongst those who’d gone close to doubling the blues lead but now it was all the foxes, and as Chelsea faded again in the Stamford Bridge sun it was Wilfred Ndidi that secured a point for the visitors as he got between Alpiliqueta and Zouma and fired Maddison’s whipped in corner into the net with an unstoppable bullet header.

With the scores even it was only Leicester that looked like securing all 3 points. The foxes continued to press their hosts and Lampard made a quick double substitution in the hope of kick starting his team’s fortunes.

Jamie Vardy went close as city pressed for the winner, but ultimately despite Leicester superb dominant second half display honors ended even, and in a game where the halves had been dominated by home and visiting side respectfully a draw felt in the end like a fair reflection of the evening’s events.

For Lampard this is his 3^rd competitive game to date without a victory and he will need to figure out quickly why his Chelsea side ‘go missing’ and fade in games on each of their outings so far. For city Brendan Rodgers will be encouraged on several levels:

Soyuncu continues to impress in his new regular centre half spot and is providing passionate and accomplished displays.

Having provided a mixed bag last week James Maddison looked much more like being back to his magical best this time out and the foxes playmaker was at the heart of a lot of what was positive this time out.

In addition this was a contrast in character of game compared to the goalless draw last week with wolves and it must have been pleasing for Rodgers to see his men without the ball and having to chase and work yet still finding their way into the match to the point of dominance in the second half.

Whilst Lampard will be kicking himself at what he will feel was an opportunity thrown away for Rodgers and Leicester this was a step in the right direction, and despite earning 2 draws from 2 games to date this was undoubted progress from last week, and Rodgers will be hoping to carry that into their visit to newly promoted Sheffield United next weekend.

Simon’s player ratings:

Schmeichel: 6.5 Pleasing to see him mix up the distribution of the ball from the back. Nothing he could have done for the Mount goal.

Fuchs: 7 Brought into the side late on to cover for the injured Chilwell and looked like he’d never been away.

Evans: 7 His experience at the highest level and his management of the back 4 was an important ingredient in city’s point.

Soyuncu: 7 Continues to grow and mature into his new regular spot in the back 4 with distinction.

Ricardo: 6.5 A little less of an attacking threat this week but worked tirelessly to ensure a base was built to get the foxes something from this high tempo battle.

Ndidi: 7 Yes he got robbed by mount for the goal but that aside he not only scored city’s leveller but was also up and down the pitch in this breathless game admirably.

Choudhury: 7 Busy, hard working performance that was another ingredient in Leicester’s 2^nd half dominance. Subbed for Praet on 73’

Tielemans: 6.5 Took a bit of a battering in this game but never stopped working and trying to go forward and make opportunity for the foxes.

Maddison: 8 (MOTM)  The jewel in the foxes midfield this time out. Worked incredibly hard and was the consistent creative force for the foxes.

Perez: 6.5 Tried hard but didn’t make himself a threat in this outing. Subbed for Albrighton on 79’

Vardy: 7 The usual lethal looking pacey threat without much to feed off for much of the game despite the foxes midfield trying to thread the ball through to him.