Chelsea boss Lampard urges Kepa Arrizabalaga to show his worth
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard says criticism is part and parcel of the game and that applies to under-fire keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Frank Lampard had words of encouragement for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga following Chelsea's wasteful 2-2 Premier League draw against Arsenal on Tuesday. The Spanish keeper, whose form has been questioned, appeared slow to react to Héctor Bellerín's late equaliser at Stamford Bridge.
Jorginho and César Azpilicueta earlier scored either side of Gabriel Martinelli's solo effort but Lampard's team were left to rue two dropped points despite having a man advantage for over an hour following David Luiz's red card.
Kepa knows what he needs to do - Lampard
"I know there's a focus on him at the minute," Lampard said when asked about Kepa. "That's top-line football. Yeah, with his feet, a couple of times he took too long and nearly gave it away. Sometimes that can change the momentum of a game. That's something he will know, has to look at and we will look at. It's normal. Any player, particularly goalkeepers, people will look at you. That's when you stand up and show the mettle you've got. He is not the only one. We are in fourth position, which is seen as pretty good. I know and we know there should be another 10 points on the board at least on performance. All of us need to look at those finer details."
Tammy Abraham to undergo tests
Chelsea also have concerns at the other end, with Tammy Abraham in visible discomfort during the latter stages of the game after sliding into the advertising hoarding. Lampard said he was unsure about the severity of the injury, which resulted in the striker being helped off at full-time. "I don't know. He has got a bang on his ankle. He had ice on it. I haven't spoken to him yet, so I can't really update you on that."
Christian Pulisic, meanwhile, is not expected to return from an adductor problem until after the February break.