Frank Lampard has refused to agree with Jose’s opinion that he copied Conte’s style last night to beat Spurs.
Lampard said, “No, it didn’t factor at all. I don’t know if I want to go through all the players, but I am sure half of the players on the pitch weren’t there. I know Tomori wasn’t, Mason Mount wasn’t, Tammy Abraham. I’m not trying to clone anyone’s system.
In fact, I think Conte’s system was an incredible one that won the league with Chelsea. The way we play and the message I give is different. It is not as simple that if you play 4-3-3 that you are cloning someone else, otherwise you are all cloning each other.
It was more, can this be a system that helps us defensively and offensively against Tottenham? The way they play. That was my choice to play it, not whether players understand it. Having said that the players took the plan on incredibly well.”
Lampard went on to explain how it was Spurs’ game under Jose that made him twinker his formation at Chelsea.
“I think, watching Tottenham, they’re playing really well. They’ve got a lot of players who can run behind and cause you problems – Son, Kane, Alli, Moura. Having an extra centre-back gives you an element of protection, particularly with the centre-backs we have.
They never got in on that pass today. The most important factor in my thinking was what it could bring us offensively in terms of controlling possession. I felt that, where Tottenham do defend quite compact we needed to use the sides of the pitch.
Wing-backs help that. We haven’t been clinical lately but it allowed us to get Mason Mount and Willian slightly inside behind Tammy. So we had an element of protection and it worked but also it allowed us to have loads of control of the ball. I was pleased with how it did go.”
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