Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell reflected on a tremendous 6-0 win over Barnsley in the Carabao Cup sending the Blues into the fourth round, against either Leyton Orient or Tottenham.
Chelsea’s £71 million signing form Bayer Leverkusen finally christened his Blues career, scoring a delightful hat-trick thriving in the number ten role, meanwhile Chilwell picked up an assist flourishing in a cameo debut.
Frank Lampard began by being honest with how he approached the game before declaring his sheer delight for how his players, new and old, integrated amongst one another following a busy summer transfer window.
A shopping spree that has seen seven players walk through the doors at Cobham – integrating such players amongst a competitive squad is a difficult task, however, made easier thanks to a considerable win.
Hat-trick hero Kai
After a turbulent start to life in South West London, Havertz was finally slotted into his natural number ten role; more touches on the ball, playing in between the lines and the freedom to make runs beyond the striker.
The Germany international flourished as he continued to climatise himself to Lampard’s philosophies and demands.
Delighted with his goals, the 21-year-old said in an interview with Chelsea:
“I am very happy to score three goals. It means a lot. It’s my beginning at the club and I want to score more goals, more goals. This is my goal! I hope to continue like this.
“Tammy [Abraham] is a very, very good striker. Our partnership on the pitch was very good. I am very thankful for the assists. It was our first game together, but I like him very much as a striker, and it was very good to play with him. He can hold the ball up, he is very fast, and I hope we continue like that.
“It was difficult for us, but we did very well and are very happy to get through to next round.
“In the first half [Barnsley] had many chances and we were lucky they didn’t score, but offensively we played very well. Not everyone is fit, and we can do better, but for the third game it’s already getting better and I hope we can continue on Saturday.”
Chilwell impresses on debut
Chilwell made his Chelsea debut in a 30-minute cameo where he impressed, assisting Olivier Giroud inside his maiden 17 minutes.
The England international had been nursing an injury and was thrilled to be back on the pitch as he works towards full match fitness.
Pleased with the Blues’ progression into the fourth round, Chilwell said:
“I feel happy. It was my first set of match minutes for a while, so I’m really pleased and of course absolutely delighted to make my Chelsea debut.
“It was good to come on in a game like that, where the boys were playing well. Matches are what I need, to get my fitness up, so I was pleased to get out there. You can train as much as you want but playing in a game is totally different, so I was really pleased to be out there.
“To get up to speed, you need to be playing matches and I think this game was important for me in that regard. The gaffer spoke to me before the game and he told me that he wanted to bring me on for 30 minutes or so to try and get up to speed, so I was really pleased to be able to do that.”
Lampard pleased with approach
Lampard knew the expectations that would come when playing against a lesser side in the cup at home insisting that he wanted the treat the clash as a training exercise:
“It was a very good night. I admitted before the game I was treating it like a bit of a training exercise. It wasn’t disrespect to the game, because I knew it would be a tough game and we want to win this competition, but the place we’re in now made it into how good could we be off the ball, because last year we were fantastic for big parts of the season at winning the ball back using high pressure.
“We haven’t done that yet this season because of fitness and because of the new shape of the team. Today we started to really see elements of that back in our game.
“And then I had a big concern about how we were on the ball because again we haven’t been as smooth as we can be in the first two games for different reasons. We saw elements of that in the game.
“And then all the individuals and the minutes and the fitness and the combinations within the team were good, so it was a very positive night.”
Lampard then spoke on the performances of Havertz and Thiago Silva:
“I’m delighted with Kai; it was everything I wanted the night to be for him. I said it at the last two games, Kai has had no sort of pre-season and obviously signing for the club I think at the same time took a few days out of him as well.
“So tonight was a great exercise for him, another game to see how we want to work off the ball, he could be part of that, he makes the recovery tackle for Ross [Barkley]'s goal, but then to also just have some freedom on the ball and roaming central areas behind Tammy. The combinations he had with Tammy, the way he grew into the game, got confidence, gets his three goals. I’m very happy for Kai, the first of many for him.
“It’s exciting for us because [Thiago Silva] had just over a week’s training so it was a perfect 60 minutes from him for me. He showed the qualities he has. Of course, he’ll get fitter and better, but I think he also gave us something tonight in the dressing room and on the pitch, in the way he commands authority.
“He can’t speak the language but that’s not even a problem because his presence and the way he commands people around him is already showing to me in training and in that game tonight. So, I’m very, very pleased with Thiago. It’s kind of what I expected from a player of his level but very refreshing to have here at the club.”