Frank Lampard says Coventry City star is already better than his former Chelsea players at one thing
Frank Lampard has praised Coventry City star Ephron Mason-Clark after his side came from behind to beat Hull City 2-1 in the Championship on Saturday afternoon, and he believes the 25-year-old is already better than his former Chelsea players at one thing.
The ex-Chelsea midfielder was in charge of the London club between 2019 and 2021, and he also served as interim for the final month of the 2022/23 season following the dismissal of Graham Potter. After more than a year out of a job, Lampard was given the Coventry City job last month in a bid to push for the play-offs in the second half of the season.
In their meeting at home to Hull City, the Sky Blues were initially pushed back by a goal late in the first half from Joao Pedro. However, second half strikes from Mason-Clark and Jack Rudoni secured the all important three points.
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Speaking after the game, Lampard told the media: "As a young winger, to have the ability to end up scoring goals, I think every goal he has scored for us now has been in and around the six-yard box, close to goal.
"I have worked with a lot of wingers and some of them you have to beg them to get into the six-yard box, and the ball is on the other side and he’s ended up in there. His general play and his positional play off the ball was great, so there are obviously things we can improve with Ephron but the raw talent was there for everyone to see.
"So I am really, really happy for him. That’s three goals in four games since I have been here and a great assist as well. He’s a nice, very humble lad as well and hopefully there’s more to come."
During his time at Chelsea, Lampard was no stranger to complaining about his side's attacking play and reluctance to break into the box. After a routine FA Cup victory against Nottingham Forest back in 2020, he still vented his frustrations at their cautious play.
"I don’t like the way we don’t occupy the box enough. We need to occupy it more," Lampard told Chelsea TV a little over four years ago. "We need to have someone across the front post, generally that’s your striker, midfield players arriving – not hanging outside the box – and opposite winger in the box.
"It might even be an opposite full-back in the box the way we want to play. That’s something we need to get better at, for sure, because we are making some nice little effective combinations on the right. We have to occupy the box better."
Despite Lampard's previous annoyances with Chelsea's attacking play, it's fair to say the team are having no problems in front of goal under Enzo Maresca this season. No team has scored more than Chelsea in the Premier League this term as they sit on 35 goals, with Liverpool, Brentford and Tottenham next in line on 31.
