Frank Lampard believes that the fact why Manchester United defeated his Chelsea team 4-1 on Thursday night was due to "experience at both ends of the pitch."
Even though they weren't at their best, United easily defeated a lackluster Chelsea team to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League the following season. Within six minutes, Casemiro scored with a spectacular header to give his team the lead. Anthony Martial extended the advantage just before halftime, while Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford added goals in the second period.
Before Joao Felix's 89th-minute consolation goal, Chelsea had their fair share of scoring opportunities, but poor finishing prevented them from creating much of a threat before unforced errors at the other end allowed United to win the game.
"We were the better football team in the first half," Lampard claimed.
"We had better chances and then to be 2-0 down in that situation is probably a sign of where we’re at. In the second half, individual defending moments, gifting opportunities, probably a sign of where we’re at."
“They give you opportunities to play because they know what a threat they are on the counter, we took that opportunity, we gave them some threats in the first half and some in the second."
On his side's poor second-half showing, the Chelsea boss added: "Disappointed with that because you have to be better than that. But at the moment, it’s the end of a long season. I’m not giving the players any excuses because you have to play with pride and passion but then there are some technical details inside that."
"You talk about standards but they are a fact – maybe with this Man United team you saw they have experience at both ends of the pitch in moments which made the game more of a telling scoreline at half-time than it should be."
“It’s not mentally nice to be 2-0 down at half-time when you think you’re the better team but it’s a reality for the players.”
However, Erik Ten Hag views things differently in his own perspective regarding the current Manchester United's squad. The club is anticipating a serious first team overhaul innthe coming summer as the Dutch tactician aims at building the squad that suits his football style.
"Well, I think we are in a good direction, but I also think we can learn from the season, and we have to evaluate it after the season and make the right conclusions for the future," he stated. "And that's what we will definitely do after the season.”
"You've got to do the right things; you can have money, but you have to do it and spend it in a smart way, and you need to have a strategy behind it”.
“When there is no strategy or the right strategy, money doesn’t work”.
“I want to have players with the right characters and personalities who are outstanding and who can contribute at the highest levels."
"That is what we want, and that is what we have to work for. But in this moment, we focus on tomorrow and Chelsea. That's important, and the rest is not so important at this moment.”
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