Lampard plays down title chances despite Chelsea's spending spree

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VIDEO SHOWS: CHELSEA MANAGER FRANK LAMPARD SPEAKING ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR THE 2020/21 SEASON / FILE FOOTAGE OF CHELSEA TRAINING

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SHOTLIST AND SCRIPT

SHOWS:

STOKE D'ABERNON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - AUGUST 7, 2020) (CHELSEA TV - ACCESS ALL)

1. VARIOUS OF CHELSEA PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH, FRENCH STRIKER OLIVIER GIROUD FLICKING BALL UP IN THE AIR BEFORE STRETCHING

2. CHELSEA'S NEW SIGNING - MOROCCAN MIDFIELDER, HAKIM ZIYECH, BEING GREETED BY ITALIAN DEFENDER, EMERSON PALMIERI

COBHAM, ENGLAND, UK (SEPTEMBER 10, 2020) (CHELSEA TV - ACCESS ALL)

3. SOUNDBITE (English) CHELSEA MANAGER FRANK LAMPARD SAYING:

"I understand that, and I understand and I hope that Chelsea fans are excited, because I am not going to lie we have brought in what we feel is a high level of player who are going to improve our squad. At the same time, I also know what it takes to win Premier Leagues. And I know that as a player, and I know that when I look around us. And when you look at teams that have dominated in recent years and particularly your eye draws towards Liverpool and Manchester City, they are a story that has run over a few years. At their own paces at different times, but in terms of recruitment, in terms of coaching and in terms of improvement, I am guessing on the training pitch that then relates to the pitch. So it is not a simple story that bringing players must win the league that doesn't work that way. So I hope we will improve, I know expectations will be there. I won't hide away from those. My expectations this year are on a different level from last year because of the different situation. So, we want to improve, but we won't jump too far ahead of ourselves."

STOKE D'ABERNON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - AUGUST 7, 2020) (CHELSEA TV - ACCESS ALL)

4. VARIOUS OF ENGLAND MIDFIELDERS, ROSS BARKLEY (WEARING BLACK VEST) AND MASON MOUNT AND OLIVIER GIROUD WARMING UP

COBHAM, ENGLAND, UK (SEPTEMBER 10, 2020) (CHELSEA TV - ACCESS ALL)

5. SOUNDBITE (English) CHELSEA MANAGER FRANK LAMPARD SAYING:

"I am surprised if you feel that I was under no pressure last year. I think if you follow us around as closely as you do, and you follow the Chelsea job and the Chelsea manager, I don't think you can ever go through a season of no pressure, because no matter what the strange circumstances, I think expectations to deliver are always there. And the club is so big, there will always be pressures. I thrive off those pressures and I enjoy them and I understand the different nature of the pressure coming this year. It is what I love doing. I didn't come into this job to fight for fourth place, although last year we know that was an achievement and one of the goals we set out and we got to. I didn't come here just to bring academy players into the team and say I have made debuts for this many players. No, I came here to try and win. So, any club at our level has to try and tick the major boxes, and recruitment is a huge part of that. Last year we weren't able to recruit in a big way. I wasn't able to bring in players that I felt would may be help the way I wanted us to go, the style I wanted us to play. And this year, I have been able to have some impact on that, and more importantly the club has been able to have some decisions to bring in players. It changes the landscape, yes, I am excited by that as much as feeling the pressure, and we are ready to go, ready to work."

STOKE D'ABERNON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE AUGUST 7, 2020) (CHELSEA TV - ACCESS ALL)

6. WERNER AND ZIYECH AT TRAINING, WERNER RUNNING WITH A BALL

7. ZIYECH RUNNING WITH A BALL

8. WERNER RUNNING WITH A BALL

9. ZIYECH RUNNING WITH A BALL

STORY: Chelsea manager Frank Lampard on Thursday (September 10) brushed aside talk of pressure on him to deliver a title after a successful transfer window, saying his new recruits must hit the ground running to help them close the gap on Manchester City and Liverpool.

Lampard deployed a number of youth players last season as they finished fourth in the Premier League, 33 points behind champions Liverpool and 15 behind second-placed City.

The London side have brought in Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell, Malang Sarr, Thiago Silva and Kai Havertz in the close season to boost their chances this time around.

"I'm surprised if you didn't think I wasn't under pressure last season. I thrive off the pressure. It's what I love doing," Lampard told reporters ahead of Monday's (September 14) season opener against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Lampard said he understood the excitement of fans following the additions to their squad.

Chelsea will be without Ziyech for the Brighton game after the Moroccan sustained a knee injury in a pre-season friendly. Silva and Chilwell and will also miss out as they work towards full match fitness.

(Production: Iain Axon)