Chelsea legend Alan Hudson has criticised manager Frank Lampard for including Petr Cech as an option in goal in his Premier League squad this season.
While Hudson is a fan of new goalkeeper signing Edouard Mendy, he thinks it was an act of desperation by Lampard to even consider Cech, who retired at the end of the 2018/19 season, as a genuine candidate for a backup in that position.
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Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside, Hudson joked that Lampard might have been tempted to include John Terry in his defence if he was still at Stamford Bridge on the coaching staff.
“Mendy looks the real deal which will give the defenders more confidence – although they shouldn’t have to rely on the ‘keeper,” Hudson said.
“However, Mendy has given Frank one less headache, therefore he can now forget that and work on other areas.
“He brought Cech in because of his vast experience and could not buy another ‘keeper … It goes to show just how desperate Frank is, and like if John Terry had been his assistant Frank would be putting him back in after all the calamity defending by their centre-backs.”
Chelsea may not have been entirely convincing in their 0-0 draw away to Manchester United, but Hudson did feel they were hard done by as Harry Maguire clearly fouled Cesar Azpilicueta.
It seems clear that should have been a penalty for the Blues, and Hudson was unimpressed by the standard of refereeing.
“This was the usual scenario of referees allowing this thing to happen on a regular basis, we see so much of this going on under the referees noses its incredible, there must be a rule right across the board, like pulling shirts, that if you do this it is a sending off,” Hudson said.
“In our day it never happened and I blame referees for a lowing it to happen here, but on this occasion of course it was both a foul and a penalty but he cannot give it because he’ll be giving a penalty every time there’s a corner or free kick.
“They have to bring a ruling in that man handling of any kind is a foul both inside and outside the area and with VAR they can look at the monitor and see which player started it.”