Blues Boss Frank Lampard Plays Down Role in Chelsea's Home-Grown Revolution

Frank Lampard has played down his role in the success of Chelsea's academy players this season, stressing that the club's head of youth development Neil Bath actually deserves the majority of the credit.

The Blues have turned their two-window transfer ban into a blessing in disguise, offering the likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount a chance to impress in the first-team after successful loan spells in the Championship last season.

Fikayo Tomori and Christian Pulisic have also benefited from Lampard's approach to youth players, but the Chelsea boss insists he's not quite the 'saviour' of their academy that he's currently being made out to be.

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"The picture here I think I have been getting it wrong as if I am the saviour of the academy and be all things all good to young players getting through," Lampard said, quoted by Goal. "I think a lot of that work has been done without by Neil Bath and all the staff and recruitment and the young lads themselves.

"Now, my job is to try and do the best with what I have got in front of me. I have walked into a club that has got a lot of young talent in it. Some of it hasn’t touched the first team yet, most of it. I just look at it and go let’s see how you train, act and behave.

"If they reach a level, then they play. I think Neil Bath and the academy have been working hard at that for years. They deserve more credit at that than me, certainly at the moment for these young players that are in the squad."

Chelsea have had a mixed start to the season but they're currently among the top-scoring sides in the Premier League, with their 11 goals coming from academy players Abraham (seven), Mount (three) or Tomori (one).

Conceding the same amount has left Chelsea sitting in seventh place ahead of Saturday's matches, but the Blues have found themselves in a much stronger position than many were predicting at the start of the season.