Frank Lampard insists Chelsea players must take the blame for recent Premier League struggles

The 33-year-old midfielder has suggested the Blues will find it difficult to overcome Napoli in the Champions League next week if their current run of poor form continues

13 Feb 2012 22:14:00

By Cherlisa Engutsamy

More On :  Birmingham City, Chelsea FC, Everton, Napoli, Frank Lampard, André Villas-Boas
Frank Lampard, Chelsea
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Frank Lampard has insisted that the Chelsea squad must shoulder the blame for the club's recent poor run of form in the Premier League, as well as mananger Andre Villas-Boas

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The Blues fell to a 2-0 defeat away to Everton on Saturday, with the Portuguese boss taking "full responsibility" for the performance, despite calling in his players on their day off to train following the result.

Lampard captained the side at Goodison Park in John Terry's absence, and has accepted the Chelsea first team must take on their share of the blame for the loss.

Lampard told Chelsea TV: "It was a bad performance from start to finish.

"When you come to Everton, the one thing you know they're going to do is fight you, press you and make things tough and we didn't react to that.

"We created two or three chances and that's not up to standard. We can only take that on the chin and apologise to the people who came up and watched it because that's not good enough for Chelsea."

Chelsea face a crucial week ahead as they meet Birmingham City in the FA Cup fifth round this weekend, before taking on Napoli in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie.

Lampard has since insisted that the team need to pull themselves together if they want to see the right results this week.   

He said: "We have been fighting to win leagues. Now, we are fighting for fourth and that hurts, so we have to react.

"We know we are in a bad way and we have to dig ourselves out of it.

"Different players do come in but whoever plays has to live up to the standards we have set.

"If we play like we did at Everton against Napoli, we will give ourselves a mountain to climb."

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