Chelsea boss Frank Lampard tells frustrated Christian Pulisic to prove he’s worth picking

FRANK LAMPARD challenged £58million winger Christian Pulisic: Prove you’re worth a place in my team.

Lampard left Pulisic and England international Ross Barkley out of his 18-man squad for the midweek Champions League victory in Lille.

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Some in the USA have accused the Chelsea boss of favouritism because he is picking young English players ahead of the big-money signing from Pennsylvania.

But Lampard said: “This is one of my difficult problems in this job, that I have good players and everyone has a story.

“Christian Pulisic has a price-tag, Ross Barkley is an international player, Mason Mount is an international player.

“Callum Hudson-Odoi has just signed a new contract, Bayern Munich wanted to buy him last summer, he is an international player.

“Ruben Loftus-Cheek will come back and be an international player — and I can’t pick them all in the game, unfortunately.

“All I have to demand of them is that they show me in training or show me in the game when they get the chances to play that they are worthy of their place.

“That’s not to make me sound like a hard taskmaster, that’s just a brutal reality of my job. Next week I might be asked about two other names.”

But like Mesut Ozil at Arsenal, it is Pulisic’s name that keeps cropping up at Chelsea.

Lampard gave the USA international a chance against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup — and the implication is that he did not take it.

Boss Lamps said: “I spoke to him two days before the Grimsby game and was very clear about the standards.

“And we have to give him the fact he has moved country, moved leagues and is as young as all the young players we keep talking about. He has just turned 21.

“What he needs to do is work daily and work to show within the group that he deserves to play.”

Former Borussia Dortmund winger Pulisic should probably take a leaf out of Hudson-Odoi’s book.

The 18-year-old wideman responded to being criticised for aspects of his performance against Grimsby by creating goals in his next two appearances as a sub.

Lampard said: “We can all focus on Pulisic but Callum’s the same.

“I have to speak in the real world when I speak to them. Sometimes as a manager you want more. Then you are honest and players have to react to that.

“Sometimes I have to make harsh decisions or say something that I think will help their game that might not sound that nice.

“Because I want them to be the best, all of them. That’s what I’m here to try and do.”

Olivier Giroud has found his own opportunities limited because of Tammy Abraham’s fantastic form, but the France striker has taken it like a man.

Lampard said: “Oli is a great professional who trains at a level every day. He’s great in the dressing room, has experience that he can pass on and he does.

“I’m not blind to the fact that when you’re not playing it’s not nice. I was one of the worst, I hated not playing. I was terrible.

“So on this side of the fence, I get it.

“But all I want to see is positivity and how they are daily.

“We need a big squad in these modern days to try to be a successful team.

“We will need everyone pulling throughout the season in the same direction, whether playing or not.”

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