16 April,2009 09:07 AM IST | | AP
Lampard believes Chelsea will need more of the grit on show against Liverpool but calls for a more assured defensive display in the semi-finals
The goals provided the thrills and the drama was heightened by the circumstances. The defending, however, in Chelsea's 4-4 draw with Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals left a little to be desired.
That lax defense is already proving to be a worry for Frank Lampard. The Chelsea midfielder scored two of his team's goals but felt that his team were lucky to escape unharmed after a Liverpool-dominated first half.
"We have to look back at the mistakes we make as a group in conceding goals," Lampard said after the team advanced 7-5 on aggregate following a 3-1 win in the first leg. "We have to be strong and we need to tighten up defensively."
In the semi-finals, Chelsea will face Barcelona. With Lionel Messi playing well both in the Champions League and in the Spanish league, and Thierry Henry getting back to his best, Barcelona is favoured to win its third European Cup.
High intensity
Chelsea showed grit in the second half of the Stamford Bridge encounter and Lampard called for more of the same against the form team in Europe.
"Barcelona are the form team in Europe, if not the world. They have been that way all season," Lampard said.
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"If we are going to beat them, we need to play at the level we achieved in the first leg against Liverpool when we won 3-1. We need that and more against Barcelona to win."
"We have conceded too many goals," Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho said. "You can watch to learn and improve from mistakes but it will not be a pleasure to watch."
The defenders weren't the only ones struggling, however, and goalkeeper Petr Cech wants to take some of the blame after misjudging a 19th-minute free kick from Fabio Aurelio that went into his net.
"I hold my hand up for the first. I was caught too easily," said Cech, who has now conceded seven goals in two games and next faces Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday. "I slipped a little bit but that's not an excuse it's a goal I shouldn't have conceded."
Big blow
Chelsea will visit Barcelona for the first leg of the semi-finals on April 28, and then host the Spanish team at Stamford Bridge on May 6.
But the Blues will have to play that first match without defender Ashley Cole, who will be serving a suspension after getting a yellow card against Liverpool.
"Losing Ashley is a huge blow. He has been absolutely outstanding this season," Lampard said. "Lionel Messi is the best player in the world by some distance at the moment and will be on the right wing. If you wanted anyone to play against him it would be Ash.
"Unfortunately he got a yellow card but we have to try and keep together, find someone to come in and do a good job against him for the team."
