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| Olivier Giroud has struggled for first-team football under Frank Lampard this season |
France national team manager Didier Deschamps has called on Frank Lampard to do him a favour by handing Olivier Giroud more game-time at Chelsea.
The 33-year-old striker has been restricted to just 118 minutes of football in the Premier League and Champions League so far this season and has not started a game since August.
Tammy Abraham’s blistering form in front of goal has seen him emerge
as Lampard’s first-choice frontman, while Michy Batshuayi appears to
have overtaken Giroud in the pecking order recently.
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| Tammy Abraham has emerged as Chelsea’s first-choice striker this season |
Despite not featuring in any of Chelsea’s last four matches, Giroud
still retains the faith of Deschamps and has been named in France’s
squad for the games against Iceland and Turkey next week.
Speaking about Giroud’s lack of action this season, Deschamps said:
‘Lampard asked me not to pick [N’Golo] Kante at the last break. Maybe
I’ll call him later to tell him it would be nice if you play Olivier
Giroud a little bit.’
Prior
to France’s matches against Albania and Andorra last month, Lampard
implored Deschamps not to call N’Golo Kante into his squad due to the
midfielder’s recent injury problems.
‘It would be great for everybody [if Kante stays] because he’s been
playing game after game after game,’ Lampard said in August and
Deschamps heeded the Chelsea manager’s plea.
Deschamps has recalled Kante to his latest squad, though, despite the
28-year-old only playing twice in the last six weeks due to an ankle
issue.
Giroud has had a frustrating time at Chelsea, starting only 14
Premier League games and scoring five league goals since joining the
club from Arsenal in January 2018.
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| Didier Deschamps wants Olivier Giroud to play more frequently for Chelsea |
It seems unlikely that the World Cup winner will re-establish himself
in the side anytime soon as Abraham has scored eight goals in nine
games including against Lille in midweek.
Lampard acknowledged that Giroud is frustrated at his lack of football,
saying: ‘I understand but in this moment we have Tammy Abraham who
scored tonight and has scored a lot of goals in the Premier League.
‘I need all the options for the season and Oli is a fantastic professional and I think he understands.’
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