Cesar Azpilicueta urges Chelsea to improve defensively to compete for honor this season

Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta has admitted that his team cannot consistently take such a high number of goals if they want to achieve something this season.

The West London club is entering the game after conceding three goals in a game for the second time this season, after Southampton claimed a point at Stamford Bridge with a late equalizer.

Frank Lampard’s side conceded 54 goals last season, the most in a campaign since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003.

Since the club legend was appointed manager in July last year, an average of 1.5 goals per game has been shipped.

Ahead of the game against Sevilla, Azipilicueta offered no apologies and insisted that his side should do better.

“What is clear is that if we want to fight for everything, we have to improve defensively,” he said at the press conference prior to the game. ‘This is a problem that we have to solve collectively and individually. Sometimes you get away with it, but you can’t trust that every game has to score three goals.

‘You have to dig in and get a clean sheet. It is very important for the confidence of the team to have this solidity. We have to get this consistency of not giving goals. When you have the solidity defensively, it gives a boost to the whole team, to the attacking players to create opportunities.

‘When you’re defensively weak, we sometimes feel like we have to score three or four goals every game. As a defender I feel bad when you concede so many goals. We need to correct our personal mistakes and make better decisions together.

‘You’re not going to play nice football all season long and win three or four nil every game. If you don’t, you have to get results. ‘

Chelsea’s defensive problems are inseparable from goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s form, who was at fault on Southampton’s second goal on Saturday and failed to reclaim the ball after racing off his line.

Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was awarded a £ 72 million contract to replace the Spaniard, but he sustained an injury on international duty, resulting in a recall for Kepa.

Azpilicueta played a key role in helping Kepa adjust to life in England when he arrived two years ago, he believes the Spain international is doing everything he can to overcome a dark period in his career leading up to their Champions League opener.

‘We have difficult times in football. In my position as captain I of course know him from a long time ago. I always try to help him, ‘the Chelsea skipper added. ‘Sometimes you have the feeling that everything is going against you. You have to have the character and personality to face it.

I have no doubt that Kepa will work hard to turn things around. The whole squad fights for goals as a collective. As a goalkeeper it is a very different situation, but he will keep working hard and doing his best. ‘

Chelsea have lost in the last sixteen in each of their previous four games in the Champions League, their last defeat a 7-1 aggregate beating against eventual winner Bayern Munich last season.

The Blues have since tried to close the gap between themselves and those at the top of the European game by signing stars like Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.

As captain, Azpilicueta has helped the club’s summer arrivals and hopes the quality brought in will propel his team to greater heights.

“In my role as captain, I’ve tried to help whenever I could because we know how football works,” he added. ‘We didn’t have much time this preseason. From my experience I have always tried to welcome them and integrate them as soon as possible.

‘We have new faces from different countries and cultures. I try to mix and integrate everything and have the stability we need. We know how the Champions League works and we need to be ready from day one.

Since I first arrived in 2012, I have always had the confidence and belief that we could fight for anything. It is true that we did not start the way we wanted in the Premier League and the Cup, but the Champions League is a completely new challenge. We have to be ready because we are going to play a strong team. ‘

“In my role as captain, I’ve tried to help when I could because we know how football works,” he added. ‘We didn’t have much time this preseason. From my experience I have always tried to welcome them and integrate them as soon as possible.

‘We have new faces from different countries and cultures. I try to mix and integrate everything and have the stability we need. We know how the Champions League works and we need to be ready from day one.

Since I first arrived in 2012, I have always had the confidence and belief that we could fight for anything. It is true that we did not start the way we wanted in the Premier League and the Cup, but the Champions League is a completely new challenge. We have to be ready because we are going to play a strong team. ‘