Wolves boss Paul Lambert says Chelsea have 'no weaknesses' ahead of FA Cup tie

17 February 2017 04:09

Wolves boss Paul Lambert insists the onus is on Chelsea ahead of tomorrow's FA Cup clash at Molineux.

Lambert's team have already accounted for Stoke and Liverpool in this season's competition but face their toughest task to date on Saturday evening when Antonio Conte's Premier League leaders come to town.

Stoke rested some players against Wolves while Liverpool played several youngsters, but the talent at Conte's disposal is on a different level in comparison.

Chelsea are eight points clear at the top of the table and have been defeated only once since October, while Wolves are 18th in the Championship and have lost their last three league matches.

Lambert fails to see a weakness in the Chelsea side, even if Conte does not field his first choice line-up.

"Usually I'd say the expectation is on us because we are at home, but the onus and expectancy is on Chelsea because of who they are and the resources they have got," said Lambert, who won the Scottish Cup four times as a player.

"You look at their players and every one is an international, everyone on their bench is an international.

"It's not as if they are young and they don't play. If Pedro doesn't play then Willian comes in, or Cesc Fabregas can come in. They have got no weaknesses at all."

It is clear the size of the task facing Wolves is not lost on Lambert but he hopes his team can spring another surprise, as they did at the bet365 Stadium and at Anfield.

Burnley were praised last weekend for the way they contained Chelsea to earn a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor but the Scot insists he will not be copying the approach of Clarets counterpart Sean Dyche.

"We will need to punch above our weight and stay in the game as long as we can," said Lambert.

"We will have to do what we are good at and not get drawn into playing Chelsea's way. We will have to find a way of taking them out of their comfort zone, as we did at Liverpool.

"What Burnley did was excellent but I saw the possession stats were incredibly high in Chelsea's favour, which you would expect. Burnley are ahead of us in league terms and Sean has done a great job there but I would be uncomfortable with teams having a lot of the ball.

"I'm not so sure, so I'm not going to play the same way that Burnley did. That's taking nothing away from Burnley because they got a brilliant result but when you sit and wait for a team to come at you you've got to hope they have an off-day and don't fire at all levels."

Source: PA