Lampard Welcomes Week-Long Break To Prepare His Side For Villa Test

Manager Frank Lampard has welcomed a week-long break between games as he prepares his side for Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship game against Aston Villa.

Other than international breaks, it is the first time Lampard has had seven days to prepare his side for a game since the opening week of the season.

A hectic fixture schedule has meant the Rams have played eight midweek games so far this season, in both the league and the cup, and Lampard believes the gap could help his players.

“It brings the opportunity to work and have rest between games which is nice,” Lampard told RamsTV. “I love playing games but the strain it can have on the squad is a lot.

“We do have a big enough squad to use at different times so the idea ‘we need to work in training’ is good and we must remain focused. We must treat the games with the right attitude and hopefully get results.

“We do work with video every couple of days because there are games and it helps rest legs and battle fatigue. There are things you can do light which is what we did against Chelsea and most games.

“It’s nice to work hard with the players, some that aren’t playing, and it makes it easier sometimes when you have a whole week to work with. I welcome that but I also love games. We do like it when it does come thick and fast too.

“We will now get Saturday to Saturday a lot and then get the international break coming but what’s important is that focus remains. When you train, every session is a potential for improvement. It’s not as exciting and sometimes it is hard but it reflects how you play on a Saturday.”