Joe Cole is convinced summer signings Edouard Mendy, Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell will make a huge difference to Chelsea after Frank Lampard’s side drew with Sevilla in their Champions League opener.
Chelsea’s defensive issues have been well documented and the team conceded 54 goals in the Premier League last season as they finished fourth, 33 points behind champions Liverpool.
Lampard has attempted to address the situation by signing new goalkeeper Mendy and defenders Silva and Chilwell over the summer.
While Chelsea conceded three goals in their entertaining draw with Premier League rivals Southampton on Saturday, they kept a clean sheet during Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Sevilla.
Cole says Mendy was ‘excellent’ during the European encounter and has backed the French goalkeeper – along with Silva and Chilwell – to make a big difference for Chelsea.
‘They got it right tonight,’ Cole told BT Sport. ‘If you are going to win games you need to keep clean sheets.
‘You have to do the ugly things and defenders have to get back in.
‘Mendy was excellent. Having Chilwell, Silva and Mendy in this team – three new signings – makes such a difference.
‘With them in the team I think you will start seeing more clean sheets. The whole team were engaged as a unit.
Lampard, meanwhile, admitted he was delighted his Chelsea team were able to keep a clean sheet against Europa League champions Sevilla.
He said: ‘The clean sheet was a big deal for us.
‘Seville are a top team in European football. The concentration and focus to get the result was big from the team.
‘We made a lot of good decisions, so it’s a really nice place for us to build from.’
Chelsea return to Premier League action on Saturday with a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
