Former Chelsea stalwart Michael Essien says Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel has done very well at the club since taking over from club legend Frank Lampard.

Tuchel took over from Lampard after a string of bad results in January with the team then lying 9th on the English Premier League table but are now fourth with two matches to end the season.

He says new coach Thomas Tuchel has done a lot of good work at the club but praised former teammate Frank Lampard for the good work he did in his first year at the club as coach.

Essien was speaking in an interview with betting frim ladbrokes ahead of Chelsea's FC Cup finals with Liecester City on Saturday.

"Things change very quickly in football, but I have to say I thought Frank Lampard did really well during his time in charge at Chelsea – particularly in his first year. But these things happen in football, and you see managers come and go all the time. Thomas Tuchel has come in and he’s doing a great job. Hopefully they’ll be able to finish the season strong by bringing the Champions League back to London."

"Every manager has their own way of working but the difference with Chelsea under Thomas Tuchel compared to Frank Lampard is that not only are they really strong defensively, but they now break very quickly into attacks. They defend really well and when the opportunity is there for them, they counter so quickly. They’re playing with flair now, and they’ve got some very talented players up-front. Good things come from preparing yourself defensively; that solidity at the back gives the forwards more of an opportunity to attack."

"It’s always difficult when you have players arriving at such big fees, because it can go both ways; some players come in and it takes time to adapt and get to know his teammates, while others will hit the ground running. It’s very unfortunate for Frank because it’s taken time for the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz to get going, something they’ve started to do under Thomas Tuchel. The players know each other quite well now, they know how they all play, and they look very strong together."

The Ghanaian midfielder joined the West London club in summer of 2005 and spent nearly a decade at the club winning two Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies a number of domestic cups and the Champions League.