Frank Lampard Explains Why Arsenal Beat Coventry City 3-0 in Premier League Opener

• Frank Lampard broke his silence after Coventry City were beaten 3-0 by Premier League holders Arsenal on Friday, August 21
• The Coventry City manager admitted his players were 'timid' in the first half but pointed to the quality of Mikel Arteta's defending champions
• The Sky Blues face Plymouth in the Carabao Cup on August 25 before a crucial meeting with Hull City four days later

Frank Lampard has admitted Coventry City were too timid as they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in their Premier League opener at the Emirates Stadium.

The Coventry boss acknowledged the quality of the defending champions but believes his players' mentality was a bigger concern than the result itself.

Lampard explains why Arsenal beat Coventry 3-0

Speaking to NBC Sports after the match, Lampard said:

"Every game won't look like that. This is an Arsenal team buoyed by where they are at the moment. This was a team that was built and coached to get to this."

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While Arsenal's quality was clear, Lampard felt Coventry failed to show enough personality during the opening half.

"I'm more concerned about the personality. I think we were a little bit timid in the first half," he said.

The statistics backed up his concerns. Coventry had just 33% possession, failed to register a shot on target and created no big chances.

According to Flashscore, they also recorded zero touches inside Arsenal's penalty area and committed an error that directly led to a goal.

Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka put Arsenal 2-0 ahead before Martin Odegaard added a third after the break.

Lampard urges Coventry to respond

Despite the heavy defeat, Lampard urged his players not to panic, pointing to Leeds United's experience at the Emirates last season.

"It's hard. Leeds came here and lost the first game 4-0 and stayed in the Premier League. Players will get better and fitter. There are adjustments for us to make, and we'll make them," he said.

Coventry now have an immediate chance to respond, facing Plymouth Argyle in the Carabao Cup on August 25.

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Their attention will then turn to a crucial league clash against fellow newcomers Hull City on August 29, when Lampard will expect a much stronger display.

Yirenkyi’s parents cherish Premier League debut

In a related subject, YEN.com.gh reported that Caleb Yirenkyi’s parents watched proudly from Bechem, Ghana, as their son made his Premier League debut against Arsenal.

They sat on a wooden bench at a local game centre, witnessing the 20-year-old start in Coventry City’s 3-0 defeat.

Source: YEN.com.gh