Jase

Firstly, I never thought of you as an idiot when you said what you said. I did make the same point earlier this year but poor opposition or not, we did play good football, beyond than just crosses, during our recent unbeaten run and mind you, some of the poor teams we beat then were the same ones we failed to beat last season. Maybe I allowed myself to get my hopes or expectations up from that run but it's clear as hell as now we are back to playing Big Sam football, back to making silly mistakes again whenever we play against a half decent side.

Lampard said he takes the blame from the outside but that feels like a throwaway comment in the wider context of what he said. He still put all the blame on the players. What makes it even worse is that he does nothing different in the following games.

Am assuming the other starting winger would be Pulisic. God bless his hamstring...

We know that's not gonna happen...

Whatever it is, it's clear that some things within the 4-3-3 aren't working as well as before. Maybe the players' form just went, teams have sussed us out etc. So I don't know, maybe a change of formation?

James has largely done well this season but the last few games are a reminder that he still has a long way to go. Been poor defensively.

Well, Lampard is the one who bought Werner. So, surely he must have a grand plan, right!? Doesn't matter when balls are still bouncing off Abraham's feet, body, head when it comes to him to hold up. But tell me, were they as perfect when they were 24 years old as they are now?

It isn't anything unique and while I don't keep track of what Klopp says after Liverpool games, it's predictable by now that Lampard always blame the players after bad results. Players aren't always at fault for bad results, some times it's also down to the manager. Am sure half of the time at least, our bad results have been down to Lampard's selection, game management etc. You can only blame the players for so long before players start to ask questions. What also makes things worse right now is we aren't barely seeing anything different from Lampard. Not saying we should go back to the overzealous chopping and changing of last season but now, Lampard is just sticking with 4-3-3, putting square pegs in round hole and hope that it works when it hasn't for the last few games. Lampard has suddenly gone all stubborn like Conte and Sarri!

You haven't answered my question. You can talk about all those circumstances and if those are reasons why he won't succeed here, then why did Lampard even buy him? Why did Lampard reportedly say what he said to Werner when trying to convince him to join us? Because it's clear as hell as that Lampard hasn't gone anywhere close to bringing out the best of Werner. Also remember what Nagelsmann said when he went about improving Werner last season to make him more complete, more unpredictable? https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/timo-werner-a-different-kind-of-striker-to-lewandowski-rb-leipzig-s-julian-nagelsmann-9547 Those circumstances you mentioned, I'm sure Nagelsmann was aware of them and that's why he did what he did with Werner, who ended up having his best goalscoring season. So, where is the tactical improvement or ingenuity from Lampard?

Also, you said Werner's hold up play is horrible but since you were banging on about Abraham's improving his, then why can't Werner do the same? He's still only 24 years old. Moreover, if strikers like Aguero and Vardy - strikers who are similar to Werner - can lead the line for Man City and Leicester respectively, then why can't we look to do the same? Even though Man City and Liverpool cross more than we do, we are just horribly predictable with our attacking play of crosses. Almost as if we're being coached by Sam Allardyce at times! People haven't talked about this enough but if we look back at the results and performances since the restart in June, we've been nothing but a one man team. It was Pulisic at the end of last season and now seemingly, it's Ziyech. It's pathetic. Spent all that money and this is what we are seeing and producing.

Then it comes down to what I've been asking - why did Lampard even buy him in the first place if he does not know how to fit him in? What is the point of even putting him out there as a winger? Let's not also forget, Werner mentioned he joined us because of Lampard, because Lampard spoke to him about playing attacking football and how he will fit etc. But things really turned out that way? Starting to think that Lampard did not really watch Werner last season. He did not see what made Werner so good, what made him score all the goals that he did at Leipzig and what made him become one of the most coveted players in the summer. He probably just looked at the his numbers and thought "wow, let's just sign him then!" and also the fact that he was available on the cheap!

Blamed the players for the result...again! Minus the insults, jabs etc, is this any different to what Mourinho used to do after a bad result?

Think Allegri is underrated tactically but not sure his style of football would suit this team. Much like how he got the job, Lampard might just survive in the job - even if the results continue to go south - because there are no better alternatives out there.

A problem that Tuchel has is that he has clashed with the board at Dortmund and PSG - over the different issues - and seemingly paid the price with his job both times. Can he co-exist with the setup we have at the club, with Marina etc?

Werner has not been great but imagine criticizing a player when you overplay him, play him out of position and play him in a position where his strengths aren't maximized while his weaknesses get exposed.

No no no no no. Hard fixtures or not, that cannot be an excuse for Lampard or any manager. If we really want to win the title, we can't be complaining about getting a hard run of games FFS!

I know you're being sarcastic but here are some truths: 1. Lampard spent over 200 million in the summer and we are 4 points worse off than at the same stage last season. 2. Lampard spent over 100 million on attacking players but does not seem to have a clue on how to fit the 2 biggest ones in and we are seemingly relying on ONE player again!? 3. Lampard spent over 100 million on attacking players and our only attacking play seems to be crosses, bog standard route one football that one comes to expect from a team like Burnley, West Brom and not a Top 4 side.

But how much of Zouma's improvement is because he's benefitting from playing alongside Silva and a more reliable keeper in Mendy? Spent all that money in the summer just to rely on one player again? Lampard is no real deal at this point...

Yes but I remember some people were coming back at me with excuses.

Still, you look at this team...who can you say really that Lampard has improved? Maybe only Pulisic at best.

Is this really all Lampard got with his style of play...?

Our results against Arsenal in all competitions ever since Mourinho got sacked in Dec 2015: W 1-0 L 0-3 W 3-1 L 1-2 D 1-1 D 0-0 D 2-2 D 0-0 L 1-2 W 3-2 L 0-2 W 4-1 W 2-1 D 2-2 L 1-2 L 1-3 5 wins in 16 games. cc @Tomo @Mana

Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa PRE/POST-MATCH DISCUSSION, LIVE CHAT AND ANALYSIS 2020/21 Premier League Match 16 28th December, Monday 2020 Stamford Bridge 17:30 Kick Off (UK time)

LAMPARD-BALL, PEOPLE!

Whether you like to admit it or not, Foden is also coached by a far better manager and one who doesn't solely rely on crosses...