🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Frank Lampard

[Jase 43,479]

2 minutes ago, Tomo said:

Yeah but what's the more likely conclusion, Martinez has made a difference or Dean Smith has suddenly become a good defensive coach? Martinez isn't even making that many saves compared to Arsenal at the back end of last season but you can hear him shouting and organizing. Hopefully Mendy has a similar effect and the early sample size (1 conceded in his 2 games and i think only 3 saves needed to be made outside of that) is promising. Mendy, like Martinez, could shave of a high number of goals just by the fact the defense trust him more.

Who knows? Managers and their coaches can always work on things and look to improve their side in the off season etc. New signings can make a difference but they aren't always the solution to problems.

[Jase 43,479]

Very Mourinho-esque excuse this - "it's not my fault, it's the players'"...

 

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

Guess it was the players fault Lampard didnt address the midfield issue until the 82nd minute. Something that essentially had us lose control that entire second half. 
 

 

[NikkiCFC 8,319]

10 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Guess it was the players fault Lampard didnt address the midfield issue until the 82nd minute. Something that essentially had us lose control that entire second half. 
 

 

I have seen nothing that suggest Kova was injured, he was seen at SB yesterday so it was Frank decision to have two strikers and two wingers on the bench but zero midfielders. This is quite ironic considering what he said after the game.

[Tomo 21,751]

2 hours ago, Mana said:

We should be beating Arsenal and Arteta comfortably. We haven't been. That's the point I'm getting across. 

Ok this season fair enough but last almost everyone put Arsenal above us pre season, especially after Pepe's signing.

[DANILA 290]

couple of players missing does not enable us to play this poorly - we have an inherent, fundamental issue with lampard's chelsea; no attacking tactics, horrendous defense (do we even practice defending in training?), park the bus philosophy, and having bottom table teams dominate for 10 minute periods (driven by no tactics). Patience is running low with FL - if we play this way in the next 3 games I hope he's out 

[kellzfresh 7,229]

 

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

5 hours ago, Jason said:

OR maybe, they are defending better. Villa have allowed only 30 shots inside the box, which is the 7th lowest so far this season, and their xG conceded is 4.07, which is the second lowest so far this season.

Exactly. we allowed even less shots on average last season and had one of the best shots on target and xG statistic in the league last season still conceded a ton of goals. That’s the whole point. we concede a lot of goals despite conceding fewer shots than most teams. Gk makes a huge difference 

we are yet to concede a goal when both Mendy and Chilwell are playing. Albeit in just 155 mins. If we are still shipping 2-3  goals per game when those two are consistently starting, I am not gonna defend Lampard anymore but until then there is the benefit of the doubt 

[Jase 43,479]

Came across this in another forum...

[Johnnyeye 7,509]

2 minutes ago, Jason said:

Came across this in another forum...

the main problem is Lamps changing the backline too much, like you mentioned before, he is in his 2nd season and still hasnt figured out his best 11, let alone best center back pairing, very worrying

[killer1257 3,282]

Very Mourinho-esque excuse this - "it's not my fault, it's the players'"...
 

Yes, Lampard told Zouma to play passes that are too short to the keeper and Lampard told Kepa that when Zouma plays to him a pass that is too short, just come out too slow and dive like an idiot and don't get the ball.
Lampard also told specifically to Havertz to dribble past one player, then turn completely around 360 degree and give the ball to the opponent, so they could score a goal against us. Yes, Lampard wanted us to drop points.

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[lucio 5,418]

18 minutes ago, killer1257 said:

Yes, Lampard told Zouma to play passes that are too short to the keeper and Lampard told Kepa that when Zouma plays to him a pass that is too short, just come out too slow and dive like an idiot and don't get the ball.
Lampard also told specifically to Havertz to dribble past one player, then turn completely around 360 degree and give the ball to the opponent, so they could score a goal against us. Yes, Lampard wanted us to drop points.

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I doubt having werner spin past a defender and score a brilliant solo goal out of nothing was a specific tactic either. If you cant accept blame for individual  errors in the team don't take credit for individual brilliance. But really you have to look at the whole gameplan and management as a whole and that has rarely been good enough 

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

58 minutes ago, lucio said:

I doubt having werner spin past a defender and score a brilliant solo goal out of nothing was a specific tactic either. If you cant accept blame for individual  errors in the team don't take credit for individual brilliance. But really you have to look at the whole gameplan and management as a whole and that has rarely been good enough 

Pretty sure that play indeed was rehearsed albeit the finish was improvised. It is a signature move from Werner but the player passing to him needs to be instructed where and how hard to pass so the dummy makes the Ball run into space

[Vesper 30,178]

Why Chelsea gave up their lead so meekly

https://theathletic.com/2144166/2020/10/18/chelsea-southampton-premier-league/

Long before it arrived in the 92nd minute, Southampton’s equaliser felt inevitable. Pinned back by a combination of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s high press and their own mistakes, Chelsea had conceded a steady stream of good chances prior to Jannik Vestergaard glancing Theo Walcott’s shot just inside Kepa Arrizabalaga’s far post. Nine of the visitors’ 13 shots came in the second half, six of them from inside the box, four of which found the target.

This isn’t a new problem for Chelsea under Frank Lampard; 15 of the 54 Premier League goals they conceded last season hit the net between minutes 76 and 90, giving them the third-worst late-game defensive record in the division, behind only Aston Villa (18) and relegated Norwich City (17). There were eight matches in which they failed to win after scoring first, yielding six draws and two defeats.

After the game, Lampard highlighted costly individual errors that made Southampton’s fightback possible, but there were also broader structural issues that set the stage for the visitors’ dominance in the second half at Stamford Bridge, and a failure of game management on the touchline as well as on the pitch. The Athletic went back through the footage to tell the story of another Chelsea masterclass in self-destruction.

53 minutes: Early in the second half it’s clear Southampton have set their stall out to try to dictate the direction of Chelsea’s play. Walcott and Nathan Redmond push up alongside Danny Ings and Che Adams to form a high wall of pressure in front of Jorginho, who has slotted in between Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen. Southampton are determined not to let their opponents build through the middle of the pitch, and any pass to N’Golo Kante is rendered far too risky.

Jorginho ultimately plays it to Zouma and the ball finds Ben Chilwell by the touchline. Timo Werner drops deep to offer a passing option, but James Ward-Prowse easily intercepts the attempt to find the Germany international. Southampton are on the front foot, and Chelsea’s midfield has been taken out of the game. This will become a recurring theme during the second half.

54 minutes: Cesar Azpilicueta is forced to foul Redmond just inside his own half after passing the ball straight to him. Ryan Bertrand floats the subsequent free kick to the far post, where Kai Havertz competes well in the air against Vestergaard but can’t clear the danger.

Neither can Zouma or Christian Pulisic, and the passage of play ends with Ings working a decent shooting chance just outside the box and firing wide.

56-57 minutes: Southampton work the ball around Chelsea’s own half-hearted press to the right touchline, where Kyle Walker-Peters shapes to play a pass inside towards Ward-Prowse. Jorginho recognises what is happening and moves to intercept…

… but he can’t get there in time, and Ward-Prowse whips a first-time pass over the top of Chelsea’s defence:

Zouma, under pressure from Adams, makes it clear from his body shape that he’s playing a pass back to Kepa. The ball is at an awkward height but provided he makes a solid contact, it shouldn’t matter. In the middle, Christensen has allowed Ings to drift a few yards in front of him, while Azpilicueta isn’t particularly worried:

The pass is scuffed, forcing Kepa to dash and slide in to make sure he gets there ahead of Adams. If he clears or smothers it, the danger is gone. If he doesn’t, the position that Christensen has allowed Ings to drift into means there will be big trouble:

Kepa somehow completely misses the ball. Christensen makes a brilliant recovery slide to prevent Adams from giving Ings a tap-in, but the ball is still live. Kepa flies back towards his own post but fails to clear again. Zouma has completely stopped, seemingly still hoping that one of his team-mates can redeem his initial mistake.

Only when Adams is pulling his foot back to shoot does Zouma attempt to get involved again, and by then it’s too late. The shot beats Kepa and Azpilicueta on the line:

71 minutes: A nice team move finished by Havertz almost immediately restored Chelsea’s lead, but they aren’t managing it well. Here, six blue shirts are in the Southampton half, none applying any pressure to Vestergaard as he winds up a long diagonal pass that will take them all out of the game:

Chilwell wins the header, but the result is a four-versus-four situation while Kante and Jorginho scramble to recover. With a one-goal lead, this type of situation simply shouldn’t be allowed to happen.

78 minutes: Lampard has made only one substitution, replacing Mount with Hakim Ziyech and sticking with 4-2-3-1, despite growing evidence that Jorginho and Kante are being overrun. Another header from Chilwell is brought down in the visiting midfield. Jorginho rushes forward to press Oriol Romeu but is easily sidestepped, opening an avenue to a relatively straightforward pass through to Walcott…

… and once again, Chelsea’s entire midfield and attack are bypassed, leaving Walcott free to drive at Lampard’s defence in another four-versus-four situation. He finds Adams, who shoots wide from the angle.

81 minutes: Chilwell has the ball on the left touchline again and, with Kante and Jorginho in no position to present a passing option, he elects to go long towards Werner. It worked in the first half, when Chelsea were able to turn Southampton’s defenders and get Werner running through on goal…

… but on this occasion there isn’t enough on the pass to get it over Vestergaard, and Werner has no chance of winning an aerial duel. Possession is cheaply lost and, seconds later, Jan Bednarek is allowed to advance into the Chelsea half. Walcott has taken up a great position between Chilwell, Kante and Pulisic:

The ball finds him, he drives into the box and crosses low for Ings, who is able to force a save out of Kepa:

85 minutes: Southampton’s press is relentless and Chelsea’s passing is getting more passive. Having just received the ball from Jorginho, Christensen tries to go back to him with Ings and Adams in close attendance. He manages to scramble it clear — just:

87 minutes: Lampard has finally moved to shore things up, bringing on Reece James for Pulisic and shifting to 4-3-3, but Chelsea continue to gift Southampton the ball. Azpilicueta tries to free Werner with a first-time ball over the top via his weaker left foot, but it hangs in the air and Bednarek easily takes it away:

90+1 minutes: After a panicky head-tennis sequence in Chelsea’s defensive third, the ball rolls kindly out to Ziyech. He has a relatively simple pass to free fellow substitute Tammy Abraham and Havertz, who are primed for a counterattack. Instead he plays it straight to Ibrahima Diallo:

Southampton almost immediately launch the ball towards Chelsea’s right-back position. James, eager to provide cover, dashes to deal with it but only succeeds in blocking off Bertrand. A free kick is given:

90+2 minutes: Havertz is once again stationed towards the back post, standing behind Walcott…

… but when Bertrand swings in the cross, Walcott is able to find space simply by standing still. Havertz runs away from him, Zouma heads the ball to him, and Vestergaard glances his shot inside Kepa’s far post:

“In the second half I wouldn’t blame the shape of the team, more that we didn’t deal with the fact that Southampton were really keen to put us under pressure in their own half,” Lampard said. “We wanted to miss out their press, we didn’t do enough and that meant we turned the ball over in our own half, which irrespective of shape is always a problem.

“There is certainly a game management element of it. We want to have a lead and see it off. We turn over the ball that led to the free kick and then it is about the second balls. There are a lot of elements that led to it, you can recreate that in training and talk about it a lot but it is very disappointing when it happens.”

Lampard is generally good at diagnosing the nature of Chelsea’s defensive problems after the fact, which makes the lack of improvement all the more puzzling. Last season yielded 54 goals conceded, the worst defensive record of the Roman Abramovich era. Five matches into 2020-21, they are on course to let in 68.

Unless that trend changes markedly, it’s hard to see how this expensively-assembled team — or their manager — can possibly meet significantly raised expectations.

[Vesper 30,178]

Lampard is bigger Chelsea problem than Kepa

Kepa is just a convenient dummy target. So many individual mistakes points to a systemic fault.

https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-lampard-bigger-chelsea-problem-kepa-system-southampton

 

‘Acres of space’ would not have done justice to the distance between the Chelsea players in the box and Theo Walcott lurking on the edge.

With about as much defence as the air provides between a sword and a bare neck on a slab, the forward sliced down the deathblow in the final minutes of the game at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

It’s become a running theme. The West Brom match was similar only in scoreline; in this case, against a club who finished 11th last campaign, Chelsea were quite lucky not to lose. While the first half showed the disparity of talent in the players on the pitch, the second highlighted the same but with those on the touchline.

This was another indication of how modern success in football rarely stems from signing big names for mammoth fees; it’s about identity and tactical implementation.

It’s why, despite last season’s 9-0 mauling against Leicester (an overused example at this point, but still), Southampton have rightly been pegged as the dark horses of the league: there is a togetherness and unity which is fastened down by tactical impetus. And it’s slowly breeding success.

“It’s about pressing, hunting, being hungry,” Ralph Hasenhuttl once said. “When you have the ball, find a quick decision, a quick transition to the front. It’s about being emotional, being full of passion. Also, keep the tempo on a high level and don’t slow down the game.”

His footballing blueprint has kept Southampton on a slow upward trajectory. Even in the midst of turbulent form, there is clear reason to hold on; a common goal that is being made all the more visible and close with each passing week; a noticeable steady and sturdy elevation.

Could as much be said of Frank Lampard’s Chelsea, where individuality and only small pockets of brilliance seem to be the solitary positive attributes on show?

All we can ascertain from the 62 games Lampard has presided over at Chelsea is that he prefers to press with his front line – given his attacking options and their gusto, big surprise – and that his defence is about as leaky as a sideways milk bottle in the fridge.

Under Lampard, Chelsea have conceded an average of 1.5 goals per game in the Premier League. It’s the worst rate of any permanent Blues manager. Despite finishing fourth last season, Chelsea conceded the 11th most goals in the league. No team had ever conceded 54 goals and reached the top four in Premier League history before.

The bizarre nature of having a transfer window to address such an issue but leaving it alone and opting to bolster the attack instead speaks of a manager who is either vastly confident he can get the best out of his current players at the back or so unsure of himself he feels only that getting a myriad of goal machines will stand him any chance of success.

If it’s the former, Lampard would have been right in some way. Their defenders are no slouches, despite the narrative laid down recently.

Along with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Chelsea started with a valuable defence against Southampton – and while Andreas Christensen could be improved upon (starting Fikayo Tomori would have surely amended that), there is little to complain about in terms of having adequate players to select; and that’s even if we dismiss the glaring factor that Chelsea’s defence has some of the league’s best holding midfielders protecting them.

Reece James is looking to tip Trent Alexander-Arnold out of an England place, Kurt Zouma, though hardly exceptional, has his moments, and Ben Chilwell’s recent performances indicate Marcos Alonso will remain out of action.

There is a theory that Chelsea’s mishaps are borne out of individual error. But given that 80% of their goals so far this season have been conceded in open play, it puts paid the idea that faults occur merely when the players nod off during vital set-pieces; it actually comes during the flow of a game.

“We have to not give those goals away,” Lampard expertly noted. “We are making individual mistakes in games and it gives other teams chances at all times. It is something we need to get better at.”

Chelsea have bought Edouard Mendy to account for the shocking displays of Arrizabalaga, whose games have somehow been increasingly woeful and ever more painful to witness. Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse, he’s there again lowering the bar with something almost beautiful in its absurdity.

As a BEIN co-commentator quite insightfully commented as he fumbled the ball out: “He’s slightly lacking in confidence at the moment.”

Following his mistake for Southampton’s second, the camera panned to Arrizabalaga’s face. His look was something beyond the semi-humorous blooper videos that came out in the late ’90s – it was far darker, a face bearing complete anguish and pain. It was a look that makes you want to start some sort of online relief fund to have him carted away from London and back to Spain, for his sake as well as ours.

And yet his decline has reached such a nadir that it goes beyond Chelsea merely having overvalued his ability while he was at La Liga. Premier League scouts don’t pinpoint the next Garrincha and end up with someone who’d give the fourth-worst player in North Caledonian Football a run for their money. The difference is never that great.

The season before Lampard joined, the Spaniard earned 23 clean sheets for Chelsea. Under Lampard last season it was just ten. The world’s most expensive goalkeeper at £71m, in the space of two seasons, is now worth a fraction of that.

Such a horrendous drop points to more than just bad form, but the sad reality is that he is now a scapegoat for Lampard’s inability, an easy dummy target between the sticks.

Indeed, the team is full of mistakes, as Lampard says. But this line almost detracts and even defends those in charge whose worth is supposed to be measured on how well they amend such calamities.

These errors, or moments of madness, in isolated occurrences are just that. Yet when they’re so regular, when they become so typical of a team, it means there is a complete lack of direction, an utter systemic failure stemming from the manager.

But like many clubs of today, Chelsea were seduced by sentiment and nostalgia. Having gone through so many managers in recent years you cannot blame them.

There is a strange idealisation around sentimentality in football’s current climate – but it’s also a time when the most successful teams have realised progression and success is founded in tactical edges and finely-tuned systems. We are seeing it more often in the current game as we’re starting to grasp that big buys seldom change cultural failings.

Tactical impetus rarely fails. It’s the immovable object in football’s rapidly moving landscape, now perhaps more than ever. Of course, there is room for emotion and heart, for sentimentalism and club legends, for kissing the badge and living out fairy-tales. But really, at its foundation, it’s the system which holds the key to joy and Chelsea desperately need a manager who possesses his own.

 

[Jase 43,479]

1 hour ago, Magic Lamps said:

Pretty sure that play indeed was rehearsed albeit the finish was improvised. It is a signature move from Werner but the player passing to him needs to be instructed where and how hard to pass so the dummy makes the Ball run into space

Are you not giving it a little too much credit for it being a rehearsed play? Looking at the goal again, Chilwell just played a simple pass to Werner (as any competent footballer would in that situation), who could have easily just gathered it with his feet but from there, it was all down to individual brilliance. He had the presence of mind to know the defender was sticking closely behind and he took full advantage of the situation by turning him inside out and going through on goal to score. 

If anything, the second goal was arguably more rehearsed with the ball over the top, although Werner's finish then was still down to individual brilliance. 

[Tomo 21,751]

4 hours ago, Mana said:

Back to this.

If we can't upgrade CBs, then upgrade LBs and GKs. No, not just getting ONE for each position. Our backups for GK and LBs are total shite. Very shite. I don't want to see Kepa and Alonso again. EVER. But we will this season.

Should have kept Lamptey at RB because he has been more impressive since joining in for Brighton than RJ.

And if you think that's not the case, then why TF is RJ not being used much by Lampard?

Our defence has been a complete shambles, always has been...since DAY ONE of Lampard's appointment.

Saying Lamptey's been more impressive than James is subjective at best, firstly he's been playing wingback, as we know from Alonso that's a huge difference to fullback yet still he's made basic defensive mistakes that he would have been crucified for had he done with us (getting caught up field when Rashford walsed through BHA's defense on his side, sleeping at a short corner for an Everton goal and the stupid penalty he gave away yesterday). I don't hold those against him as it's par for the course being a young defender but let's be honest a significant number of our fanbase would have.

That said I don't disagree I wished we kept him but he's not been immune from the rawness any of our other youngsters have been.

Now don't mistake what I'm saying for being happy with most of our options at the back, I'm not, what I'm saying is if push came to shove a generational talent like Havertz is worth waiting on major upgrades for especially as (a) there's no serious stand out defensive options and (b) Thiago Silva is a dream quick fix. Remember back in 2012 when we had serious CM problems and on paper needed to sort that out before signing a winger/10 as we already had Mata with KDB still to come? I think we can all agree signing Hazard trumped signing say signing Witsel or Joe Allen and "fixing the pivot", we waited until top quality options came along and eventually we had Matic and Cesc.

[The Skipper 20,609]

4 hours ago, Mana said:

Should have kept Lamptey at RB because he has been more impressive since joining in for Brighton than RJ.

From what I know Lamptey actually refused a contract and had six months left on his contract so the club's hands were actually tied. 

He has also played at RWB for Brighton. Reece James has always been the better talent and we literally have no issues at RB (we have Azpi and James there), I wouldn't bring this as a criticism at the club. Tariq is good but RJ is easily the better talent. 

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

Speaking of James, has Frank ever considered developing him into a DM ala Kimmich?

[Fernando 6,585]

I hope we don't lose the opportunity in trying to get nagelsmann. He is the one that we need to get for next season. 

As I doubt he will leave now, so Lampard will finish the season and next season get nagelsmann.