Super Frank Thread

[Superblue 6,370]

Irrespective of the rest of the league, if anybody had said after losing 4-0 to United first game that going into the second international break after 8 games we'd be 5 points ahead of them with a better goal difference, and only 2 points behind City that everybody would have taken that.

I think quite a few people expected us to be somewhere around where United are currently with a squad struggling to find goals. The defence has to continue to be worked on (although I feel yesterday the problems were basic errors as opposed to tactical flaws, and the second half showed that we are continuing to improve with controlling games and seeing them out from winning positions), but the football is exciting, the young players have revitalised the club more than could have been imagined and it's all under one of the biggest legends in the club's history who (touch wood) despite his inexperience seems to be taking it in his stride, learning from mistakes and improving each passing game.

 

[Vesper 28,796]

liking these upcoming 14 fixtures

36 plus points are deffo there for the taking IMHO

[Vesper 28,796]

SINGING IS TOO BLUE 

Frank Lampard slams Chelsea fans who aimed ‘pikeys’ chant at West Ham supporters

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10078711/frank-lampard-chelsea-west-ham-blasts-pikey-chants-fans/

[NikkiCFC 7,946]

I'm not sure it was right from him to say that Willian was our best player in the last four, five games and Tomori is number one or two CB at the moment. I mean, I agree but he should not say it in public because of the other guys who also played very well. It's fine to praise individual performances but not in the way you put some over the others. 

[Tomo 21,733]

6 hours ago, Vesper said:

liking these upcoming 14 fixtures

36 plus points are deffo there for the taking IMHO

I do wonder how Frank will approach things if Liverpool drop a few points before we drop our next set.

Given the type of personality Lamps is and how hungry and confident the young players are I could see their eyes lighting up and sensing an opportunity. It will still more than likely be in vain but I can't imagine Lampard taking it lightly and saying "meh top four will do for now" if we can somehow claw a few points back of Liverpool and are only 6 points behind after a high number of games, he'd want to chase them down.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

3 hours ago, Tomo said:

I do wonder how Frank will approach things if Liverpool drop a few points before we drop our next set.

Given the type of personality Lamps is and how hungry and confident the young players are I could see their eyes lighting up and sensing an opportunity. It will still more than likely be in vain but I can't imagine Lampard taking it lightly and saying "meh top four will do for now" if we can somehow claw a few points back of Liverpool and are only 6 points behind after a high number of games, he'd want to chase them down.

Yeah I agree but I also think irrelevant of what team is at the top at this stage, be it City or Liverpool, we should just be thinking about getting as many points on the board and not being overly concerned how those two are doing. Just get as many points as possible and let them and the other teams fighting for the top 4 places worry about us. A title challenge was realistically never an expectation at the start of the season but as youve said, Frank and the boys could sense an opportunity looking at this next run and perhaps we could surprise many folk by getting as many points as possible in these next 9 or 10 league games or whatever it is. If we are still there and there's about come February/March, yes 100% start taking more of an interest in their results but I think for us especially at this stage, its too early to be worrying about those 2 when the likes of Arsenal, Spurs, Leicester and even West Ham will all be looking towards top 4/6 finishes too.

[NikkiCFC 7,946]

4 hours ago, Tomo said:

I do wonder how Frank will approach things if Liverpool drop a few points before we drop our next set.

Given the type of personality Lamps is and how hungry and confident the young players are I could see their eyes lighting up and sensing an opportunity. It will still more than likely be in vain but I can't imagine Lampard taking it lightly and saying "meh top four will do for now" if we can somehow claw a few points back of Liverpool and are only 6 points behind after a high number of games, he'd want to chase them down.

A couple details changed everything. We lost 2 points against Sheffield. Liverpool has been really lucky to win last three games including us. And that was a six pointer game. There you go, 4,5 details come differently and we would be in front of them. But that's football... 

[Jase 43,479]

 

[Vesper 28,796]

9 hours ago, Jason said:

 

[Laylabelle 9,351]

On 08/10/2019 at 4:58 PM, NikkiCFC said:

A couple details changed everything. We lost 2 points against Sheffield. Liverpool has been really lucky to win last three games including us. And that was a six pointer game. There you go, 4,5 details come differently and we would be in front of them. But that's football... 

Been lucky but annoying unbeaten in 17 league games. And like they say play crap and still get points.. Sign of champions blahhhh.

I don't think they'll drop many points. All we can do is win our games and take advantage of the fact other teams have been dropping points too. 

[Iomie142 2]

Steve Nicol has claimed there is more chance of Frank Lampard leaving the club than there is Ngolo Kante.

Here is what he said on the matter

What do you guys think?

[Jase 43,479]

 

[Jase 43,479]

Admittedly, it was only for the last few minutes but nice to see Lampard isn't afraid to make pragmatic sub with the James sub against Newcastle, especially after the Gilmour one against Sheffield. Think it was Tomo who mentioned this but nice to see Lampard learns from mistakes fast and finds ways to come up with a solution

[Tomo 21,733]

I know things can change quickly in football but right now Spurs and United look so unbelievably bad that our only threat to top 4 seems to be Leicester doing a poundland 2016 season and grabbing a top 4 place.

[Jase 43,479]

15 minutes ago, Tomo said:

I know things can change quickly in football but right now Spurs and United look so unbelievably bad that our only threat to top 4 seems to be Leicester doing a poundland 2016 season and grabbing a top 4 place.

It would be crazy if they do it again. They're outperforming their xG at the moment, according to the stats pieces.

[killer1257 3,282]

We got a clean sheet. I hope people noticed that because Frank gets a lot of hate that he can´t manage to keep clean sheets.

[communicate 2,703]

52 minutes ago, Mana said:

The only thing that bugs me about Lampard is his stubbornness on zonal marking. Luckily, I don't think we have given Newcastle any real chance from set pieces yesterday. 

You can't play man to man when you have short player. 

Our set pieces defense has been quite decent recently since we have started to play only player who is good in the air in the middle (Alonso, Zouma, Tammy) and ask the rest of the team to block or man mark. 

 

[Superblue 6,370]

There were massive question marks over the quality in this squad over the summer, especially when Hazard left, but just 3 or 4 months on we look an exciting, young side with lots of pace and energy in the team. And suddenly the squad looks very strong also. I'd argue we're second in the league only to City with regards to our squad depth.

For me all of this is on Lampard having the bottle to bring the young players into the side and give them belief. Last season whilst CHO ripped up the Europa League against some pretty rubbish teams he didn't look half the player in the Premier League chances he was given. This season he looks like someone who has his manager's trust and very capable of tearing any defender apart. 

If anybody had predicted at the start of the season that pretty much a quarter of the way through the season, we'd be in the top 4 only 2 points behind City having lost Hazard and Rudiger, Kante and RLC having been injured for most or all of the season, most would have laughed.

The whole club feels re-energised at the moment and without getting ahead of ourselves, it does feel like the beginning of something very special. If we can get top 4 this season and hit a home run in the summer in the transfer market with 2 or 3 players, I believe we'll be back challenging for the title again.