pcmacca

Patience is something the fans may have but it is not something the Board seem to show at times of stress. And what do I mean by stress. Before the Fulham match Chelsea sit 10th in the table. I also saw the desire for a long time run that Ferguson had but please do bear in mind that he had years of experience before joining United. I also know that it didn't go well at the start with United but his experience and earlier success was there for all to see so they allowed him to continue believing he could turn it round. I hope Frank is equally capable but I really would like to see more proof and quickly before change becomes more likely.

Here is a genuine question. I am not in the least bit against Lampard but please tell me, apart from his history at the club and his enthusiasm for it, why with his lack of experience is he the best manager for Chelsea now? I understand last year with the transfer ban but things have changed and has he really shown enough that he can make a great team out of a talented and expensive bunch of players? I know this season is also different (no pre-season, lack of time between games, injuries etc) but other teams are having to deal with this too and a few surprising teams and coaches appear to be coping better. What have we seen in his short coaching career that indicates things will improve with time? I cannot believe that when the board sanctioned the latest spending, they were looking to play in the Europa League next season.

I just did and I really not trying to be rude but creating overloads in the wide areas to send in high crosses is more of a move rather than a playing style. It is not even a good move against decent teams. I was hoping to hear that the idea was to play fast forward moving triangles between the lines with one touch, and then allowing the pacier players (Werner, CHO and Pulisic) to have space in front of them to run into and receive the ball. Possession based slow build up does not suit the better players Chelsea have and so they can look ordinary when they are forced into a crowd. I have said this before too, the number of times I have seen Chilwell with the ball and Werner has run from the middle to the left into space behind the defenders only to see the ball played backwards or square leaving him frustrated. I am hoping not but I will think I will see it again tomorrow.

I go back to a question I asked a couple of weeks ago, what our playing style? I am really hoping it is not based on high crosses to a packed area.

I believe what most people are thinking is that the idea of building a team is the best way forward but is Lampard the right person with his lack of experience? I am also sure you can understand that if Chelsea finish outside the top 6 this year the chances are he won't be taking pre-season training next year.

Well, I feel pretty confident in saying that Chelsea are not going to win every match even if it is only 1-0, so back on planet Earth.......

Sadly I agree, so much slow movement playing square and safe passes until a position is reached where crosses are then made into a crowded box. The two players you mention need space in front of them and so the ball should be played earlier to them.

I have to be honest, I sadly think for Frank to remain he not only needs to beat Fulham but the team have to play well too with the latter being the most important.

I am guessing most people have seen this article which tries to explain our (or lack of) playing style. https://www.goal.com/en/news/happy-new-year-lampard-coaching-methods-stuck-in-2016/tumd7rgdk9fx1qq8kjbjec4s5

I agree about the league position, the board will make a change if that were to happen regardless of the FA Cup but I am worried that 5 or 6 may soon be unattainable. I watched Fulham last night and Chelsea will need to play well or at least show signs of really playing well or the rumours of replacement may get louder. Do you believe the board will allow the team to stumble along without an obvious playing style with two matches against the top team in La Liga coming up?

Well, it looks like the Board at Chelsea also decided Lampard needs some help and appear to be bringing in someone to assist and I understand their thinking. The point of the article I shared was to indicate that due to the time limits in training a team like United can reach the top without tactics because they have the better goal scorers. The best teams in the league (unfortunately) City and Liverpool are still likely to fight out the title because they have experienced coaches who understand tactics, planning and automatisms. In three years of coaching, Lampard has shown no use of automatisms in his teams and what it means in all likelihood, Chelsea will not win the league or the CL in the future unless major changes are introduced.

The reason I couldn't comment earlier is explained easily enough as I wasn't a member due to lack of time (work) but if I had been, I would have still been concerned. The team did go on an unbeaten run but you cannot convince me that Chelsea were playing well or to a set style. It was always relying on individual flashes of skill and as I have said before with respect to United, they are currently higher because they have the better goal scorers particularly in midfield, not due to any inspired coaching. I do not want Lampard to lose his job but it sadly looks more and more likely unless the next three league games show a remarkable turnaround and top 4 remains likely rather than possible. The difference this time is that there are good managers around and any new manager will not be an interim one. I would like him to look for further help to cover his deficiencies in tactical planning, to bring in a really experienced coach that doesn’t have the other abilities that Frank has so he could never compete for his job. He does offer a lot to his position but if anything brings him down, it will be this lack of experience. I am realistic to understand that if Chelsea had not had last year’s transfer ban, they would have sought a manager with more experience.

Sadly in this article, I believe you could swap Chelsea for United. https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/covid-era-football-nonsense-man-utd-title-bid-proves-it/1a7k8ttu4zttt1m7cdvlq7ywm1

Sorry, but if you are saying that Lampard does not have a clear vision of how he wants his teams to play then I cannot see any reason for the season to improve. At the moment he is relying on flashes of individual talent to win games but if you want to be a successful coach in the PL, you need to have a vision of how you want to play and get the players to buy into it. All of the successful coaches have tacics and planning in their mind before they started coaching but Lampard's History and Enthusiasm are insufficient to get this group of players performing week in, week out. Sadly I believe Lampard should have spent more time at another club really learning and deciding how he wanted his teams to play. Anyone can see that against the better teams, sending in high crosses time after time is not working.

CHO's goal is exactly the type of ball Werner needs, early into space.

The next match is the one that Frank can't lose or else sadly.............

You are right. Werner needs space to run into and not to play with his back to goal but with all of the sideways passing moving slowly up the pitch by the team, he never gets that space.

Just watched the second City goal, they do get it right when their interplay gets the ball to the bye line. When do Chelsea ever do that?

I agree. Apart from crossing, there is no visible style to this team.

When CHO gets to the bye line, he always plays it square across goal, easily intercepted. He he needs to pull it back to players running into the box.

I don't want that to be the case but if thinks don't improve and at the moment it doesn't look likely he probably will have to go as you say. However, I disagree with the idea that bringing in help says he can't do the job. Instead due to his lack of experience, he needs help in specialised areas. I do the same in running my own business. I think I am pretty good at repairing PCs but I give anything MAC related to a colleague as his experience is much greater. I am learning more and more about them and in time I will be able to do it but if I want to give my customers the best service and keep them coming back it is the best way. FL has only 3 years’ experience and he should be looking to learn from anywhere and everywhere.

Sorry last sentence rushed - I meant to say - It is not an admission of failure but of strength to accept that at times you need specialised assistance.

I am not trying to blame Jody, I just see everyone complaining about FL At the moment we have two very, very inexperienced coaches with almost identical backgrounds and I believe if FL wants to save his season and probably his job, he should be looking to introduce a coach with more experience, a different background and different ideas. I worry that if they carry on as they are, they will be replaced at the end of the season or even before. It is not an admissioon of failure but accept one of strength to accept that at times you need specialised assistance.

I do like the idea of Chelsea trying to play in that way and I do agree Azper is pretty poor in the final third but to get better results from this it needs to be played quicker from the back than is now. What concerns me with the current is that when in those positions the full backs/wingers are sending over high crosses when there is often only 1/2 players in the box and unless the ball is a miracle one, it gets cleared. We know Giroud is excellent in the air but not so Abraham or Werner. I would prefer to see the fullback/ winger getting closer to the bye line and then pulling the ball back to (hopefully) advancing attacking players. It is so much harder for defenders to deal with, compared to the square low cross close to goal which would have to go through so many players to get somewhere dangerous. Or if Chelsea players could only copy Leed's fifth against WBA!

I am not trying to rude here, I genuinely would like to know. After three years in management, what do you think FL's playing style really is? Is it possession based with lots of sideways and backwards passing (as is currently being played) or is counter attacking (as against Sevilla) or is it the fast moving quick passing style seen against Liverpool in the Super Cup Final?