Super Frank Lampard *Officially our Manager*

[coco 14,226]

14 minutes ago, venom2011 said:

So let me get this straight - you see 50 games, during broken seasons where fitness and training time have been difficult to manage due to a few factors - which are both imperative to improving the system and ironing out errors. A manager who has unified the fans, squad and youth teams ; who achieved his goals last season, above expectations and you're calling others 'blind'? Not one reasonable fan will deny that he has shortcomings and lacks experience, but I'm along for the ride and it will only stand him and the club in good stead as long as expectations are being met come the end of the season. I hope the board show some steel, which they seem more inclined to do, and ignore the shouts from moronic fans.

Until the fans are allowed back into the grounds, all we will hear is more and more from the online fraternity of anti-Lampard w**kers. When they hear those loyal fans constantly singing his name, then they will remember they are in a minuscule minority.

20 goals in 7 games, you wouldn't get that under Sarri/FSW/Mourinho.

Keep Mendy and Silva fit, and we could be winning the league.

[Kev56 1,018]

46 minutes ago, coco said:

Until the fans are allowed back into the grounds, all we will hear is more and more from the online fraternity of anti-Lampard w**kers. When they hear those loyal fans constantly singing his name, then they will remember they are in a minuscule minority.

20 goals in 7 games, you wouldn't get that under Sarri/FSW/Mourinho.

Keep Mendy and Silva fit, and we could be winning the league.

That, plus a commanding/dominating midfielder and we probably could.

[Sindre 2,725]

53 minutes ago, Kev56 said:

That, plus a commanding/dominating midfielder and we probably could.

Prime Matic and we'd be a serious contender. We'll probably be in for a hell of a fight for top 4 again though. If Van Dijk is out for the season i think we'll be in for a surprise champion but it just don't see us getting there yet. I'd keep an eye on Mourinho's Tottenham for the title unfortunately.

With that said, Lampard needs to fix this sh*t ASAP. I don't know if Jorginho and Kante are under instruction to both desert their position at the same time leaving those kinds of gaps but it needs fixing and quick.

 

[abramovich 3,802]

I think people are underestimating the toughness of the league and /or overestimate Frank's expertise when they say 'if only we had a certain player filling a certain position we'd be winning the title." We've been having systemic problems in the way we set up for over a year now, our opponents exploit those issues time and again and Frank so far seems unable to properly address that. 

Bringing in players of a high caliber certainly helps but the manager has to know how to make it work on the pitch.

Edited October 18, 2020 by abramovich

[opinionsarelike 259]

28 minutes ago, Sindre said:

With that said, Lampard needs to fix this sh*t ASAP. I don't know if Jorginho and Kante are under instruction to both desert their position at the same time leaving those kinds of gaps but it needs fixing and quick.

It looks like, and has looked like for the past year, that Lampard and Morris are trying to revolutionize football by playing the rare low line-high press system. It's safe to say it hasn't worked out, and probably won't either. Either Frank fixes it or we're looking at a season alternating between high highs and low lows.

[ForeverCarefree 24,921]

18 hours ago, Osgoodwasgood said:

You can say what you like about closing out games and that Frank has no plan B, but when you keep conceding goals from schoolboy errors you need to change the personel, and he's known that all transfer window.

You do know we signed six players this summer that are likely to start the majority of our games? Is that not changing the personnel? 

We were without our first choice central defender and goalkeeper... Guess which two positions made errors leading to goals yesterday? 

Zouma and Christensen are very limited players but we're stuck with them for now. There's a real lack of quality centre backs available and that's why we signed a 35 year old Silva... We knew we were unlikely to shift any of the current centre backs and that's why we've still got 5 on the books. 

This is a three year plan with Lampard. Year 1 was a success because he got top 4 and promoted several academy players into the first team squad. 

Now we can buy players we've addressed getting a quality striker in that's been lacking since Diego Costa left, we've replaced Willian and Pedro, freshening up the wide options for the first time in about 5 years. Replaced the creativity we lost through Hazard leaving with Havertz. Addressed the goalkeeper problem with signing Mendy. Addressed the problem of having no quality left back. 

But there is still work to do, we need better centre backs, don't be surprised to see us sign 2 next summer... Or even go all in for Declan Rice come January. 

We know the weaknesses of this team and so does Lampard and the board... It's a marathon not a sprint to fix it and Lampard's job is going to be to keep us competitive and in the top four until then. 

[coco 14,226]

1 minute ago, ForeverCarefree said:

You do know we signed six players this summer that are likely to start the majority of our games? Is that not changing the personnel? 

We were without our first choice central defender and goalkeeper... Guess which two positions made errors leading to goals yesterday? 

Zouma and Christensen are very limited players but we're stuck with them for now. There's a real lack of quality centre backs available and that's why we signed a 35 year old Silva... We knew we were unlikely to shift any of the current centre backs and that's why we've still got 5 on the books. 

This is a three year plan with Lampard. Year 1 was a success because he got top 4 and promoted several academy players into the first team squad. 

Now we can buy players we've addressed getting a quality striker in that's been lacking since Diego Costa left, we've replaced Willian and Pedro, freshening up the wide options for the first time in about 5 years. Replaced the creativity we lost through Hazard leaving with Havertz. Addressed the goalkeeper problem with signing Mendy. Addressed the problem of having no quality left back. 

But there is still work to do, we need better centre backs, don't be surprised to see us sign 2 next summer... Or even go all in for Declan Rice come January. 

We know the weaknesses of this team and so does Lampard and the board... It's a marathon not a sprint to fix it and Lampard's job is going to be to keep us competitive and in the top four until then. 

And the way things are looking with how our new front line attack is connecting together very nicely at such an early stage, meanwhile other top teams are struggling to get going, and our indifferent start see's us just a couple of points off the top. I'm sure the other teams will get going soon, but by the looks of our attack, were right on course up front to create pure havoc for defences this season, endorsed by the MOTD team last night.

[Brutos 3,309]

1 hour ago, abramovich said:

I think people are underestimating the toughness of the league and /or overestimate Frank's expertise when they say 'if only we had a certain player filling a certain position we'd be winning the title." We've been having systemic problems in the way we set up for over a year now, our opponents exploit those issues time and again and Frank so far seems unable to properly address that. 

Bringing in players of a high caliber certainly helps but the manager has to know how to make it work on the pitch.

Better players will never fix tactical issues coming from the manager/ coaching team. This misconception that by just bringing it better players will just stop us having holes in the middle of the park or we suddenly can defend better is a fairytale.

[Gol15 2,981]

4 hours ago, abramovich said:

At this level players are driven by two major factors: ambition to win and money. I'm not buying into the whole 'I signed because of the manager' nonsense, this is just a thing players say when they join a new club. Sure, Frank's phone conversations with Timo, Kai or Hakim probably reassured them of how important they were going to be in the way their new team will be set up to play, but the reality is, in this business managers come and go fairly often while star players sign long term contracts and outlast most managers. Werner or Havertz weren't born yesterday, they know Frank may be in charge for the next five years but it's much more likely he'll be gone long before that. And as much as they may like him as a person and respect his career as a footballer, if things don't improve on the pitch, where it matters, at some point down the line privately they'll be in favour of replacing him with someone who can improve the situation. 

Players sign for the club known for its ambition, winning history and wealth. And for the foreigners living in London is also probably a factor. That's about it. The rest is just a few words to please the fans.

If it was only about the ambition and money, Timo would have waited for Klopp as he knows that he can put Firmino on the bench and Kai would have waited for Bayern as it would be more convenient for him just like it would be more convenient for Timo to go to Liverpool, much easier clubs to succeed in.

There is something here that is very understated, the fact that a player knows that someone like Lampard appreciates him is like being valued from someone that you saw on TV wishing you were that good in the future, to have a figure like that is really what makes Lampard a pulling power, a few conversations on the phone with him and you as a professional player can feel a huge motivation to come to Chelsea. It's not all about money, the players that we signed have no real issue when it comes to money, to be in London is a factor but it's all of it that makes the deal done, not just the fact that they might be paid well because they would get paid well anywhere they choose to go because of their status.
They can have the same level of hope of winning something in another big club as well, probably even a higher hope in Bayern or Liverpool.

So I do buy the Lampard factor, sorry.

[haviet1 353]

5 hours ago, coco said:

Until the fans are allowed back into the grounds, all we will hear is more and more from the online fraternity of anti-Lampard w**kers. When they hear those loyal fans constantly singing his name, then they will remember they are in a minuscule minority.

20 goals in 7 games, you wouldn't get that under Sarri/FSW/Mourinho.

Keep Mendy and Silva fit, and we could be winning the league.

1.5 goals conceded per game. You don't get that with Mo or Sarri either. Tell the full story, not half. 

Champion? Lamp can't even keep a two goal lead and close out the game properly. One step at a time. 

[Simon35 15]

Let’s keep it real here. Lampard is a championship manager. Totally out of his depth. Why should people hide their opinions or be attacked for it. I guess I am plastic then since I have not seen any improvements from last season. No matter how much Money Chelsea spend nothing will change. Lampard may have been a great footballer, but don’t let that cloud your judgment about the job he is doing as a manager.

[Strider6003 3,235]

2 minutes ago, Simon35 said:

Let’s keep it real here. Lampard is a championship manager. Totally out of his depth. Why should people hide their opinions or be attacked for it. I guess I am plastic then since I have not seen any improvements from last season. No matter how much Money Chelsea spend nothing will change. Lampard may have been a great footballer, but don’t let that cloud your judgment about the job he is doing as a manager.

That might or might not be true.

Positive sign yesterday by playing Werner in his natural position and he gets two and unlucky not to get a hattrick.

With his new goalkeeper and preferred CB not present he has a get out card for me.

Even with these players back the midfield is not balanced and Frank does not always get his subs right perhaps yesterday its divided loyalty, did he promise to Ziyech he would get some minutes on the pitch.

I don't know.

Personally don't think Frank will be a great manager yet do think we will get us top four this season.

 

[Scott Harris 25,273]

3 hours ago, Sindre said:

Prime Matic and we'd be a serious contender. We'll probably be in for a hell of a fight for top 4 again though. If Van Dijk is out for the season i think we'll be in for a surprise champion but it just don't see us getting there yet. I'd keep an eye on Mourinho's Tottenham for the title unfortunately.

With that said, Lampard needs to fix this sh*t ASAP. I don't know if Jorginho and Kante are under instruction to both desert their position at the same time leaving those kinds of gaps but it needs fixing and quick.

 

It's one of the things I pointed out in the Jorginho thread. There is no protection for the defence and it's happening more often than it's not. It's so bad now that I even get worried about losing the ball in attacking positions. All the opposition needs to do is play a ball through our midfield and they are running straight at our defence. The fact that it happens so often is proof that the opposition manager knows exactly where our weaknesses are. 

[dkw 26,695]

59 minutes ago, Simon35 said:

Let’s keep it real here. Lampard is a championship manager. Totally out of his depth. Why should people hide their opinions or be attacked for it. I guess I am plastic then since I have not seen any improvements from last season. No matter how much Money Chelsea spend nothing will change. Lampard may have been a great footballer, but don’t let that cloud your judgment about the job he is doing as a manager.

So how does a championship manager who spends no money, integrates several youth players into the first team and has to endure the strangest season ever manage to get top 4 in the Premier League?

[Slojo 6,018]

57 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

It's one of the things I pointed out in the Jorginho thread. There is no protection for the defence and it's happening more often than it's not. It's so bad now that I even get worried about losing the ball in attacking positions. All the opposition needs to do is play a ball through our midfield and they are running straight at our defence. The fact that it happens so often is proof that the opposition manager knows exactly where our weaknesses are. 

You can't keep blaming Jorginho, where was Kante? Look at the space he was leaving between the midfield and defence, nowhere near the attackers. 

[abramovich 3,802]

2 hours ago, Gol15 said:

If it was only about the ambition and money, Timo would have waited for Klopp as he knows that he can put Firmino on the bench and Kai would have waited for Bayern as it would be more convenient for him just like it would be more convenient for Timo to go to Liverpool, much easier clubs to succeed in.

There is something here that is very understated, the fact that a player knows that someone like Lampard appreciates him is like being valued from someone that you saw on TV wishing you were that good in the future, to have a figure like that is really what makes Lampard a pulling power, a few conversations on the phone with him and you as a professional player can feel a huge motivation to come to Chelsea. It's not all about money, the players that we signed have no real issue when it comes to money, to be in London is a factor but it's all of it that makes the deal done, not just the fact that they might be paid well because they would get paid well anywhere they choose to go because of their status.
They can have the same level of hope of winning something in another big club as well, probably even a higher hope in Bayern or Liverpool.

So I do buy the Lampard factor, sorry.

You don't know what Klopp or Bayern would have done, none of us do, these are all assumptions. Who knows if Bayern would even have bought Havertz, they are not exactly known for splashing record fees around and no chance in hell of them paying anything close to what we paid for him, not now, not next year. Liverpool couldn't afford Werner, that's where we came in and got him. Post covid financial climate and our own unique situation with saving some money after being unable to spend put CFC in a great position compared to most other sides, and thankfully we took full advantage. Next year, it would have been a different story.

As for being appreciated by someone like Lamps, I think you're talking from a fan's point of view. These are professional footballers, this is their job and he's their boss, at least for here and now. Regardless of whether they idolized him as a player or are just saying what the club and fans want to hear, they didn't sign five year contracts with the club because their dream was to play for Lampard. After all, he's still a very young and inexperienced manager who's yet to win anything. What do you think's going to happen if Frank is sacked before the season's over? Timo and Kai hand in transfer requests because they care about Frank's project so much? Let's be real here.

As for winning things, we're known as the club that wins trophies, one of the most successful in that respect in the last decade and a half, and those trophies were won under different managers.

Edited October 18, 2020 by abramovich

[Munkworth 8,233]

4 hours ago, Sindre said:

Prime Matic and we'd be a serious contender. We'll probably be in for a hell of a fight for top 4 again though. If Van Dijk is out for the season i think we'll be in for a surprise champion but it just don't see us getting there yet. I'd keep an eye on Mourinho's Tottenham for the title unfortunately.

With that said, Lampard needs to fix this sh*t ASAP. I don't know if Jorginho and Kante are under instruction to both desert their position at the same time leaving those kinds of gaps but it needs fixing and quick.

 

That is one Makelele sized gap to be filled!

[Talal 5]

Lampard has to improve performance Chelsea or leaves Chelsea 

no other choice 

[Gol15 2,981]

15 minutes ago, abramovich said:

You don't know what Klopp or Bayern would have done, none of us do, these are all assumptions. Who knows if Bayern would even have bought Havertz, they are not exactly known for splashing record fees around and no chance in hell of them paying anything close to what we paid for him, not now, not next year. Liverpool couldn't afford Werner, that's where we came in and got him. Post covid financial climate and our own unique situation with saving some money after being unable to spend put CFC in a great position compared to most other sides, and thankfully we took full advantage. Next year, it would have been a different story.

As for being appreciated by someone like Lamps, I think you're talking from a fan's point of view. These are professional footballers, this is their job and he's their boss, at least for here and now. Regardless of whether they idolized him as a player or are just saying what the club and fans want to hear, they don't sign five year contracts with the club because their dream is to play for Lampard. After all, he's still a very young and inexperienced manager who's yet to win anything. What do you think's going to happen if Frank is sacked before the season's over? Timo and Kai hand in transfer requests because they care about Frank's project so much? Let's be real here.

As for winning things, we're known as the club that wins trophies, one of the most successful in that respect in the last decade and a half, and those trophies were won under different managers.

I agree to disagree. After all we both just speculate here how a player really feels about playing for a particular club...

[abramovich 3,802]

Just now, Gol15 said:

I agree to disagree. After all we both just speculate here how a player really feels about playing for a particular club...

You're correct. Let's just leave it at that.

[Scott Harris 25,273]

1 hour ago, Slojo said:

You can't keep blaming Jorginho, where was Kante? Look at the space he was leaving between the midfield and defence, nowhere near the attackers. 

Because Kante's role isn't to sit deep in this situation. At this moment, we had just lost the ball after being on the attack, so Kante was taking up the role as a supporting player, exactly what a box to box type player should be doing. Jorginho on the other hand had no business being involved in the attack. He should be on the half way line just incase the ball is turned over, which it was, but he is too high up the pitch to do his defensive duties. Jorginho's job is to be the link between the moving the ball from defense to attack and be an extra man in midfield just incase the opposition win the ball back. He doesn't need to have the defensive capabilities of somebody like Kante, but just being there and holding up play would give somebody like Kante a chance to get back from doing his attacking duties and help out in defence. We can't expect Kante to be supporting the attackers and then instantly transporting himself to the half way line if the attack breaks down, Jorginho is the one that should be there

[coco 14,226]

2 hours ago, haviet1 said:

1.5 goals conceded per game. You don't get that with Mo or Sarri either. Tell the full story, not half. 

Champion? Lamp can't even keep a two goal lead and close out the game properly. One step at a time. 

But we wanted to be like city and score goals goals goals, at least i stay awake the whole 90 minutes now, the football JM2.2 Sarri and FSW played was  

[Gol15 2,981]

6 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Because Kante's role isn't to sit deep in this situation. At this moment, we had just lost the ball after being on the attack, so Kante was taking up the role as a supporting player, exactly what a box to box type player should be doing. Jorginho on the other hand had no business being involved in the attack. He should be on the half way line just incase the ball is turned over, which it was, but he is too high up the pitch to do his defensive duties. Jorginho's job is to be the link between the moving the ball from defense to attack and be an extra man in midfield just incase the opposition win the ball back. He doesn't need to have the defensive capabilities of somebody like Kante, but just being there and holding up play would give somebody like Kante a chance to get back from doing his attacking duties and help out in defence. We can't expect Kante to be supporting the attackers and then instantly transporting himself to the half way line if the attack breaks down, Jorginho is the one that should be there

Jorginho wasn't positioned well and he doesn't have the pace to get there so it's a clear problem once our press is broken, but last season I have seen all our deep midfielders not being as deep as our backline in similar situations, it's about the tactic and not about the personnel.

Lampard needs to further adjust the high-press tactic because it's not only the midfield that gets broken it's also the full-backs that can be late to defend their own area, it's all due to the managers instructions.

 

[General 1,575]

The defending and goalkeeping positions are frustrating. But overall Chelsea sit 7th in the league on 8 points one off top 4 at 9 points. It’s certainly not the time to panic or sack anybody. Hopefully the new players Silva & Mendy are fit for the next round. The league is excitingly unpredictable and with Red Vermin injuries any one of a handful of teams could be contenders this season. So CHILL everybody ! 
 

[Slojo 6,018]

39 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Because Kante's role isn't to sit deep in this situation. At this moment, we had just lost the ball after being on the attack, so Kante was taking up the role as a supporting player, exactly what a box to box type player should be doing. Jorginho on the other hand had no business being involved in the attack. He should be on the half way line just incase the ball is turned over, which it was, but he is too high up the pitch to do his defensive duties. Jorginho's job is to be the link between the moving the ball from defense to attack and be an extra man in midfield just incase the opposition win the ball back. He doesn't need to have the defensive capabilities of somebody like Kante, but just being there and holding up play would give somebody like Kante a chance to get back from doing his attacking duties and help out in defence. We can't expect Kante to be supporting the attackers and then instantly transporting himself to the half way line if the attack breaks down, Jorginho is the one that should be there

Except Kante isn't doing either of those things, that's the problem. At least Jorginho actually has offensive output, look at the assist yesterday. Kante is doing both duties poorly, bad on the ball and not enough off the ball. 

But as usual Jorginho always gets the blame.