Even by Chelsea’s standards, the slump in the space of four weeks has been remarkable. Not naive enough to ignore Chelsea’s tendency to react to results and performances like we’ve seen lately regardless of whether I think he should get more time or not.

31 minutes ago, mm24 said:

Frank should get at least until the end of the season. We were never winning the title this season anyway. If this poor form continues in the next month or two and we drop out of top10 then start searching for next manager and anounce him at the end of the season. 

This is not even about winning the title. I believe most fans gave up that hope after losing to Liverpool and dropping silly points early on. Even with the 17 game unbeaten run (includes cup games), the realistic hope was extinguished after the Everton loss.

The big concern is top 4. We know Liverpool and City are shoe ins, Spurs have Jose in his second season and now Utd are on crazy form taking the spot that I really believe at the bare minimum we should be achieving. Finishing out the top 4 would be absolutely disastrous. 

7 minutes ago, The Brit said:

Even by Chelsea’s standards, the slump in the space of four weeks has been remarkable. Not naive enough to ignore Chelsea’s tendency to react to results and performances like we’ve seen lately regardless of whether I think he should get more time or not.

Seems to happen every winter to us. No idea why. For me I'm always happy to judge at the end of the year. Long way to go yet and it's very close in the top 10.

Of greater concern to me in the long term seems to be Frank's inability to consistently beat teams at our level. He seems to be a guy who beats the teams he should beat but doesn't quite have the wits at this stage to get over the line in the big games.

2 minutes ago, Spiller86 said:

Seems to happen every winter to us. No idea why. For me I'm always happy to judge at the end of the year. Long way to go yet and it's very close in the top 10.

Of greater concern to me in the long term seems to be Frank's inability to consistently beat teams at our level. He seems to be a guy who beats the teams he should beat but doesn't quite have the wits at this stage to get over the line in the big games.

Weirdly it’s pretty much the complete reversal to last season

27 minutes ago, forbzy said:

Not sure either Ole, or Arteta can confidently say they win the big games. Arteta won the cup final last season but the FA Cup is not what it was. They got a big win against us a couple of weeks ago but that was more down to our poor form. They have a winnable run of games and I think will rise up the table a bit, but the underlying issues are there and will return.

Unite genuinely have a good squad and should be challenging for the big trophies. They look weak defensively though and I feel that will cost them in the big games, as it did in the Champions League, and the Europa last season.

Ole definitely wins the big games. United are exactly the same as us in terms of squad strength imo but believe it or not, they are under more scrutiny being the bigger club. Thing is Ole seems to turn it around when their standards almost hit rock bottom and he lives to fight another day. Not to mention  that United do what United do and get last minute winners from losing positions, something we almost never ever do. 

As for Arteta, Arsenal are just a joke club and have been for 10 years. Their owners are crap compared to Roman and now they are only 3 points behind us. Fair to say, we are rightfully a laughing stock at this moment in time.

4 minutes ago, Spiller86 said:

Seems to happen every winter to us. No idea why. For me I'm always happy to judge at the end of the year. Long way to go yet and it's very close in the top 10.

Of greater concern to me in the long term seems to be Frank's inability to consistently beat teams at our level. He seems to be a guy who beats the teams he should beat but doesn't quite have the wits at this stage to get over the line in the big games.

It does happen every winter but the difference is, we usually have better starts that include 6 pointer wins against rival clubs that kind of gives us a buffer. Seems different this season to the point where if we don't avoid another crisis then it will be too much to claw back. And yes I said crisis, this is not a blip. Losing to Everton and Wolves can be seen as a blip. Add on a further two shocking defeats and weak performances against all a weak Arsenal and depleted City teamsl and it's 100% a crisis.

Not sure if this stat is true but I read somewhere that we’ve only made 4 through balls this season. If that’s true then that is very worrying for a team that’s supposed to be playing possession football.

24 minutes ago, Frankie8Lampard said:

Not sure if this stat is true but I read somewhere that we’ve only made 4 through balls this season. If that’s true then that is very worrying for a team that’s supposed to be playing possession football.

I wouldn't be surprised, Kante made 0 through balls last season and he's now at the base of our midfield instead of Jorginho that was comfortably making the highest amount of passes into the final third.

When your whole tactic is to rely on Kante and Mount pressing and making interceptions, you're not really playing possession football you're playing reactionary football, no wonder that the only thing we do is to just leave it to Chilwell and James to put up a cross.

Edited January 3, 20215 yr by Gol15

13 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

I wouldn't be surprised, Kante made 0 through balls last season and he's now at the base of our midfield instead of Jorginho that was comfortably making the highest amount of passes into the final third.

When your whole tactic is to rely on Kante and Mount pressing and making interceptions, you're not really playing possession football you're playing reactionary football, no wonder that the only thing we do is to just leave it to Chilwell and James to put up a cross.

Our best attacking play this season has definitely come from the flanks. Very little of note down the middle. With that in mind maybe we would be better off setting up as 3-5-2.

Kante, Kova & Mount’s form seems to have dropped off a cliff at exactly the same time. Zouma’s defficincies aren’t being masked anymore and Pulisic looks scared to shoot. Coupled with Werner’s confidence issues and the team not supplying him and Havertz getting COVID it really is the perfect storm for FL. 

2 minutes ago, rtwelch said:

Kante, Kova & Mount’s form seems to have dropped off a cliff at exactly the same time. Zouma’s defficincies aren’t being masked anymore and Pulisic looks scared to shoot. Coupled with Werner’s confidence issues and the team not supplying him and Havertz getting COVID it really is the perfect storm for FL. 

Exactly. A horrendous state of affairs. Pressure building by the day. Kante's suspension doesn't help, as we know Jorginho is in very poor form as well. A malfunctioning midfield is a massive problem for any side, but when you have a misfiring attack and a wobbly defence at the same time you are in deep sh*t. 

Which is exactly where the team and Lamps are.

1 hour ago, KonaKai Blue said:

This is not even about winning the title. I believe most fans gave up that hope after losing to Liverpool and dropping silly points early on. Even with the 17 game unbeaten run (includes cup games), the realistic hope was extinguished after the Everton loss.

The big concern is top 4. We know Liverpool and City are shoe ins, Spurs have Jose in his second season and now Utd are on crazy form taking the spot that I really believe at the bare minimum we should be achieving. Finishing out the top 4 would be absolutely disastrous. 

There's no chance we come top 4. 

6 minutes ago, bisright1 said:

There's no chance we come top 4. 

I agree. Top 4 looks unrealistic at the moment. We would have to see a massive turnaround in form and confidence, not to mention some wins in key games against top 4 challengers.

3 hours ago, Bluesince66 said:

Sorry but you can also say its insanity persisting with a manager with very little experience who's team looks lost,and extremely void of ideas. 

For a 4/5 week period? Out of 15/16 months? Christ if you’ve been supporting us since 1966 I assume you’ve been through much harder times than this. If we’re sacking managers every time we have a dodgy month we’ll run out of managers in the next decade.

If they sack Lampard tomorrow morning then I am f*cking done with them.

He’s had a bad 4 weeks after a fantastic 16 months considering the circumstances. If that’s not good enough to give him time then what is?

Yeah let’s fire Frank, who loves the club deeply and get some German in who doesn’t give a flying f*ck about us right now.

Come on. Stick with Frank and let him ride the storm, I honestly believe he will turn this around. I mean look at Ole and Arteta, absolute clowns, still have managed to improve the situation at their clubs.

If we don’t give Lampard time to turn this around, I give up. Tuchel, Nagelsmann, Poch, Allegri, no thank you. Give me Frank any day.

58 minutes ago, bisright1 said:

There's no chance we come top 4. 

Looking unlikely unless we change manager 

Remember when we made fun of Wenger and his 4th place trophy? Yet so many are very disturbed at the thought of missing out for a year on being in Uefas pride and joy competition. 

Missing out on that does not matter for me in terms of Frank's future. I would like to see Frank get the full 3 years. If we are still like this and we dont improve with that time then fair enough, no new contract and he walks. For me I can give a club legend 18 more months after a good first season and for all he did for us before.

This season is always going to be challenging, and apart from the noise in the media, doubt there's much truth in him losing the job. He does have to make some sort of change soon, if and when players start losing faith, that's where the real problem begins.

Seeing as our midfield can't even get a shot on goal this season and certainly not today, is there any chance of getting Madison and send Drinkwater + cash back to Leicester?  Or let Villa keep Barkley, throw in Alonso + cash for Grealish......just a thought.

8 minutes ago, CFCCAN said:

Seeing as our midfield can't even get a shot on goal this season and certainly not today, is there any chance of getting Madison and send Drinkwater + cash back to Leicester?  Or let Villa keep Barkley, throw in Alonso + cash for Grealish......just a thought.

Might be time for Gilmour and Havertz/Ziyech as a number 10.

I think it's fairly clear a significant change is required in the way that we setup, I think Frank needs to sacrifice one of the Central midfielders and either play 3 at the back or play 2 CF's (3-4-3 or 4-2-4).

I think if Frank is looking to shoehorn Werner in the starting 11 then he will need to partner him up top with a target man who can create space for him and offer some physicality. 

11 minutes ago, Imran_CFC said:

I think it's fairly clear a significant change is required in the way that we setup, I think Frank needs to sacrifice one of the Central midfielders and either play 3 at the back or play 2 CF's (3-4-3 or 4-2-4).

I think if Frank is looking to shoehorn Werner in the starting 11 then he will need to partner him up top with a target man who can create space for him and offer some physicality. 

We have the personel to make 3 at the back work. The other system we would need to combatant midfielders such as Essien and Keane I feel.

Whether by fluke or not Arteta brought in players like Smith Rowe and Martinelli who ran through brick walls that game for the shirt.

Whoever they are Lampard needs to find them and pick them, whether they are youngsters like Gilmour, tomori and Anjorin or more expierenced players that are not being used like Rudiger and Jorginho, I dont care.

As Roy Keane pointed out the lack of working back, the jogging instead of sprinting is not acceptable. Nothing to do with systems and tactics when a players does not give his all. I am personally sick of seeing this as we have seen players sulk under various managers. Is not the manager you play for, is the shirt, the club, the fans. It should be a point of pride and we need 11 starters and 3 subs who will give their all whether we are 4 up or 4 down.

2 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Remember when we made fun of Wenger and his 4th place trophy? Yet so many are very disturbed at the thought of missing out for a year on being in Uefas pride and joy competition. 

Missing out on that does not matter for me in terms of Frank's future. I would like to see Frank get the full 3 years. If we are still like this and we dont improve with that time then fair enough, no new contract and he walks. For me I can give a club legend 18 more months after a good first season and for all he did for us before.

Agreed. I don't care so much about top 4 if we are making progress as a squad. Having said that I suspect there will be pressure from the board based on the financial rewards associated with the Champions League. If Frank lasts the rest of the season, and we finish outside top 4, I wouldn't be surprised to see him replaced in the summer.

13 minutes ago, forbzy said:

Agreed. I don't care so much about top 4 if we are making progress as a squad. Having said that I suspect there will be pressure from the board based on the financial rewards associated with the Champions League. If Frank lasts the rest of the season, and we finish outside top 4, I wouldn't be surprised to see him replaced in the summer.

Neither would I and it would mean Roman kept his word to Frank about giving him two full seasons at least, if that is true.