Lampard faces three key games for Chelsea future
Frank Lampard is fighting to hold on to his Chelsea job as owner Roman Abramovich considers how long to give the manager to turn around the slump in form that has seen his team beaten five times in eight Premier League games.
Chelsea’s latest defeat came at the hands of Leicester City, which left Lampard’s team nine points behind Brendan Rodgers’ side and off the pace in the race for the top four.
Chelsea have three big home games coming up against Luton Town in the FA Cup and Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley in the Premier League, which offer the opportunity to revive the season.
Lampard has not sought reassurances over his future, but remains confident he can find a solution to Chelsea’s current predicament and knows he must instigate a quick turnaround in fortunes.
Now 18 months into the threeyear deal he was given when appointed in the summer of 2019, Lampard overachieved in his first season, during which Chelsea did not sign any players, by guiding the club to Champions League qualification and the final of the FA Cup.
Abramovich spent £220million on new players last summer and, although Chelsea qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League and remain in the FA Cup, their league position is not deemed good enough.
As well as judging whether to allow Lampard to continue, Abramovich will have to consider who would replace the 42-year-old if he made a change during the season. It is believed Julian Nagelsmann would be among Chelsea’s top targets if Lampard went, but it appears unlikely the German would leave RB Leipzig before the summer.
That would leave Abramovich with the task of either trying to find an interim coach or hiring an out-ofwork coach such as former Paris Stgermain manager Thomas Tuchel or Massimiliano Allegri.
Lampard’s departure would split opinion among Chelsea fans, particularly those who still idolise him from the former midfielder’s playing days, when he became the club’s all-time record goalscorer.
Lampard’s desire to redouble his efforts on the training pitch and prompt an improvement was echoed by 36-year-old defender Thiago Silva.
Silva yesterday posted on Instagram: “Nobody said it was going to be easy. A lot of effort, determination, courage and dedication is required to win. That’s why we will not give up. We need to give our blood and sweat.”
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy said “it’s up to us to rectify the current situation”, while midfielder Mason Mount admitted “we have to have a look at ourselves, look at how we played, see where we can improve and come back stronger next game”.