TOP FOUR OR DONE FOR
Champions League spot vital to save Lampard
FRANK LAMPARD is expected to reach the top four this season as doubts grow about his future at Chelsea.
The hierarchy want to give the under-pressure boss time to turn the situation around and do not want to make a panic decision mid-season.
But Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann, below, Thomas Tuchel and former Blues striker Andriy Shevchenko, now in charge of Ukraine, are being touted as potential replacements, while ex-Juventus boss Max Allegri has admitted he wants to manage in England.
Chelsea may see moving towards a German or German speaker as a good option if they replace Lampard given the squad includes Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Antonio Rudiger.
That said, Champions League qualification remains the barometer which is likely to decide Lampard’s fate.
He has tried to play down the club’s expectations this season but, having spent £200million last summer, the hierarchy believe Chelsea should be in the top four.
There is also concern that Lampard has struggled to get the best out of the new big signings. Werner, a Germany international who cost £50m, is a case in point.
They also spent £71m on Havertz but the former Bayer Leverkusen star has struggled badly.
Lampard, 42, is a Chelsea legend but his decision not to have more experience in his backroom staff may now be questioned. Many younger managers have brought in an older head and that may explain why rumours about Avram Grant returning in some capacity have surfaced.
Lampard has been brutally honest in his assessment of recent performances and also about the level of the squad, claiming they lack experience to challenge for the title.
That may not go down well with a group of players who have plenty of caps and those who joined to fight for the Premier League crown.
But it was also clear the Blues lacked confidence in the 2-0 loss at Leicester on Tuesday and self belief is a huge issue amid a run of just two wins from their past eight league games.
Lampard is still bullish about his chances of turning things around and his first season in the job must be seen as an overwhelming success given he got Chelsea into the top four despite the transfer ban and the sale of Eden Hazard.
This is the first bad run of his reign and the club knew it was a gamble to bring him back.
But Lampard’s credit in the bank at Chelsea is arguably already buying him time where others may have been sacked in the past.
And last season’s achievements point to Chelsea realising Lampard is a very good manager in the making.
If they act now, they may regret it in the future.