17 Dec 2020 21:42:40
I'm really worried about the game Monday. If we lose is Frank close to losing his job? I want nothing more than to see Frank succeed here but he needs to definitely be more proactive with subs and not making silly decisions like moving Pulisic RW when he had Semedo on toast. I do think we have a title winning team there but Frank isn't getting the best out of them. He hasn't used CHO as much as he should have either.
If Werner is starting I think he needs to be starting as a CF. I'd be intrigued to see him and Kai up top with Timo playing off him. Kai's best goalscoring form came when Leverkusen started using him up front so maybe that's an option. I know it's harsh on Giroud but he shouldn't be starting every week.
17 Dec 2020 22:24:59
The press, fans and some posters would be calling for Lamps to be sacked but I will not.
I will continue to be critical of Lamps or any player if it is deserved but I always prefer to make judgements at the end of the season.
Of course, I want us to win the Premiership but I think a total of 76pts will comfortably see us into the Champions League and also show progress.
I think it will be a hard game next Monday but I fancy us to get a result. It would be a nice Christmas present for the fans.
17 Dec 2020 22:27:21
All teams have bad spells, especially with lots of new players. Frank will be here for a long time.
17 Dec 2020 23:46:11
Lose his job? Seriously? two games ago we were pushing for titles and the best team in the country. deary me, O ye of little faith. remember this is a young squad still learning and gelling and bad patches happen. long way to go yet!
18 Dec 2020 04:13:52
@Graham, I feel some of us are beginning to come of the legend bandwagon to see the reality. I guess it's a shared dream among all Chelsea fans to see Lampard succeed as our manager but imo it's too soon for him to manage us at this time. He continues to make same mistakes as last season and even more especially team selection, game management, seem not to know the strength of his players, etc which are the basics of being a manager. Like I have always said, we are grooming him to be our manager which is rather unusual. Normal with players but with a manager because with Chelsea (ambitious club) and the amount spent on signings, he's expected to deliver asap. We're likely to be the bottom half after being touted as favorite for the title by many a few weeks ago.
We made the top 4 last season because other teams were bad but don't expect such favor this time as others are stronger like Spurs, etc. It's even worse knowing that Frank was given all he requested for the season all to other manager's jealousy.
Let's continue to wait for him to come good ASAP but I wouldn't be blinded by the the legend thing if it becomes apparent that he's not good enough for the job. Chelsea is bigger than any one person and we can't lower the standard for anybody.
Blue is the color.
18 Dec 2020 05:16:06
As bluekaz pointed out above. 2 games ago Lampard was the messiah and we were ready made title challengers. We have no wingers, Lampard has tried to make do by playing others out of position as wingers and it hasn’t worked. But the idea of playing a wing back system as the solution baffles me as Chilwelk and James pretty play as wing backs anyway in a back 4.
CHO hasn’t played much due to injuries, breaking lockdown, he’s been said to have been lazy in training, the whole r*** situation. Not really sure how Lampard could have played him much more given all of that.
Werner is not a winger, he’s played well enough out there in general this season but lacks the creativity to suit the role. His success has been down to getting into the space left behind by the fullback. Against Everton he was up against CB’s playing in the FB position so they weren’t leaving any space in behind and then Wolves it was a back 5. He’s literally exhausted, and he definitely needs a break.
18 Dec 2020 08:05:07
It's pretty clear our losses have been effected by key injuries to wide players, which has really impacted our attacking play.
Could Lampard have done things differently, yes, and I for one was keen to see a back three utilised. But he has a system now, and he's sticking to that system. Last season he was criticised for changing the system too often.
As for the subs. Certainly in the Everton game it was clear that we had very little options to positively impact the game, from and attacking point of view.