Following the 3-1 humbling loss to Manchester City that revealed the Blues’ tactical deficiencies, Frank Lampard marked an unwanted stat – becoming the manager with the third-worst win ratio in Abramovich era, only next to Andre Vilas-Boas and Claudio Ranieri.
In a total of 81 matches, Lampard has guided Chelsea to 42 wins, drew 17 and lost 22, with a 52% win record.
Frank Lampard’s tactical knowledge has been questioned several times since his arrival at the Bridge. His go-to lineup has been 4-3-3, even when Chelsea have been inadequate upfront, firing none of the cylinders. A 4-2-3-1 formation has been called into contention, considering the fact that Kai Havertz could operate as a ‘trequartista’ styled number ten just behind a lone striker, possibly with Mount and Ziyech on either side.
The Chelsea manager believes his midfield system of deploying three behind a front three and creating space for wingers, with two free-flowing number eight’s in midfield, can be as efficient as and arguably more dangerous than using an orthodox number ten.
Speaking after the win against Morecambe, he said:
“I’ve heard some people talk about the system with two eights as though they have to run in straight lines up and down the pitch. It doesn’t have to be that way when you have players with different qualities like Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante.”
“These players play in different ways and arrive between the lines and sometimes into the area inhabited by an orthodox number ten. And that can be more dangerous than a number 10 that just stands there all day. They can be, for me, more dangerous, but those are the things that need time.”
Whatever formation Lampard might ponder to operate with, one thing is clear: he is in desperate need of consistent victories in order to get his Chelsea managerial career back on track after winning just one of his last six Premier League games.
