MY ACCOUNT
Frank Lampard said he believes the standards at Chelsea have dropped after he signed off as interim manager with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle.
The result means Lampard failed to register a single home victory during his second spell in charge, with his last win as manager at Stamford Bridge still a 3-1 triumph over West Ham in December 2020.
It took a Kieran Trippier own goal, the defender deflecting the ball into the net midway through the first half, to cancel out Anthony Gordon’s early strike.
This was at least an improved performance from Chelsea, particularly in the second half where they played with an attacking initiative rarely seen under Lampard.
After a first half in which Newcastle had made Chelsea look ordinary, the young trio of Noni Madueke, Lewis Hall and substitute Carey Chukwuemeka played with the maturity to take charge of the game and drive their team on.
That has happened too often this season, especially at home where there have been six Premier League defeats and only 20 goals scored — the same number as Bournemouth and three fewer than relegated Leicester.
Lampard revealed he had recognised early in his tenure that leadership and cohesion were lacking among a bloated squad and hoped that a new manager, expected to be Mauricio Pochettino, would be able to slim down and galvanise the first-team group.
He said: “The standards collectively have dropped. I can be honest about that now that it’s my last game, I might not see some of them that much anymore.
“The standards of the collective for a club like Chelsea have to be at the maximum or you won’t be physically competitive enough, or you won’t be able to play at a high level in a way the Premier League demands.
“If you’re not together in the dressing room and not vocal, driving each other and competitive, any top team has to have that.
“When I came in very quickly I could see that wasn’t there enough. Of course, a very good manager will help that but everyone has to take responsibility — players and club alike.”
Chelsea’s form has nosedived since Lampard was appointed on April 6, with problems that had been apparent under former manager Graham Potter having only been exacerbated.
Todd Boehly’s whirlwind transfer activity during his first year of ownership has produced a squad of 34 first-team players that both managers have said proved hugely challenging to work with.
It has contributed to Chelsea recording a first bottom-half finish since 1996 and a record low tally of points and goals scored in the Premier League era.
