Seven preseason games are in the books and now all that remains is the main event. How did Frank Lampard’s first Chelsea preseason go?
Preseason plays by different rules than the regular season. The main goal of any preseason is not to win, but to look ready for the season (though winning helps). The players have to get fit, they have to understand the tactics being asked of them, and they have to look like they are trending in the right direction.
Frank Lampard’s first Chelsea preseason had four wins, two draws, and one loss. In that time, the Blues scored 18 goals while conceding 11. But what does all that really mean?
The first goal of the players getting fit was completed. Lampard started the preseason by giving players a half at a time which may have been a little too much at first. But his set up will ask a lot of the team so having legs that can go and go was a must.
The Blues also looked to have understood their tactics as time went on, at least for the most part. Lampard primarily experimented with two shapes, the 4-2-3-1 and the 4-diamond-2, with the former looking like the main set up for now.
Offensively, Lampard allows much more decision making than the previous two Chelsea managers. Chelsea allows the other team to push up on to them to create space in behind. Then, they have little fear to play the dangerous through ball or long ball to create a break away situation. Lampard has also encouraged long shots and crosses to an extent few modern managers will allow.
Defense is where the majority of the issues lie which should not come as a surprise to anyone that watched Derby County last season. Lampard’s style is somewhat caught in two minds. The midfielders and attackers will press aggressively to get the ball back quickly, but if that fails the defense will not be in a position to do the same. Lampard’s defensive line sits deeper and focuses more on containing than pressing. While this allows for space in behind the opponent when the ball is won, it also leaves the defense exposed until the midfield can get back to assist.
This is not dissimilar to an issue faced last season. If Chelsea’s midfield was passed last season, the midfield was instructed not to come back and help the defense. Instead, they were to maintain their zones. But overall, the midfield tried to contain the opponent last year and the defensive line was pushed up higher and closer, but the overall effect of the defense being exposed was the same then as it is now.
The hope is that N’Golo Kante’s return to fitness will help fix some of that issue. Lampard’s midfielders are allowed to come back, but they do need the time to do so. Kante is seemingly the only midfielder capable of rushing back in time to assist so with his return, the issue should hopefully be alleviated somewhat.
But the Blues do seem to be trending in the right direction overall. Moral is high and they seem ready for the match against Manchester United. More than anything, the Blues feel capable of scoring at any moment which has not been the feeling for the last two seasons. In a sense, Lampard has brought the fight for every inch mentality his Chelsea used to have to the new Chelsea.
The defensive line exposure is an issue Lampard will have to solve with or without Kante, but it does appear that the proclamations of Chelsea slipping out of top six have been premature. Top four will still be a challenge, but it is one that Lampard and his players are very much capable of meeting.
Frank Lampard’s preseason grade: B+, primarily due to the defensive issues in the last three matches.