Chelsea’s Frank Lampard is imperfect, but has the better of Jose Mourinho

Chelsea’s Frank Lampard is still a developing manager that makes mistakes. He just never seems to make them against Jose Mourinho.

What do Jose Mourinho and Nigel Adkins have in common? They are the only two managers Frank Lampard has managed against three times and won each and every time.

Of course, the Derby County win against Manchester United last season will remain the highlight but that should not dismiss from being the first manager to get a league double over Mourinho. What is even more noteworthy is the manner of the most recent that showed Lampard has the better of his former coach.

In the buildup to the match, Mourinho said he was “told” that Chelsea would go three at the back. Afterwards he admitted it was an educated guess (and not a hard one at that). The Blues have, after all, gone to three at the back in other times of trouble this season. Mourinho merely followed the road map.

Except it still tripped Mourinho up. He had the road map. He knew which way the turns would take him. And the three at the back still seemed to completely confound his side.

For whatever reason, a three at the back formation almost always manages to trip Mourinho up. And for a manager who made his very reputation on the back of adjusting and countering opponents, it remains odd that he A: guessed correctly which formation Lampard would use and B: still seemed completely surprised by it.

Maybe Mourinho was merely trying to get into Lampard’s head. While at times it feels like every commentator always sees a plan with Mourinho, his history does lend to the possibility of it if nothing else. Mourinho says he heard Chelsea would play back three, Lampard hears that and decides to swerve to a 4-3-3, and Mourinho has him right where he wants him. Right?

Except Lampard did not take the bait because why would he? Mourinho was absolutely right that Chelsea go to a back three when things turn sour. Lampard has not shown himself to be a manager ashamed to adapt a bit, even in the short term. So to a back three Chelsea went. And the fact Mourinho seems confounded by it almost every time was only further justification.

The 2-1 scoreline was not a fair reflection of how one sided the match was overall. Tottenham had a few moments, but the vast majority of the match was in the control of the Pride of London. Whatever adjustments Mourinho did make had little to no effect. Lampard got the better of him tactically for the second time this season.

While it is possible Chelsea and Tottenham could meet in the Champions League or the FA Cup this season, it is unlikely to happen. Lampard will almost surely end the season having gotten the complete better of his former coach. Just like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems to know the secret to Lampard, Lampard seems to know the secret to Mourinho.

Maybe he should have gone somewhere other than England after all?