Chelsea Blues’ Clues: How can Frank Lampard fix defense?
By Varun Dani
Frank Lampard seems to be assembling one of the best attacks in the world, but how will he fix the Chelsea defense that has been the cause of every worry?
With the additions of Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner and soon Kai Havertz, Frank Lampard has completely restructured Chelsea’s front line. The offence that had become stale and predictable for a couple of years is now potentially on par with that of the league’s best and maybe even the world.
But while Stamford Bridge is destined to see mesmerizing football on one end of the field, it’s no secret that Chelsea’s biggest concerns lie at the other end of it. Lampard cut a considerably frustrated figure multiple times last season as he watched his team consistently fail to perform the simplest of defensive duties.
Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea was built on the foundation of a mean defense, one that took no prisoners and braved its way to win every trophy. It’s no secret that Lampard is rebuilding a fallen giant with a different, rather offensive identity, but fixing his defensive fragilities will be a prerequisite to any major success.
Over the course of the summer transfer window and the first friendly against Brighton, the Englishman has dropped some clues of his plan to solidify his back line. Let’s break them down.
The promised left back: Ben Chilwell
When Lampard took over in the summer of 2019, one of his first rumored targets was Ben Chilwell. The name was touted all season in the rumor mill and again in the summer until Chelsea finally snapped him up for a cool 50 million.
The left back position has been a problem area for Chelsea ever since Ashley Cole left in 2013. While Jose Mourinho solved it by shifting natural right back Cesar Azpilicueta to the left and Antonio Conte introduced a formation that eliminated the position altogether, there was never a permanent fix for the problem.
Lampard suffered the consequences of that last season, as Marcos Alonso and Emerson were found out time and again. In Chilwell, Lampard may have finally found the player that best suits his system.
The Englishman’s ideal system requires his left back to press up the field relentless to create offensive opportunities, with recovery speed to track back in a moment’s notice. While Alonso could do the former spectacularly, his inability to recover in time cost the team.
Chilwell had shown in much of the 2019-20 season, that he is capable of excelling at both ends of the spectrum. The Englishman is also well drilled at defending set pieces, an area Chelsea massively struggled with last season.
Provided he can stay fit, Chilwell is positioned to be Chelsea’s next great left back, fortifying the left side of the defense in the short and long term.