Chelsea Blues’ Clues: Problems Lampard needs to solve to avoid the sack

3. Find a Plan B

There are some managers, like Antonio Conte, who believe in tailoring tactics according to the players at their disposal. Then there are others, like Maurizio Sarri, who instruct the players to adapt to a single philosophy. Both kinds of managers can be successful, as Lampard’s predecessors have shown, but the lack of a ‘Plan B’ is often the downfall for most.

Lampard identifies with the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 as his way of playing football. His game plan is structured around fullback-winger combinations putting in an array of crosses, with players making different types of runs in the box to look for scoring opportunities. An example of this would be Hakim Ziyech and Reece James offering different crossing styles from the right wing, while Pulisic and Ben Chilwell make runs to the far post, Abraham attacks the near post and Mount drifts in between. N’Golo Kante or Mateo Kovacic would stay on the edge of the box in this situation, waiting for a cutback.

With the right personnel, this system works, as seen during the team’s 17-run unbeaten streak earlier in the season. After deconstructing the nuances of it though, as most professional managers would do, it becomes rather simple to defend against. The team’s recent terrible form can be attributed to teams finding ways to nullify Lampard’s system and the Englishman refusing to try something different.

Granted that adjusting to a new system is difficult mid-season, but a game plan that revolves around crossing the ball to Werner deserves to be restructured. Werner might not have been as much a Lampard signing as he is a Marina Granovskaia/Roman Abramovich signing, but the German is no doubt a top talent. He might not contribute to build-up play or work as a lone striker, but in the right system, he has the potential to be a deadly forward. The same can be said about Havertz, whose struggles could be attributed more towards fitness at this juncture, but he clearly has not found the right role in this team yet. The German’s best performance thus far, came as No. 10 in midfield, a position he has hardly played in ever after.

When his principle system does not work for an extended period, as it is now, Lampard needs to start playing to the strengths of his star players. Rather than being more Sarri, it’s time to be more Conte. Be it moving to a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 with the Germans up front or experimenting with an unconventional 4-4-2 diamond, Lampard needs to be open to change. It might come at the cost of swallowing his pride; after all, he did spend £220 million to play a certain style of football, but at least it will help him survive long enough to perfect his primary system.

What do you think Lampard needs to fix in order to save his job? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!