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Tactics and Transfers: Frank, COVID economics and the Bank of Chelsea

By Barrett Rouen

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Frank Lampard and Jody Morris of Chelsea show their delight after they watch Tammy Abraham's goal back on the big screen after he scores a goal to make it 2-0 during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Burnley FC at Stamford Bridge on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 11: Frank Lampard and Jody Morris of Chelsea show their delight after they watch Tammy Abraham's goal back on the big screen after he scores a goal to make it 2-0 during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Burnley FC at Stamford Bridge on January 11, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images) /
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chelsea, roman abramovich
Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich applauds, as players celebrate their league title win at the end of the Premier League football match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge in London on May 21, 2017. Chelsea’s extended victory parade reached a climax with the trophy presentation on May 21, 2017 after being crowned Premier League champions with two games to go. (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Firing Lampard would be bad financial business

Chelsea needs to control variables at the moment. Football is in such a state of disarray that clubs must er on the side of caution. Adding yet another unknown factor, when the future of the game as it stands is already in such turmoil, seems like an unnecessary risk to take. An ever ambitious—and yet cautious and opportunistic—approach is the only way to move forward.

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer is now in his third season at Manchester United and he certainly wasn’t as good as early on as Lampard. His side is now top of the league and Man United has been the Premier League’s circus club for the better part of a decade at this point. Consistency and intelligence must temper every decision made during this period; nothing is gained through rash and hasty decision making. Chelsea is a young side who, though inflated hopes early this season with a good run of form, was not supposed to win the league in the first place.

Firing Lampard would not help the Blues get the most out of their current investments in playing personnel either—and that is the most important thing. Chelsea’s squad is a mess and it needs a steady hand and consistent approach to rebuild it before any thought is given to some sort of managerial change. The Blues’ constant firing of managers is what has left them here. The squad has several players who each can be most identified with a different manager, if one just thinks about it quickly; that’s why it is such an unmanageable and ridiculous behemoth. Marcos Alonso is associated with Antonio Conte, Jorginho with Maurizio Sarri and Cesar Azpilicueta and Kurt Zouma could be considered Jose Mourinho players. How absurd is that?

Chelsea has three left backs, only one of whom even is actually a left back. The Blues also have five center backs of whom maybe 1.5 can be depended on? There are six central midfielders and three center forwards. The squad has 29 men in it for 11 places. Generally speaking, 25 is considered ungainly, 29 is obtuse.

The issue is economic and the club will have to understand that, but not to worry, I do have a solution. As is literally always the case, things would be better if they just did as I instructed. The squad is too large and expecting every player to get the right amount of playing time, coaching and fitness simply isn’t going to happen as is. That’s a huge factor as to why the players have been more inconsistent than a celebrity marriage.

Chelsea was able to buy players this summer because we have Roman Abramovich. Bless that man. That said, since other teams don’t and they can’t buy players at the moment, it makes it hard for us to sell them because every single sale needs two active and interested parties. This presents an opportunity for the Blues to solidify their position at the top of the market though.

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