Chelsea: 3 lessons Lampard must take from Sheffield United loss

Lampard must use this transfer window to fix his defence

The manager has given all four of his centre-backs many chances this season to prove to him they deserve to be a part of the club.

Out of Rudiger, Christensen, Zouma, and Tomori, only the young Englishman will come out of the season with positivity surrounding his future. Zouma has shown glimpses as well but played very poorly against Sheffield, highlighting his inconsistency.

It is absurd that with experienced centre-backs like Rudiger and Christensen in the team, the one who has shown the most promise for next season is a 22-year-old playing his first season in the Premier League.

This game also showed that as good as Cesar Azpilicueta is, he cannot be the left-back for the future. With Reece James at right-back and no good options on the left, the captain has been shifted there many times this season.

But he loses his value going forward, as he has to cut inside onto his favored right foot before crossing, and he tries his best to cross with his left but it’s simply not something he’s good at, nor should that be expected.

A new natural left-back is needed in the summer, and urgently. Ben Chilwell has been Lampard’s main target, but Leicester City have demanded an unreasonable transfer fee for him, so other options like Alex Telles and Nicolas Tagliafico are similar, cheaper options.

Either of those three would secure Chelsea’s future on the left side of the defence, and give Lampard one less problem to worry about.

As for the heart of the defence, a new centre-back is the most important signing the Blues need to make. He needs to be a dominant presence, as well as a good passer, and most importantly, he absolutely must be reliable.

Having a defender you can always rely on, a la Virgil Van Dijk for Liverpool, is an invaluable boost for any manager and teammate. There are several of these options available in the transfer market.

Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli comes to mind; as does West Ham United captain Declan Rice and RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano. There may also be other options Lampard sees and likes for his Chelsea project, and that is fine too.

The point is that something needs to happen, and it needs to happen now. With what will hopefully be the lure of Champions League football next season, as well as the excitement surrounding the attack, Chelsea will be an attractive destination for players.

Only by fixing the defence can Lampard find that much-needed balance in the team, where a clean sheet isn’t a miracle or even a surprise anymore. It may be one of the oldest sayings in the book but it remains just as true today: defence wins titles.

After the biggest defeat of the season since the opening day loss to Manchester United, Lampard has been left with a lot to ponder, as Chelsea’s season is on the line.

Fans can only hope that when he says he learned something, he learned the right things, because he holds the key to his club’s future. As for what’s to come, we can only wait and see.