Chelsea: It’s time to start being honest about Frank Lampard
By Kian Long
The Chelsea manager shouldn’t be put on a huge pedestal.
Chelsea fans must have known going into the season that hiring Frank Lampard was always a risk. Yes, he may be a legend of the game and arguably Chelsea’s best player ever. However, his managerial experience was shockingly absent, having only managed at Derby (and the jury was out as to whether or not he did a good job there).
The step-up from Derby to Chelsea is a huge one, especially when you take into account he had to fill the boots of Maurizio Sarri. Well, now the season is over and it looks like they will almost certainly finish trophyless. Let’s face it, they aren’t coming back against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Yesterday’s loss to Arsenal in the FA Cup was a bitter one to take. Before the Chelsea fans berate me, believe me I stand with you that the red card was not worthy of a sending off. However, the Blues were losing at this point anyway and were frankly being outplayed by Mikel Arteta‘s Arsenal.
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It begs the question, as a neutral fan, why is Frank Lampard put on such a high pedestal as a manager? I for one have been guilty of this, probably because I respect him a lot for his work with young English players. But he isn’t *that* special, and yesterday proved it.
Losing to an Arsenal side that finished eighth in the league is not a good look, especially when you consider Arsenal won it quite comfortably in the end. Mikel Arteta has had less time to understand his players than Lampard, and it looks like Arsenal are on an upward trajectory from here.
Granted, next season is a new season. With the players that Chelsea have signed already, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, I think they could challenge for the title. But let’s not praise Lampard as being God-like just yet; after all, Chelsea went from third to fourth so this has not been a season of progress.
Next. Anthony Taylor ruined the magic of the FA Cup final. dark
What do you make of Frank Lampard’s first season in charge at Chelsea?