Frank Lampard dismissed talk over his future, amid claims his job as Chelsea manager is under serious threat.
The Blues were three goals down inside the first 34 minutes as they were comfortably beaten 3-1 at home by Manchester City on Sunday.
AFP
Lampard – a Chelsea legend from his playing days – is now statistically the worst manager of the Roman Abramovich era.
He has managed 1.67 points per game from 55 Premier League games, dipping below Andre Villas-Boas’ record of 1.70.
The Athletic report Lampard is now at serious risk of being sacked by Chelsea owner Abramovich with the club ‘exploring alternative plans’.
The report adds tensions are rising between Lampard and Chelsea’s out-of-favour players.
It is also understood club bosses hold concerns over the form of summer signings Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, who cost the Blues a combined total of £116million from Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig, respectively.
AFP
Havertz has been benched for the past four games, while Werner is on a 12-match goal drought.
On top of those incomings, Edouard Mendy, Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva were also signed as Chelsea splashed out more than £200m in the summer.
After a fine start to the season, which included a 17-match unbeaten run, there were hopes Chelsea could mount a title challenge.
However, they are eighth in the Premier League table and seven points behind leaders Liverpool following a run of four defeats in their last six league matches.
Asked about his future following the defeat to City, Lampard replied: “I’m not going to speak for people above me or the board, it’s not for me to do that.
“It is what it is on those terms, I can only speak about it as I see it, as a manager and a club.
“When we had 16 games unbeaten I still saw those flaws in our game. When we’ve lost four games I still see those flaws now.”
Getty Images - Getty
While Chelsea spent more than all of their Premier League rivals in the close season, Lampard warned his rebuild needs more time.
Whether he gets that time remains to be seen.
He said: “I was real after we beat Leeds (3-1 on December 5) saying that we’re not title contenders, and I’m real now saying it takes time,” Lampard said.
“Any build or rebuild takes pain; pain behind the scenes and pain on the pitch occasionally.
“This is a difficult period and I understand the reasons why. Today the first half showed me the reasons why and we have to keep fighting and I’m the first one who has to keep fighting.
“I’ll always feel heat: I felt heat when we were on our good run, because I know that round the corner can be a negative.
“Maybe (N’Golo) Kante you can take out, but when you look around the team, there’s a lot of youth, a lot of new players that are trying to come in and settle.”
from Football - news, transfers, fixtures, scores, pictures https://ift.tt/38bbJWJ
via IFTTT
No Comment