Chelsea defence is worse than Arsenal and Lampard has to find a fix or season will be ruined
CHELSEA’S defence is so flaky they are worse than Arsenal – and unless a fix is found soon their season will be ruined. Frank Lampard’s side have rightly gained plaudits for the way they have attacked this season, inspired by some of their academy stars. But that has masked a huge problem for the Blues […]
CHELSEA’S defence is so flaky they are worse than Arsenal – and unless a fix is found soon their season will be ruined.
Frank Lampard’s side have rightly gained plaudits for the way they have attacked this season, inspired by some of their academy stars.
But that has masked a huge problem for the Blues which Liverpool exploited – they simply cannot defend well enough.
By hook or crook, Lampard has to find a way to bring some steel to his side or they can forget a top four finish and even the top six might be beyond them.
Only two sides have conceded more goals in the Premier League this season than Chelsea. Watford and Norwich.
Arsenal get plenty of flak for their frailties at the back, but their rivals in West London are worse.
Not once this season have they been able to see out 90 minutes with a clean sheet, including in matches against two of the newly-promoted sides.
And they made it far too easy for Liverpool to breach their defence by twice switching off at key moments in the first half.
Take nothing away from Trent Alexander-Arnold for the finish for the opening goal, but most of the Chelsea side had switched off and were too slow to react when the ball was rolled into his path.
And when Roberto Firmino headed home the second, Marcos Alonso could hardly have made it easier for his opponent if he walked over and handed him the ball and told him he has a free shot at goal.
These are basics, and nothing to do with missing their best defender in the shape of Antonio Rudiger through injury.
Of course being deprived of Rudiger and N’Golo Kante for the majority of the season has caused a problem, but it is not an excuse.
As a defensive unit from front to back, they have been too easily exposed because their shape and organisation has been found wanting.
The desire to play a high tempo press is good when it works, but if they are slightly off then opponents get into dangerous positions too easily as Liverpool did almost at will at times.
It used to be that scoring against Chelsea was one of the hardest things to do, but that started to go wrong under Maurizio Sarri last season.
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Lampard has not done anything so far to suggest it is going to get better anytime soon, and that simply has to change.
Teams no longer face them hoping to create chances, they expect to. And that changes the dynamic of every game they play.
The time has come to sacrifice some of the attacking purpose in the team, get back to basics and lock up shop. Until they do, Chelsea face being picked off for the rest of the season.
