Frank Lampard’s official debut as Chelsea manager didn’t go as planned as he saw his side fall to a disappointing 4-0 defeat to Manchester United.
The scoreline didn’t tell the exact story of the game as the Blues did have some promising periods, but there were far too many calamitous ones which left Lampard’s men going home with pride humbled.
Chelsea’s lineup could hardly have been more different from former boss Maurizio Sarri’s.
Good old Frank went for his trusty 4-2-3-1 formation and opted to keep his faith in Chelsea’s youngsters. Tammy Abraham fought off Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud to start in attack, whilst Mason Mount was handed his own full debut in midfield.
Mount was hugely impressive during pre-season, as was Ross Barkley, so it came as no surprise to see both starting against United. Did it work? Well, sort of.
As the game began, Lampard’s influence on Chelsea was clear. The Blues were energetic and technically impressive, and they could have taken an early lead if Abraham’s fierce strike had not struck the post.
Going forward, there were hardly any complaints. Chelsea attacked with speed, hunger and desire, and they created plenty of chances with their quick, intricate passing. Sarri’s side were criticised for their lack of movement, but the same could not be said for this Chelsea, who looked adventurous and were all over the pitch; positively.
The only missing piece in Chelsea’s attack seemed to be the extra creativity in the final third, one which a certain Eden Hazard would have magically come up with as he did on many occasions while at the club.
Even after the first half, one would wonder why the Blues weren’t a goal or two up.
Man Utd 1-0 Chelsea HT:
Shots: 5-8
Pass accuracy: 82%-83%
Chances created: 3-6
Possession: 45%-55%Entertaining first period sees United ahead at the break through Marcus Rashfords' penalty. pic.twitter.com/j0Q3pyjHi1
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 11, 2019
The attack is definitely a work in progress for Chelsea, but there was plenty to be intrigued about. However, the same could not be said of the defence.
The Blues defence looked all over the place and Zouma, in particular, had a day to forget as his mistimed tackle on Rashford which led to a penalty and the first goal for United was what opened the floodgates for goals to flow in.
The Frenchman’s day was so bad it’s summarized in the stat below.
Kurt Zouma did not make a successful tackle in the first half vs. Man Utd.
Two fouls committed, a penalty conceded and a yellow card to cap it off. pic.twitter.com/GNhsHGcpxs
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 11, 2019
It shouldn’t come as a surprise as the London side’s preseason hinted all about a shaky backline all along. They conceded a lot of goals and thinking about it; It does make you wonder if Lampard will regret shipping David Luiz to Arsenal.
In his absence, Kurt Zouma lined up alongside Andreas Christensen, and it was a torrid outing for the Frenchman. His passing was rash and he was guilty of making a number of poor decisions that ultimately left his side fighting for their lives.
How does Lampard address this issue? He can’t dip into the transfer market, and they don’t exactly have the deepest squad in terms of defenders. Antonio Rudiger and Reece James will soon return from injury, but will they be enough?
Chelsea boss and legend Frank Lampard could be in for a tough season ahead and his current job could well be the toughest test of his footballing career.
