In a recent interview with Sky Sports News HQ, former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard claimed that the Chelsea players need to stand up and be counted if they are to turn their season around.
The Blues are still languishing in the bottom half of the table, just a dismal four points above the relegation zone and the initial spike in form after the arrival of Guus Hiddink appears to have disappeared with recent disappointing results at home to West Brom and Everton.
As a result, Chelsea’s record goalscorer has called upon players to show some grit and determination to pull themselves away from the drop zone.
We have all been there in football terms, where there are times when confidence goes down, the crowd get a little bit nervy and that is where they are at. And the only thing that pulls them out of that is the individual players, who need to stand up and be a bit brave and take on the challenge of trying to turn their season around.
Fortunately for Blues fans, the former England international does not expect Chelsea to be relegated but did express pessimism towards the club’s chances of retaining their Champions League place.
It is going to be tough for them as I can’t see them making top four, which is a must normally for Chelsea, they have got to try and make the best of a bad season and look to the future.
Chelsea will not be relegated, I will put my house on that now. I know they are sitting around there at the moment, but I think they have more than enough to get through that.
Lampard who scored 211 goals in 648 goals for the club, could not, however, explain why the West Londoners have performed so badly this campaign which has already seen nine defeats.
You get nothing for granted in the Premier League, we know that. It has levelled out even more in the last couple of years with the money that some of the so-called lesser teams have spent. And Chelsea need to be up there, so something needs to be put right. I think they have broken all records, from being champions to being 16th. It does not happen that way and if you look at the squad and the quality of it, it is very hard to pinpoint why so many players have underperformed.
Rather surprisingly, the midfielder who now plays for New York City was not shocked at the sacking of former boss Jose Mourinho whom Lampard spent some of the best years of his career under during the Portuguese’s first spell at Stamford Bridge.
There was obviously an issue with the communication with Jose Mourinho and I think that is why the club made the decision, because it does not make sense that so many players could be below par.
Lampard concluded the interview by expressing his concern at the lack of leaders in the dressing room which characterised Chelsea teams of old, implying that this is where the current team need to improve.
I know when we had bad times before – and we did when I was there – it was always pulled round by JT, Petr Cech, Didier Drogba, Ivanovic, big names who had the bravery to say: ‘Right, we are going to take this on’.
That would be my worry now – John Terry is there and scored an equalising goal recently, and you would never doubt him and what he is going to do. Diego Costa has that kind of presence, as long as he controls himself and does not overstep the line, which we know he gets near to.
Other than that, I want to see other players stand up. Good players may have got a lot of nice headlines over the last couple of years, but they also now need to stand up and turn it around for the club.
Chelsea fans will be looking to see this fight when the club visit league favourites Arsenal on Sunday, where a win could truly put the Blues’ season firmly back on track.
