The
Chelsea celebrations were vociferous upon the final whistle and
understandably so. The pressure had been building on Frank Lampard after a
run that had brought only one win in six Premier League games – with that
coming before Christmas. A 1-0 win against 10-man Fulham was no emphatic
return to form but the Chelsea boss will take it.
Lampard described it as "a little slump" before kick-off at Craven Cottage
but a run of three consecutive away defeats dating back to November has been
enough to spark speculation about his future. Whether a victory that failed
to answer some of the more pertinent questions about this Chelsea team will
be enough to end the chatter remains to be seen.
Three points were crucial and perhaps that is why he explained the
selections of Antonio Rudiger and Olivier Giroud by referencing their
experience and character. Cesar Azpilicueta was chosen over Reece James too.
Only the immediate future was of import here.
That it was the excellent Mason Mount whose late goal separated the sides
and spared Lampard another inquest was also appropriate. Despite his age,
the 22-year-old midfielder is the player whom Lampard has picked more than
any other during his nascent managerial career.
Thanks are due but as firm as Mount's finish was - drilling home after
seizing upon the loose ball that followed Ben Chilwell's left-wing cross -
the conviction in the combination play was lacking. Chelsea still seem to be
searching for their style, still hoping that something will click into
place.
"It feels like it has been good for us," Lampard told Sky Sports when asked
beforehand about the two-week wait for another Premier League game after
losing to Manchester City.
"It is something we have missed all year. I had bemoaned the lack of a
pre-season so the chance to work has been good - on the basics of our game,
some of the team-structure stuff. I would like to see some of the results of
that in the game."
Did he really see it? The decision to go with Giroud as the central striker
with Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech either side of him was the latest
pivot in terms of Chelsea's attacking plans - a 13th different forward
combination in 18 Premier League games.
Some of that can be explained away by injury and illness. In part, it
reveals the number of options at Lampard's disposal, a sign of healthy
rotation. But it is also indicative of a coach still searching to find the
right formula in the final third. That search goes on.
Giroud and Ziyech had started only one game together prior to this one - and
Ziyech lasted only half an hour of that one before coming off injured
against Leeds. It was a Chelsea line-up that lacked a little in pace with
the onus on Pulisic to provide that urgency on the left.
What led to the selection of Giroud over Tammy Abraham for this game? "I get
asked that a lot with Tammy and Oli - which one, why, and all that stuff,"
said Lampard, without really laying bare the tactical plan. They were on
together by the 65th minute anyway.
There remains the suspicion that Timo Werner would be preferred to both were
it not for the crippling lack of confidence that is beginning to infect his
performances.
Werner has now found the net only once in his last 15 appearances for club
and country - and that came against League Two side Morecambe. The German
had the chance to kill this game late on but missed his ninth clear-cut
chance of the Premier League season.
Racing through on goal, his wayward effort drifted well wide of the post and
that meant the Chelsea cheers were ones of relief when the referee called
time on the contest soon after.
No lift for Werner, then, and no strong feeling that the fortnight of work
since the previous Premier League game has brought huge progress in the
team's evolution. No clarity over the line-up to lead Lampard forward, just
three vital points to ease the pressure.
Chelsea will still be outside the top six when they go to Leicester on
Tuesday evening but they remain in touch. If they are to overhaul those
ahead of them, they will need to do more than scramble. They will need to
find the flow to their game that thus far eludes them.
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