Arsenal vs Chelsea: 3 reasons why Lampard might be sacked before the end of the season
To say the 2022-2023 campaign has been a disappointing season for Chelsea will be putting it mildly.
The Blues have had a disaster of a season despite spending over £600m in both the summer and winter transfer windows.
Their misery continued on Tuesday night as they suffered a 3-1 defeat in their Premier League clash against Arsenal at the Emirates.
Chelsea’s disappointing season has already cost two managers their jobs, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.
Tuchel was the first to get fired before his replacement Potter also received the p45. Following the sacking of Potter, Chelsea legend Frank Lampard was brought in to steady the ship until the end of the season.
It was Lampard’s second stint with the club as a manager, having managed them previously between July 2019 and January 2021.
Lampard had a decent spell in his first stint, although he was sacked in 2021 due to the club’s poor form.
However, his second spell has been nothing but a disaster, leading to suggestions that the interim manager could be sacked before the end of the season.
While it is unlikely, we take a look at three seasons why Chelsea may decide to sack Lampard.
Lampard is out of his depth
Lampard was supposed to come in and steady the ship following the sacking of Potter, but things have gotten worse for Chelsea since his arrival.
The former England manager is averaging zero points per game, having managed six matches since his arrival.
Lampard looks lost tactically, while his in-game management has also been called into question many times.
Only a manager like Lampard will play a 3-6-1 formation against Brentford at Stamford Bridge. The Blues look lost under Lampard and have gotten worse under the former Manchester City midfielder.
At least under Potter, Chelsea created enough chances but only struggled to convert their chances.
In Potter’s last three league games before he was sacked, Chelsea’s Xg was 5.78, although their Xga was 4.77.
However, under Lampard, the Blues have struggled creatively and are leaking goals regularly in defence. Chelsea’s Xg under Lampard in their three league games is 2.00, while their Xga is 3.48.
Chelsea have only scored two goals in Lampard’s six games in charge, a worrying trend for a club with a lot of talented players.
Relegation Fears
Although it is unlikely to happen, Chelsea could get relegated this season, sitting just nine points above the drop zone.
With the prospect of relegation looming, Chelsea may decide to act and sack Lampard to prevent the unlikely scenario of relegation.
The Blues have four games left to salvage what is left from a disastrous campaign, and they may want to ensure they do everything possible to preserve their Premier League status.
With the Blues relegation rivals still in the fight for survival, Chelsea could act and sack Lampard to avoid getting dragged into the relegation mud.
Low confidence
When a club sacks a manager and hires a replacement, it is expected that there will be a new manager bounce.
However, that has now been the case with Lampard, with Chelsea experiencing their worst run of form since 1993.
A run of six defeats in six games with two goals scored is not what Chelsea expected when they decided to appoint Lampard in an interim role.
It has been a disaster of an appointment, with the players’ confidence at an all-time low. For a club that has always been known for its winning culture, it is disappointing to see that losing is now seen as the norm under Lampard.
But to ensure it does not become a culture that carries over next season, Chelsea could act fast and let their legend leave for a second time.