Frank Lampard explains why he is ‘not surprised’ by Chelsea’s struggles
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Frank Lampard has explained he is ‘not surprised’ by Chelsea’s recent struggles, despite their poor performance in the Premier League this season.
After their first six matches in the current campaign, Chelsea were only a point better off than Everton who only just managed to stay in the top flight last season.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side might have splashed a billion in transfers since Todd Boehly took over the club in June 2022, but the results on the pitch have left fans disappointed.
“I’m not completely surprised at some of the difficulties. I think having lived it first-hand at the end of the season,” Lampard said on Sky Sports.
“I think I came into a club where it had been eight months of results you don’t expect from Chelsea and that’s – in my experience – working with two very good managers.”
“Top managers – in Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter. So I think you could see – I felt I could see some of the issues there which was confidence from results.”
Lampard took charge of Chelsea for a second stint last season after Graham Potter was sacked, and failed to register a home win, as the club finished 12th, behind Fulham and Brentford.
“If at Chelsea you don’t win that nervousness builds. And maybe some motivation amongst the squad which – I think with having such a big squad, unprecedented numbers and it was spoken about a lot.
“So a lot of players felt like their time was up at Chelsea or it was coming or they were going to be moved on – and I lived that feeling.
“So I think that would obviously affect it by hiring a very good manager in Pochettino and then recruitment, so a big changeover.
“But there is no magic wand as such – the Premier League is the most unforgiving – so when you make so many changes, there are so many variables.
“I probably expected a bit more in terms of points, I think they would have expected them with the way they’ve played to a degree, but I never felt it would be an instant turnaround, I think there is a lot of work to be done.”