Why Chelsea are right to sack Frank Lampard despite just 18 months in charge

The biggest news in the football world this week is Chelsea letting go of head coach Frank Lampard. The Blues legend was shown the exit door following the club’s poor run this season.

On Monday, the club released a statement announcing it has parted ways with Lampard, citing the manager’s inability to meet expectations in terms of results and performances.

“Recent results and performances have not met the Club’s expectations, leaving the Club mid-table without any clear path to sustained improvement,” a statement on Chelsea’s official website said.

“There can never be a good time to part ways with a club legend such as Frank, but after lengthy deliberation and consideration it was decided a change is needed now to give the Club time to improve performances and results this season.”

The Chelsea hierarchy has been known to be ruthless when it comes to the hiring and firing of managers, and not even Lampard’s status as a club legend could secure him the time he needed to try to turn things around.

1.67 - Frank Lampard's points per game average of 1.67 is the 4th lowest of any permanent Chelsea manager in the Premier League, with the 1.35 goals per game conceded under his reign the worst at the club. Door. pic.twitter.com/dlYtzG6l1x

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 25, 2021

Clear lack of progress at Chelsea

While the decision to sack Lampard has led to divided opinions among Chelsea fans, it is justified in some respects. The 42-year-old is leaving with the Blues battling to enter the top four of the Premier League.

The club currently occupies ninth position and is five points behind the Champions League places. Even worse, Chelsea finds itself far behind rivals Manchester United, who are 11 points clear of the Blues.

There are arguments that Lampard deserved more time at the helm, but the team did not show signs of improvement this season. Football management is a result-oriented business and the only thing that can keep a manager in his job is winning.

For Lampard, though, not only were the results poor, but there was also a general lack of progress in the squad. The team lacked identity and style even after 18 months of being under his tutelage.

A manager can be given time when results are bad, but only if the team plays well and shows signs of improvement. That seemed to be non-existent for Chelsea under Lampard.

3 - Only three teams to have won 29 points or fewer from their opening 19 Premier League games have ended that season in the top four. Challenge.Leeds United (2000-01)Liverpool (2003-04)Manchester United (2019-20)We give Chelsea a 13% chance of doing this in 2020-21 👇

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 25, 2021

Lampard’s failure to get the best out of signings

Lampard’s biggest failure at Chelsea was his inability to get the best out of his big-name signings. The club spent a whopping £220 million in the summer to bring in some of the best young talents in world football.

Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech were signed to take Chelsea to the next level, but have all failed to reproduce their form in the Premier League so far.

Havertz has been so poor that he couldn’t even get into the team in the final weeks of Lampard’s tenure. Werner has been struggling equally and hasn’t scored in 11 Premier League games.

While Ziyech has been a comparitively better, even he hasn’t hit the heights of his Ajax days yet. When a club embarks on such a huge summer splurge, results are expected.

Lampard was always going to come under pressure after failing to get the best out of the club’s star signings and it is one of the main reasons why he has now lost his job. He simply failed to get results and also failed to improve the squad.

Any manager who cannot guarantee results and get the team playing well deserves to be sacked, irrespective of his status.