Chelsea battling for top-four spot after latest defeat to Leicester City
A lot has changed at Chelsea in the last month but very few people could have foreseen the Blues sinking this low. From being tagged as title contenders at the beginning of December, the London giants are now a side that is struggling to win games.
Frank Lampard’s men suffered yet another disappointing defeat to Leicester City on Tuesday, marking their fourth loss in their last seven Premier League games. For a side that spent upwards of £220 million on signings in the summer, this is definitely not good enough.
Leicester City were better than Chelsea in every department on the pitch and deservedly won the game.
It took just five minutes for the Foxes to open the scoring, with Wilfred Ndidi thumping home a cross from Harvey Barnes after some disastrous defending from the Blues.
James Maddison made it 2-0 for Brendan Rodgers’ side in the 41st minute following another defensive mishap by Chelsea.
Chelsea’s risk missing out on Premier League top four
Chelsea needed the win more than Leicester City, but it was the latter who played with desire and grit. The Foxes were relentless throughout the 90 minutes and could have scored more, had they taken their chances.
The Blues simply had no answers, and the body language of the players did not depict a side that is aiming to get back into the game. There was a time when Chelsea were tagged as title contenders but at this rate, they will be lucky to even make the top four.
Chelsea’s form over the last four weeks has been nothing short of woeful. They may have beaten Fulham last week, but their performance was nothing to write home about, despite their opponents playing the entire second half with 10 men.
The race for the Premier League is getting more intense with each passing week, and so is the race for the top-four places.
Leicester City’s win over Chelsea has taken them to the top of the Premier League. However, the Blues are now occupying eighth position.
There are still a lot of games to be played, but Chelsea could seriously miss out on a top-four spot if they do not improve their form.
Frank Lampard edging towards the exit door
Frank Lampard trended on Twitter even before the full-time whistle was blown, and it’s easy to see why. There has been no progress at Chelsea in the last few weeks, and his players seem to have downed tools.
Chelsea have sacked managers for less, and it’s now only a matter of time before the former midfielder is shown the exit door. Lampard’s case is made worse by the fact that he hasn’t been able to bring out the best in his summer signings.
Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech have all struggled since joining the Blues and have been pale shadows of their former selves.
Lampard told Sky Sports in his post-match press conference:
"I am worried about the slump - from the form we were in to get so quickly into the form we're now in and we've had some wins, but five losses in eight isn't where we want to be.”
He added:
“It takes character to get out of that - I'm not against the lads in the dressing room because they're disappointed. It's a young team and it's a big lesson that if you come off it and think you're fine then you've got to get yourself out of the hole."
Chelsea’s slump is worrying, and it’s difficult to see Lampard overturning the club’s fortunes anytime soon. If the Blues' results don't change for the better, he is likely to be the next managerial casualty in the Premier League.