Frank Lampard did not hold back as he slammed his Chelsea players following the 4-1 thrashing at Manchester United on Thursday night.
Goals from Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford secured United’s place in next season’s Champions League and piled yet more misery on the Blues who grabbed a late ‘consolation’ through Joao Felix.
Chelsea had looked promising in spells but lacked a cutting edge in the final third, with Kai Havertz and Mykhailo Mudryk missing numerous sitters.
The likes of Wesley Fofana and Lewis Hall struggled to contain the Red Devils’ attacking might and the scoreline could have been a lot worse had they not squandered several great chances.
Defensively they were all over the place, with Lampard opting to deploy a 4-3-3 rather than the 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formations that he’s used in matches against big teams during his interim spell.
‘We were the better football team in the first half – in possession, chances we matched them at least,’ a frustrated Lampard told Sky Sports post-match.
‘To be 2-0 down is probably a sign of where we’re at. Second half, probably a sign of where we’re at.
‘Our goal count for the season shows it’s a problem we don’t score goals enough. We gave them some threats in the first half but not many in the first half. Some of the defending in the second half showed why we play a back five at times.
‘Disappointed with it. We have to be better than that. It’s the end of a long season. There are some technical details inside you have to work daily to do the standards things you say, they are a fact.
‘Maybe with United you see there’s some experience at both ends of the pitch that made the game as it was. It’s a reality for the players.
‘Any team that wins or consistently gets results has standards. Without them the tactics don’t matter. Training well every day, trying to win, being a collective unit.
‘I understand it’s hard for the coaches this year at the club as it’s a big squad and I’ve lived in that. Sometimes you can say maybe it’s a factor but as a player you have to put it to the side and focus on your own game.’
‘Since I’ve come in I’ve realised some of the collective standards. We have to realise why the club is where it’s at. There’s definitely not a lack of effort. I was fortunate to be here for many years, you can be here the next year and see that someone has improved on their standards.
‘It’s a bad year for the club. The important thing is you get to the bottom of how it improves. It needs a rebuild, the club will move on in the summer in terms of the squad. Things need to improve to get to the level.’
Lampard has won just one of his 10 games since returning to Stamford Bridge to replace Graham Potter and will hoping to claw back a little credibility in his last game in charge on Sunday against Newcastle.
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