Chelsea boss Frank Lampard (Getty Images)
According to the Telegraph, Frank Lampard has said that Chelsea are now underdogs after failing to sign any significant players in the just concluded transfer window. The Blues were banned from signing players last summer by FIFA but their ban was halved last December. However, Lampard opted out from signing first-team players.
The youngsters present in the squad have done quite a decent job so far, helping them maintain 4th place in the league standings. And they would be hoping to finish within the Champions League qualification spot at the end of this campaign.
Chelsea have a good set of players in their midfield department in the likes of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, Ross Barkley, N’Golo Kante and many more. But the same cannot be said of their offensive and defensive units.
Tammy Abraham has been the lone striker leading their line in almost every game. Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi have not had the chance to make an impact since falling down the pecking order under Lampard.
The English outfit were supposed to make late bids for either Dries Mertens or Edinson Cavani to bolster their attack but failed to land them. This could have helped the manager to offer some rest to Abraham.
At the same time, their defence has been shaky throughout the season, conceding 34 goals in 25 games, which is the highest among the top eight in the table. The Blues were expected to make a bid for Nathan Ake, who has developed himself as one of the better defenders in the top-flight.
Ake, a Chelsea product, would have improved their defensive situation as Kurt Zouma has been prone to errors and Antonio Rudiger hasn’t been up to the mark since his return from injury, de.
Chelsea need to be more competitive in the second half of the season with games coming thick and fast and should have added depth to their squad. Despite the youngsters doing well, none can be sure of their performance when entering the tougher phase in the Champions League.
And it would become very difficult for the manager if someone gets injured and is forced to stay out for a long time. Hence, the decision to opt-out from making the significant reinforcements does not make sense and could lead them to trouble.
