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Chelsea fans are excited that Frank Lampard may be named our new manager but there are a few naysayers.

Here are a few reasons Frank Lampard should not be Chelsea manager debunked.

Reason #1 He’s Not Ready

He may have only managed Derby County for one season but he has exceeded expectations and almost got an unfancied side promoted.

There is actually some pedigree down the years for inexperienced managers coming good. At Chelsea Glenn Hoddle, Ruud Guillit and Gianluca Vialli kickstarted the revolution that led us where we are today.

Lampard has footballing pedigree that goes beyond a CV, there is no guarantee he will succeed but he has a good a chance as anyone.

He has also played under Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Guus Hiddink, Sven Goran Erikson and many more in between.

The man knows football.

Reason #2 There Are Better Candidates

Really, who?

No really, who is going to want to come to a club like Chelsea during a transfer ban.

Reason #3 The Chelsea Fans Will Turn On Him

There is fear that due to the way Sarri and before him have been treated that the boo boys will target him if results turn the wrong way.

This would not be the case for a legend such as Lampard. Fans are realistic we know the situation the club is in and provided he tries to get the club playing football then he will get a much more patient supporter base.

It is hard to imagine a scenario where fans unduly turn on the club’s record scorer.

Reason #4 The Club Won’t Give Him Time

With the transfer ban and a club legend returning home who has a relationship with the current owner, this is not business at usual at Chelsea.

Reports suggest that Abramovich have already promised Lampard two seasons to make his mark on the club and get results.

The transfer ban is a blessing in disguise as he will have a chance to make his mark and plan for the future.

Whilst no manager will ever have free reign, if one manager can go long term at the Bridge it is Frank Lampard

Reason #5 He Will Ruin His Legacy

He is the club’s record goalscorer who has won the lot.

Even a horrific time at the club will not diminish his legacy as one of the greatest players to ever pull on the shirt.

This is such a weak argument that deserves little consideration.

Danny Drinkwater is an England international that has won the Premier League but he has chosen to drift into obscurity rather than kickstart his career

The £35m move from Leicester has been a disaster for his career.

He has played just 30 minutes in the 2018/2019 season and has made just 23 appearances in his two years.

So low has his stock fallen Chelsea named a substitute less in the Europa League Final than have Drinkwater on the bench.

What is interesting is he has declined to take the hint and make a loan or permanent move away. Sarri even went as far to tell him he would not play back in August and he chose to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Staying at the club to big up the massive paycheque (who can blame him) and shunning a move away whilst making questionable personal choices makes him a candidate to be the modern embodiment of Winston Bogarde.

Bogarde famously trained with the youth team and flew in from Holland a few times a week to pick up his £40k p/w contract in the early 2000s, after a change in manager saw him thrown aside months after his signing.

He spent years running down his contract, refusing to go out on loan or reduce his contract. His bizarre situation became a running joke among fans.

He like Drinkwater joined the club with a good reputation and a winning pedigree. Bogarde joined from Barcelona and had won the Champions League and titles in Holland and Spain.

Once his contract finally expired he promptly retired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSu6Hl9qUkw

Danny Drinkwater The New Winston Bogarde

Drinkwater still has some football left in him, although it is unlikely this will be at Chelsea. He has a contract until 2022 worth £100k per week so the options for permanent sale seem limited.

Hopefully, he will either be reintegrated into the team or choose to earn his contract out on loan.

Something that would at least reduce the wage bill, even if the club will not recoup any of the transfer fee.

That is of course unless a new manager comes in and sees the player that was at Leicester and decides he has a future at the club.

If he stays at Chelsea this summer without a nod from the new manager he will be entering Winston Bogarde territory.

In dark and scary parts of the internet click hungry trolls have been speculating that a certain Spanish manager may return to Stamford Bridge

With his contract at Newcastle due to expire and no word on whether he will sign a new one bored media have been connecting the dots.

Suggesting that Rafa Benitez may shun the adoring Geordies and return to Stamford Bridge where he was met with open hostility for the majority of his time.

This is all assuming that the rumour that Sarri is bound for Juventus is true and the board will favour experience over the romance of bringing Frank Lampard home.

The rumour appears to be the ultimate troll, even the thought of it is enough to send some Chelsea fans into a rage. It is already a bizarre and regretful part of our history that he managed the club at all.

Some may point to the Europa League and Champions League qualification but he doesn’t like the club or it’s fans. I have no idea why he joined the first time around and it would make even less sense to repeat.

It is not panic stations mid-season, we have a little time to think and should Sarri leave find an alternative.

Chelsea won't comment at all on managerial process but my sources tell me they don't think there is anything in the Rafa Benitez link coming from Italy. Any angry fans can probably relax.

— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) June 11, 2019

Our record with managers is poor and there is the transfer ban to contend with but I have to think there are other options available to the club. If this is being genuinely considered then the board need to get their heads checked.

I think I could name a hundred different managers I would prefer and a preference list would probably see whoever is wearing the Stamford the Lion costume ranked higher than Rafa.

Silly season is well and truly here and normally I enjoy the crazy rumours and speculation but this is a bridge too far.

Although I do have to congratulate whoever in Italy created the rumour as it has been picked up by the UK tabloids and wound up quite a few Chelsea fans.

Rafa Benitez to Chelsea ‘imminent’ as shock reports in Italy claim unpopular boss could replace Maurizio Sarri for second spell at Stamford Bridge https://t.co/PbhGhyA8Cx

— The Sun – Chelsea (@SunChelsea) June 11, 2019

The transfer ban, Eden Hazard and potential managerial changes make it an interesting transfer window for Chelsea.

Chelsea fluked their way to third in the league and remained consistent in Europe to lift the Europa League in Baku both of which would have qualified the club for the Champions League and the associated riches.

Traditionally qualifying for the Champions League would have Chelsea fans plotting and speculating on who could be heading to Stamford Bridge.

The talent of the world would see fans picking through a Black Type Bet Coupon Code selection of options.

Instead Blues fans and the board will have no new signings to look for and a need to look within for reinforcements for the upcoming season. There are lots of unresolved issues and decisions to be made in what will still be a busy summer.

Future of Sarri

It looks increasingly likely that Maurico Sarri will not be managing the club at the start of next season. Opting to join Juventus rather than face down a year of uncertainty given his perceived unpopularity with fans.

A new manager represents a fresh opportunity for players frozen out or not at the club during the Sarri era. This could convince Christiansen to stay or lead to the revival of Kurt Zouma’s Chelsea career. Zouma is just one of a host of loanees to have tasted the first team in the past that may be in line for an increased role.

Hazard Leaving

The Europa League Final saw Eden Hazard all but confirm his departure from the club. Whilst the arrival of Christian Pusilic will help he will have huge boots to fill.

How Chelsea approach this will be a huge challenge for whoever manages the team at the beginning of August.

Higuain and Kovacic

Chelsea have the option to buy two players that were on loan at the club last season without breaching the transfer ban. The problem is that Higuain did not fully settle in and Kovacic had an inconsistent season.

So whilst the board will have a decision to make on their futures, many Blues fans will be hoping they return to their parent clubs.

Which Loan Players Will Return?

Chelsea sent 41 players out on loan last season and the transfer ban could see some of them given a chance to impress.

This will be a bonuscode for those like Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount who may find themselves retained when otherwise the club would have looked to recruit in their positions.

Notable loanees that the club might decide to keep include Kurt Zouma, Victor Moses, Tammy Abraham, Bakayoko, Marco Van Ginkel and Mason Mount.

Overall Strategy

Given the factors in play I think the key strategy for 2019 should be keeping hold of as key players as possible with the exception of Higuain and Kovacic.

The transfer ban should be seen as an opportunity rather than a weakness, whoever is in charge should have the tools for a decent season if the right decisions are made.

The number 1905 represents celebration for Chelsea fans – for the founding of the club and the greatest day in it’s history.

The 19th of May or 19/05 in the British calendar means a lot to Chelsea fans as 1905 is the year the club was founded and the date and month that Chelsea lifted the Champions League in 2012.

It is hard to believe that it is seven years since that glorious night in Munich!

The 2018/2019 Premier League season ended with Chelsea in 3^rd something considered a good result for new manager Sarri by most. It was not however a simple campaign.

At the start of the season the football odds had Chelsea as outsiders for the title and contenders for the top 4 and that proved to be accurate. Whilst it is concerning how far from the Top 2 we finished the season, all that mattered was getting back into the Champions League.

This was achieved but it was not a comfortable season.

This is despite starting the season well. We went 18 games unbeaten and our style of football known affectionately as “Sarriball” looked like it was going to catapult us into contention. We even had a new playmaker in the form of Jorginho.

The problem was that after a few months teams started to figure out “Sarriball” but the manager refused to mix up his tactics or change anything. Our tactics and even starting line-up and timings of substitutions started to become far too predictable.

Jorginho was the biggest victim of this predictability, often being a scape goat due to his tendency to slow downplay and the need to move N’Golo Kante from his natural position to accommodate them both.

Our results soon became inconsistent and our inability to play fast attacking football saw mediocre teams show us up.

The football betting on which manager would be sacked next had Sarri as favourite for quite a long period of time during the season. On more than one occasion poor form made it look like he was hanging onto his job by a thread, but when needed the club got the result needed to keep him in the hotseat.

There was the distraction of a Carabao Cup Final which saw us compete with Manchester City but Kepa lost the plot entirely by refusing to be substituted with penalties looming. Sarri again looked like a fool but managed to fight his way through a penalty loss and insubordination with enough gusto to keep his job.

Kepa was given a slap on the wrist and was dropped for a game before returning to the fold.

In the final few weeks of the season a run of mediocrity made it look like the top 4 was out of reach, but some good results and the self-destruction of Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United let us back into the race.

In the end the top 4 was secured with a game to spare and the club still has a Europa League Final to prepare for. These would have been resuls that Chelsea fans would have taken at the start of the season.

Meaning all the frustration at the style of play and poor results seems to have melted away due to the objectives of the season being met. Even if they were done so due to the poor form of our rivals rather than our own achievements.

To back this up we ran a Twitter poll on the last day of the season.

Is 3rd in the Premier League a good season?

— FamousCFC (@Famous_CFC) May 12, 2019

Only a small proportion of fans now thing Chelsea have had a bad season, although the majority are waiting to see what happens in Baku before making a final decision on overall success or failure of Sarri’s first season in charge.

Chelsea will play Arsenal in the Europa League Final after a nail biting game where we rode our luck throughout. Chelsea fans may need to lie down after that one. 

The game itself saw Chelsea start brightly but fold under the pressure Franfurt exuded with the Germans dominating the chances in the 2nd Half.

Lucky to go to penalties after a host of goal line clearances and near misses we even went behind after Azpilicueta telegraphed a poor side foot effort that was easily beaten away.

Our keeper though showed my theory that if you stay still then at least one penalty in five will come straight at you, using his knee to trap a low drive straight down the middle.

Luiz, Barkley and Jorginho all did their part and with another save by Kepa the stage was set for Hazard.

He pulled off his party trick and we can all celebrate a place at the final in Baku.

Sadly his reaction to the goal and after the final whistle suggest he knows that was his last kick of a football at Stamford Bridge.

The final word though should go to Frankfurt, good team, incredible fans and they deserve massive respect for what they have achieved. All the best next season!

Potentially finishing 3rd in the table and reaching a European Final would normally be a good season. The true story is inconsistency and frustration saved by three fierce rivals imploding.

In the last few months, it has appeared that no one has wanted to qualify for the Champions League. Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United fell off a cliff in the last month.

Chelsea were the club to cobble just enough together to stay afloat as others sank.

So How Did We Get Here?

It has been an odd season for Chelsea fans with the negative morale of fans who booed at half time against Watford contrasting starkly with where the club has ended up.

It all started so differently…….

Sarri came in with a heralded style and his own midfield engine in the form of Jorginho. We even had Gianfranco Zola back at the Bridge as part of the coaching staff.

Initially, it garnered some good results with the club going 18 games unbeaten. The early signs suggested something could be built around the possession and short passing the Italian loves and the media call Sarriball.

The problem was that teams up and down the league worked out his style after a couple of months and adapted to blunt Chelsea as an attacking force.

Sarri had no such plans and continued to pick the same team in the same formation and ever decreasing returns.

Teams defended resolutely letting the ball be played to the wings where a cross would be met by 8 well-positioned defenders. Who had plenty of time to get in position and box out the lone player we would have in the box.

Jorginho went from superstar to donkey.

A symbol of our slow and uninspiring attack, earning huge pass completion numbers but failing to get things moving. He was vilified as the player that moved Kante out of his natural position. Something that still makes no sense to fans.

Somehow we have stumbled along and got the odd result here or there and kept in with a shout for the top four. It has only been the horrific form of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United that have masked poor performances and inconsistent results.

Take the weekend, all three managed to drop points against teams in the bottom half of the table effectively gifting a top four place in what should have been a dramatic final day.

It does not feel like we have played well enough to gain the top four this season. Few Blues fans will complain though.

This situation clouds the future of our management. A few months ago I thought Sarri had limited time left and would leave at the end of the season, if not before.

Without much tangible improvement in style or quality, the situation has improved and he has achieved his objectives.

The Future Of Sarri?

Sarri is still not popular with fans who mock his tactical inflexibility and love of Jorginho. Few want him to stay and fans rightly see our final league position as luck rather than judgment.

Yet, with a transfer ban incoming and Champions League football secured the board may feel otherwise.

If he does go on to lift the Europa League then that may be the final thing he needs to convince the board. It would also help with the fans as it would deprive Arsenal of Champions League football.

Laughing at Liverpool’s failure to lift the Premier League trophy is an annual ritual. Fans calling for a trophy for 2nd remind us why the entitlement of their fans knows no bounds.

Jokes aside (we will get to them) we will acknowledge that Liverpool have had an impressive season.

They have been breathtaking at times and given the imperious Manchester City, who can claim to have one of the greatest squads in Premier League history a true run for their money.

They still have a chance of winning the Premier League and the Champions League, but will need an improbable swing in both competitions to lift silverware.

The cruel nature of football means that despite their football they will likely end the season trophyless, which would be pretty darn funny.

Funny Watching Liverpool Go Trophyless

Think about it, Liverpool could finish with 97 points, a total that would win the title any other season in the history of the Premier League and still finish 2nd.

This is possibly the most beautiful thing imaginable to happen to Liverpool (well excluding this)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk59UYU7fJw

It would also be a service to normal football fans, who will not have to suffer the media fawning for months and months.

We will instead have to listen to bleating about how close they came for a while, which will be funny not annoying.

Liverpool 2nd Place Trophy

Some Liverpool fans have even tried to advocate for a trophy for 2nd place.

This just sums up the level of entitlement Liverpool fans have, to even think about suggesting something so cringeworthy.

No, just no!

Any other club and we would probably argue they deserve something, but we would never actually advocate a trophy for being 2nd. The Premier League is about being champions, not about keeping up the pressure.

Just ask Tottenham fans how many trophies they would have if “keeping up the pressure was a thing”