🌡 Hot Take: Chelsea should have sacked Frank Lampard this summer | OneFootball

Not since the summer of 2004 have we seen a cash splurge like it at Stamford Bridge.

After a year’s transfer ban that meant Chelsea had to trust their youth products, this off-season we’ve seen Roman Abramovich dip into his considerable pockets and splurge like there’s no tomorrow.

Hakim Ziyech was the first through the door, adding even more technical prowess to the Blues front line.

Then it was Timo Werner with his electric pace and ice cool veins in front of goal.

Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva were next on the announcement list, a defensive duo desperately needed after last season’s bothersome back-line.

And then there was Kai Havertz.

One of the most sought-after young players anywhere in Europe, moving to SW3 despite strong interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

As statements of intent go, it was right up there.

An even bigger one though, would have been sacking their distinctly average manager.

Bringing back a club legend was a savvy move by the west London side, hiring their greatest ever player as coach after the Stamford Bridge faithful turned so vehemently against Maurizio Sarri.

But has it actually been that much of an improvement?

Fewer points, fourth instead of third, 15 more goals conceded in the Premier League, no European triumph, an FA Cup final humbling.

With nearly £200m being invested in players and, if reports are to be believed, even more outlay coming before the end of the transfer window, Chelsea are crazy to trust a manager going into his third season as a coach with that sort of squad.

And without sounding like Rafa Benitez, here are the facts:

It’s an issue that has plagued the former England man consistently though. At Derby County the year previous, they had conceded the most goals from corners in the Championship despite making the play-offs.

That means that a pattern is emerging, a pattern that Lampard has so far been unable to stop.

Of course there is a personnel issue there, but it also suggests an inability to find solutions to a constant problem.

That’s what the best managers do – find solutions – and that’s what Lampard has so far failed to come up with in his coaching career.

That’s not to say he won’t get there eventually, but do Chelsea honestly trust this novice coach to get the best out of this incredibly expensive group of players?

It’s surely a gamble that isn’t worth taking, especially when the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Massimiliano Allegri are out of work.

Roman Abramovich hasn’t been afraid to be ruthless in the past – he should have gone full Michael Corleone and taken his Fredo out on the lake this summer.