Frank Lampard has been fired by Chelsea after the club’s scorching five-defeats in their last eight Premier League games.
The rot that has occurred this season has put the Stamford Bridge team in ninth place – and former PSG boss Thomas Tuchel is expected to be hired soon.
Here, SportsmailDANIEL MATTHEWS takes a look at where it all went wrong for Lampard in his dream job …
Frank Lampard has been fired by Chelsea after his team’s scorching form this season
TRANSFER SPLURGE
It was the strange quirk of Lampard’s spell that his fortune went in the opposite direction of Chelsea’s power in the transfer market.
Initially, the two-window ban (later cut in half) that took effect last summer made the job noticeably less attractive to other more experienced bosses.
And crucially, it provided a Lampard with a buffer.
Chelsea splashed £ 230m on new faces including Timo Werner, putting Lampard under a scrutiny
The manager had an impressive first season, keeping Chelsea in the top four with a young, inexperienced side.
But the lack of signings also saved him from some criticism. That disappeared over the summer, when Chelsea spent £ 230 million on new recruits.
One source said the spending gave Chelsea an excuse to change if – or when – the results started to change.
FAILED TO RESIGN THE RICE AGAIN
Yes, Chelsea dove deep into their pockets last summer. But what about the ones who didn’t bring them in?
Lampard was keen to sign West Ham talisman Rice, who could play as a center-back or in midfield.
And no wonder, during the manager’s first season, Chelsea’s back line had been a constant headache; Kepa’s shortcomings arguably masked the incoherent unity for him.
However, it is reported that Rice’s pursuit annoyed Lampard’s bosses. They would be reluctant to pay a lot of money for a player they released as a child, for fear it would seem embarrassing.
Chelsea did not persuade Declan Rice from West Ham for fear it would be embarrassing to them
BATTLE WITH NEW PLAYERS
As it turns out, the Chelsea hierarchy has gotten a red face from some of the signings they’ve approved.
Of course, Edouard Mendy has had a stabilizing influence on goal, while Thiago Silva has added know-how to their defense. £ 50 million man Ben Chilwell has reached a plateau in recent weeks, but he remains a major upgrade as a left back.
Ahead, however, Lampard has had problems with three players costing £ 180 million together.
Chelsea’s big money buys have shown flashes of form, but have struggled for the most part under Lampard
Hakim Ziyech (£ 38 million) has shown flashes of genius when not being haunted by an injury.
Timo Werner (£ 53 million) looks like a suit of the forward they signed – the goals have dried and his confidence has gone too.
As for Kai Havertz (£ 89 million), the 21-year-old suffered badly from Covid and struggled for any form.
BAYERN HUMILIATION
It was no shame losing to Bayern Munich last season. After all, everyone in Europe fell for Hansi Flick’s side.
But the way Chelsea had suffered the Champions League defeat was telling.
Over two last-16 legs, they were lucky to lose only 7-1. Lampard himself called the first leg a ‘hard lesson’ and the return leg in Germany was no less cathartic.
Chelsea were fortunate to have lost only 7-1 to Bayern Munich last season
It served as a grim illustration of how far behind Europe’s elite had fallen the club.
That decline was far from Lampard’s fault alone. But the way Bayern played with Chelsea’s young side put their development in a rather sharp perspective.
Their battle against the best teams in the Premier League this season has also been worrying.
ISSUES IN THE DRESSING ROOM
The task of keeping unity under a bloated squad is never easy. It gets more and more difficult when the shape starts to decline. It’s nearly impossible in a club where politics and player power have long been widespread.
According to one source, even before recent games, there was a feeling that Lampard’s players were falling into camps – which he trusted and which he did not convince.
Antonio Rudiger, a big personality on the squad, was one of those short-frozen earlier this season.
Lampard’s squad fell into two camps: the players he trusted and the players he wasn’t convinced about
Other reports on Monday say this led to the manager being aloof with players – except for the ones he liked. And relationships probably wouldn’t improve as Lampard publicly slapped his players in recent weeks.
But the manager’s case was also not helped by the fact that Chelsea had stopped dumping deadwood last summer.
Kepa’s future became a bone of contention, with Lampard eager to replace him, but the club hesitated to lose the goalkeeper for a reduced price.