After sacking Graham Potter, Chelsea have appointed *double checks notes* Frank Lampard, again.
Bruno Saltor took charge of Chelsea's midweek clash against Liverpool as they frustratingly drew 0-0 to an also under-performing Liverpool side. It was clear, however, that Bruno was not going to be the interim manager for the rest of the season due to his loyalty with Potter. With Chelsea understandably taking their time choosing their next permanent manager, Frank Lampard was seen by the Chelsea board as the perfect interim option.
For obvious reasons, this appointment at first seems ridiculous. Not only is he an arguable downgrade from Graham Potter, but he was also head coach of Chelsea only two years ago, sacked under the previous regime for Thomas Tuchel. Who was then sacked by the current regime very early into their reign. As such, this decision has caused a lot of confusion and anxiety from Chelsea fans, as they become worried about the decision making of this new board. However, whilst there has definitely been some very odd choices made by the new board, I do not believe that this is one of them.
First of all, Frank Lampard is a club legend. No matter how his last spell at Chelsea ended, the connection between him and the fans can only be rivalled by Jose Mourinho. As a result of a staggeringly poor season, the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge has become toxic and results have reflected this. They have only won six games at home in the premier League this season and have not scored in the first half of eight of their last premier league home games. Frank Lampard may not turn results around but he can bring back a positive atmosphere at the Bridge.
It also might be an opportunity for Mason Mount to find his way back into the team, as we all know, Mount and Lampard have an extensive history together and many have been critical about Lampard’s previous overuse of Mount. Although, bringing in Lampard may allow Mount to get back to his previous form scoring goals and getting assists, something that this Chelsea team needs desperately. Not only that, but it could also help Mount’s contract situation. Even though he has not been anywhere near his best this season, letting a player of his quality go could come back to bite us *cough cough*, Salah and De Bruyne.
For Lampard, his decision to return to Chelsea, albeit briefly, is a testament to his loyalty to the club. Even if it was under a different board, he was sacked by the club and he would be well in his rights to refuse going through the circus that is managing Chelsea again. As well as that, in his first appointment, he knowingly arrived at the club during a transfer embargo where he would be almost destined to fail, however still taking the job as no other manager was available. This appointment makes it the second time that he will be taking on a role that is clearly a poisoned chalice to a manager's career.
Lampard will most likely not bring success to Chelsea this season. They are out of all domestic cups, 11th in the league and face current Champions league holders, Real Madrid, in the Champions League. Any manager that would come in, at this stage of the season, would not be able to repair the damage that has already been done. At least by appointing a club legend in Frank Lampard, the board can buy themselves more time to find the perfect manager for their project, whilst keeping the fans happy for the remainder of the season.