FRANK LAMPARD might not be looking to launch a January spending spree even though Chelsea’s transfer ban has been lifted by Fifa.
But the Blues boss must surely look to improve his defensive options after watching his young team being bullied off the park by fired-up Everton.
Richarlison rose above Chelsea’s weak defence to head Everton in front after just five minutesCredit: Reuters
With the exception of Kurt Zouma, there is no physical presence in a Chelsea back four which has conceded more goals than any other team in the Premier League’s top seven this season.
It is not difficult to see why Everton were so desperate to sign Zouma in the summer after the Frenchman’s impressive season on loan at Goodison.
Lampard, though, convinced the centre-half he would be given the opportunity to become a first team regular and he has hardly missed a game since.
Yet even Zouma’s muscular strength was not enough to keep Everton at bay on a bruising afternoon on Merseyside for the inexperienced visitors.
And no-one suffered more than Andreas Christensen, who was found wanting for Everton’s first two goals in this damaging 3-1 defeat.
Lampard had warned his team to prepare themselves for a test of nerve in Duncan Ferguson’s first match in charge.
Yet Christensen still allowed himself to be beaten to Djibril Sidibe’s cross by Richarlison to power the home team into a fifth minute lead.
And it was a similar story right at the start of the second-half, when the Danish defender failed to deal with a bouncing ball before being muscled off the ball by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
It means Chelsea have managed just four clean sheets in 24 games this season and that is simply not good enough for a team with such lofty ambitions.
They might still be clear of the chasing pack in fourth place in the table, but they offer up far too many opportunities to even the most average of opponents.
Calvert-Lewin won just about every aerial challenge as Everton went long while Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta doesn’t look any more convincing at left-back than Marcos Alonso and Emerson have managed this season.
So it was no surprise when they were condemned to defeat by yet another defensive disaster when Calvert-Lewin cashed in on a horrendous mix-up between Zouma and keeper Kepa.
How Lampard could do with a defensive warrior like old pal John Terry to bring a touch of nastiness to his young rookies.
Maybe the return of Antonio Rudiger from injury can boost Chelsea’s options while Fikayo Tomori can probably count himself unfortunate not to be in the starting line-up after some impressive recent performances.
But Roman Abramovich has £150million burning a hole in his pocket to fund a New Year’s spending spree and Lampard can’t afford to look that gift horse in the mouth.
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard promises to spend big after transfer ban lifted and warns youngsters to fight to keep their place
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
