FRANK LAMPARD named a much-changed team from the side that lost to Real Madrid in midweek.
But despite six different players lining up in Blue the result was the same – a third defeat in a row since he took over with Brighton dominating in a well-deserved 2-1 win.
In his three games, Lampard has chopped and changed formations and players and it was no different against the Seagulls.
Having started with a 4-3-3 against Wolves and a 3-5-2 against Real Madrid, Lampard opted for a 4-2-3-1 in his Stamford Bridge homecoming – which started with two huge banners in his honour being unfurled by supporters.
It was back to a flat back four with Denis Zakaria slotting in alongside Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher operating in the No 10 role, where he had been so effective for Crystal Palace last season.
Chelsea started a bit nervously but the tactical tweak brought early dividends.
Mykhailo Mudryk started like a house on fire, free of defensive responsibility, and Gallagher popped up in the perfect place to fire in a heavily deflected goal from outside the box – one that Lampard would have been proud of.
However, despite the bright start, the Chelsea midfield was soon overrun with the stats only proving Brighton’s dominance.
Zakaria was utterly anonymous – drawing only a 1/10 in SunSport’s player ratings, though it was his first game in a while – and Enzo Fernandez looked gassed from his midweek efforts in Madrid.
Somehow, Zakaria only completed 12 passes in 73 minutes – nine fewer than Enzo in 20 more minutes.
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Trevoh Chalobah will be having nightmares about Kaoru Mitoma for a long time. Operating at right-back, the youth academy product could not get close to the Japan international, who created a chance at goal essentially every time he touched the ball.
After peppering the Chelsea goal, drawing a couple of good saves from captain Kepa Arrizabalaga and crashing one off the bar, Brighton finally got a deserved equaliser through Danny Welbeck just before half-time.
Lampard gave his players ten minutes after the break to sort themselves out but it never came.
QUADRUPLE CHANGE
The Blues legend then made an unprecedented quadruple substitution, bringing on Reece James, Mateo Kovacic, Joao Felix and Hakim Ziyech for Wesley Fofana, Fernandez, Christian Pulisic and Raheem Sterling.
Fans cheered when it was announced Sterling would be subbed off, such was his limited impact on the game.
Lampard’s subs didn’t see a change in formation – although Chalobah was brought into the centre to relieve him of having to deal with Mitoma – but neither did it see a change in fortune.
James looks way off his best and although Kovacic tried his best to get on the ball, Brighton’s midfield absolutely dominated.
Only when Mason Mount was brought on for Zakaria after Julio Enciso’s stunning goal did Chelsea switch, almost playing a 4-4-2 with Mount in a high position alongside Felix.
Again, that failed to really bring any change in fortune and although Mount showed some nice touches – a one-two with Gallagher nearly bringing a goal – Chelsea struggled to create anything clear-cut.
The visitors ended the game with 59 per cent possession at Stamford Bridge, 26 shots to just eight for the Blues and eight corners to two.
Three games and three formations in, with 19 different starting players used, Lampard appears no nearer to finding a settled starting XI than his predecessor Graham Potter managed.
Chelsea were again booed off at Stamford Bridge – and now have just two wins in nine home matches since the turn of the year.
What’s more, owner Todd Boehly was pictured seemingly involved in a row with supporters from his director’s box.
LAMPARD VERDICT
After the game, Lampard was clearly unimpressed with the level of performance from his team: “[It’s] difficult because the scoreline doesn’t flatter them, they could have scored more goals.
“[Brighton] are a very good team first and foremost, they have been working together for a long time and now with the coach and the ideas and the energy and the connection within the team is so good and that’s why they are where they are and we’re not that.
“To get to that will take time, but the first things on the ladder are the basics that we got wrong today. And that can’t be right for us, we have to address that very quickly, because that’s not a Chelsea performance.
“Some of our changes were forced, we needed to spread the minutes. We should have a squad where people are chomping at the bit to make impressions. So we were by no means taking it lightly. This is my first home game on my return so there is no way I would do that. But the result is what it is.”
He added: “There is only one way out and that’s to work. Because you come against a team like Brighton who are so good in possession the work side of the game is the crucial one. But for me the level today wasn’t good enough.
“They could have scored more. Kepa [Arrizabalaga] was fantastic. Conor Gallagher was another who gave every drop individually. But collectively, as a group, we have to accept it. We have to accept what needs to be done to play for this club and try to win games.
“I’ve been at the club nine days, I don’t like what I saw today. I’m not going to try and dress that up in any way. We have to be really honest about that. There should be a feeling when you play for Chelsea of pride involved. We have to do more for Tuesday.
“To get there, there needs to be a new energy. That needs to come back.
“At the moment we’re not in the perfect place. In football you can change the narrative very quickly. We’ll have to have a big desire to do that and it will be a different game.
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“It’s not about the club I played for, it’s a different era, even after the time I was manager, other managers have been here and seen success.
“It’s Chelsea football club, it’s bigger than all of us. We’re not where we want to be, but we have to work like we want to be there tomorrow.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
