Chelsea’s transfer priorities
Chelsea have made some smart moves with Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, but the transfer priorities have to shift.
Yes, in the 3-0 defeat to Sheffield United the Blues were inept going forward, but really it was all stemmed in what happened at the back.
The first goal was pretty appalling and something we have seen plenty of times, with the Blues defence not reacting to a loose ball in the box.
The second was even worse with the Blades getting down the left so easily and then the fact that nobody picked up Oli McBurnie to head home was dreadful.
It seemed like a bit of an issue that there weren’t any defenders in the transfer window who could really improve the Blues.
But to be honest, anyone else in the middle of the defence would be a step up to what is happening right now.
Wile the talk is all about Kai Havertz right now, and you can see why, the attention has to be in improving the defence.
Every player in the back four has a mistake in them, and right now they are all making them at the same time.
It’s a bad situation for Lampard right now with the games coming thick and fast, and there is little he can do about it without trusting his players.
The Abraham decision
Once again, despite the form of Olivier Giroud, Tammy Abraham was given the nod to lead the line for the Blues.
It really didn’t work against West Ham in the defeat, and it certainly didn’t work against the Blades.
Abraham might have scored against Crystal Palace, but his form has been in a real dip since returning from injury.
The striker has been Lampard’s main man through much of the campaign, and he did score a brace against the Blades earlier in the season.
But this was always going to be a different contest and against the three at the back of United’s defence, Abraham had nothing to work with.
What Giroud has done brilliantly through his career and especially recently, is bring others into play be that target man and soak up the pressure.
It’s what Chelsea would have needed, but Abraham just couldn’t make it stick and had nothing to work with.
Abraham is not really the right outlet when there is an issue like that, so to start him was strange.
Giroud made a real impact when he came on the pitch, however it was too late by then and the game had already passed them by.
The Jorginho issue
If there was a game which highlighted why Jorginho is not the long-term solution to the midfield role, that was it.
The Blues needed impetus in the match, on both sides of the ball, and the Italy international was just not able to provide it.
The tempo was down massively, and there wasn’t any sort of protection in front of the defence to help stop the breaks.
People might say that N’Golo Kante is not the passer that Jorginho is, but he can still do a job on the ball just as well.
But what he gives in defence is far superior to Jorginho and that massively outweighs those attacking issues.
Kante is a huge loss to Lampard and the Blues, and he will be keen to have him back for at least the FA Cup semi-final next weekend.
Jorginho has his qualities, but he showed none of them in the defeat to Sheffield United, and it leaves big question marks over his future.
Is Jorginho really the future of the position of the Blues in the midfield?
Season unravelling?
With Chelsea losing to Sheffield United, the players must feel like they are in danger of seeing their season unravelling.
There has been a lot of hard work which has seen the Blues be inside the top four for the majority of the campaign.
However, if the performances deteriorate like they did at Bramall Lane, the season could seriously come to a halt.
The Blues have three massive Premier League games left to play; Norwich City, Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
It now feels that if the Blues want to secure their Champions League status for next season then they will have to win all three.
Having had their destiny very much in their own hands, slip-ups have meant that the pressure has been magnified.
You have to give credit to Sheffield United for the way they have played, but the Blues gave no account of themselves at Bramall Lane.
If they lose in the FA Cup, then fail to stay inside the top four, the season would seem like a huge disappointment from this position.
Time to show some character
It has been a season of ups and downs for Chelsea under Lampard, but there is still the potential of a positive ending.
However, that isn't going to be the case if the Blues players don't show the character needed to get out of the situation.
The two defeats since the restart have been poor, really poor, and Lampard is keen to make sure that the players can't dwell on it.
The Blues take on Norwich, a team who have just been relegated, on Tuesday and it is a must-win match for them.
They have to show the right character to get through that game and put the season back on track.
