Peter Crouch has suggested that Frank Lampard's inability to get the best out of Chelsea's big-money signings was a major factor behind his sacking.
After securing a top-four finish in his first season as Blues head coach, Lampard was backed heavily by owner Roman Abramovich in last summer's transfer window.
Seven first-team signings were made with a total of over £200m being spent on the likes of Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, and Timo Werner to make Chelsea Premier League title contenders.
Of the aforementioned quartet, Ziyech and Chilwell have perhaps shone the brightest with the German pair struggling for consistency.
However, it is a signing made prior to Lampard's appointment at Stamford Bridge that has been discussed by Crouch.
Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was brought in for a club-record £71.6m fee in the summer of 2018 as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois who was finally granted a move to Real Madrid.
Although, the Spaniard has not been a success in west London so far. In fact, his costly mistakes during Lampard's reign prompted the club to sign a new goalkeeper in Edouard Mendy last summer.
As a result, most weeks the Blues have a £70m+ player sitting on the bench and Crouch is of the opinion that is what has played a key role in Lampard's sacking which was announced on Monday morning.
"They hired a young and inexperienced manager, there was always gonna be some bumps in the road," Crouch said on BT Sport. "I think results haven’t been good enough recently, but they were top of the league.
"It's the first blip he’s had, there's been so many plus points - getting into the Champions League last year.
"It's down to the amount of money they've spent and some of those players are sitting on the bench.
"Certainly with the Kepa situation as well, they spent £70m for a goalkeeper who is quite clearly not good enough, but will the owner be looking at it and thinking that he’s not got the best out of a £70m player."
