The pressure on Frank Lampard was eased following Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Morecambe last weekend, but the Blues need to kick start their Premier League campaign when they take on Fulham this evening.
Chelsea make the short trip to Craven Cottage on the back of a poor run of form in the top flight. Lampard’s men have lost four of their last six league games and have fallen to ninth in the table as a result.
However, for the first time this season, the Blues head coach has had time on the training ground to iron out the issues in his side since their last Premier League fixture.
“I know the rules in football, no matter what squad you have, with young or new players in the squad is that you need time to work,” Lampard said.
“Earlier in the season, we had a lot of great things coming through and then a tough patch but these two weeks have given us a chance to focus on the basics of our game, what we are and how we want to play and I just want to see those things come through.”
Fulham will not be easy to overcome, however. Scott Parker’s side have drawn their last five Premier League matches, holding Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur to 1-1 draws in that run.
Chelsea will need to pick up where they left off against Morecambe, although several changes are expected to be made to the starting XI.
Edouard Mendy was given last weekend off but he should return to the side with Kepa Arrizabalaga dropping to the substitutes’ bench.
Reece James, who has missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury, has trained this week and should take the right-back spot from Cesar Azpilicueta.
Kurt Zouma started against Morecambe and is expected to retain his place, with Thiago Silva stepping back into the team having sat out the win last weekend.
Ben Chilwell will return at left-back with his deputy, Emerson, dropping back down to the bench.
N’Golo Kante is suspended for the match and that leaves Lampard with a difficult decision as to who takes up the deepest role in his midfield. Jorginho and Billy Gilmour are both in contention and it’s the latter who is expected to be given the nod.
Kai Havertz and Mason Mount, both of whom struck against Morecambe, should complete the midfield.
Lampard, as has been the case for much of the campaign, is not shy of options for his front three.
Callum Hudson-Odoi has been the Blues’ most threatening attacker in recent matches and will hope to be given a second consecutive start in his favoured left wing role.
On the opposite flank, the guile of Hakim Ziyech should be called upon. The Moroccan is still feeling his way back into the Chelsea side following injury but proved, albeit against League Two opposition, how influential he can be in the final third last time out.
Who leads the line is arguably the biggest call Lampard has to make. Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud are in contention but, having struck his first goal in 13 matches last time out, Timo Werner is expected to be given another start.
“With Timo through the middle, is clearly a position he likes to start from,” Lampard said ahead of the game.
“With Leipzig and Germany, he played centrally, from the left, as a lone striker, and as one of two strikers. So there is definitely room for manoeuvre in how you use Timo.
“We are, and I pride myself on this as a manager, a good hard-working team off the ball which means a lot of high pressure. And it’s very normal for Timo and the other forward players who have come in that it will take some time to get used to my ideas and their teammates’ ideas.
“We haven’t had time on the training pitch for that. That can only be done at full pace in training, to work on the high press. That’s why the last two weeks have been really useful.”
Predicted Chelsea XI: Mendy, James, Zouma, Silva Chilwell, Gilmour, Havertz, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Werner.
