Premier League hits and misses: Frank Lampard should get ruthless with underperforming Chelsea stars

Lampard must be ruthless with underperforming stars

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Arsenal against Chelsea in the Premier League

With just five games left and nothing but pride left to play for as a disastrous season heads towards its conclusion, the time feels right for Frank Lampard to make some tough decisions regarding some of the underperforming stars within Chelsea’s bloated squad.

The interim manager has overseen six successive defeats since returning to the club so cannot be blamed if he decides to take drastic action in search of a maiden win ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth.

Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea – Match report and highlights
How the teams lined up | Match stats

Even though he won’t be at Chelsea next season, the best Lampard could do for the club he served with such distinction during his playing career would be to help put some foundations in place for next season.

With the Blues boasting a bloated squad that will need trimming in the summer, the club’s record goalscorer can start sorting the wheat from the chaff during the season’s remaining weeks.

Papers: Man Utd target Timber valued at £44m by Ajax
Transfer Centre LIVE! Ratcliffe bid demands immediate control of transfers
Klopp charged by FA after Tierney comments
Messi suspended by PSG over unauthorised Saudi trip
Wilder arrest reports confirmed by police
Arteta: We can still win the title | Vieira: So much progress at Arsenal
Matic: Man Utd will challenge for PL title next season
Messi suspended by PSG over ‘unauthorised’ Saudi trip – reports
Allardyce set to replace Gracia as Leeds boss | Director of football Orta leaves
PL hits and misses: Lampard must be ruthless as Chelsea hit new low

Video
Latest News

The likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic are likely to be sold at the end of the campaign, so it’s not clear what can be gained from continuing to give them minutes.

Mateo Kovacic’s contract has just over a year remaining and little progress has been made on a renewal, while N’Golo Kante and Cesar Azpilicueta’s deals expire in the summer.

Lampard could instead choose to focus on the players his successor is likely to want to build around, such as Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke.

The interim boss praised Madueke for his goal-scoring performance against Arsenal and the young winger was one of the only Chelsea players to emerge from another bruising defeat with any credit.

But if Lampard puts his faith in some more of Chelsea’s hungry young players, he may be rewarded with some similarly impressive displays.
Joe Shread

Odegaard inspires rejuvenated Arsenal

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira clashes with ex-Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink over Arsenal’s title experience, with the Frenchman likening the club’s current season to Leicester’s triumph.

If there was one player who exemplified the contrast between Arsenal’s performance against Chelsea and the one they produced against Manchester City last week it was Martin Odegaard.

The Arsenal captain drew criticism from some supporters for his ineffective showing at the Etihad Stadium, where his glaring error gifted City possession in the build-up to their third goal.

Watch free Premier League highlights
Premier League table
Get Sky Sports | Get NOW to stream biggest moments

But he was outstanding at Emirates Stadium, his two-goal display providing a timely reminder of why what happened last week should be considered an anomaly in a stunning individual season.

The Norwegian took his goals brilliantly, converting both of them first time from Granit Xhaka crosses, the double taking his tally to 14 in the Premier League. Not since Cesc Fabregas has a central midfielder scored more times in a single campaign for Arsenal.

Chelsea couldn’t get near him in the first half, the 24-year-old popping up between the lines and doing what he does best; funnelling the ball forward as quickly and effectively as possible and executing passes lesser players might not even see.

It is his newfound goal-scoring ability, though, that has taken him to a new level this season. “That’s what we had to get out of him,” said Mikel Arteta in his press conference.

“He’s got the talent, but he needed to occupy different spaces and become a threat, and to have a mentality to win matches, not just to control games. I think that’s changed.”

It has allowed Arsenal to change too. They may not be title favourites any longer, but it is in large part thanks to Odegaard’s continued excellence that they are in still in the race.
Nick Wright

Kiwior shows his potential

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says he believes it is still possible to win the Premier League this season

Mikel Arteta, already without William Saliba due to a back problem, admitted his concern after an apparent injury to his centre-back partner Gabriel Magalhaes late on in Arsenal’s win over Chelsea.

But he can at least take heart from how Jakub Kiwior, signed as the Brazilian’s understudy for £28m from Spezia in January, handled being thrust into the team for his first Arsenal start.

The Polish international showed some early nerves, sending an errant pass straight to Enzo Fernandez inside the first minute of the game, but he recovered well, showing coolness and composure even as Chelsea ramped up the pressure.

Arteta: We can still win title | Vieira: So much Arsenal progress
Carra: Chelsea an absolute mess | ‘Decline is astonishing’

He found a team-mate with 53 out of 56 passes after that early lapse and showed impressive anticipation on more than one occasion to halt potentially dangerous Chelsea breaks.

“He looked ready, he looked fresh, he looked really determined,” said Arteta of the decision to start him. “He’s been better and better every single day, not only training but his interaction, his language.

“He’s more settled and he’s a player I really like, that’s why we signed him. He’s got potential at his age to be great. He had a big task against the players he had to face today. I think he did really well.”

With Gabriel now an injury doubt as well as Saliba, Arsenal may need more of the same from him in the weeks ahead.
Nick Wright