Frank Lampard began his second spell in charge of Chelsea with a hugely disappointing defeat at Wolves on Saturday.
Chelsea failed to perform at Molineux as Matheus Nunes’ stunning strike earned Julen Lopetegui’s side a deserved 1-0 win. Nunes smashed into the top corner in the first half, but Chelsea could not respond, despite Lampard using his substitutes to try and change the game. Lampard only had two days to work with the players at Carrington and there was no difference from the days under Graham Potter, with the Blues toothless in attack.
Chelsea are 11th in the Premier League and drifting ahead of their hugely important Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid next week. Here are the latest headlines involving the club.
Lampard tears into players
Lampard was far from pleased with what he saw from his players at Molineux. The front three of Kai Havertz, Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling offered very little and their replacements, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Christian Pulisic, were no better off the substitutes’ bench.
“You have to get used to winning and make it a habit. Credit to Wolves today, they were physical and stuck in for a win,” he said.
"We will work and recreate. We will get into those positions and repeat it. Maybe there's a feeling you won't score. I've been there before and as a club we need to address it.
"It's not where the club wants to be but it's the reality and we have to work through it. You have to get to a point where you can move forward. We need to lift it more than we did today."
Shearer’s bold prediction
Next up for Chelsea is a first leg against defending champions Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter finals at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
That appears a daunting prospect for Lampard and his players, who look devoid of confidence in front of goal. Carlo Ancelotti’s side are unlikely to be in a generous mood – but Alan Shearer has a positive outlook on the game.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if he went on and won the Champions League,” he said on the BBC. “What a turnaround that would be.”
Chelsea can decide Ancelotti’s fate
The Champions League tie against Real will mean a lot for Ancelotti, who is wanted by Brazil.
The Italian coach is coming under scrutiny after a miserable LaLiga campaign has seen them fail to keep pace with Barcelona at the top of the table.
Although Real hammered Barca 4-0 in the Nou Camp in midweek to overcome a first-leg deficit and book a place in the Copa del Rey final, failure to defend the crown they claimed for the 14th time by beating Liverpool in Paris last summer is likely to bring consequences.
