Chelsea once again went goalless in a 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid and Wednesday night and now must come from behind in the Champions League for the second round in a row if they hope to seal progression. Frank Lampard saw his tactical adjustment to 352 foiled by Los Blancos' threats at the Bernabeu as Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio ensured the home side prevailed.
Lampard noted that he saw opportunities against Real Madrid to be optimistic about but was left once again to ponder how to galvanise his side and inject some confidence as the Blues recorded their fourth consecutive match without troubling the scoreline.
The Blues caretaker boss will have plenty of considerations to make over how many changes to make for the visit of Brighton, the team that appeared to provoke Chelsea's struggling form all the way back in October. Saturday could provide the opportunity for a start for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke. That will ensure Lampard can make every preparation possible for the second leg against Real Madrid, possibly with a tactical tip from Graham Potter.
READ MORE : Ben Chilwell decision exposes why Chelsea will be forced into the transfer market this summer
With no permanent manager, a bloated squad and a number of transfers expected in the summer, there is a great deal of uncertainty at Stamford Bridge. However, the early stages of Lampard's tenure have perhaps indicated that the Blues were correct to employ a caretaker manager, so that their permanent choice is not burdened by a troubling end to the season.
In addition, Cobham products Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher are being targeted by Liverpool as Chelsea attempt to plan for an uncertain future.
Our Chelsea correspondents Scott Trotter and Bobby Vincent discuss all of the above in plenty of depth in the latest episode of their View from the Bridge podcast. To listen to the latest episode head right here to find the show on various platforms.
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