Another Chelsea fixture and another Chelsea defeat. Frank Lampard has recorded a fifth loss in a row since returning to the club as caretaker manager and the Blues' season continues to fizzle out.
Stamford Bridge was more sparsely populated than usual for the visit of Brentford but the referee's half and full-time whistle was punctuated with boos from the home support. An own goal from Cesar Azpilicueta and second half effort from Bryan Mbeumo ensured Chelsea fans had little to be enthused about for another week.
The west London side have six matches to find some momentum to end the season with but must play the entire top four, three of which will be away from home. Having managed just one goal in April, a deflected effort from Conor Gallagher, the remainder of 2022/23 is sure to bring similar or even greater difficulties to the defeat to Brentford.
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Here are four things we learned from the clash.
Not finding the answer
Lampard made use of a similar line-up and set up to which he implemented against Real Madrid, looking to find some momentum with the energy the team showed on that occasion. On Wednesday evening the Blues boss hoped that his side would push themselves further up the pitch.
He said ahead of the game: "It's about the whole team getting higher up the pitch and getting into dangerous areas and staying there so we can sustain attacks better and have numbers in and around the box."
It was not a system that paid off against the Bees, with Chelsea unable to provoke real danger in Brentford's backline, even if they did record more opportunities. It was little wonder Lampard made two substitutes at the 45 minute mark and swapped to a back four with three forwards in the hope of finding more danger in the box.
The result was the same though, as Chelsea conceded a single goal in each half. In some respects the Bees couldn't believe what they'd been presented with.
"We were pleased they showed us so much respect. I was surprised," Thomas Frank noted in his press conference.
Lampard, to a degree, was left floundering in assessment of the match, putting the blame for Chelsea's result once again down to confidence.
He explained after the game: "We play a back three in the first half and control the game, we're not effective enough at the top end of the pitch. We go back four, we're more effective but concede on the counter-attack. It's not a tactical problem for me at the minute in the short term. At the minute there's clearly a confidence problem and I can see that in the players faces because they're not sitting there bemoaning each other at this moment."
The team finished the match with applause to supporters around each stands, and even with the boos, there was no ferocity in their reaction as the players greeted them almost apologetically. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ben Chilwell, Noni Madueke and Trevoh Chalobah handed their shirts to supporters before heading down the tunnel, while Cesar Apilicueta was the last man in after showing his appreciation to supporters.
A forward might help
At half time, Chelsea's speed and energy moving the ball forwards increased but more crucially they had a figure to target within the opposition box. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's finishing may not have been quite up to scratch but he brought a sense of danger.
The 33-year-old striker recorded more shots and hit the target more times than his teammates, though Lampard lamented his sharpness following the match. He believes his introduction made a difference.
He said: "Yeah, I think so. Auba has been a tough one for me because I have complete respect for him as a player, scored 300 and whatever goals in his career. He couldn't play the two Madrid games for me because he's not in the squad. He came on against Wolves. For a No. 9 particularly to be sharp and to be playing regularly is key.
"To see him train, when we've not had big minutes to train and the last few days I've seen him be able to train. He was in my thinking for today anyway. He certainly has the profile of a No.9 and we don't have that elsewhere in the squad, so I did see a difference."
Aubameyang may not be a sign of Chelsea's future, but you could not rule out him being in the starting XI versus Arsenal.
The focus isn't on the future
There was some controversy around Lampard's squad for the game. The Blues boss went into the clash with four central midfielders on the pitch in Conor Gallagher, Enzo Fernandez, Mateo Kovacic and N'Golo Kante and as many wingers on the bench in the shape of Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Mykhailo Mudryk and Madueke, the latter making his first squad under the 44-year-old manager.
The likelihood of all four wingers making it on the pitch seems pretty low, and with the likes of Carney Chukwuemeka, Lewis Hall and David Datro Fofana not selected, Lampard's focus clearly isn't upon specifically readying the team for next term. Ziyech and Pulisic have a strong potential to depart, while as things stand, Joao Felix made it off the bench, but will see his loan finish come the end of the season.
With little to gain from the season, and little confidence with the players Lampard has trusted so far, there is an increasingly strong argument to provide space in the squad for young players who could contend for a place next season, and to increase the minutes of the likes of Madueke and Mudryk too.
Mauricio Pochettino's position grows stronger
When Chelsea have previously been in discussions with Mauricio Pochettino, the Blues have negotiated from a position of strength. Having sacked Graham Potter, and seen the club descend to the bottom half of the table this season, while Chelsea's sporting hierarchy has been assembled, the west London side might not be able to be as easily persuasive.
There's no doubting Pochettino is coming into a difficult situation should he become Chelsea's next head coach. The size of the squad and the demand to trim it down adds an immediate pressure, but it is an area where the sporting directors and ownership will primarily be judged.
The former Spurs boss will be the fifth person to take charge under the new ownership, and as a result Pochettino will have more room for manoeuvre without receiving blame, and with a less appealing hotseat than existed earlier in this season, it is easy for the 51-year-old to demand more.
While Lampard's stint was hoped to galvanise the team and fanbase, it has simply reinforced the issues that remain at the club. Defeat to Brentford has punctuated where Chelsea lie as negotiations progress between parties, and ensures everyone is reminded how important it is for the Blues to land a top quality coach.
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