Chelsea respond to Avram Grant returning with Frank Lampard under sack pressure

Chelsea: Lampard comes out fighting as pressure grows

Chelsea have played down talk Avram Grant could replace Frank Lampard as manager, according to reports. Lampard is under pressure at Stamford Bridge in the wake of his side’s 2-0 Premier League defeat to Leicester on Tuesday. But it appears a parting of the ways isn’t on the cards at the current moment in time.

Chelsea were poor against Leicester, with goals from Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison consigning them to defeat.

And, in the time since, speculation over Lampard’s future has arisen.

Chelsea have shown little mercy towards managers in the past, axing title-winning bosses such as Jose Mourinho (twice), Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte.

With Lampard under pressure, talk of Grant potentially returning to west London has arisen – either as a mentor to the Blues boss or even as a replacement.

But the Mirror say that won’t be happening, with Chelsea responding to those claims by playing them down.

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While that’s the case, however, Lampard hasn’t dismissed the idea of bringing in somebody to help the Blues alleviate their current slump behind the scenes.

And whether the 42-year-old can change their current situation remains to be seen, especially with links to other managers beginning to intensify.

RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann appears to be the No 1 candidate to take over in the capital.

But the German won’t leave the Red Bull Arena at the current moment in time, determined to steer the club to a first-ever Bundesliga title.

Massimiliano Allegri has also been linked.

Yet the Italian doesn’t seem to be in the running to take over, despite being available following his departure from Juventus in 2019.

Meanwhile, former Arsenal star Perry Groves has slammed Lampard’s managerial reign at Chelsea – but thinks he won’t be sacked just yet.

“With Chelsea, the biggest worry is I don’t think the players are having Frank Lampard and Jody Morris as a coaching team, and they are not having Frank Lampard as a manager,” he told talkSPORT.

“There is no intensity and no desire.

“If you look at the goals: the first goal was from a short corner, it’s two-vs-one and nobody reacts to go out.

“The second goal is a long pass, then Jamie Vardy gets the wrong side of Antonio Rudiger who fouls him and all of a sudden James Maddison is completely unmarked.

“You look and think: where is Reece James?

“In the build-up, Reece James is three to four yards goal-side of Maddison, and as the ball travels in the air he gets three yards behind him. That just shows me there isn’t that work ethic and intensity to do your job for the team.

“Lampard played a 4-3-3 again; the midfield three of Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount is not strong enough when you are away at Leicester. It is not physical enough.

“Chelsea’s team is screaming for a 4-2-3-1; that is the best formation.

“But Frank Lampard is not seeing it, he makes no changes at half-time and keeps the same formation!

“I’ve said it before: When he got the job it was too early for him. He was learning his trade, and he did well last year in his free season because there was limited expectation and he couldn’t sign any players.

“But this team has gone backwards with £220m spent on it!

“He’s not an elite manager, and he’s at an elite football club.”

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