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It's official! Chelsea have parted ways with Frank Lampard, bringing his 18-month spell in the Stamford Bridge dugout to an end.
The 42-year-old is widely regarded as the greatest player in the Blues' history. Having hung up his playing boots in 2016, he took up the managerial reins at Derby County.
His one-year managerial apprenticeship at Pride Park was seemingly convincing enough for the Chelsea board as they appointed him in Maurizio Sarri's stead in July 2019.
Things began brightly enough for Lampard in west London. He managed to secure a top-four finish and progress to the knockout round of the UEFA Champions League in his debut season.
This feat was made all the more impressive considering that Chelsea operated under a transfer ban and lost the services of Eden Hazard. Lampard's utilization of home-grown players from the academy also won him props among the club's fanbase.
However, at the expiration of the club's transfer ban, a splurge was undertaken in the market, with over £200 million spent on bolstering the squad.
The current economic realities of the pandemic meant that no other club could expend such amounts, and Chelsea were the biggest spenders across the continent.
It was expected that the club would build on the gains made in Lampard's first season to potentially mount a title challenge. However, that has not been the case.
A 17-match unbeaten run in all competitions earlier in the campaign masked underlying issues, and they all came to the fore following a 1-0 defeat away to Everton in December.
Chelsea have won just four of 10 matches in all competitions since then, with two of those victories coming against lower league opposition in the FA Cup and against a 10-man, relegation-threatened Fulham.
The club's poor form against the top sides in the league had been a sword of Damocles hanging over Frank Lampard's head. It came as no real surprise when the Chelsea board made the decision to part company with him.
Lampard departs Stamford Bridge with the lowest points-per-game of any manager in the Roman Abramovich era, while he has a win ratio of 52.4%.
Several names have been linked with the vacant managerial position, with Thomas Tuchel currently identified as the favourite for the job.
While some players like Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, and Reece James blossomed under the tutelage of Frank Lampard, there are others who faltered.
Here, we shall have a rundown of five Chelsea stars who struggled under Frank Lampard's management.
#5 Kepa Arrizabalaga
Kepa Arrizabalaga was made the most expensive goalkeeper in history when he signed for Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao in 2018.
The Spain international had a solid if unspectacular debut season at Stamford Bridge, with the highlight coming when he infamously refused to be substituted during penalties in the final of the League Cup.
However, things unraveled for Kepa in his sophomore year, and he slowly lost his starting place on both the club and international scene.
Lampard's deployment of an expansive style of play left his goalkeeper badly exposed, and Kepa's struggles with shot-stopping became more glaring.
The 26-year-old ended the season with several unwanted records and also faltered at the start of the current campaign.
It came as no surprise when Chelsea made the decision to sign Edouard Mendy from Rennes, with the world's most expensive goalkeeper now relegated to domestic cup competitions.
Speaking after the termination of Frank Lampard's dismissal, Kepa reportedly stated that he was not given adequate tactical input or support when his confidence waned last season.
It remains to be seen whether the former Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper would enjoy a renaissance under the new manager or if the status quo would be maintained.
#4 Andreas Christensen
Having initially struggled to breakthrough in the Chelsea first team, Andreas Christensen underwent a two-year loan spell with Borussia Monchengladbach, where he blossomed.
A return to Stamford Bridge followed, but the last four years have been filled with several stop-gaps for the 24-year-old.
Lampard's first season in charge saw Christensen start six of the club's first seven Premier League games before an injury halted his run in the starting lineup.
Another strong run came between January and June, during which he started 12 of the club's 13 games. However, an error-strewn first-half display against Sheffield United in July saw the Denmark international relegated to the bench.
The arrival of Thiago Silva and the improved display of Kurt Zouma has reduced Christensen's importance in the squad this season.
So far, he has made just five starts in the Premier League and was not even named in the matchday squad on 10 occasions.
#3 Timo Werner
Timo Werner made a name for himself with his exploits for RB Leipzig and Germany, and big things were expected from him when he signed for Chelsea in 2020.
However, it has hardly gone to plan for the 24-year-old at Stamford Bridge, and he currently struggles from a lack of confidence in front of goal.
His decision-making in the final third also leaves a lot to be desired, while there are still raging debates over what his best position in the Chelsea team is.
The Germany international had earlier undergone a 13-game goal drought for club and country before finding the back of the net against Morecambe.
Despite his woes in front of goal, Frank Lampard still largely stuck by Werner at the expense of Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham.
In many ways, it was telling that the last highlight of Lampard's tenure as Chelsea manager came with Timo Werner missing a late penalty against Luton Town in the FA Cup.
The tamely struck penalty underlined the lack of confidence currently being experienced by the forward, with that being the first penalty he missed since October 2018.
There are high hopes that Thomas Tuchel could help bring out the best in the German, with his tactical school of thought favouring forwards in the ilk of his compatriot.
#2 Marcos Alonso
Marcos Alonso has not exactly set the world alight since signing for Chelsea from Fiorentina in 2016.
The 30-year-old is, without a doubt, one of the most threatening full-backs going forward, but his lack of awareness and susceptibility to getting caught out leaves a lot to be desired.
Alonso seemingly did not have the full trust of his manager, with just 18 Premier League appearances made in the 2019-20 season.
Of these, just 15 came as a starter, while he was left out of the squad on 11 occasions.
This term, things have gone from bad to worse, primarily due to the arrival of Ben Chilwell from Leicester City.
So far, Marcos Alonso has made just three appearances in all competitions, amid rumours of a fallout with Frank Lampard.
There were reports that he could be on his way out of the club, with Inter Milan among those reportedly interested.
However, Lampard's departure could offer the former Bolton Wanderers man a clean slate to showcase his abilities at Stamford Bridge.
#1 Kai Havertz
Things have gone horribly wrong for Chelsea's record signing since his arrival at the club.
Having showcased his abilities and broken countless records in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, Kai Havertz was earmarked as a star for the future.
However, the Germany international has failed to showcase his abilities in the Premier League, leading to extended spells on the Chelsea bench.
Havertz looked out-of-place each time he was on the field, with many accusing Lampard of sanctioning his purchase without knowing how he would fit him into his tactical plans.
The 21-year-old created just one chance and attempted a solitary shot in his last six Premier League games.
Like Timo Werner, there are high hopes that a German tactician can help bring out the best in Kai Havertz.
