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Chelsea were beaten by Arsenal on Boxing Day in the Premier League and will hope to end 2020 on a winning note when they face Aston Villa on Monday. Let’s take a look at the latest news featuring Chelsea from 27 December 2020:
Shearer feels Werner’s form is a big worry for Lampard
Former Newcastle United star Alan Shearer believes Chelsea’s misfiring forward Timo Werner is a big worry for Frank Lampard. The German once again failed to score for the Blues as they were beaten 3-1 by Arsenal on Boxing Day.
Werner last scored for Chelsea against Sheffield United in the Premier League in early November. The player has scored just four times in the league since signing for the club in the summer.
The former Leipzig star has been criticised on social media for his lacklustre performances, and Shearer feels he was taken off at half time for offering nothing against Arsenal.
“When you look at some of the players on show in the attacking third, then this could be a worry for Frank,” Sheared said.
“[Timo] Werner, who was dragged at half time, didn’t offer anything in that first half, he just got into one or two decent positions," he added.
Ex-Chelsea midfielder feels Lampard is on the chopping board
Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley feels, that despite his status as a club legend, Frank Lampard needs to turn things around at Chelsea soon if he wants to keep his job. The Blues suffered their fourth defeat of the season, and their third in four games, and continue to be outside the top four positions.
After a solid start to the season that led to talks of Chelsea being title contenders, they are now looking like a team who would do well to get into the top four.
Lampard has come under some criticism in recent weeks for his side’s performances. Burley feels that, with an owner like Roman Abramovich, even the status of being a club legend might not be enough to save Lampard unless performances improve.
“[Lampard’s] got players out of form, he’s got players that are not fully fit, and that’s a problem. They have gone from looking one of the paciest, quickest sides in the Premier League to one of the most pedestrian,” Burley told ESPN.
“That is a huge issue for him because you may have noticed owner Roman Abramovich doesn’t suffer inconsistency, bad results, no matter who it is. So let me be clear, Lampard is back on the chopping board currently as we speak,” he added.
Chelsea could return for Declan Rice in January
Chelsea spent more than £200 million in the summer and could add to their squad in the January transfer window as well.
Declan Rice is one player Frank Lampard wanted to add to the Blues squad in the summer, and The Athletic claim that he is the only player Chelsea will consider signing in January.
Rice’s contract with West Ham United runs until 2024, and the Hammers are likely to play hardball as David Moyes claimed in the summer that it’s going to take the ‘Bank of England’ to sign the midfielder.
