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Analysis Thread
Frank Lampard an enigma
His Playing philosophy, quote “my first call: how fit and how hard we can work without the ball, before talking about what we can do with the ball. Attacking football, defensive football, it’s all the same.”
Frank Lampard an enigma
His Playing philosophy, quote “my first call: how fit and how hard we can work without the ball, before talking about what we can do with the ball. Attacking football, defensive football, it’s all the same.”
This is the essence of the best managers Frank learned from, who supplied the most important tactical lessons during his years at Chelsea.
Lampard dissociates control of the game from control of the ball, which is the first step towards Chelsea being “difficult to play against”
Lampard dissociates control of the game from control of the ball, which is the first step towards Chelsea being “difficult to play against”
We learned last year many times possessing the ball gives the team control of the ball, not run of play
Against a Premier League team defending in a low, compact block, a “possession-based team” surrenders control, with nothing but a U-shaped pass map to show for their impotence
Against a Premier League team defending in a low, compact block, a “possession-based team” surrenders control, with nothing but a U-shaped pass map to show for their impotence
Frank also dispenses with the idea that a team’s philosophy is linked to their play in one direction or the other. “It’s all the same,” he says, because it is.
An attack can come out of a prolonged defensive posture. Many Chelsea highlights run about 15 seconds from recovering the ball in their defensive third to the ball hitting the back of the opponent’s net. Is a high press or a counter-press attacking or defensive?
When N’Golo Kante tackles the ball in midfield and plays it out to an attacking midfielder at full stride 10 yards away, was that offence or defence? When did one end and the other begin?
Useless distinctions abound. Nearly as useless as terms like “beautiful football,” or notions that possession “imposes” your game plan on the other. Chelsea won a handful of their highest-possession games, but they were hardly in control.
As always, the game against Newcastle under Sarri comes to mind. Eighty percent possession required a DeAndre Yedlin own goal and Eden Hazard penalty to secure three points
Maurizio Sarri’s boot-lickers will no doubt be furrowing their brows in vain attempts to understand what Frank Lampard is doing.
Those who think a playing system can be transplanted in toto from one league to another.
Those who think a playing system can be transplanted in toto from one league to another.
They confuse the wider statistics of coaches like Pep and Klopp as first principles of a successful club.
You know, morons.
You know, morons.
Most are applying Sarris’ framework to the Lampard era. Defences have to be structured. They only work when they are structured, whether on set pieces or from open play that is necessary organization in a stage of the game that demands it.
Given our lack in this area Frank has recruited to address these short comings via Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell and Edouardo Mendy. Given our slapdash defence and gk woes last season this will sure up quickly once all have settled and are fit.
Under Sarri, the offence was organized the same way. It was every bit as structured and rigid as a defence would be under any other coach. Jorginho could move the players around like chess pieces because there were, in fact, predefined positions and movements every time.
The offence has no such structure under Lampard. Chelsea’s offence, and to various extents their transitions to and from offence, is based on decision-making. Jorginho can’t order someone into a position because there is no “right” position.
The “right” position is the one that comes off, ends up being dependent on everyone: the player making the run, the player making the space, the player making the pass etc. The rigidity under Sarri no longer exists. Which showed against Brighton with J5 sending Werner through.
Lampard, building off of coaches like Jose Mourinho, extends that decision-making empowerment to the rest of the non-defending game states. He is structuring his defence, but giving free reign to offence.
This takes more time to teach and will never be perfected, which is wonderful because it means the Blues will never be predictable. And given the chemistry being built between the forwards we are in for some great highlights this season.
Another basic management lesson Sarri didn’t learn at the bank but Lampard learned from his 11 Chelsea managers and every other manager he studied along the way is praise your players in public, always, unfailingly. As seen with Kepa unfortunately...
When a manager like Lampard praises his players, he’s being a proper manager. It’s strategic communications. It’s not about what he says, it’s about what he’s doing. That’s the message – not the words. Maybe it’s what he thinks, maybe it’s not. It doesn’t matter.
Conclusion
Frank is building a side that is dynamic and has recruited for long term success.
Clearly the players have all bought into his vision which bodes well for the squad.
The pieces are only just coming together, so rather than slating him get behind him.
Hth. CC out.
Frank is building a side that is dynamic and has recruited for long term success.
Clearly the players have all bought into his vision which bodes well for the squad.
The pieces are only just coming together, so rather than slating him get behind him.
Hth. CC out.
