When Frank Lampard took over the managerial hot-seat at Chelsea, opinion was divided.
Clearly, it was a role that the Blues’ former midfielder would’ve taken at some stage in his career, but there was a question mark as to whether it was too early, coming as it did after just a year’s apprenticeship at Derby County.
A reasonable enough first campaign at Stamford Bridge was still peppered with strange decisions and an almost blanket refusal to acknowledge Chelsea’s problems in defence.
When he had the opportunity to address those in the summer transfer market, aside from Ben Chilwell and a punt on Thiago Silva, Lampard preferred to invest Roman Abramovich’s hard-earned on more attacking staff.
Though there appears to be more of an acceptance now that the west Londoners are lacking at the back, Lampard is still sending out the wrong messages to his players.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has endured a torrid time of late in goal, of that there can be no dispute.
However, if buying a new keeper in Edouard Mendy wasn’t enough, putting the long-since retired Petr Cech into his Premier League squad is just rubbing salt into the wounds.
The youngster does need time out of the firing line, but Lampard’s decision to rub his nose in it does him no favours whatsoever and sends out completely the wrong message.
He clearly still has a lot to learn about man-management.
Wow Cech happy again.