Chelsea dropped more points in the Premier League on Monday night as Aston Villa battled to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
The point leaves Chelsea sixth in the table and six points off leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and it is a gap which is seemingly increasing by the week.
Chelsea have now picked up just one win in their past five Premier League games, and while those above them have not exactly been able to take full advantage with dropped points of their own, Frank Lampard knows his side can ill-afford more slip-ups heading into the New Year.
Here, we look at three key areas Lampard and Chelsea may look to address in January…
Just what is Lampard’s first-choice front three?
In what was Chelsea’s 16th Premier League match of the season, Lampard opted for his 11th different combination of forwards against Villa.
Chelsea’s starting forward trios in the Premier League this season
- Ziyech, Werner, Abraham: 4
- Pulisic, Werner, Abraham: 2
- Mount, Werner, Havertz: 2
- Ziyech, Werner, Giroud: 1
- Havertz, Werner, Giroud: 1
- Pulisic, Werner, Giroud: 1
- Mount, Werner, Abraham: 1
- Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Abraham: 1
- Mount, Werner, Pulisic: 1
- Pulisic, Werner, Havertz: 1
- Hudson-Odoi, Giroud, Pulisic: 1
Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud were the trio trialled at Stamford Bridge on Monday, and to begin with the signs were promising. Hudson-Odoi was bright, while Pulisic looked the sharpest, going close with a hat-trick of chances before playing a key role for Giroud’s opener.
This latest combination highlighted Lampard’s wealth of options up front, but given the stuttering second half there was little to suggest this will end up being the Chelsea boss’ go-to trio.
However, what exactly is Chelsea’s best trio is still up for debate. It is arguably one Lampard would have liked to have solved by now, but injuries and a packed scheduled have made it difficult to decipher, and the tinkering is likely to continue come January.
Two big red circles in Lampard’s 2021 diary will be Chelsea’s meetings with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16, first on 23 February before the return leg on 17 March. By then he will hope to have found his favourites up front, but that is easier said than done.
Can Chelsea convince Giroud to stay?
Olivier Giroud is doing his very best to make sure he is one of those fancied three.
With nine goals to his name, Giroud is now Chelsea’s top scorer in all competitions so far this season, but in just four days’ time he will be free to speak with clubs abroad given his current contract expires in the summer.
That impending option to explore other potential avenues could well prompt Chelsea into making a quick decision of their own in January, for given the 34-year-old has outlined that this evergreen ability to score when called upon is not showing any signs of dwindling, the club may seek to extend this deal for another season.
Giroud will undoubtedly want assurances that he will remain in Lampard’s plans, but so long as he keeps scoring, he will give his boss, and the board, no choice but to make sure there is an offer to stay – not just for their own advantage, but to ensure his prowess is not to another club’s gain.
Dare Lampard rest Chilwell or Mount?
It was evidence of the importance Lampard places in both Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount that the pair were not rested against Villa.
Chilwell has now started the last 13 Premier League games since overcoming injury problems after his summer move from Leicester, and the assist for Giroud proved to be his fourth of the campaign.
The England full-back is not just another creative outlet for Chelsea, but at times their most dangerous one, and it is likely Lampard will continue to call on Chilwell unless injury means otherwise.
The same could be said for Mount, too, who made a match-high three key passes against Villa, once again outlining his desire to be the beating heart of their advances up the pitch.
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