Chelsea have the potential to be mesmerising at the top of the pitch.
Their third goal against Southampton was magnificent, as Timo Werner and Mason Mount exchanged a one-two and Kai Havertz scored.
With Christian Pulisic fit again and Hakim Ziyech ready to play, the pieces of the puzzle are all there – Frank Lampard just has to put them together.
But Chelsea's manager has work to do with his defence first. Last weekend's 3-3 draw at Stamford Bridge took them to 63 goals conceded in 43 Premier League games under Lampard.
What has stood out is the mannequin-like ball-watching from Chelsea's defenders. They stand around admiring the pretty football being played in front of them rather than preparing for when they lose possession.
They've had the cigars out, and that mentality has to change. Lampard's message to his defenders has to be: 'Get into position early and expect the forward players to lose possession at any moment.'
Ralph Hasenhuttl's Southampton are one of the best at pressing. They like to win the ball back and pounce – and that was how they got their first goal.
Andreas Christensen left the back line to press a throw-in and Havertz picked up possession. Yet instead of racing back to rejoin Kurt Zouma like he should – or noticing Danny Ings over his shoulder – Christensen started walking.
When Havertz loses the ball in midfield, Chelsea's players are practically stood there with arms folded. Christensen tries to get back, but it's too late.
By the time he is even on the edge of the box, Ings is going around Kepa Arrizabalaga to score.
For Southampton's second goal, Zouma messes up a back pass, but the positioning of Chelsea's defence is all wrong again.
Zouma is isolated, and Christensen is watching when he should be anticipating the worst-case scenario. Individual errors are made, and Southampton equalise.
As a defender, you have to be on red alert at all times. At Arsenal, I was lucky enough to work under Don Howe. I couldn't have asked for a better apprenticeship.
Don was the governor of defending and we were taught: 'If you work early, you work less.'
Where's the ball? Where's my opponent? Where's our defensive line? You have to assess, shuffle across, drop off – and it is imperative you do this before your team loses the ball. If you don't bother getting into position, then the opposition can and will hurt you at this level.
That's what Chelsea's defenders need to learn. It is about knowledge, awareness and not being naive. Ings knew what he was doing, drifting between Christensen and Zouma, because he was expecting his Southampton team-mates to win the ball.
Lampard hopes the experience of Thiago Silva can help but at 36 years old, it remains to be seen if he can cope with playing every week.
Chelsea's forwards will get the majority of the credit when they win. Defenders only tend to hit the headlines when they've had a nightmare at the back! But you have to pride yourself on securing that clean sheet.
Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp used to do marvellous things up top for Arsenal. But our back line wasn't made up of spectators. We did our jobs.
Chelsea's players need to wake up and stop their sleeping at the back. Do that and this team, with Werner central and the vast array of attacking talent around him, can be seriously competitive.
Rashford could do the damage if given the chance
Manchester City have endured their worst start to a season since 2014, while Liverpool have lost Virgil van Dijk.
If someone is to crash the top-two party, Chelsea and Manchester United will believe they should be at the front of the queue.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has largely enjoyed facing Frank Lampard – that FA Cup semi-final when David De Gea had a Wembley Stadium horror show aside.
United faced Chelsea four times last season and won three of them, primarily by using the same 3-4-1-2 that defeated Paris Saint-German on Tuesday. I felt Solskjaer's players weren't fit at the start of this campaign.
That short holiday break after their Europa League exit didn't seem to help, and the opening-day defeat by Crystal Palace placed the manager under immediate pressure. That's the way it is at United.
But now, Solskjaer's players look like they are fit again. They scored three times after the 86th minute at Newcastle last week, and out-played PSG in midweek.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka deserves a special mention for his performance – his tackles on Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were as precise as a surgeon with a scalpel.
It was Marcus Rashford who scored United's late winner in Paris, and he could do real damage to Chelsea's defence if they act like mannequins again. Bruno Fernandes can play fabulous balls behind the opposition for Rashford or Anthony Martial, and the statistics say no Premier League club has scored more goals from quick breaks than United this season.
One of those breakaways was at Brighton. Fernandes set free Rashford and the 22-year-old forward did the rest, finishing off a fine counter-attack. Chelsea recorded their fewest attempts on goal in a Champions League game since February 2015 in their 0-0 with Sevilla on Tuesday.
Maybe that was Lampard trying to make his team compact. He wants to find a winning formula at the front and back. But if his defenders don't get into position early enough on Saturday, United have the players to take advantage.
This has all the makings of a fascinating battle between two great teams aiming to muscle their way back to the top of the domestic pile.
Epangelo
0
Yes and they should try shootings from a long range.
Huzdiopyz
0
our defence was shaking at the beginning of the season but the coach I believe has figured out how we will get better defensively. but our main problem in all those lost matches except the one against Spurs was Kepa . Kepa was to blame in many of the goals conceded with his positioning and anticipation and always giving out the ball to an opponent to score against him as a goalkeeper infact I wonder what we saw in him that med my club buy him
MANDY92
1
This is a very good lesson to the Chelsea defensive students. Wish their could learn from this article
Bibklmnoy
0
this was a well observations Chelsea players have to take every words from this
Nesaiknruy_Legend
1
This applied 2 games ago. We have now kept 2 clean sheets back to back testament to Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell and Big Eduoard Mendy coming in and showing the rest how to defend. It was clear that the struggles were a personel problem as 3 changes made the back line look like a whole different one. Every attacking team has defensive struggles in matches but it's about which personel you got to deal with those struggles. Even someone like league winners Liverpool shipped in 7 just cos their starting keeper wasn't there. Stop blaming only the manager for everything the tactics are foolproof we concede the fewest chances which means it's all down to players positioning and sense of defending from then on.
venabimnoz
0
Lampard played his best when he played with Ballack& Micheal Essien.Look for those type and the days is yours .
venabimnoz
0
Silva needs a firm,strong, intelligent & an assistant that will discourage attackers from entering the 6 yard box.
venabimnoz
1
Kepa sometimes lost concentration right in the middle of the game.As for reading & following a game pattern kepa is out of it.Mendy is quick and follows the game to the last minute.Zuma is strong but not clever,Christ.is nervous when the game gets tough.So team needs a mature last man to clean the mess.Kepa is not so talented to react fast .
cuyeknpst
0
Lambert is non experience Coach
cuyeknpst
0
above all this commentary Lambert is the Chelsea problem he does not have couching experience are he is doing England garbuling
kokbepsu
0
lampard doesn't know anything
Ennes88
0
Tommorows champions leaque please lampard
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he might make a change in Tommorows match let's try n give him chance
KehindeSeun
1
pls LAMPARD aldo it risk but those people as to play and we also need fresh legs this is champion league so we can have 5 sub Tammy,pulisic,James,Chris,Alonso,
KehindeSeun
1
They didn’t sign all these attacking players to be playing a formation 3-5-2 he need to get it right at the defense and make the attacker run and press high up on the pitch.. it’s very simple I don’t know 🤷 what exactly he is telling or training them for on the training ground
simple lol
RazorWatson
2
I support Timo with Abraham because is not every time we can play direct passes through the defense to our attackers, sometimes we have to swing crosses in the box and with Abraham's height he will score.
RazorWatson
0
Tommorows champions leaque please lampard
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bro Marcus Alonso is rubbish why you still using him in your system?
KleverkayY
0
They didn’t sign all these attacking players to be playing a formation 3-5-2 he need to get it right at the defense and make the attacker run and press high up on the pitch.. it’s very simple I don’t know 🤷 what exactly he is telling or training them for on the training ground
PrinceFJr
3
All football also Loves Mount like Lampard so much that Pulisic transformed to Mount over night. Such quick feet n thinking has only one name to it CAPTAIN AMERICA
IchukwuSly
1
Chelsea Will Come Good, We Just Need a Little Patience
Ennes88
1
Tommorows champions leaque please lampard
Jikabnot
0
often times have I said it that Lampard is not the right coach for Chelsea. kindly look at this analysis so far for this season:= 10 games so far 1 preseason ====== Draw 2 carling cup matches==== 1W, 1L 1 U C L match =========== Draw 6 EPL matches====== 2W, 3D, 1L now with this, after all the money spent, are we heading to the right direction?
johndoebills
1
this guy will always be a here for Chelsea
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nice graffiti
blueLion01
0
Timo Werner × Mason Mount 1,2[Crylaugh][Crylaugh]When did that happen.
it was pullisic to werner to havertz
blueLion01
0
Media can keep digging critics out of chelsea club we don't care is our club
thank u.. but still, they need to beore serious off the ball
profkuc
7
Only this formation can help Chelsea stay offensively and defensively stable...Kante is defensive and doesn't feed strikers...Mount does both, he has energy..Timo alone is not lethal..unless paired with Abraham or giroud..
Labaenosuz
2
with Silva n Rudigier good at one on one. n mend best
viweilopz
0
perfect Mr Frank
Yekaclnop
2
Media can keep digging critics out of chelsea club we don't care is our club
updyaziz2000
1
some times you see some are not going the ball completely. so they need to do alot of things. but Frank absolutely needs to change the way mason mount playing for RW or LW because we don't need this time. look at hudson ziyech pulusic even timo can play.
Bihadekmuy
1
media is media,,never listen to critics🍆💩
cunacklnt
1
lampard should forget about mouse as now and concentrate on right player.Abraham can score more goals when he play with warner and pulisic up front.mouse average at moment, don't just saw people you love him, wait for his time to come
kross5
0
Timo Werner × Mason Mount 1,2[Crylaugh][Crylaugh]When did that happen.
I also wonder bro because I remember Pulisic passing the ball to Timo then to Havertz
Chelsea™4™Ever
6
this guy will always be a here for Chelsea
JeroMob
2
Absolutely true, Lack of awareness and wrong positioning is all the root cause of our pour defence. the same thing with Kepa and that's why he has conceded many goals from long range. If u ask yourself why is Silver at is old age still better that these boys with young blood ? It's because of his game reading, awareness on the pitch and good positioning.
IamShahzadFaiz
1
UCL ON TOMORROW
Zutbeintz
0
Lampard simply can't coach defensive organisation, but than again we have Silva who was taught the art of defending in Italy .
Nubdeilrtu
5
[Comeon]chelsea the best team lampard and mount out to chelsea
Sandile_21
0
Timo Werner × Mason Mount 1,2[Crylaugh][Crylaugh]When did that happen.
ars1217
3
Kepa on bench will make difference
Woaacnopt
0
English press, they'd like to praise one of their own as always.
Sacadimr
1
When did Pulisic change to Mount.. it was Pulisic and Timo exchange one two