Sky pundit criticises Lampard’s tactics – and Chelsea fans

Tony Cottee believes Frank Lampard got his tactics badly wrong in Chelsea’s home defeat against Southampton.

Lampard stuck with the 3-4-3 formation that worked so well in the recent win at Tottenham.

It didn’t work this time and pundit Cottee feels Lampard will be regretting his decision.

Speaking on Sky Sports News HQ, former West Ham striker Cottee said: “I don’t want to be too critical of Frank Lampard. He’s a young manager learning his job.

“But I think he’ll think ‘On reflection, maybe I shouldn’t have played three at the back’ – especially against Southampton, who were really only playing with Che Adams up there. It was three against one.

“The three centre-halves are not what you’d call passing centre-halves anyway, so I think it limited their options and as a result of that it meant Tammy Abraham was playing pretty much on his own up front.

“Abraham didn’t play that badly but there was hardly any support. They didn’t get balls into the box.

“It caused them problems and that was reflected in the fact that he changed it at half-time. He took off Zouma and brought on Mason Mount, who was decent when he came on.”

Cottee also believes the muted atmosphere at Stamford Bridge – where Chelsea have lost three of their past four home league games – was an issue.

“It was really flat – the atmosphere was really flat,” he said.

“The fans were like ‘We’ve beaten Spurs and we’ll just sort of sit there and expect to be entertained’.

“It was quiet and Chelsea just never ever got going.”