Chelsea fans were left in shock at the first XI named by Frank Lampard ahead of the club’s west London derby clash with Brentford on Wednesday evening.
Blues manager Lampard’s selection was greeted by staunch opposition from Blues fans on Twitter, with one claiming that it was among the worst teams that they had seen.
The Blues began the day in 11th place and out of the Champions League race, and Lampard elected to field a team without a striker.
Central midfielder Conor Gallagher appeared to be deputising up top for the beleaguered Blues, with Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante and Enzo Fernandez also in the side.
Gallagher was later hooked at half-time, replaced by Mykhailo Mudryk, with the Blues behind int he tie by a goal to nil thanks to a Cesar Azpilicueta own goal.
Frank Lampard’s team selection for Chelsea’s clash with Brentford was met with staunch opposition
Thiago Silva was one of five defenders named in the starting XI with Conor Gallagher seemingly up front
Raheem Sterling’s inclusion in the starting XI was also picked out for criticism with several young wingers on the bench
As a result, several fans claimed that they would not be watching the game, that would see their side remain in 11th place even if they should beat their near neighbours – who could open an eight point gap from Chelsea.
On particularly aggrieved fan wrote: ‘My blood is boiling, man. Where is the logic in this lineup?
‘We have absolutely nothing to play for. We should be playing the likes of (Mykhailo) Mudryk, (Carney) Chukwuemeka, (Benoit) Badiashile, (Noni) Madueke, (David Datro) Fofana, Lewis Hall… The list goes on and on.’
A second added: ‘Where the f**k is Mudryk? We got nothing to play for and we are in a damn rebuild!!!
‘USE THIS TIME WISELY!!!’
A third said: ‘Nah f**k this… I’m watching the Man City vs Arsenal game wtf? Why’s (Raheem) Sterling and (Conor) Gallagher starting?’
For one fan the team sheet was up there with the worst they had ever seen: ‘I joked about not watching us but idk if i can actually stomach it. Worst Chelsea team i’ve ever seen!’
A fifth continued the criticism, stating: ‘That Chelsea XI is war criminal stuff from Lampard!’
And a sixth was left drawing the conclusion that the manager ‘wants’ his side to go down, adding: ‘Lampard wants us to get relegated.’
Chelsea fans were vocal on Twitter in their opposition to Lampard’s selection on Wednesday
Having spent £600million on signings in the last two transfer windows, Chelsea have one of the larger squads in the Premier League, with very few players leaving the club in that period.
As a result, Lampard has inherited a squad with several players, and as such there will often be stars left out of every game, although much of the fanbase’s criticism appears to lie in not blooding younger players.
However Wednesday’s selection raised further eyebrows having named five defenders and four central midfielders and one winger, with no striker despite Fofana being on the bench.
Goals have been hard to come by for the Blues this term, with just 30 in the league, and they face a Brentford side at Stamford Bridge that have shipped 43 in in 32 so far this term.
source: dailymail.co.uk
