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Cesc Fabregas has used his past experience at Chelsea to offer advice to Frank Lampard, who should imitate former interim boss Guus Hiddink to prepare for a «viable» title next season.
Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat by Arsenal at the Emirates on Tuesday meaning Lampard has now overseen six defeats from six games since taking over from Graham Potter, with the team scoring just two goals in that spell.
It was a very bad season for Chelsea with new owners spending £600m on new players.
Lampard is the fourth manager to have been in the spotlight this season after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Bruno Saltor, and that instability has been used as an excuse for Chelsea’s shocking form, along with their protruding squad.
Fabregas calculates players must “look in the mirror” but he also gave Chelsea loyalists hope, reminding them that he won the league under Antonio Conte the season after finishing tenth in the Premier League.
Guus Hiddink was given interim charge of the squad after Jose Mourinho went off in a fireball in 2015/16, and Fabregas believes Lampard would do well to copy the Dutchman, who turned to youngsters before the arrival of With you.
He told Sky Sports: “Six years ago, we had a really bad season with Chelsea, we finished 10th. If I remember correctly, Jose Mourinho is gone, Hiddink is here. He started playing younger players Loftus-Cheek, Christensen, Tammy Abraham, to give them experience for next year.
“Then remember that in April they signed a Conte. Who came to the training ground, talked to us individually, planned what they wanted to do with us. To start over, a new season and we won the Premier League against Guardiola, against Klopp, against Mourinho at Manchester United. It’s not impossible.
“This was six years ago and I was there, I lived it. If you bring in someone with experience, with character, who can bring everyone together, who can give a clear idea of what he wants to do and work hard and get everyone involved, it’s doable.
Mauricio Pochettino looks set to become the new permanent boss at Stamford Bridge, with the finer details of his contract currently being finalised.
And Fabregas believes the Argentine’s reputation for «developing young players» bodes well for Chelsea.
Asked if he thinks Poch is right for Chelsea, he said: «I think so. As you said, he’s had a great experience with Spurs, developing young players and taking them to a really good level. So why not? It’s just about finding the right person, that’s the hard thing.
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