‘The worst run in the history of football!’ Merson slams Frank Lampard’s flops

The club legend was appointed earlier this month on an interim basis following the sacking of Graham Potter.

Todd Boehly had hoped the return of the club’s record goalscorer would appease an increasingly disgruntled fanbase and bring stability to a a bloated, rudderless first team squad.

Instead, Lampard’s appointment has only added to the uncertainty and chaos that has engulfed Chelsea since Roman Abramovich’s departure.

Defeat against Brentford on Wednesday represented another setback for a beleaguered Lampard whose side have managed just a solitary deflected goal during the games he has taken charge of.

‘He needs to get in lively,’ Merson told Sky Sports when asked for his reaction to Mauricio Pochettino’s seemingly inevitable arrival. ‘No disrespect to Frank, get in and sort out what he’s going to do next season.

‘You don’t want to get in there and see the players on July 1 and trying to sort it out. Before you know it it’s August and you’re close to transfer deadline day and you’ve got five players you need to get rid of and then suddenly Chelsea are the busiest team on deadline day.’

He added: ‘I’m not exaggerating here but this is the worst run in the history of football. People will say some teams have gone 25 games wihtout a win, but not with talent like that.

‘When you’ve got top international footballers and you can put out two teams like this I would have to say it’s the worst run in the history of football for the talent they have.’

Pochettino’s first task will be to earmark the players he wants to retain and build around. Mason Mount’s precarious contractual situation means he may end up departing but Merson is hopeful the Argentine is capable of convincing the England international to stay.

He said: ‘It’s ridiculous how many players they have got there. For me you’ve got to keep Mason Mount he looks like he’ll be the one going.

‘OK he hasn’t been great this year and he’s been injured but he was one of their standout players last year.

‘For me it needs to change quickly but you look at the Arsenal game and you think how can they win? I wasn’t shocked they lost to Brentford and was 100% not shocked they got beat by Brighton.’

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