According to a recent report by The Guardian, Premier League manager Frank Lampard has warned the Chelsea faithful that the Blues are the underdogs in the race for the top four. The manager has been left frustrated after their inability to acquire a striker throughout a month-long transfer window. The gaffer is said to be quite disappointed with the situation at hand, especially considering that he wasn’t able to instil his identity on the team even during the last summer window owing to their transfer ban.
Although the Chelsea legend is said to have started the last day of January believing that a striker would arrive, Napoli’s straightforward refusal to sell Dries Mertens to the London club came as a shocking blow. The lack of movement regarding the transfer of French striker Olivier Giroud also had a part to play in slowing the process down. Despite this though, the Chelsea board showed that they were not desperate to add in January by turning down the chance to sign former Newcastle United man Salomon Rondon.
What Are The Problem Areas For Chelsea At This Point In Time?
The Blues’ struggles in front of goal this season have been no secret, while their inability to create and finish off chances is a whole other problem for Frank Lampard to deal with. While a striker signing to take some of the load off the shoulders of Tammy Abraham would’ve been the top priority, the left-back and winger roles had to be considered as well. Marcos Alonso and Emerson just haven’t lived up to the required level this season, while Lampard has only three players to choose from in the wide positions.
Here Are Three Successfully Completed Winter Deals That Lampard Could’ve Looked To Hijack:
Mbwana Samatta – Aston Villa
The Villans bought the Tanzanian international striker from Belgian outfit KRC Genk, where the 27-year-old was beginning to make a real name for himself. An extremely raw and somewhat unpolished attacker, Samatta boasts excellent finishing instincts once inside the box and tends to be quite the physical force to deal with as well.
The striker isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty for the sake of the team, and could just have been the ideal striker for a high-energy system like Chelsea’s.
Steven Bergwijn – Tottenham Hotspur
The Blues’ London rivals Tottenham completed a couple of smart pieces of business over the winter break. While the Gedson Fernandes signing is sure to pay dividends in midfield, the acquisition of tricky winger Steven Bergwijn is sure to make the Chelsea fan base extremely jealous of Tottenham’s situation. The Dutchman is one of the most exciting young wingers in European football and would’ve provided enough creative threat to have been able to bolster the Chelsea front-line.
Danny Rose – Newcastle United
The Englishman was offloaded by Spurs owing to a difference in wavelength with the rest of the team. He has gone on to join Newcastle United, a side that have been struggling with injuries across a variety of positions. An experienced international left-back like Rose could’ve been a shrewd move by Chelsea, but instead, they are set to continue with the likes of Emerson and Alonso. The 29-year-old has the quality to perform at the highest level, and the Blues have missed out on an excellent opportunity to sign a left-back by bypassing his signature.
