Chelsea are not in action in the Premier League until Wednesday but the Blues have suffered another blow, tumbling down to 12th in the table after being leapfrogged by Crystal Palace, who beat West Ham 4-2. Additionally, Chelsea's upcoming game is a trip to league leaders Arsenal, meaning Lampard could suffer another defeat.
And to make things worse, behind-the-scene issues are growing, with a recent report from the Athletic claiming that several players at Stamford Bridge already regret signing for the club and wish to leave this summer.
The disgruntled figures can be broken down into two camps: the first XI players and squad members. The earlier are disillusioned with the direction of the club after losing five games in a row under Lampard, and with the club set to miss out on UEFA Champions League and European football altogether, the immediate future is concerning.
As for the squad players, they are concerned about their odds of featuring for the first team. These fears are understandable. Not only do the London giants boast a bloated squad of over 30 players, but the club are also set to miss out on UEFA Europa League and Europa Conference League football, which means fewer games and fewer opportunities to rotate.
As a result, several of those squad members want out of Stamford Bridge this summer. Unfortunately, most of those players have signed long-term deals at Chelsea.
A source at the club told the Athletic that these players were promised a key role in the "exciting new Chelsea project" but have barely featured for the two-time UEFA Champions League winners.
Additionally, a handful of those aforementioned deals are lengthy ones, thus making it difficult for them to leave. And the problems don't stop there.
Boehly and Co. have pivoted towards an incentivized salary structure, but the newer signings and those who extended their deals are the only ones who fall into this category. With the club missing out on UEFA Champions League football, those players could see their wages decrease by 30-50 percent, which is drastic.
However, not everyone will suffer this fate. Those whose contracts were signed during the Abramovich era or in the early stages of the Boehly reign won't suffer these pay cuts. This includes Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly, who arrived at Stamford Bridge before the season even started.
This is also causing a rift in the dressing room as some are paying financially for Chelsea's shortcomings this season while others aren't. As a result, the man to replace Frank Lampard will face the daunting task of uniting this fractured and bloated squad.
According to the latest reports, Mauricio Pochettino is all but destined to get the job after impressing the board. However, he will not arrive this season, meaning Lampard will see out the remainder of the campaign.
With Enzo Fernandez and Co. set to face Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Newcastle between now and the end of the season, the Blues could be in for trouble.
