Chelsea fire Lampard amid miserable run of form

Chelsea fired manager Frank Lampard on Monday amid a poor run of form that has seen the club drop to ninth in the Premier League table.

The Blues are finalizing a deal to appoint former Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel as Lampard's replacement, a source told James Olley of ESPN.

"This was a very difficult decision for the club, not least because I have an excellent personal relationship with Frank and I have the utmost respect for him," owner Roman Abramovich said. "He is a man of great integrity and has the highest of work ethics.

"He is an important icon of this great club and his status here remains undiminished. He will always be warmly welcomed back at Stamford Bridge."

Lampard, who starred in Chelsea's midfield before being appointed manager in July 2019, leaves with one-and-a-half years remaining on his contract.

The club won just 49% of its Premier League matches with him in charge.

Chelsea spent more than £200 million last summer to improve the squad, making a big splash in the market after serving a transfer embargo in 2019.

The west London side offered early evidence of a potential title challenge, going 14 matches unbeaten in all competitions. But Chelsea's form unraveled in December. Losses to Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Arsenal compelled Lampard to criticize his players for an apparent lack of effort.

He took another shot at his team after the defeat to Leicester at the King Power Stadium.

"The bare minimums are to run, to sprint, to cover ground, and too many of our players didn't do it," he said.

Timo Werner, one of Chelsea's marquee summer signings, endured a particularly troubling spell under Lampard's supervision. The German striker last scored in the Premier League on Nov. 4, recording a brace in a 4-1 win over Sheffield United.

The form of Kai Havertz, Chelsea's club-record signing, has raised similar concerns. The 21-year-old failed to settle into Lampard's 4-3-3 formation while struggling at multiple positions, and he suffered from the effects of COVID-19.

Tuchel, whom PSG fired in December, was reportedly planning to wait until the end of the season before deciding on his next move. But after discussions with Chelsea's brass and former PSG captain Thiago Silva - who's now at Stamford Bridge - the German bench boss was convinced to take over the struggling English side, according to Olley.