The Albany Gazette - Lampard defends Boehly as troubled Chelsea face new low

Boehly has spent over £550 million ($695 million) on new signings in the 12 months since buying Chelsea from Roman Abramovich last year.

But Chelsea are enduring their worst season for decades despite that record-breaking investment.

Lampard's side head to Bournemouth on Saturday on a woeful run of six consecutive defeats since he replaced the sacked Graham Potter.

Potter was only hired in September to replace Thomas Tuchel after the German's shock dismissal, with Chelsea reeling one from crisis to another since then.

Another defeat at Bournemouth will leave 12th-placed Chelsea on course to record their lowest Premier League finish in 29 years.

The Blues already face a first season without European competition since 2016-17, only the second time in 26 years they will have missed out on continental action.

Chelsea fans have been seen shouting abuse at Boehly during matches, while Abramovich's name was chanted by Blues supporters during the midweek defeat at Arsenal.

Boehly was also criticised for going into the dressing room after Chelsea's loss to Brighton to deliver a speech to the players that reportedly included calling their season "embarrassing".

Despite the toxic atmosphere around the club, Lampard, in his second spell as Chelsea boss, is adamant Boehly and fellow owner Behdad Eghbali can prove effective in the long term.

"It's a good thing to speak so positively," he said of Boehly's recent claim that he is sure he will get Chelsea back on track.

"It's what I've found since I've been here, good intentions on where the club is going to be taken.

"It's up to the owners of the club to take those bigger decisions. It's not for me to talk about a vision for the club. I'm here until the end of the season."

Former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is believed to be close to agreeing to become Chelsea's latest manager.

For now, Chelsea would settle for a first win in any competition since March 11.

They have had three managers since that 3-1 victory against Leicester - Potter, interim boss Bruno Saltor and Lampard - and have scored only four goals in their last nine games.

Lampard, Chelsea's record goalscorer, acknowledged another overhaul of the struggling squad is on the cards in the close-season.

"Will we need a reboot of some sense in the summer? Sure. That's clear because we're not where we want to be," he said.

"It's not for me to sit on and feel hurt by too much. It's more what's the action that's going to get us out of it. The action this season is not going to get us in the Champions League or in the top eight.

"Not all fans want to hear that, but it's a reality which I've come back into."

(L.Kaufmann--BBZ)