Frank Lampard sends strong warning to incoming Chelsea boss after Newcastle draw

Frank Lampard has warned that incoming Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino will not be an overnight solution to the club's problem after ending his caretaker role with an entertaining 1-1 draw with Newcastle.

The former Everton manager won just one of the 11 games he was in charge and the Blues finished a disappointing campaign in 12th and behind Crystal Palace for the first time in Premier League history.

Despite spending a record £600 million in the last two transfer windows, Chelsea have retrogressed and will hope the imminent appointment of former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino will be the glue that binds the club together and gets them back on track.

But Lampard whose side failed to keep a clean sheet in any of the 11 games he was in charge says standards have fallen and the new manager will need time and a lot of work to get the team going.

He told reporters: “I’m a big fan of Pochettino as a manager, he’s a very good manager but it’s not about which individual it might be, it’s about getting the right, high-level of manager.

“Pochettino’s history tells you he works with clubs at this sort of level. Then let them get to work with the players to try and create a solid identity in a team that can win more games.

“Those things are not always overnight things. We have to be careful with expectations a little bit. There is a lot of work to be done, that's my synopsis after six weeks, the basics I keep talking about.

“ Standards sounds a really simple word but it’s so relevant to this club at the minute. Standards collectively have dropped, I can be honest about that, particularly as it’s the last game, I might not see some of them that much anymore anyway. The standards for a club like Chelsea have to be at a maximum or you won’t be physically competitive enough.” 

Pochettino has signed a three-year deal and Chelsea is expected to make his appointment official now that the season has ended.