Lampard gave his diagnosis at the weekend on Chelsea TV. The most influential midfielder in Chelsea’s Premier League history was simply setting out the facts – yet the words must have arrived with a clunk for Abramovich, whose message to the elite coaches of Europe is: “Could anyone I’ve not yet hired and fired please take one step forward.” The omission of Lampard, Essien and Drogba probably owed more to fatigue and the need for speed against Benfica than oligarchichal revenge. Yet again, though, we were reminded that no Chelsea team-sheet can drop without accompanying intrigue. Selection is often more interesting than their play. Which is part of the problem.