Folded arms. Scowl across the face. Thousand-yard stare.
This has become an all-too regular sight for Chelsea fans looking to their manager, as the Blues endure an ever increasingly poor slump, with defeat at home to Manchester United the latest in a long run of disappointing outings.
Chelsea's season so far can almost be split in two - before and after November's international winter break.
If you cast your mind back to the weekend before that Premier League hiatus, when Ciara and Dennis were merely the odd couple in the flat upstairs, Chelsea had just beaten Crystal Palace comfortably 2-0 at home, their eighth win from the opening 12 league games under Frank Lampard, seeing them nip into third place.
Confidence was high among the camp with young English academy products present everywhere you looked with Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and the second top-scorer in the division at the time Tammy Abraham already regulars in the starting lineup, with all three getting the national team call-up that month.
Abraham and Mount both opened their international scoring accounts as the Chelsea squad went into the fixture against Manchester City in a collective state of unadulterated self-confidence.
The game at the Etihad would prove to be their first of seven league defeats in the 14 games they've played since, picking up only four wins in that time.
So, what happened?
Well, the good(ish) news first. Their defence has pretty much stayed the same, if not slightly improved. It looks as if additional time playing together has seen Lampard's side become more of a complete pressing unit.
The only downside to this is that challenging their opponents high up the pitch has often led to them giving up clear cut chances on the break - only Burnley have conceded more counter attacking goals than the Blues this season, think of Gabriel Martinelli's goal for Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in January as a recent example.
However, attack has been the main issue for the Blues in recent weeks. Prior to the November break Chelsea had scored 27 goals in their first 12 games, in the following 14 league outings Lampard's side have mustered 16. While over- and under-performing expected goals in this period exaggerates the issue, there has been a clear drop-off at the sharp end of the pitch.
Much has been made about their poor finishing and that is certainly a factor to consider. In the first 12 games of the season Chelsea had an overall shot conversion rate of 13%, which is a little high but not other-worldly. Yet since mid-November, the west London side's attack has more than halved in efficiency, putting up a conversion rate of just 6%.
Based on previous instances of team's going through this kind of finishing slump, it looks as though it's only a matter of time before they return to the norm.
The more worrying aspect of Chelsea's attack in the production of these chances. Over the past three months, they've been taking fewer shots of worse quality compared to that of Chelsea's autumn vintage.
Abraham himself serves as a good yard-stick for Chelsea's attack as, since his first strike on the international stage, he's managed only three in 12 league outings compared to the 10 he plundered in his first dozen.
In fairness to Lampard, this is his first season in charge of a Premier League club and only his second ever as a manager so, while the gap has been cut, a place in fourth by mid-February and progression in the Champions League is not bad going.
To add to his inexperience, Lampard has had to contend with numerous injuries peppered throughout the squad with N'Golo Kanté's uncharacteristic physical ailments a particularly significant and unexpected obstruction.
Since May 2019, Kanté has missed 84 days due to multiple niggling injuries,
Another unforeseen oddity of the Chelsea season so far has been the Blues' abysmal home record, with the 2-0 defeat against Manchester United adding to their horrible form at Stamford Bridge.
7 - Chelsea have lost seven home games in all competitions this season, their most in a single campaign since 1994-95 (also seven). Breached. #CHEMUN pic.twitter.com/ubK1FiABVl
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 17, 2020
With all that considered, this current iteration of Chelsea plays a somewhat messy, swashbuckling style of football with a young group of exciting players led by a young manager. The recent drop off in form has been significant but is by no means terminal.
This remains a team which should secure Champions League football even without the possible added safety of fifth being could enough for Europe's elite competition next season. As for Lampard's managerial capabilities, the true extent of his skills in the dugout remains to be seen.
But for now, the club seems on the right track, and a lack of home comforts and finishing aside, fans need not tear up their season tickets in anger just yet.
Source : 90min