Not too often this season have we been able to genuinely say there are positives to take from a Chelsea defeat, but Tuesday night's Champions League quarter-final second leg feels different.
Yes, it's all doom and gloom at the moment at Stamford Bridge – and rightly so given the side's disastrous season - which ultimately came to an end with their exit from Europe at the hands of Real Madrid over two legs. The reigning champions of Europe, who will face Manchester City for a place in yet another final, were simply too good for Chelsea, who have been toothless for the majority of this season.
There's nothing meaningful to play for in the Premier League and with the Blues now out of all other cup competitions, many Chelsea supporters are looking forward to the end of the season when they can start afresh and address some issues at the club.
READ MORE: Next Chelsea manager latest as Todd Boehly's Julian Nagelsmann stance revealed
However, there still is some football left to play, with Brentford the visitors to Stamford Bridge next week and interim head coach Frank Lampard stated the significance of the remaining games of the season to help the club in the long run.
Speaking after Tuesday's defeat to Real Madrid, Lampard told reporters: "We now get little bits of period to work. People from the outside might write that off and go, 'What does that mean if you're coming eighth or 12th?', but for me, it means a lot. The challenge for me is to raise performance. Now I have some time to work.
"In that first hour against Real Madrid, individuals and the team were performing at the level we want. We now can't come away from that level. Brighton wasn't the level we want, I said that after the game. We can't be a team that turns up here and not there, we have to be competitive all the way through."
Lampard discussing the consistency levels that are required is so important for this current Chelsea squad. It was obvious they were going to somewhat raise their performance levels at home to Real Madrid in the quarter-final second-leg of the Champions League. Who wouldn't? But Brentford at home next week, the crowd won't be as up for it and more often than not this season we've seen the players not too up for it either.
There was one particular instance against Los Blancos that really showed the difference of this Chelsea performance compared to basically every other one this season. It was the pressing from three Blues stars – Wesley Fofana, Reece James and Enzo Fernandez – on the right-hand side of the pitch.
The ever-dangerous Vinicius Junior collected the ball at his feet and looked to turn with the ball but before he had the chance to do that, the trio were on him and right in his face. They won the ball back and Lampard was delighted on the touchline.
It was a consistent tale, especially in the first-half. Madrid, at times, looked shaken and were forced to go long. We saw Eder Militao repeatedly get the ball from Thibaut Courtois, get pressed by the energetic Conor Gallagher, and the defender would then look long for Karim Benzema, but more often than not this would get swept up by the Chelsea defenders.
It's testament to Chelsea's pressing because we've seen Madrid play their way out of pressure on countless occasions before. They're probably the best team in the world at doing that and they managed to do so in the second-half. But the first period was all about Chelsea, what they did on the ball and how they reacted when the visitors were in possession.
It's the way Graham Potter wanted his side to play when they were not in possession and also a system Lampard has been trying to implement in the four games he has been in interim charge. The key is for this to be repeated against Brentford to not allow Thomas Frank's side any time on the ball whatsoever.
Consistency is one of the most difficult things to coach in football, it's what sets the absolute best teams apart from the rest of the pack. Getting that drilled into a squad is so vital if a club like Chelsea want to get back to the top again.
Of course, it's not just up to Lampard in these final games, but the caretaker boss has mentioned plenty about taking small steps. These 'small steps' need to be taken so whoever the next head coach is can have slightly less of a challenging job when they arrive.
Next Chelsea manager latest as Todd Boehly's Julian Nagelsmann stance revealed
Reece James sends Antonio Rudiger three-word message on Chelsea return amid Vinicius Jr approval
Three steps Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali must take to win back Chelsea trust amid tough season
Next Chelsea manager already has nine huge problems on his plate after Champions League exit
What Eden Hazard did with Mason Mount and Reece James following Chelsea's loss to Real Madrid
