There is no doubt about it; the business that Chelsea have been doing this summer will only intensify the spotlight on Frank Lampard and make life at Stamford Bridge a little hot under the collar for the legend of the club – if it was not already.
The Blues legend arrived last summer and would have likely been handed a free-hit from owner Roman Abramovich and his trusted boardroom as there were a number of factors that would have likely gone against Super Frank.
For instance, the most obvious ones were the departure of Eden Hazard and the inability that they had to be active in the transfer market. There will have been an emphasis on embedding a number of the youth players into the team, which appeared to pay off.
However, Abramovich is unlikely to remain too patient and will want to see titles arrive in SW6 again before too long. Indeed, their transfer business this summer will have certainly meant that the Blues should be in the hunt for them, with punters heading to bookmakers like Bet365 and placing early wagers on Chelsea’s chances.
Strong campaign last season
Whilst there may have been problems for Lampard to navigate from the beginning, a fourth-place finish in the Premier League and a FA Cup final appearance would have been welcomed last summer as many would have expected Chelsea to struggle.
The defence and Kepa Arrizabalaga certainly would have given the manager and his backroom staff some restless nights as they failed to find consistency but things ultimately exploded up front with Christian Pulisic, the now-departed Willian and Olivier Giroud all being nothing but outstanding.
New additions = New aims
As mentioned, Abramovich will not be happy with just qualifying for the Champions League and coming second in a Cup competition. Let us remember, this is a man who has sacked managers for finishing second in the Premier League having won it the season before.
Lampard might be a hero around SW6 and might bleed Chelsea, but success will be demanded and a no-prisoner approach will be taken as the young boss has been handed a number of world-class weapons to his war chest.
Timo Werner will add the firepower required, whereas Hakim Ziyech will likely be looked upon to fill the void that Hazard left when he joined Real Madrid. Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva will be expected to solidify the defence from day one whilst there will be an expectation that Malang Sarr will make improvements in the years to come. Kai Havertz, who should be arriving in London imminently, will be looked at as the next world-talent to arrive at Stamford Bridge, so expectations will be through the roof.
What will Lampard have to do to have a successful season?
Indeed, with that financial backing from the owner, a successful year for Lampard will have to be a trophy of significance such as the Premier League or the Champions League as he managed to achieve a place in the top-four and a final showdown without any expenditure.
If Abramovich is feeling kind and wants what is best for Chelsea, though, he might just settle for a top-four finish and a trophy of less significance as consistency will surely be being built.
