Chelsea have to be patient with youthful squad

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Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount have been in great form

Chelsea have endured a stuttering start to the 2019/20 campaign, prompting concerns among the fanbase that the club are on the verge of taking a huge step backwards under Frank Lampard. Maurizio Sarri lasted only one season at Stamford Bridge, despite guiding his side to the Europa League crown along with a third-place finish in the Premier League.

Lampard’s impressive campaign with Derby County in the Championship was enough to convince the Blues’ hierarchy to put faith in him, despite the levy of a transfer embargo against the club, limiting his ability to make changes to the squad especially after the departure of Eden Hazard. Chelsea’s team has had a youthful look in the early stages of the campaign and it has been reflected in their results on the pitch.

They received a hammering at the hands of Manchester United before being held at the Bridge by Leicester City, although the Blues were at the mercy of the visitors’ finishing in the second half. Even a victory over Norwich came with the caveat of conceding two first-half goals.

Chelsea’s last home game was perhaps their most concerning. Tammy Abraham’s brace put them in control against newly-promoted Sheffield United on home soil, but the Blades fought back to earn a point courtesy of a late own goal from Kurt Zouma. Their defensive woes are becoming common knowledge and were highlighted on the Betfair blog before the contest as an area where United could expose the Blues. It has to become a priority for Lampard to remedy if his side are to compete at the top of the table with a top-four place a minimum requirement.

They dispatched Wolves in impressive fashion, but they still conceded twice in that match so Lampard has failed to address these issues over the international break, although the attack is certainly in red-hot form.

The problems at the back are putting greater pressure on Chelsea’s youngsters in the final third. Mason Mount and Abraham have both hit the ground running in their first experience of the top flight. Abraham came into the campaign with an excellent reputation in the Championship, scoring a hatful of goals for Bristol City and Aston Villa over the last two years. The 21-year-old has already notched seven goals to his name this term, and a 20-goal season would be a fine starting point for a player on the rise, especially ahead of Euro 2020.

Mount was extremely impressive for Derby under Lampard’s stewardship last season. His play from the middle of the park has already caught the eye of Gareth Southgate, handing him his first England cap. Mount has the pace and creativity from deep to become a star in the Premier League, but the Blues cannot afford to put a huge weight on his shoulders at the age of 20. The same can be said of Christian Pulisic, who will be expected to grow throughout the term as he adjusts to life in the English top-flight following his move from Borussia Dortmund.

Much like Pulisic, there will be hope that the defensive issues are resolved with more time on the pitch. Kurt Zouma, who has spent the last two seasons out on loan, has seen himself installed as first choice given Antonio Rudiger’s injury along with David Luiz’s exit. Andreas Christensen has experience, but is only 23 and is not infallible, while Fiyako Tomori has only played three times in the Premier League. Rudiger’s return will hopefully settle down the back four – or back five as we saw against Wolves – over the course of the season. There will be further issues across the pitch, but Chelsea’s hierarchy have to give Lampard time to work with a team that is in transition.

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