The Blues have done pretty well all things considered, experiencing a mix of highs and lows across all competitions in the second half of 2019.
But what will Frank Lampard need to reflect on when entering the new year?
League Performance
The Blues got their campaign off to a rocky start, picking up a 4-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford in their first matchday of the season. It could have well and truly foreshadowed at horrific league spell for the west London side – however, Lampard soon got his team to winning ways as they went on a six-game unbeaten run during the months of October and November.
Their run came to an end as they were defeated 2-1 at Manchester City. Since that loss, the Blues have failed to pick up momentum, with home defeats coming against West Ham, Everton and Bournemouth.
Of course, their most recent victory came in a huge 2-0 win against rivals Spurs as they held on tightly to their fourth-place spot. Yet, with their recent defeats coming in thick and fast, the gap between fourth and fifth has become shockingly narrow
Cup Performance
Speaking of Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester United, the Red Devils have also been taunting the Blues elsewhere. Chelsea picked up a convincing 7-1 victory against Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup back in September, before being knocked out of the competition by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his side the following month.
Marcus Rashford has become a feared figure by the Blues, picking up two goals in each of the two meetings against Chelsea in the 2019/20 campaign, including a penalty and that incredible free-kick in the EFL Cup round of 16. The tense fixture saw Rashford score the winning goal in the last 20 minutes of the match, after Michy Batshuayi made it level following the Englishman’s early penalty.
Continental Performance
We got a taster of Frank Lampard’s managerial talents when the Blues faced Liverpool in the Super Cup back in August. It was a promising fixture for Chelsea supporters, with the side narrowly missing out on the trophy, following a miss from Tammy Abraham in the penalty shootout.
Meanwhile, their Champions League performance hasn’t been short of drama neither. The Blues started off the competition with a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Valencia, before going to beat both Lille and Ajax away from home. A chaotic 4-4 against the Dutch side then followed, featuring two red cards, a penalty and a disallowed goal in the second half.
Chelsea merely made it past the group stage after beating Lille 2-1 in their final group game with Valencia knocking Ajax out of the competition to confirm themselves as winners of Group H. Lampard will face a big test in the last 16 as he goes head to head with Bayern Munich once more, following their Campions League success in 2012.
Biggest Strength
No one can deny that Chelsea’s youth products have flourished this campaign, with Lampard giving them the chance to prove themselves on the big stage. The likes of Abraham, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori have all become crucial to Chelsea’s success this season.
However, their true strength lies deep within midfield with Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante all becoming the most influential players of the season. Without a doubt, Kovacic has improved the most under the new boss and the fellow midfielders who play alongside the Croatian haven’t been too shabby neither.
Biggest Weakness
Yes, Chelsea may have one of the highest goalscorers in the Premier League and yes, they may have a pretty solid midfield. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that their defence has been utterly horrendous.
The Blues have conceded a worrying 27 goals this season – with a wide selection of these coming from set pieces. It’s an area which has been troubling Chelsea from the offset of 2019/20 and Lampard is yet to come up with any solution to the backline.
Areas to Address
It therefore makes sense that Chelsea’s main area to address should be the defence. The Blues are in desperate need for a left back, following horrific performances from both Marcos Alonso and Emerson in recent times, and a replacement like Ben Chilwell would be ideal.
Chelsea have also failed to produce enough creatively – a point stressed by the gaffer surrounding the upcoming transfer window. A signing like Jadon Sancho would be a definite solution to this frustrating problem. Yet, whether Chelsea can realistically sign the 19-year-old is another question entirely.
Best Player
As previously mentioned, Kovacic has had a terrific spell with Chelsea since the introduction of Frank Lampard this summer. Easily the best and most important player to this current Chelsea squad, the Croatian has improved drastically this campaign with the boss preferring him over both Jorginho and Kante.
Often overlooked by his younger counterparts, Kovacic knows exactly how to control the play – assisting both offensively and defensively for the side, with the 25-year-old even picking up two goals this campaign.
Predicted Finishes
The Blues will have to put in a lot of hard graft if they have any chance of maintaining their fourth-place sport, but with a January transfer window shortly on the horizon, they might be able to do just that.
However, their Champions League hopes may be coming to an early end – with the likelihood of them making it to the next round extremely slim.
Premier League: 4th
FA Cup: Quarter-Finals
Champions League: Round of 16
Overall Grade
Despite Chelsea’s relatively good start to the campaign, there is still a lot of work to do for the young side. Taking this into account, Lampard has still managed to exceed expectation thus far – and the Chelsea fans will continue to support him through his first spell at the club.
B
Source : 90min