Three big questions: Chelsea’s Frank Lampard and year two

Chelsea is going into year two with Frank Lampard after backing their legend massively in the market. What questions need to be asked before the season?

The Blues are going into their second chronological year of a three year plan with Frank Lampard. In practice, however, the Blues could be ahead of schedule as they reinforced massively this summer. Lampard has a lot of hand selected pieces to fit into the best from last season, so what questions need to be asked of him ahead of a new season?

1. What does a second season for Frank Lampard really look like?

Many managers follow cycles that remain pretty standard throughout their career. Jose Mourinho for example, usually has a bedding in period, followed by success, followed by an implosion. Antonio Conte wins quick, but then the players grow tired of his methods.

Lampard’s cycle is a complete unknown because he has not really had a chance to show the world what it is. He only spent the one season at Derby County before leaving. He is entering his second season with Chelsea but what a Lampard second season really looks like is unclear.

The Covid break gives perhaps the closest glimpse to what it may look like but it is only a partial example. Going into the break, Chelsea looked as though everything had finally clicked, culminating in the Everton win. Coming out of the break, the Blues started very well before they began to struggle with injuries. Injuries should be less of an issue going into a new season (though they still likely will be for every club), but now Lampard also has new signings to utilize.

Beyond that, it became clear by the end of last season that Lampard had found a core of players he trusted with another set that he simply did not unless he was forced to use them. The new signings will change dynamics and it will be interesting to see how Lampard juggles the expectations of the players throughout the campaign.