Chelsea: Three things we learnt about the Blues throughout 2020
By Varun Dani
2020 was an eventful calendar year for everyone, but especially for Chelsea. Here are three things we learnt about the Blues throughout the last 12 months.
A top four finish, an FA Cup final loss, a grand transfer window and a disappointing final month; Frank Lampard’s Chelsea had quite a 2020. There were plenty of ups and downs, but through it all, we learnt some important things about the club:
1. The academy boys are here to stay
Lampard’s use of youngsters in the 2019/20 season earned him plenty of plaudits as it seemed like there finally was a pathway from the academy to the first team. Some cynicism accompanied the praise as certain parts of the community pointed at the transfer ban being the sole reason these chances were handed.
A £200 million summer transfer window further questioned whether the integration of the academy was a one-off. It seemed like Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham were rewarded for their excellent maiden performances with the arrivals of Kai Havertz and Timo Werner; expensive signings who played in the same positions. It seemed unfair on the surface, but was just the push Mount and Co. needed to take their game to the next level. While Werner and Havertz started their Blues careers reasonably well, they have struggled to put in consistent performances as the season has unfolded, piling the pressure on Lampard. Luckily for the Englishman, Mount and Abraham have stepped up to ease his worries.
Mount has been ever-present for the Blues this season, which should be a surprise to no one. He is the heartbeat of this team; pressing, passing, dribbling, crossing, defending and shooting whenever needed. He has played in a variety of roles and nearly excelled in all of them. While Mount has been a vital part of this team from the get-go, Abraham has had to fight for every minute on the pitch. He has had to compete with Werner and Olivier Giroud for chances, and always seems to score when the team crucially needs goals.
Looking at the defensive side of things, Reece James has firmly established himself as the team’s starting right back ahead of the Ironman himself, captain Cesar Azpilicueta. The Englishman has put in commendable performances thus far, touting suggestions that he might well be the best fullback in England. The English trio has become the spine of this club, and with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Billy Gilmour back in the fold, the academy products have well and truly been the players Lampard can always count on.