Having named the youngest Chelsea team since February 1994 for his side’s clash with Norwich City, Frank Lampard can be forgiven for the naivety his side showed at times at Carrow Road.
That said, it was clear just what it meant to the new Blues boss to finally get the first win of his tenure at Stamford Bridge, and he had one of his fledgling young talents to thank for sealing all three points in Tammy Abraham.
It has not been an easy start to the season for the 21-year-old forward, with questions asked of his performance against Manchester United on opening day before he became the target of vile racist abuse after he missed the crucial penalty in Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup shootout loss to Liverpool.
Players with lesser heart would have gone into their shells, particularly after he was then left out of the side to face Leicester City last Sunday. But Abraham has waited a long time for his chance to shine in a Chelsea shirt, and he is not about to pass it up.
Just three minutes in against the Canaries he showed just why Lampard has handed him the No.9 shirt this season with an instinctive half-volleyed finish from Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross. His celebration in running into the arms of his manager showed just how strong their relationship already is.
The England international’s second goal was perhaps even better as he cut inside on the edge of the box before beating a wrong-footed Tim Krul with a low drive. The last English player to score twice in a Premier League match for Chelsea was celebrating on the sidelines, Lampard clearly relieved following a tough first few weeks in charge in west London.
Abraham is key to the pressing game that Lampard wants to play at Chelsea, with his athleticism seen as a bonus when compared with Olivier Giroud. As such, it is clear that he must then provide the goals to go with his industry. Inspiring victory in Norfolk is the first step on that path.
The performance of Abraham will take the headlines, but the impact of Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic cannot be downplayed when analysing the dynamism Chelsea have shown in attack under Lampard.
Mason Mount Chelsea 2019-20
Mount made it two goals in as many games as that Chelsea pressing saw Norwich concede possession in their own half, leading to Pulisic laying it on a plate for his fellow 20-year-old to cut inside and find the net. Such neat interplay and finishing prowess means that Chelsea will undoubtedly score a lot of goals this season, particularly when factoring in that Callum Hudson-Odoi is yet to make an appearance as yet.
Going the other way, though, there remain question marks.
The ease in which Norwich were able to get in behind central-defensive duo Andreas Christensen and Kurt Zouma would have alarmed Lampard during the first half, with Todd Cantwell and Teemu Pukki’s goals both coming from neat through-balls form playmaker Emiliano Buendia.
Without the injured N’Golo Kante, Argentine playmaker Buendia had almost a free reign over the space between the Chelsea midfield and defence, and he made sure to make them pay. Credit to Lampard and his side that that pattern did not continue into the second half, but given the similar freedom the likes of Paul Pogba and James Maddison were allowed in previous matches, there is a concerning pattern emerging.
Kante’s return, along with that of Antonio Rudiger behind him, will help shore that up somewhat, but the Blues cannot go through a whole season knowing they need at least two or three goals to win every game. A title tilt or even a place in the top four already seems an aspiration too far, but all hope will be lost if the Blues backline cannot be relied upon for clean sheets.
For now, though, Lampard has his first win in the bag and striker in goalscoring mood. It’s not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction.
source: Goal
