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Despite finishing the 2019-20 season with a disappointing defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup final, Frank Lampard's first season as Chelsea boss was widely deemed to be a success.
He weathered the loss of the club's best player- Eden Hazard- while bringing through a number of talented young players from the academy, as the restrictions of a transfer embargo left Chelsea unable to delve into the transfer market to improve the squad.
However, expectations from the young and relatively inexperienced manager are about to rise. Following some significant spending in the summer transfer window, a challenge for the Premier League title should be high on the agenda for the 2020-21 season.
Chelsea's shrewd transfer business under Frank Lampard
Chelsea have recruited astutely under Frank Lampard this summer. They were in desperate need of a striker to provide some serious competition for Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud, and they got one of the best in Europe, securing the services of RB Leipzig's Timo Werner from under the nose of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool. Werner scored 34 goals in the 2019-20 season and also has the ability to operate in wider positions or as a deep-lying centre-forward.
Ben Chilwell is an excellent addition at left-back while the experience of Thiago Silva, secured on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract with Paris Saint Germain, will bring much-needed experience to a back-line which conceded 54 goals last season, the worst of the teams that finished in the top 10 of the Premier League.
Hakim Ziyech is also an intriguing signing who was outstanding in the 2018-19 season as part of the Ajax team that came so close to reaching the Champions League final, scoring 21 goals in 49 appearances. He will add pace, guile and trickery to the wide areas, which will be particularly important following the departures of Pedro and Willian on free transfers.
Chelsea's network of scouting contacts has also seen them secure promising young defenders Malang Sarr and Xavier Mbuyamba after the expiry of their contracts with Nice and Barcelona respectively.
The icing on the cake will be the signing of Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen, with the club expected to announce that deal imminently. They also remain on the hunt for a goalkeeper after the poor form of Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was dropped from the FA Cup final by Frank Lampard in favour of veteran Willy Caballero.
Frank Lampard and his coaching staff will surely be licking their lips at the prospect of working with such a talented group of players, but they will also know that it will bring a higher level of expectation from fans and club management.
The Englishman's time at Chelsea as a player will only buy him so much grace. Roman Abramovich will expect a significant return on his substantial investment.
A second season without a trophy or a serious tilt at the Premier League title is unlikely to be tolerated, with only Frank Lampard and Jose Mourinho, during his second spell at the club, keeping their jobs after not delivering a trophy.
As a player, Frank Lampard thrived under the expectation of bringing trophies to Stamford Bridge, winning 13 during his time at Chelsea. He will know that he needs to get off the mark in the 2020-21 season to secure his long-term future as manager and to achieve the same legacy on the touchline as he did on the pitch.
