Lampard’s youthful team is winning both poi with a scintillating brand of football and genu
FRANK LAMPARD is changing the perception of Chelsea as a club.
Jose Mourinho, fuelled by the millions of Roman Abramovich, turned a group of nearly men into serial winners 15 years ago. Serial winners neutrals loved to hate.
But Lampard’s approach has endeared Chelsea 2019 to the neutral and sent excitement coursing through the club at every level. Even if they aren’t your team it is hard not to like them, isn’t it?
It certainly is hard to watch the successful transition to the first team of academy kids without thinking of the Class of 92 at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson.
“We’ve got our Chelsea back,” sang the Blues fans on Saturday. Too right they have. Victory over Crystal Palace didn’t just cement their position in the top four, it was the first time the Blues had reeled off six straight topflight wins since they lifted the title three seasons ago. There is more to come from the Blues conveyor belt too.
“Even before the game today we were looking at the Under-18 score away at Tottenham,” said poster boy Mason Mount (above).
“They were 4-0 up after 20-something minutes, so while we were focused on our game we were also focused on all the academy boys because we were there not long ago. We stay in contact with everyone.
“It’s like a proper club. We’re so close together. It’s really solid at the moment.”
Asked about the growing excitement among Chelsea fans, Mount added: “It means so much to us young boys to come through and see the belief in us.
“We give all we have to win games for them. It gives us an extra boost to keep going. We also have so much passion for the game. To play for Chelsea. To come through and then step up.”
Sir Alex had David Beckham, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers among his leading lights from the Old Trafford academy.
New boss Lampard has championed Mount, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori and Callum Hudson-Odoi. They have been joined by Reece James who – on his first Premier League start – snuffed out Palace dangerman Wilfried Zaha. The Blues brothers’ promotion to the first team would be nothing without the outstanding manmanagement of Lampard which hands them the freedom to express themselves.
Whether it’s a ruffle of the hair for Mount as he is taken off, a hug for another sub, Billy Gilmour, before he goes on, or a similar embrace for goalscorer Christian Pulisic, Lampard has created a culture of trust at the Bridge.
Abraham’s 10th goal of his debut season in the Premier League, which put Chelsea ahead in the 52nd minute courtesy of a deft touch by Willian, means he is competing for the Golden Boot with Leicester’s Jamie Vardy.
Mount’s consistency has forced him into the England squad alongside Abraham, Mount and Hudson-Odoi. James was a Wigan player last season. By next summer he could be Chelsea’s main right-back ahead of captain Cesar Azpilicueta.
“He’s a very quiet boy,” said Mount. “I have known him since we were eight from the academy. He always works hard and will be a brilliant player for us.
“You don’t want to get too close to him in training because he will get you off the ball. We have a joke and a laugh. All of us boys know the ins and outs of every single one of us.
“At the start of the season we knew what we had in the squad. We knew the quality. We knew the young players coming through would make the step up and try to be big players in the team.
“When the gaffer first came in he set goals to be at the top of the league.
“We knew a lot of people were undermining us because of the (transfer) ban. We knew the pressure would be off us a bit. So we decided to go at it full hit and see where we go.”