Chelsea 2019/20 season review: Super Frank's first year a mixed bag | OneFootball

Frank Lampard is Chelsea manager. Feel old yet?

Here’s what we made of the club’s 2019/20, his first season at the helm.

Player of the season: Mateo Kovacic

Chelsea’s season was an odd one, with a number of players playing well in fits and starts but few of them sustaining that over the course of the whole season.

Christian Pulisic’s debut season was very  impressive when he was fit and Willian ended the campaign with nine Premier League goals and seven assists.

But the player of the season was Mateo Kovacic. The €50m fee spent on him raised some eyebrows last summer but he has become integral to Frank Lampard, knitting everything together.

A superb dribbler and Chelsea’s best passer, the Croatian works his socks off to boot. Simply, he has become undroppable.

Rising star: Mason Mount

It was an exciting campaign for young players at Stamford Bridge.

Reece James emerged as a top right-back prospect, Tammy Abraham showed signs of becoming a first class striker and Billy  Gilmour appears to have a huge future ahead of him.

But Mason Mount eclipsed them all.

The offensive-minded midfielder notched eight goals and five assists in his first Premier League season, evoking memories of a certain Frank Lampard with his long-range shooting and sense for when to burst into the area.

This is just the beginning.

Flop of the season: Kepa Arrizabalaga

It’s only two years since Chelsea spent €80m on Kepa Arrizabalaga, making him the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of the game.

It might just be the worst decision in the club’s history.

The Spaniard’s high-profile errors have become a weekly fixture and, barring some remarkable and sudden development, he will hold the team back as long as he is first-choice.

Rate the manager

Frank Lampard’s first season as Chelsea boss saw the Blues escape a tricky Champions League group, reach an FA Cup final and finish in the top four.

It could’ve been a lot worse.

Things started off promisingly and the attack, often led by academy graduate Tammy Abraham, impressed in big games.

Lampard still needs to develop more of a plan against the “smaller” teams when the Blues dominate the ball and the defence requires a lot of work; Chelsea conceded more Premier League goals (54) than in any season since 1997.

The campaign ended on a disappointing note with defeat at Wembley but there’s a lot to work with and the former Blues midfielder will be fairly pleased with his work.

What comes next?

Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner have already been signed. And rumours suggest Kai Havertz will be next. Lampard will have nowhere to hide if he can’t get such a star-studded attack to click.

A lot of work has to go into the defence and shiny new signings won’t be enough to cut it if Chelsea have genuine title ambitions in the next couple of years.

Rating the season: 7/10