Following the unsurprising exit of Eden Hazard to La Liga giants Real Madrid, whatever apprehension anyone had about Chelsea experiencing a dire season must have been confirmed by the thrashing the Blues were handed at Old Trafford in August.
The young and energetic side outplayed Manchester United but had no one to step up and bang in the goals. After that heart-breaking 0-4 defeat, every Chelsea fan must have jettisoned all hope of their team finishing in the Top 6, let alone picking a Champions League spot.
It was a nightmarish start to their season at the theatre of dreams. Maurizio Sarri, perhaps to evade that gloomy kick-off, abandoned ship and ran to Juventus after just one year in charge at a caving Stamford Bridge.
Eden’s magical boots were migrating to the Bernabeu and could not be immediately replaced as there is a two-window transfer embargo on the club for violating UEFA’s rule on youth recruitment. The Blues signed Christian Pulisic in advance but no one expects the young American to re-enact the prolific Belgian. Left in a hazardous daze, Chelsea were done for and only an insane gaffer would agree to manage the shipwreck.
Several top shots were snubbed in a bid to replace Sarri as Frank Lampard was offered the delicate job. A club legend, the former Chelsea midfielder is the highest goal-scorer in the history of Chelsea. But his managerial horns hadn’t faced a tougher a test than that of keeping second-tier Derby County in the Championship.
It was a road Chelsea never travelled before. And we couldn’t blame anyone, even after Chelsea’s impressive pre-season and Super Cup showing, for expecting nothing from the Blues.
But since that infamous disaster-class at United, the members of Lampard’s healthy mixture of youth and experience have grown from the whimpering boys of the league to potential title contenders.
You heard that right.
Chelsea have won seven, lost two and drawn two of their 11 league games this season. They have also won their last five Premier League games. Lampard was just named best manager for October in which the Blues won all three of their domestic league matches. The team currently lies in fourth place with 23 points – six ahead of fifth-placed Arsenal and eight away from table-topping Liverpool.
If Chelsea continue their impressive run of form, a Liverpool slip-up could blow the title race open and pave the way for Lampard’s boys to give a shot at the coveted trophy alongside Manchester City and Leicester. The whole thing could turn into an exciting four-horse race.
In the Champions League, Chelsea recovered from a painful home defeat to Valencia to deliver impressive back-to-back performances against Ajax and keep the hope of knockout football alive.
And this is all happening in a season the Blues lost their best legs in Eden Hazard and were banned from signing players for two transfer cycles!
Hoping that their transfer ban would be lifted in January, Chelsea have reportedly readied €150 million to sign players and beef-up the team. But that plan, if the club has any, could derail Lampard’s amazing season.
With the transfer doors shut tight, the Blues were left with no choice other than integrating promising loanees and academy products – many of whom have conquered Europe at the youth level – into the senior team.
With nine goals scored so far, 22-year-old Tammy Abraham is dragging the Premier League’s top scorers’ chart with the likes of Sergio Aguero and Jamie Vardy; at 2o, Mason Mount is showing everyone why he, and not lacklustre Ross Barkley, is Lampard’s long-sought replacement; Fikayo Tomori, 21, has stepped up since David Luiz’s last-minute departure to Arsenal; Reece James, 19, is pushing for the chance to succeed captain Cesar Azpilicueta at right-back; 19-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi is coming through; and Pulisic, 20, is competing well.
Chelsea have scored 43 goals in all competitions this season with 24 of those coming from players not older than 22.
Tireless Ngolo Kante has barely played this season. “Yaya-Toure-esq” attacking midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is still out injured; so is defender Antonio Rudiger. Pacey left-back Emerson Palmieri is barely fit to play. Still, Chelsea are nowhere near the relegation zone.
This is happening because Chelsea were finally forced to give youth, and a coach who believes in youth, a chance.
If this is the result of a ban, the Blues need a longer spell on the sidelines of the transfer market. I’m hoping FIFA & UEFA won’t let us down.

I share your thoughts man.

As a Chelsea fan,I expected this season to be the worst under the Roman Abramovich Era but it's going the other way.This might not be the best Chelsea team since 2003 but the most exciting considering the fact the the top performers are Academy graduates.

If it wasn't for the appointment of Frank Lampard and the two window transfer ban,

Tammy Abraham would be on loan at Fulham

Fikayo tomorrow would be plying his trade at Middlesbrough on Loan

Reece James would be out there at Vittese Arnhem in the Dutch league

Probably Callum Hodson Odoi would have gone to Bayern Munich.

Mason Mount would have signed permanently for Derby County.

Kurt Zouma would also have signed permanently for Everton.

Lampard deserves every accolade for assembling these young guns and beating our expectations already.

Spot on Bro, all these would very well have been in an alternate timeline without the transfer ban
#KTBFFH

Bobbystanley:
I share your thoughts man.

As a Chelsea fan,I expected this season to be the worst under the Roman Abramovich Era but it's going the other way.This might not be the best Chelsea team since 2003 but the most exciting considering the fact the the top performers are Academy graduates.

If it wasn't for the appointment of Frank Lampard and the two window transfer ban,

Tammy Abraham would be on loan at Fulham

Fikayo tomorrow would be plying his trade at Middlesbrough on Loan

Reece James would be out there at Vittese Arnhem in the Dutch league

Probably Callum Hodson Odoi would have gone to Bayern Munich.

Mason Mount would have signed permanently for Derby County.

Kurt Zouma would also have signed permanently for Everton.

Lampard deserves every accolade for assembling these young guns and beating our expectations already.

Up Chelsea.

#KTBFFH

After how many matches... Wait make jungle mature bro

beejay501:
After how many matches... Wait make jungle mature bro

If u don't have anything to say just Shut Up...na Chelsea thread be dis

Ilovebigboobs:

If u don't have anything to say just Shut Up...na Chelsea thread be dis

If I don't have anything to say bawo...
Wait till May

Bobbystanley:
I share your thoughts man.

As a Chelsea fan,I expected this season to be the worst under the Roman Abramovich Era but it's going the other way.This might not be the best Chelsea team since 2003 but the most exciting considering the fact the the top performers are Academy graduates.

If it wasn't for the appointment of Frank Lampard and the two window transfer ban,

Tammy Abraham would be on loan at Fulham

Fikayo tomorrow would be plying his trade at Middlesbrough on Loan

Reece James would be out there at Vittese Arnhem in the Dutch league

Probably Callum Hodson Odoi would have gone to Bayern Munich.

Mason Mount would have signed permanently for Derby County.

Kurt Zouma would also have signed permanently for Everton.

Lampard deserves every accolade for assembling these young guns and beating our expectations already.

Spot on