A club legend is back at Stamford Bridge, but while the fanbase revel in the appointment, some players have cause for concern…
In a plot twist that only the Premier League is capable of concocting, Frank Lampard SOMEHOW finds himself back in the Chelsea dugout – albeit on an interim basis.
Whether you think it's a brazen PR stunt from joint-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali as they look to appease a disgruntled fanbase, or a shrewd move to see the Blues through to the end of the season, the club legend's return is sure to make for compelling viewing.
The squad Lampard inherits is in stark contrast to the one he left behind when he was dismissed in 2021; trusted regulars of his first stint in charge such as Tammy Abraham and Jorginho have moved on and Chelsea have spent BIG, with their bloated ranks contributing to predecessor Graham Potter's eventual downfall.
There is work to be done and points to prove on and off the pitch.
Here are GOAL's winners and losers of Lampard's return to Stamford Bridge…
Getty ImagesWINNER: Mason Mount
It is remarkable that Mason Mount has gone from Chelsea's best player and a fan favourite to a scapegoat who is highly likely to move on from the club in the summer.
Mount was unfairly labelled the 'teacher's pet' during Lampard's first spell in charge after they struck up a strong rapport during his loan at Derby County, but the England international was a first-team regular back at Chelsea based on merit.
The academy graduate enjoyed a breakout campaign under Lampard in 2019-20, and has been on an upward trajectory since, with his output steadily increasing.
However, things have not gone to plan this season. Though he still has nine goal contributions in all competitions, his form has reflected his team's overall struggles.
He's become a lightning rod for criticism amid uncertainty surrounding his future as he prepares to enter the final year of his contract, with Liverpool sniffing about.
Lampard's timely return coincides with Mount's comeback from an injury layoff, and that could well give him the fresh impetus he needs to rediscover his highest level.
Who knows, he may even be convinced to stay put…
AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Kepa Arrizabalaga
Poor old Kepa.
No sooner has he regained his starting place than the man who decided to replace him returns to the club.
It was Lampard who sought an alternative for the struggling Spaniard back in 2020, eventually plumping for Edouard Mendy – a shrewd move given he would go on to help the Blues on their way to winning the 2021 Champions League under his successor Thomas Tuchel.
Kepa reclaimed his first-team place under Potter earlier this season, keeping a solid 12 clean sheets in 29 appearances despite the odd characteristic lapse in concentration, but he will undoubtedly be looking over his shoulder now that Mendy is fit again and Lampard is back in the dugout.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Todd Boehly & Behdad Eghbali
This is a win-win for Chelsea's ownership.
It is difficult to understand exactly why co-owners Boehly and Eghbali have opted to bring Lampard back on a temporary basis, but one of their motivations is pretty transparent.
After what has been a farcical 11 months at the helm so far, reinstalling the club legend is an easy PR victory for a hierarchy that was supposedly stunned by the vociferous uproar in the latter days of Potter's reign.
Within the Chelsea fanbase there has been very little backlash to the appointment, which is perhaps an indictment of Potter's popularity more than anything else.
They have not committed to anything long-term, and they have bought themselves time to make the right appointment to take the club forward and recover their poor start.
Lampard can do no wrong in the fans' eyes, with his status as a club legend as secure as can be. If they are merely riding out the rest of the season, one of their favourite sons will be fully backed – whatever happens.
GettyLOSER: Marc Cucurella
Marc Cucurella has already faced plenty of adversity in his brief time at Stamford Bridge, and Lampard's appointment will provide another test.
The defender had only just regained the faith of former Brighton boss Potter before he was unceremoniously ditched, and now he faces an uphill battle to convince the interim head coach of his pedigree.
Lampard was in charge when Chelsea signed Ben Chilwell in 2020 and the pair formed a strong bond, with the England international one of his best performers throughout his initial tenure.
A likely switch to the coach's preferred back-four system could well see Cucurella pushed to the periphery.