Frank Lampard explains how Chelsea dealt with Hazard loss

Frank Lampard admitted coping without Eden Hazard would always be a challenge, but he was pleased with how his Chelsea squad pulled through.

Lampard replaced Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea manager last summer just three days after Hazard sealed a dream move to Real Madrid, leaving a huge void to be filled in west London.

The Belgian often dazzled fans with his sublime dribbling, pace, and playmaking abilities. He was integral for Chelsea, capping off his last appearance with two goals and an assist in the 4-1 win over Arsenal in the 2018/19 Europa League final.

His departure, on top of Lampard’s limited coaching experience and the club’s transfer ban, led many pundits and fans alike to write Chelsea off last season.

Despite the heavy odds stacked against them, however, Lampard didn’t back down and delivered a top-four finish in the Premier League and an FA Cup final appearance.

“When you lose a player of the impact of Eden Hazard, we knew the players sometimes relied on his moments of magic to win us games,” he said on episode 1 of Chelsea’s season review: ‘Frank Lampard: Coming Home’

“It was a case for me of how can I fill that gap? I fully understand why some pundits didn’t give us a chance to come in the top four.”

The Blues boss countered the loss of Hazard and transfer ban by making use of the home-grown talent at his disposal. It led to breakthroughs for stars like Tammy Abraham, Reece James, and Mason Mount.

Christian Pulisic, meanwhile, showed great promise in the second half of the season and is already being tipped as a worthy Hazard successor.

“When you have players coming back from loans in the Championship who need to play 50 games, there will be difficult times,” said Lampard.

“To be able to sustain Champions League football was a huge achievement for the club, but at no point was I forced to play the academy boys. I felt if they were going to play for us they would have to do so on merit.”