This archive report was first published on 31 July 2020.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has made a remarkable turnaround in his first season at the helm, and he's now set his sights on FA Cup glory against Arsenal on Saturday.
Having led Chelsea into next season's Champions League via a top four finish in the Premier League, Lampard heads to Wembley with a wave of positivity surrounding him.
It's a testament to Lampard's acumen that, in just his second season as a manager, he has Chelsea positioned as an emerging force just 12 months after the club was in turmoil.
When Lampard arrived at Stamford Bridge in June 2019, he carried the good wishes of supporters who idolised him during his glittering 13-year spell with the club.
However, many pundits doubted whether Lampard was the right man to get Chelsea back on track following the turbulent reign of Maurizio Sarri.
Lampard has risen to the challenge, fixing the fractures in Chelsea's dressing room and dealing with the club's transfer ban last summer and the sale of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.
"We've a real spirit within the group now and it's a real team effort now," Lampard said.
With his hands tied by the transfer embargo, Lampard was compelled to give some of the club's youngsters a chance to prove their worth, and they responded with tenacity and verve.
The energy and optimism provided by Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount, Reece James, Billy Gilmour, and Fikayo Tomori gave the entire club a jolt of adrenaline.
Lampard's midas touch hasn't been restricted to the young guns; he's also coaxed consistency from Willian and brought Olivier Giroud back into the fold after the French striker had appeared set to leave in January.
Exiled in the first half of the season, Giroud's prolific form since the coronavirus hiatus played a key role in Chelsea holding onto their top four berth.
