As the pack settles at the head of the race for the Premier League, Chelsea sit poised on the shoulders of the leaders, jostling confidently among the contenders. Having spent the best part of £220m, that might be expected after eight games. The huge upgrade in the quality of the squad demanded something special.
Yet there were no guarantees this would work out well. (And there is still a long race to run). Frank Lampard is a young coach and sceptics will chunter that he owes his promotion to celebrity status rather than technical merit. Like his early West Ham days were overshadowed by the fact that his uncle and father ran the team, Lampard always has to fight to prove his worth.