Who will be Lampard's long-term replacement?

[Corner 456]

New signing I imagine but maybe Oscar. Oscar is a possibility because he has the skills to succeed there and if we don't play him there, he's not going to play nearly often enough to develop properly (or justify what we paid for him).. McEachran is the right position but he needs to develop more. De Bruyne has excellent offensive skills, but he's been playing much further up the pitch this season and not sure if he has the defensive ability to play there. Anyway, Oscar is the only player on the squad currently, I can see Chelsea considering giving the job too. Also, who knows what happens in the future with a new manager, new style, the deep-lying midfielder might not even exist on the team.

I think you're right with saying Oscar is the most likely to take on this role. His tactical awareness is actually very good and he has the intelligence to control the tempo of our play. I think he has all of the offensive attributes to perform the role but I don't think he has the defensive attributes quite yet. He's certainly not afraid of a challenge but he seems to dive into challenges a lot and needs to learn when and when not to go to ground.

Having a deep-lying playmaker in a 4-2-3-1 system can be very awkward though, and it only seems to work a complete all-round players that are very creative. But there are only two players in the world that I can think of that perform that role expertly in a 4-2-3-1 (Xabi Alonsi and Schweinsteiger). If we used 4-3-3, I think it would work much better if we're going to insist on having Oscar in a deeper role, which I think we will. Eddie Newton confirmed that Oscar is highly regarded as the player we're going to use there over the coming years, but we're going to gradually move him into that role.

Regarding playing time and development, I can't see Oscar's development being hampered too much. RDM was playing him a lot, but with no rotation. Benitez has stated clearly that his job was to come in and simply to win. He doesn't seem to have been entrusted with the task of player development. But when it comes to next season and we have either a new manager or Benitez has the job full-time, I'm sure Abramovich (or Emenalo) will be letting said manager know that the likes of Oscar and Hazard should be involved heavily in their plans. I'm not sure what the plans for KDB are but I can imagine him coming back to Chelsea next season and can see Marin being sold. Chelsea were adamant on sending KDB on loan for a season in the BPL, but that didn't happen. So I'm guessing he's held in fairly high regard and will be play a role in the first-team next season. Obviously, we can only speculate.

Just my two cents.

[Mufassir08 2,400]

I think it will be either KDB or Mceachran.I like oscar as a No#10 more then as a Cm.

[didierforever 7,349]

mceachran...

[joshmercury 20]

KDb is the closest we have to a lampard replacement. Oscar is more of attacking mid who can do a job in the pivot. Josh i dont think will make it(atleast for next 2 seasons).

Kdb will be given chance next season in lamps position if it doesnt work out we'll buy someone.

[The only place to be 11,313]

KDb is the closest we have to a lampard replacement. Oscar is more of attacking mid who can do a job in the pivot. Josh i dont think will make it(atleast for next 2 seasons).

Kdb will be given chance next season in lamps position if it doesnt work out we'll buy someone.

I like KDB, but we spent about £20 million on Oscar and I think that was mainly due to our inability to get Modric. I think the club sees him being Lampard's long-term replacement and I tend to agree. He has the vision, but also the workrate that you need in that position.

What he needs is time there, and for the fans to hold fire on criticising him if he has a few bad games. Having seen some of the responses to the Luiz experiment, that might be asking too much of some.

[Ollie 4,400]

There wont be a direct replacement. We're a different type of team now. The 3 CAMs are quick, energetic and dynamic, the 2 CDMs are CDMs. I don't see a Lampard there. Mata will be the next legend though.

[GodZola 630]

Think there is a few ways of looking at this.

Firstly, i don't see any player currently at the club that will 'fill Frank's boots' - that is no detriment to them but you simply cannot teach the instinct in how Frank arrives in the right place and finds that space to score so many goals season after season from midfield the obvious choices have been mentioned but will they stay 5 years let alone more than 10 and keep up that consistency he has shown throughout their tenure?

Secondly i believe that the goals will be shared from midfield area's rather than rely on mostly one player, we have so much more threat now with Mata, Hazard, Oscar, we even have Ramires and Luiz chipping in, although Hazard and Oscar need to improve there accuracy, especially in league games - a season under their belt will do wonders.

It makes no sense whatsoever to let Frank leave, just keep him at the club to help bring along the talented attacking players and let him keep doing what he does best - chip in with some match winning performances, those 2 goals against Everton are a perfect reminder to the board and to the younger players.

[Spike 12,049]

Juan Mata is doing a great job replacing Lampard's goals and assists. Lamps is too unique of a player to just replace, I honestly can't name another person who plays in a similar style to Lamps.

[Styles 9,790]

If we were still a 4-3-3 team I'd have thought Oscar would be the ideal replacement; technically brilliant, good passer, scores and creates goals and surprisingly adept at pressing/tackling. You'd think with more experience and physical strength he would become the new midfield linchpin.

But we've become a different team tactically. Our front players have changed and as a result our midfield and what is required of it has changed too.

For the role Lampard plays in the team now (as one of two players in that 4-2-3-1 formation) I doubt the replacement will be like for like. It'll be somebody with a different skill-set and more of a deep-lying playmaker.

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

Never mind replacing Lamps, how about sign a player that suits the fucking system for once instead of getting 4 players who all play the same position and trying to play a 0-0-5-5

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Because I know that no academy products/youngers will actually get a shot.. Bastian Schweinsteiger anyone?

[The only place to be 11,313]

Never mind replacing Lamps, how about sign a player that suits the fucking system for once instead of getting 4 players who all play the same position and trying to play a 0-0-5-5

The original target was Modric, and when we didn't get him we went after Oscar so I really do want to see what he can do in that position because he's going to struggle to force Mata out of the number 10 spot. He has the vision and he has a surprisingly high workrate and level of toughness so it's just a case of giving him games there alongside either Mikel or Luiz.

[Fulham Broadway 17,299]

KDb is the closest we have to a lampard replacement. Oscar is more of attacking mid who can do a job in the pivot. Josh i dont think will make it(atleast for next 2 seasons).

Kdb will be given chance next season in lamps position if it doesnt work out we'll buy someone.

Agree. Theres a few others after him -so our board in their wisdom will doubtless let him go.

http://www.insidefutbol.com/2013/01/03/three-way-battle-breaking-out-in-germany-for-chelsea-starlet-kevin-de-bruyne/76285/

[Chelsea? 892]

Same guy that replaced Zola, Drogba and Makalele.

[Chelsea? 892]

Because I know that no academy products/youngers will actually get a shot.. Bastian Schweinsteiger anyone?

considering no Chelsea academy "reject" has ever made it big anywhere, I'm thinking Chelsea are right not to give chances to every academy kid.