Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
In the 12 years since Frank Lampard left Chelsea, only one midfielder can really be mentioned in the same breath as the Stamford Bridge legend and he’s just been sold for £125m.
Enzo Fernandez shared some traits with Chelsea’s record goalscorer, that ability to arrive late in the box and change a game in a moment. But the Argentine has left the club, lacking the loyalty of Lampard.
After almost 200 games for West Ham, Chelsea signed Lampard – but no-one could have predicted the longevity that Lampard would provide the Blues. A total of 13 years, 648 games and a record 211 goals.
Only Fernandez can hold a torch to Lampard – and he lasted only three years at Chelsea. The Blues lack a marauding, goalscoring midfielder in the same shadow of Lampard. Now, Chelsea have Reggie Watson.
Reggie Watson’s career path is largely similar to Lampard’s
Like Lampard, Watson joined Chelsea from a London club – after initially coming through Crystal Palace’s ranks. He’s still only 16, but Watson made his debut for Chelsea earlier this season. Both, born in London.
But it is Watson’s stunning form for the 21s that is providing Chelsea with food for thought. Watson has all the potential to go on and become a Lampard-like player, and he proved it again on Saturday.
Watson went into Cobham Next Gen’s game against Fulham on Saturday with four goals in three games for the second string. Not only is he scoring at a Lampard-like rate, but he is scoring Lampard-like goals.
Picking the ball up left centrally, 25 yards out, he twisted a Fulham midfielder inside out before lashing a low effort at goal. In the same dipping way Lampard used to befuddle goalkeepers, Watson scored.
Watson has a clear path into Xabi Alonso’s first team
There are some excellent players in Chelsea’s CNG side. Harrison Bettoni also scored on Saturday, after his arrival from Wigan. He has been superb since joining the Blues, while Leo Black continues to score goals.
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Those out on loan are doing well. Ryan Kavuma-McQueen got a Portsmouth assist on Saturday, Reggie Walsh has started well at Wigan. But Watson and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli are the closest to Alonso’s side.
Nicoll-Jazuli became Chelsea’s fifth-youngest player on Friday, but Watson is one of the four younger than the Sydney-born ace. Chelsea lack a goalscoring midfielder in their side, one to score from deep.
Valentin Barco and Romeo Lavia both might have notched once this season, but none of them have that attacking instinct that Lampard – or Watson – have. It gives Watson a path into the first team currently.