Lampard was given an enormously easy ride last season. Chelsea were treated like some kind of midtable minnow because they had a one window transfer ban in which they still spent nearly £90m on players from Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.

For all of the talk of Lampard bringing through youth I don’t see much of a legacy there beyond Mason Mount and Reece James. The latter would’ve probably got through under any manager given Azpilicueta’s age.

Basically, if you were to draw up a list of Lampard’s achievements in 18 months, it’s hard to think past one bullet point (Mason Mount).

Where I do have sympathy is that the summer transfers he was given to work with were a bit ridiculous. Talented players, for sure, but if you play a 433, buying him a number 10 and a guy who operates best as the second striker in a front two, and then a winger- not clever.

Also, if you’re going to hire a young, inexperienced manager you kind of have to accept they’re not the finished article. Sacking now shows Chelsea never really believed in Lampard’s development and his appointment was more of a branding decision.