Trevor Steven: Lampard’s Chelsea had become a runaway train but Tuchel is the perfect man to steer them back to the top
Chelsea need a manager who can pick up the reins quickly and in Thomas Tuchel I think they’ve got the perfect man.
Experience at a big club? Check. Knows how to handle superstars? Check. Able to get a team performing at close to their maximum? Again, check. And that’s all in his last job at Paris Saint-Germain.
At Mainz, Tuchel showed he could improve players. At Borussia Dortmund he succeeded Jurgen Klopp and stamped his own identity on the team, with youngsters at its heart.
He is clearly a very intelligent man; he picked up French very quickly at PSG and already speaks excellent English.
Tuchel already seems like one of those top-level managers who are ultra-confident and not intimidated by any job.
I’m sure Chelsea would have considered other options, such as the man who just replaced him in Paris, Mauricio Pochettino.
The former Tottenham boss already knows the Premier League, but Tuchel has other factors in his favour.
Firstly, he has won more: a cup at Dortmund, a double and a treble at PSG, who he also took to the Champions League final.
Aside from experience at the very top end of the game, his nationality also works in his favour.
Being German, he will be more familiar with players like Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic and Toni Rudiger.
Havertz and Werner, who cost £120m, are key and Tuchel should have a deeper knowledge of what makes them tick.
He inherits a very strong squad who have been misfiring. Mid-table simply isn’t acceptable for a club of Chelsea’s ambitions.
Why Lampard had to go
Frank Lampard – sacked on Monday – did well to develop youngsters like Mason Mount and Reece James.
But, as Pep Guardiola said this week, there are no projects in football; you win games or lose your job.
He almost overachieved last season by qualifying for the Champions League but hasn’t been able to live up to the standard he set himself.
New signings have stalled. Games seem to pass by Havertz, Werner and Hakim Ziyech, who are playing with no confidence or authority.
Two months ago, I expected Chelsea to kick on and look like contenders for the top four at least.
Instead, Lampard has looked increasingly uncomfortable and agitated. This is where more seasoned managers know how to get the mood right.
As their form unravelled Chelsea became a runaway train – and Lampard didn’t appear to be the man with the handbrake.
Games come thick and fast this season so there isn’t much time for managers to reorganise. Or for clubs to wait for improvements.
We don’t know what promises were made when Lampard took charge 18 months ago. And the costly signings have been a poisoned chalice.
But, as someone with neither allegiance nor axe to grind with Chelsea, I think it was probably right to replace him.
This group of players needs a shake-up and I fully expect to see it once Tuchel has had time to impose his presence on the training ground and dressing room.
Tuchel ticks all the boxes. I think he will be the one to make Chelsea contenders again.