FRANK LAMPARD was rubbing his hands in anticipation of an exciting year ahead with Chelsea this time last week.
New signings were rolling in with deals agreed for Ben Chilwell and Germany’s rising star Kai Havertz.
Eight of Frank Lampard’s Chelsea stars are in quarantineCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Timo Werner is looking to make his mark in the Premier League after joining from RB LeipzigCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Lampard was also sneaking under the radar to snap up the perfect man to fix his defence with a crafty freebie for the experienced Thiago Silva, 35.
Everything Chelsea were touching was turning to gold.
Now Lampard dare not touch anything down at the club’s hi-spec, Surrey training ground because his team is riddled with coronavirus once again after a fresh outbreak.
Chelsea’s head coach may still be rubbing his hands together with optimism — but only while elbow deep in hand sanitiser.
Those meticulous preparations to lead his club back up to the position of being genuine title contenders will now face a massive early challenge.
One far greater than defending champions Liverpool, ambitious Manchester City or any dogged opposition can mount on a matchday.
Lampard is not alone among Premier League managers in counting the cost of virtually the entire combined force of the top-flight playing staff dropping their boots at the end of a tiring and protracted season to flit off on luxury foreign holidays.
QUARAN-TEAM
Once abroad, and in most cases to destinations not considered high risk, it seems normal rules such as social distancing did not apply.
Covid testing and bio-secure bubbles were abandoned in favour of far more earthy behaviour.
The heady mix of sunshine and sense of release from lockdown and then the final completion of the fixture list must have been overwhelming, making it feel like the pandemic belonged to another world. If only.
England captain Harry Kane is in enforced quarantine following a break in the Bahamas when it was added to the list of countries requiring isolation while he was there.
His Tottenham team-mate Tanguy Ndombele actually has the disease.
Lampard is missing EIGHT players with Ross Barkley, Jorginho, Emerson and Michy Batshuayi joining the initial four of Tammy Abraham, Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori sitting it out in quarantine after holidaying in the Greek islands.
Abraham and Mount’s inclusion in the England squad for the forthcoming Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark must be in question.
The Blues are preparing for the opening fixture of the Premier League season in two weeksCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Blues fans cannot wait to see Hakim Ziyech in action following his switch from AjaxCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has tested positive for the virus and must follow the rules like everybody else for the next fortnight by staying put.
One way of making sure he remains at Old Trafford this summer, perhaps.
Ironically, Chelsea were the first English club hit by coronavirus as it ripped through normality in March.
Midfielder Callum Hudson-Odoi detected a slight sniffle, had a swab jammed up his nose and was then hastily sent packing home.
Even though he had not been near the training ground and did not actually feel ill.
The gates to the Cobham complex were immediately slammed shut and the place deep-cleaned.
The rest of the squad were banished to boring home workouts for weeks before anyone was allowed near the place again.
Chelsea are one of the favourites to win the Premier League in the upcoming campaignCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Reece James is looking to nail down a starting spot at right-back ahead of Cesar AzpilicuetaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Chelsea, with maybe more players in quarantine to come, are continuing pre-season training as best they can.
The club, understandably, will not and maybe cannot pinpoint the precise source of the second wave of coronavirus, which has rocked them far more than the first.
Testing of the players left working is proceeding as per usual, so no panicky measures this time.
Lampard, with his coaching staff, is doing his best to soldier on — even though it will soon be easier to name the Chelsea players who are not in quarantine rather than those who are.
Football is learning to deal with Covid and that could be the nub of the latest problem.
The players, like a lot of people in this country, believe that the worst is over — that it will not happen to them.
Blues midfielder N’Golo Kante downed tools with justifiable fright and asked not to train because of health concerns at the outset of lockdown in the spring.
But he is now believed to be going in normally and is relatively unconcerned.
His inclusion in the latest France squad underlines that he is fit and raring to go, even though there are spikes everywhere.
In just a few months the approach to this deadly disease has changed dramatically with experience.
But if many more players start getting the kind of results they dread from the wave of testing now being carried out as they return from truncated summer holidays, things may start to look a little more shaky.
Not just for Chelsea but for all clubs…
There is a long way to go before serious doubts arise about starting the season on September 12.
The Premier League remains calm about the latest wave of fresh cases and quarantines.
And Chelsea have no plans to ask for their opening game at Brighton on September 14 to be postponed.
But coronavirus is like the bone-dry brush in Northern California — ready to reignite any minute.
Footballers, like everyone else, might just need to curb their jet-set lifestyles for now to keep everyone safe.
Chelsea confirm £50m Ben Chilwell transfer from Leicester City as he becomes Frank Lampard’s third addition to squad
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
