Mason Mount’s claim for starting place in new dawn: Richard Buxton
Considered a teacher's pet in the Lampard regime, homegrown midfielder is showing he can shine for successor Tuchel
Mason Mount has become a victim of circumstance at the dawn of Chelsea's new era.
Being so heavily aligned to Thomas Tuchel's predecessor leaves the midfielder seeking to cast off the illusion that he was previously chosen out of sheer favouritism.
He was indulged by Frank Lampard due to striking similarities in their respective playing styles.
| CHELSEA | BURNLEY |
| 2 | 0 |
But the statistics vindicate that faith, with Mount creating 49 chances in 19 previous English Premier League games - three fewer than he recorded all last season.
For parts of last night's 2-0 win over Burnley, however, Mount was guilty of trying too hard to separate himself from any association with Lampard's rise and fall in the Stamford Bridge hot seat.
An eight-minute cameo in the stalemate with Wolverhampton Wanderers provided a fresh, if belated, attacking impetus for the Blues in their new manager's first outing.
With more time on his hands, Mount's eagerness to impress Tuchel manifested in snatching at a succession of chances during a first half where the hosts created more opportunities in the opening half-hour than the entirety of their goalless affair last Wednesday.
Some efforts bordered on the brainless, with his attempt to steal in at the far post and meet Marcos Alonso's header across the face of goal putting him on a literal collision course with a lurking Tammy Abraham, who was better placed to get off a clean strike.
Yet, it was another skewed 20-metre shot which finally delivered a moment of realisation.
PRECISION
"Take a second touch - it's about precision!" was Tuchel's message from the touchline.
Within minutes of that verbal cajoling, Mount had made a noteworthy contribution to Chelsea's first goal of the German's tenure in releasing Callum Hudson-Odoi before the winger played in Cesar Azpilicueta on the overlap for a sumptuous, drilled finish.
More of the same followed in the second half as he and Hudson-Odoi took turns in toying with Clarets defender Erik Pieters as they exchanged passes in the final third.
Their alchemy almost paid dividends again as the winger's cross was diverted goalwards by a Ben Mee interception, only for Nick Pope's reflexes to deny it.
A lashed attempt from Mount barely a minute later also whistled past his England teammate's right-hand post.
By the time he was withdrawn for Kai Havertz in the final 10 minutes of this routine victory, the homegrown playmaker had amassed a credible personal haul of four shots and tackles apiece. He also created three chances, the second-most of any Chelsea player.
Tuchel is already fully aware of the nuance required to rouse his new charges back into form; some require an arm around the shoulder while others will need to be pushed.
Mount sits somewhere between those two extremes, but Alonso is already benefiting from being brought back in from the cold with a first senior appearance for the Blues since a 3-3 draw with West Bromwich Albion last September.
His ball-juggling before unleashing a volley to double their lead in the 84th minute highlighted a newfound level of confidence after being banished by Lampard for a far shinier and costlier alternative, with last summer's feted arrival of Ben Chilwell.
Visible reminders of Chelsea's deposed legend have been stripped away, with the "In Frank We Trust" banner hastily removed less than seven days after its debut.
If Mount continues to excel under Tuchel, that legacy will not stay hidden for long.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
