One day, it will be the 2020/21 season. Nobody knows when that day will actually be, but it's coming. Stay strong.
For Frank Lampard's Chelsea, it will be a chance to build on the undeniable success of the current campaign. Despite many pre-season concerns, the Blues have played their way into the top four, and their young core have played some of the most exciting (and simultaneously catastrophic) football around.
With no transfer ban weighing him down, Lampard can now look to address the problems which have been evident in Chelsea's squad for a few years, and there's also the small matter of replacing a certain Eden Hazard to attend to.
If everything goes according to play this summer, here's how an ideal Chelsea lineup could look in the 2020/21 campaign.
GK - Kepa Arrizabalaga
There's no doubting that Kepa Arrizabalaga's second season at Stamford Bridge hasn't exactly been the greatest. Costly errors have never been too far away from the Spaniard, which has prompted speculation that a new goalkeeper could be brought in.
While adding some better competition than Willy Caballero is a must, Chelsea should persevere with Arrizabalaga for a little while longer. He has shown plenty of glimpses of his real ability, including a number of vital saves in huge games, so there's no need to cut ties with the record signing just yet.
Let's not forget that David de Gea, to whom Arrizabalaga has always been compared, had a torrid time during his early years with Manchester United, only to blossom into the world's best goalkeeper. It happens. Patience.
RB - Reece James
A combination of Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, sunshine and rainbows, Reece James has already proven himself as Chelsea's top right-back, so his inclusion in this ideal lineup is pretty easy to justify.
The 20-year-old's crossing was quickly identified as a crucial part of Chelsea's game plan, while his dribbling and range of passing have earned him much-deserved comparisons to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
An ankle injury plagued his 2019/20 campaign, but if he can stay fit, the 2020/21 season could be James' chance to make a real statement.
CB - Antonio Rüdiger
Picking Chelsea's centre-back pairing hasn't been easy for Lampard this year and it's probably not going to get any easier. Andreas Christensen, Fikayo Tomori and Kurt Zouma all have their strengths, but Rüdiger probably merits inclusion ahead of them all.
Like everyone in the current centre back crop, Rüdiger has his faults, but he also has the potential to be world class on his day. The German's combination of pace, power and passing ability makes him a real threat on the pitch.
He has played with plenty of different partners this season, and there might just be a new face added into the mix next year...
CB - Kalidou Koulibaly
Finding a big-money addition to stabilise the horror show that has been Chelsea's defence this year is about as important as it gets. This summer, the man the Blues should go after is Kalidou Koulibaly.
The Senegal international has been of of the world's best defenders for a few years now, and his ball-playing style of play would fit in perfectly at the Bridge. Lampard wants his centre-backs to be comfortable on the ball and play their way out of tight spaces, and that wouldn't be an issue for Koulibaly.
He'll be 29 years old when the summer arrives, which will likely be a problem for Chelsea officials. RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano would be a fantastic alternative, but Koulibaly is the man Chelsea should be focusing on.
LB - Alex Telles
Not since Ashley Cole left in 2014 have Chelsea had reliable left-backs. This year, both Marcos Alonso and Emerson have done their best to leave Blues fans in tears. Reinforcements are needed.
Porto's Alex Telles is expected to hit the market for a much more affordable fee than Leicester City's Ben Chilwell, so Chelsea should be going after him. He possesses a dangerous cross and is good enough in defence, and that's all Lampard needs.
To make space for him, Emerson seems the most likely casualty. The Italian's resale value is higher, but Alonso should be kept around regardless thanks to his outstanding attacking output. If Lampard wants a wing-back, Alonso is there to help.
DM - Jorginho
Anyone who believes Jorginho isn't a competent defensive midfielder clearly hasn't really watched him play. When it comes to tackling and interceptions, he's subtly fantastic at what he does.
The thing which earns Jorginho the most praise is his metronomic style of passing, and that's deserved. The Italian's creativity is so important to what Lampard does as he is deployed almost as a quarterback, dictating everything that goes on in front of him at an elite level.
Jorginho's leadership has also proven to be one of his top qualities, and there's no doubting that he makes the team better as a whole.
CM - Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Finally. All Chelsea fans want is to see Ruben Loftus-Cheek on the pitch again, and the 2020/21 season will give the Englishman a chance to show his best.
There's plenty of competition for the midfield spots in Lampard's side, but Loftus-Cheek's qualities should move him towards the front of the queue. A physically imposing, yet technically sublime player, the Englishman could be exactly what Chelsea have been missing.
His love of driving forward with the ball at his feet and making things happen on the pitch has been sorely missed this year. He's not a direct replacement for Hazard, but Loftus-Cheek can help fill the void left by the Belgian's departure.
CM - Mateo Kovačić
This season, there has been no better player in a Chelsea shirt than Mateo Kovačić, who has really stepped up following a less-than-convincing debut season at the Bridge.
With Loftus-Cheek compensating for his lack of goal threat, Kovačić can be free to do what he does best. He loves drifting around the field looking for space (and he's agile enough to make his own if needed), and his ability to pull off passes with pinpoint accuracy makes him a vital asset.
Nobody in the Chelsea squad can pass like Kovačić, and that's exactly why he should waltz into the team more often than not.
RW - Hakim Ziyech
If you've seen Hakim Ziyech play literally any football over the last few years, you'll understand why Chelsea fans are so excited about his imminent arrival.
Since Hazard's departure, Chelsea have lacked an attacking midfielder with a killer instinct. Neither Willian nor Pedro have really provided that, but Ziyech can. Capable of beating a man both off the dribble or through a pass, the Morocco international is a defender's nightmare.
He might even play some minutes in central positions in order to rotate with Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic and an as-yet unnamed new arrival. Stay tuned.
ST - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Tammy Abraham has done nothing wrong this season. He has scored more goals than even the most optimistic of Chelsea fans had predicted last summer, but he's yet to develop that predatory instinct which a top striker needs. To fix that, he probably needs some time working under an elite forward. Enter Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Tipped to leave Arsenal this summer, Chelsea should be all over the Gabon international. He's one of the most prolific strikers around and has proven himself to be capable of setting the Premier League on fire. Soon to be 31, Aubameyang could provide a solid few years in attack, while simultaneously teaching Abraham the ways of the world.
An alternative would be Napoli's Dries Mertens, but it's tough to look past a proven goalscorer like Aubameyang.
LW - Jadon Sancho
Now we're at the Hazard replacement. In a dream world, the best man for the job is Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.
If Chelsea want someone who can terrorise opponents and bag both goals and assists, there are few better options around than Sancho. Players like him don't always come on the market, so Chelsea cannot afford to lounge around when it comes to trying to sign him.
Unfortunately, interest from Manchester United might be too tough to overcome, so Hudson-Odoi or Pulisic could slot in nicely here. Or, if you want a new signing, how about Mertens? Or Sassuolo's Jeremie Boga? Basically, it's anyone who isn't Willian or Pedro.
There are a few different ways to go, but landing Sancho would be perfection.
Source : 90min