Frank Lampard has earned mixed reviews since joining Chelsea from West Ham last summer in a reported £11 million deal. On Saturday, he will get the chance to show his old team-mates how he has progressed with the Blues when the Hammers visit his new home at Stamford Bridge.
Having broken into the West Ham team as an 18-year-old, Lampard quickly impressed with his attacking skills. However, last term many West Ham fans felt that he had been overtaken by the progress of Joe Cole and Michael Carrick and were amazed by Chelsea's massive outlay.
Indeed, for just a fraction of the price, Hammers' boss Glenn Roeder was able to acquire Don Hutchison to replace the Romford-born midfielder, and the Scottish international has been a big hit.
Hutchison has earned the captaincy at Upton Park with his all-round midfield displays. He has scored once, set up two further goals for team-mates and is the Hammers' top tackler having made 77 challenges.
That total makes Hutchison the 12th most prolific tackler in the top flight, and his tally is 17 more than Lampard has managed this term.
Indeed, overall, Lampard appears to have stagnated during his first few months at the Bridge. The 23-year-old has gone in for tackles less frequently than he did for West Ham, won a smaller proportion of those challenges, and he has also scored far less frequently now that he is with the Blues.
However, of the two players, it still appears to be the Chelsea man who will pose more of a threat up front. Lampard has got forward to fire in 29 shots at goal - the third-highest total at Chelsea behind Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen and eight more efforts than Hutchison has attempted. Lampard has yet to be as prolific as he was in his West Ham days, but may see this derby against his old colleagues as the ideal opportunity to improve his record this term.
If Chelsea are to get back amongst the Premiership's leading pack, a win on Saturday will be all-important. But with Hutchison and West Ham in decent form themselves, an easy win seems unlikely in this derby clash.
Rupert Webster