Mason Mount and Olivier Giroud sink Wolves and seal fourth place for Chelsea

Put the concerns over the defensive frailties to one side for now. Forget about Kepa Arrizabalaga’s lowly save percentage, all those goals conceded to counterattacks and whether this infuriatingly inconsistent Chelsea side will be capable of challenging Liverpool and Manchester City next season.

There is no doubt that Chelsea are a long way from becoming title contenders. They have tactical flaws to eradicate, personnel issues to resolve and a manager who still has much to learn. Yet their league campaign has ended on a triumphant note and for all the talk about Frank Lampard’s connections mattering more than his coaching credentials when he landed his dream job last summer, he has performed above expectations, defying a transfer ban by leading Chelsea into the Champions League thanks to a composed win over Wolves.

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Even the sceptics have to admit that the youngest manager in the Premier League has done a fine job to guide this squad into fourth place. Little was expected from Chelsea after they sold Eden Hazard to Real Madrid last summer; uncertainty reigned at the start of the season.

Yet rather than moan about not being able to spend after replacing Maurizio Sarri, Lampard dug deep. He leant on Chelsea’s academy and accepted that there would be teething problems. “It’s been a tough year but I’ve enjoyed every bit of it,” he said.

There have been low moments. Home defeats to West Ham, Bournemouth and Southampton were hard to take, while Chelsea have conceded 54 goals, their worst defensive record since the 1996-97 season.

Yet Chelsea delivered under pressure and it was satisfying for Lampard to see one of his youngsters, Mason Mount, shine against Wolves, prising open a tight game with a glorious free-kick before creating Olivier Giroud’s goal just before half-time.

It was thrilling to see Mount feed Giroud at the end of a move sparked by Christian Pulisic. Giroud rounded Rui Patrício, the Wolves goalkeeper, to make it 2-0 and Chelsea’s attack will look even more dangerous next season, with deals for Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner already completed and the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder, Kai Havertz, expected to follow.

Not everything is in place. Chelsea need defensive reinforcements and it spoke volumes that Lampard started Willy Caballero instead of Arrizabalaga in goal. Lampard required players he could trust and the harsh reality is that Arrizabalaga no longer falls into that category.

There is surely no way back after such a high-profile snub. Arrizabalaga had floundered during last Wednesday’s defeat to Liverpool and Chelsea’s back three looked far more secure without him.

“The idea we haven’t kept enough clean sheets isn’t just a reflection on the goalkeeper,” Lampard said. “Kepa’s decision was a choice on recent form. I felt Willy’s experience was what we needed.”

Chelsea need a new goalkeeper, even though Caballero remains a reliable understudy. The 38-year-old made a vital contribution when the game was goalless, clawing away a cross from Pedro Neto, and his handling was solid.

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Wolves, who missed out on sixth place and Europa League qualification via the league after finishing below Tottenham, created little. Nuno Espírito Santo’s team lacked incisiveness and Chelsea improved as the first half wore on, squeezing Wolves as Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic took control of midfield.

The breakthrough arrived in first-half stoppage time. Wolves were strong in the challenge but danger lurked when they conceded a free-kick 20 yards out. Mount stepped up, whipping a wonderful effort to the right of Patrício.

Chelsea, who face Arsenal in the FA Cup final on Saturday, doubled their lead before the half-time whistle, Pulisic and Mount combining for Giroud to score his seventh goal since the resumption of the season. Wolves, who need to dust themselves down before their Europa League campaign resumes next month, were beaten. Nuno sent on Adama Traoré but Chelsea cruised to victory with Werner watching from the stands. The German striker must be itching to join in the fun.