Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, who scored the match-winner versus Wolves last week, has been in an out of Andre Villas-Boas’ team all season, but the England international has recently urged the Portuguese to make him a first-team regular.
Despite being somewhat out of favor, Lampard has bagged nine goals for the Blues in 2011-12.
“The boss is the boss. He picks the team,” Lampard told reporters.
“I’m very committed to this club. I’ll always stay completely behind the cause of Chelsea because that’s me now. Chelsea’s my club.
“The thing for me is that it’s much easier for me, when I’m starting games and playing regular matches and 90 minutes, to get into the rhythm I’ve found since I’ve been here. That’s what I love doing and, personally, I think that’s when I’m at my best.
“I don’t know if you’d say that Wolves was a case of some of the older heads taking charge. In terms of the game, I hope I did. But we need those big players, like John Terry. The spine of the team is what’s made us what we are over the past seven years. I think that’s important, whether [or not] we’re changing the team.
“Of course, I understand that things change with time. But what we’re about is that spine, to an extent. So it’s nice to see big players who’ve been there a long time producing the goods.
“The team spirit’s okay. I just think that when you’re losing games it’s the first thing people look at. That takes the big players in the dressing room and everyone collectively to stand up and make a difference.
“That has to be there. It’s something we’ve prided ourselves on at Chelsea for many years, it won us a lot of things. It’s something we can’t lose. If you do lose that, you can’t be at the top.”
If he is fully fit and on form, Lampard should be starting at least eight out of ten matches for Chelsea.
When he plays, he scores goals. It’s that simple, and his latest match-winner versus Wolverhampton Wanderers confirms exactly that.
With Chelsea 11 points behind Manchester City in the English Premier League table, a title challenge from the Blues seems unlikely.
Chelsea must now do everything in their power to secure a 2012-13 Champions League berth, which means finishing in the top four this season.
For one thing, the task at hand will be a lot easier with Lampard in the starting lineup.
“Finishing in a Champions League spot has to be the bare minimum, of course,” added Lampard.
“It’s been a given for the last seven or eight years, when we’ve also been fighting for titles. There’s no way we can drop that standard – that has to stay at the club.
“That’s what we’re used to, but there’s another six or seven teams saying that these days. The only way you get there is with good performances.”
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