Frank Lampard

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

Of course they do Phil, they play 4-2-3-1 just like us.

[Phil Driver 503]

We will not be employing a sitting midfielder who doubles up as a centre back aka Brazil ,we have two midfielders do you not listen to the manager?

[Magic Lamps 11,653]

Lamps's performance today was as close to a DLP as it gets. Ramires was a little subdued in the first half, but Lamps made up for it. The defence had a shocker (except for Terry) and Mata and Willian weren't exactly effective, but our midfield really turned the game I feel. It might not have exactly been a quaity oppositon, but I have seldom seen Lamps making so many successful tackles.

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

Lamps's performance today was as close to a DLP as it gets. Ramires was a little subdued in the first half, but Lamps made up for it. The defence had a shocker (except for Terry) and Mata and Willian weren't exactly effective, but our midfield really turned the game I feel. It might not have exactly been a quaity oppositon, but I have seldom seen Lamps making so many successful tackles.

He did well in the second half, he couldn't trap a bag of cement in the first and was tugging players' shirts repeatedly, that said he was one of our best performers today.

Two things though, he needs to quit his long high balls, they are just not effective (yes, I know it worked last week with Ba), and he needs to allow the better players take free kicks as he's just wasting them.

But good display.

[Phil Driver 503]

There are no long high balls that is what Stoke do ,try to understand the difference between a long high ball and a long pass .

[Phil Driver 503]

Him and Rammy were superb today, our first choice midfield two.

[The_Flash 1,144]

Very good very good

[meetdoscar 335]

Great assist for hazards goal. Legend!!!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Very very good today. Excellent passing; linked the defense to attack very well. His best performance so far this season.

[The_Flash 1,144]

Frank on Jonathan Ross, yay!

[Milan 17,854]

From yesterday's show

And here's Harry Redknapp talking a bit about Frank too

[Phil Driver 503]

It will not be long now before Lampard signs a new deal ,jose spoke about him learning a new role, his passing on Saturday was sublime ,Jose thinks the same about Lampard as I do ,shrewd judges .

[happy_juan 64]

It will not be long now before Lampard signs a new deal ,jose spoke about him learning a new role, his passing on Saturday was sublime ,Jose thinks the same about Lampard as I do ,shrewd judges .

Exaggeration much?

[Korea 734]

It will not be long now before Lampard signs a new deal ,jose spoke about him learning a new role, his passing on Saturday was sublime ,Jose thinks the same about Lampard as I do ,shrewd judges .

IS Lampard really getting a new deal?

I really hope not...

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

It will not be long now before Lampard signs a new deal ,jose spoke about him learning a new role, his passing on Saturday was sublime ,Jose thinks the same about Lampard as I do ,shrewd judges .

We are being linked with about 3 or 4 CM/DMs for as early as January, Smoke, fire, and all that...

[Phil Driver 503]

Mourinho also lionised another player who developed under his tutelage, saying Frank Lampard’s new contract was one of the best pieces of business Chelsea did in the summer.

"I think everybody wanted it to happen," he said. "The club always wanted it; Frank always wanted it. When I came into the picture I was happy for him to stay. It was clear that the fans last season also wanted it. Let’s all of us enjoy Frank and let Frank enjoy Chelsea and his football."

The Blues coach also said that the “crazy Frank” who wanted to play every minute is now gone, but that is better for a “competitor” who he could never see playing in a lower-profile league.

"We have a great relationship," he said of the 35-year-old England international. "I trust him a lot but he also knows that he’s not 25 anymore. The crazy Lamps that wants to play every minute of a Carling Cup match against a team from the Championship or the crazy Frank that wants to break the record of appearances and play in every minute of every match is not here anymore.

"Now he wants to keep his performances high for the most seasons we can. We have to be clever and intelligent and protect these players that are over 30. We will do that naturally and I believe he will be a fantastic player for us.

"I told him when I was not Chelsea manager, just by being a friend, I told him that that I wouldn’t see him play for another English club and I wouldn’t see him play in another small league because of his nature.

"If he wants to go to the States or China or one of these new markets he can play until 40 no problem. But I don’t see that. I see a competitor. He wants to play at this level and I think that he can."

The only reason Lamps will not be with us next season is if he decides to go to America and when we sign another midfielder it will be someone to replace Mikel ,Jose sees Lampard as the same player as Zannetti who was 37 when he won the Champions League with Inter ,it will happen .

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

Mourinho also lionised another player who developed under his tutelage, saying Frank Lampard’s new contract was one of the best pieces of business Chelsea did in the summer.

"I think everybody wanted it to happen," he said. "The club always wanted it; Frank always wanted it. When I came into the picture I was happy for him to stay. It was clear that the fans last season also wanted it. Let’s all of us enjoy Frank and let Frank enjoy Chelsea and his football."

The Blues coach also said that the “crazy Frank” who wanted to play every minute is now gone, but that is better for a “competitor” who he could never see playing in a lower-profile league.

"We have a great relationship," he said of the 35-year-old England international. "I trust him a lot but he also knows that he’s not 25 anymore. The crazy Lamps that wants to play every minute of a Carling Cup match against a team from the Championship or the crazy Frank that wants to break the record of appearances and play in every minute of every match is not here anymore.

"Now he wants to keep his performances high for the most seasons we can. We have to be clever and intelligent and protect these players that are over 30. We will do that naturally and I believe he will be a fantastic player for us.

"I told him when I was not Chelsea manager, just by being a friend, I told him that that I wouldn’t see him play for another English club and I wouldn’t see him play in another small league because of his nature.

"If he wants to go to the States or China or one of these new markets he can play until 40 no problem. But I don’t see that. I see a competitor. He wants to play at this level and I think that he can."

The only reason Lamps will not be with us next season is if he decides to go to America and when we sign another midfielder it will be someone to replace Mikel ,Jose sees Lampard as the same player as Zannetti who was 37 when he won the Champions League with Inter ,it will happen .

That was from a few weeks ago. Jose is no fool, he is watching Lampard's performances, the way he was dropped for England, the extremely high level of mobility and fitness one need to possess to play in the pivot at a club as strong as ours. All of these things will aid him to see and evaluate Lampard's effectiveness in that position.

The articles/rumours talking about the players we are linked with are from this week. As for the comparison to Zannetti, that's more wishful thinking than anything else as physical dexterity, stamina and agility were never really among the many gifts Frank had/has as a player, that's why people should never compare him to Giggs, Maldinis and so on, the only veteran in our squad that I could potentially see playing at 37/38 ( other than Cech, as he is a case apart because he's a goalie) is Ashley Cole.

We would be a much stronger side if we had another world-class box to box player alongside Ramires. Our back four would get the protection it deserves and the attack would get the liberty and support it requires to be truly unleashed. As of now, it's unbalanced in both aspects.

[Phil Driver 503]

You are right Jose is no fool and he has been watching and that is why Lampard plays and Mikel sits at home,what have you been watching?