The Chelsea legend that is Frank Lampard has been ever present in the Blues starting line-up since he joined Stamford Bridge from West Ham prior to the 2001-02 season. He has consistently made more than 40 appearances in all competitions throughout the last decade, the one exception being 32 appearances in the 2010-11 season owing to injury problems.
Even though he was used sparingly last season under interim coach Rafael Benitez, the midfield maestro still notched up 50 appearances in all competitions, scoring 17 goals, and in the process becoming the club’s all-time top scorer with 203 goals going ahead of club legend Bobby Tambling.
There are essentially no places up for grabs in the Blues’ technically sound midfield, with the likes of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Oscar and Ramires all lining up for the London club in the middle of the pitch. Chelsea have even recalled the highly impressive Kevin de Bruyne from a season-long loan at Werder Bremen as well as acquiring talented German winger Andre Schurrle from Bayer Leverkusen.
With all the shining stars of tomorrow vying for places in the packed Blues’ midfield, it might be a difficult season for the England international, who signed a one-year extension to his contract at the end of last season.
However, with the arrival of Jose Mourinho, Lampard may still have a fruitful season. The midfielder was a vital cog in Chelsea’s engine during Mourinho’s first stint in charge and according to Sky Sports, he is very much in the former Real Madrid manager’s plans for next season.
The report suggests that Lampard, due to his age and prolonged recovery time, will play limited games. Mourinho believes Lampard retains the same quality as before and wants to use him as effectively as possible.
He said, “I believe he is the same player, with the difference of, he is 35 and the time to recover from match to match is not the same for a man of 25 to a man of 35. The role doesn’t have to change. What has to change is the way we analyse competition. Before we didn’t analyse, before it was ‘every match: he plays’.
He added, “Sometimes I wanted to give him a rest in a Carling Cup match and he said ‘if you give me a rest the next match I will not be the same, because I have to play every three days. He can’t play 60 matches like he did before, but the quality of the player and what he represents for the way I like to play football is exactly the same.”
Mourinho also dismissed suggestions that age and even nationality play an influencing role in selecting his starting line-up. He said, “Performance is how good you are, not your passport or birth certificate. It’s about performance, nothing else.”
Mourinho says it like it is which you have got to like!