Wolves 1 Chelsea 2: Lampard to the rescue as Blues bounce back at Molineux

He might not have been at the centre of the celebrations which marked Chelsea’s first goal on Monday, but Frank Lampard supplied Andre Villas-Boas with something far more tangible when it mattered.
 

with greater aplomb than Monday’s 89th-minute winner. But a close-range volley enabled his under-fire boss to speak with greater freedom about club unity, the need for improved consistency and neatly sidestep any suggestion of player unrest.

Indeed, there was a show of togetherness which accompanied the visitors’ opening strike, nine minutes after the interval. Goalscorer Ramires, joined by a clutch of his team-mates, made tracks to the Blues bench for what appeared to be an impromptu celebration.

Lampard and skipper John Terry were late arrivals to the pitchside throng. But they were at the heart of a resolute display against  determined hosts. 

Villas-Boas, amid rumours that his senior players are in revolt at his management style, refused to acknowledge the get-together after the opening strike was in any way a public show of confidence in him.

When asked about the veteran midfielder’s late contribution, Villas-Boas said: ‘I think the whole team did well. No matter who scores. Romeu, Mata - the most important thing is to find consistency.

‘Away from home we have less anxiety. We need to correct it at Stamford Bridge. We have discussed it between ourselves and I think we can correct it. It doesn’t matter who does the scoring, the most important thing is the victory.’

 source: www.dailymail.co.uk, picture: www.chelseafc.com

ALL players have a shelf life — even Frank Lampard

There is talk of a lack of respect towards a man who has played 88 times for his country and made more than 700 appearances for Chelsea and West Ham.

A lot of this is down to the fact Lampard is one of the brightest and most engaging footballers of his generation, not simply one of the best. 

He is courteous, approachable, uncontroversial and unconfrontational, though still extremely tough mentally.  So there is an obvious sadness at the inescapable demise of a popular figure. Yet time waits for no man.

A few weeks ago, an England team without Lampard produced a lively and impressive 3-0 win in Bulgaria.

Four days later, with Lampard restored, they laboured to a 1-0 victory over Wales at Wembley. It seemed Fabio Capello's team had taken one of its customary steps backwards.

That Lampard was no worse than James Milner or Gareth Barry is not the point.

As for Lampard's Chelsea career, though he may no longer be an untouchable, it is far from over.

But Andre Villas-Boas was not appointed by Roman Abramovich to maintain the status quo. And no manager is more powerful than in his first few months. There were always going to be high-profile casualties and Villas Boas has to be applauded for the brave decision in replacing Lampard at half-time against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Having lost the first half 3-0, they won the second 1-0.

With Meireles, Ramires and Mata in the side, there is more pace and fluidity in the team and a far better service to Fernando Torres.

Lampard was left on the bench for the 4-1 win over Swansea where 18-year-old starlet Josh McEachran rather than he came on as the third and final sub. The Mail on Sunday reports that Lampard then got up and walked down the tunnel without speaking to his manager. He then departed to prepare for a 60-minute warm-down rather than, as suggested, "storming off" to the dressing room.

Lampard, the arch professional, doesn't do "storming off".

With Torres now suspended for three league matches, both he and Didier Drogba could well start those games.

But the days of the Lampard-Drogba-JT axis of power are over. It wasn't bad while it lasted, though.

source: Thesun.co.uk