
So, Frank Lampard was dropped to the bench for our game against Valencia last night. You could almost hear the intake of breath and flicking of wrists as the frenzy got underway to see who could capture the end of his career in print first.
What a shame for them then that Andre Villas-Boas has royally pissed on their fireworks by making it clear Lampard most definitely still figures in his and Chelsea’s plans.
It’s not as if it’s the first time he’s been dropped and in spite of his clear displeasure at being subbed against Newcastle, it won’t be the last time either and quite rightly so. No player at Chelsea should be guaranteed a place in the side, nevermind a 33 year old. That place should be dependent on form, fitness and what works for the team, and the fact that, that hasn’t always been the case previously has probably cost us on occasion.
Villas-Boas clearly isn’t afraid to make big decisions and says “There were important players left out, players of immense talent, not just Frank. Frank has been in a fantastic moment and will continue to threaten for the starting line-up. He will be in contention to come back for Monday. He is one of the greatest players in the world, as you know. But we wanted to keep possession with our three midfield players, to bring it down and play it out from the back, more solid. He will come back into the team in the future. He has been fantastic in the way he’s taken these tough decisions that mean a lot to him.”
AVB is no fool and knows he’ll need to use Lampard in a different way because whilst he’s been an ever-present in our midfield for a bloody long time, wear and tear will always catch up in the end. Last night, his decision to rest Lampard worked for him and for Chelsea, and I for one hope he continues to have the balls to make the tough calls.