Lampard wants to silence critics

Frank Lampard has urged
Chelsea to deliver the ultimate
response to their critics by
clinching their place in next
season's Champions League
before winning it in Munich.
The 3-2 aggregate win
against Barcelona got
caretaker boss Roberto Di
Matteo's Blues 90 minutes
from Champions League glory.
His priority has been
Champions League football
next season. Now four points
off the last qualification spot
with four games remaining,
Chelsea are closer to getting
there via the competition
than the Barclays Premier
League.
Lampard said: "By the time of
the game, that'll be too late.
So, if we don't win it and
we're not fourth... We're on a
decent run of performances
for sure, but the last thing
we want to do now is lower
our standards in between. We
need to keep this roll going."
Veteran stars Lampard and
Didier Drogba looked certain
to be jettisoned this summer
before Andre Villas-Boas was
sacked as manager just over
seven weeks ago.
But both have made a
mockery of claims they were
on their last legs and are set
to play a crucial role in
Chelsea's pursuit of their holy
grail.
Lampard said: "We've got
everything to show. That's
what makes us top players,
that what makes Didier
Drogba a top player. He gets
written off, comes back and
scores goals that get us to
this point, and I feel the same.
"I try to do everything to
always prove (myself) and I'm
very proud of what I've done
in my career. I don't feel like
I'm on my last legs, regardless,
and I'll keep trying to show
that every game."
That will not be easy amid a
punishing schedule that will
continue to see the club play
twice a week until the end of
the season.
Lampard said: "People probably
watched us two or three
weeks ago against Wigan and
Fulham and thought maybe we
were on our last legs then a
little bit. But you can't knock
this team down - we'll keep
coming back."
Tuesday night was the
perfect demonstration of
that, Chelsea somehow
recovering from falling 2-0
and a man down at the Nou
Camp to draw 2-2.

Source: The press Association