Lampard reckons Benitez was a success at Chelsea

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard reckons Rafa Benitez was a success in his time at Stamford Bridge.

Despite opposition from a section of the Chelsea support regarding his appointment, Benitez confounded his critics by guiding the team to Europa League glory and a third-place finish in the Premier League.



Lampard, whose form under Benitez was rewarded with a one-year contract extension, admits the former Liverpool boss was thorough in his approach.

"He's a professional bloke. He prepared very well for games. And it was a difficult situation for him as well," Lampard said.



"As interim manager it was always going to be quite difficult because we all knew it was only to the end of the season.





"So there was no planning, no long-term relationships were going to be built. So, in that respect, he did a good job because we got the end result - success."



Despite that, though, Lampard did not grow close to Benitez on a personal level.



"There are certain managers you build relationships with and feel closer to," Lampard told. "He's not that kind of bloke.



"Other managers draw a bit of a line and keep it that way. Rafa's more like that.



"He was not really the sort of manager you could sit and talk with."

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Lampard 'considered leaving'

Frank Lampard says he considered other 'options' before signing a one-year contract extension with Chelsea.



The 34-year-old's existing contract was due to run out in June of this year and there was speculation that he could leave the club.

And Lampard said: "From January onwards, I was allowed to look at other options. I don't want to get into all the behind the scenes stuff but at the same time I wanted to get my head down at Chelsea and show that I could still do it, remain fit and contribute.

"Talks with the club had been ongoing, though, and it wasn't something we wanted to throw out there while important games were going on."

With Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez's time at the club coming to an end this weekend after their final game of the season against Everton, Lampard denied he wanted to find out who the next manager was before signing a contract.

"I didn't make any enquiries nor were guarantees made to me about who the next manager would be," Lampard said.

"Because we all read the press we are all aware of what might happen and I have the faith that the club will make the right decision. It wouldn't be right for me to say who the next manager should be.

"This is a great club with great players and the idea of certain managers arriving does excite me."

Jose Mourinho is the bookies favourite to replace Benitez and Chelsea's record goalscorer, Lampard, says the Portuguese's CV speaks for itself.



Lampard said: "There's a determination and a drive in Jose Mourinho which stands him out above the rest. He went from Chelsea to Inter Milan and created something amazing. He then went to Real Madrid and won the league.

"If he did come back here or wherever, I know he'd have so much desire to make it work. He would be a great success"




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Lampard targets England ton

Frank Lampard has set his sights on a century of England appearances after scoring his 200th goal for Chelsea.

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Lampard reached the 200 mark with a header in Sunday's 2-0 victory over former club West Ham and remains a match-winner for Chelsea at the age of 34.

The midfielder has now turned his attention to England duties and is glad to be part of manager Roy Hodgson's plans as the squad prepares for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers with San Marino and Montenegro.

Lampard is fully aware that he is closing in on another football milestone, with six more appearances needed to make 100.

"I'm really enjoying the England thing," said Lampard. "You really appreciate it as you get older every time you play for them.

"I'm enjoying being a part of it. It's a very happy, comfortable squad with Roy in charge.

"It's 94 (caps). But six caps in international football is still a relatively long way. So I'll take it cap by cap."

Lampard has been asked to undertake a deeper midfield role in recent years, but he revealed how former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo encouraged him to get forward at crucial times in the game.

This advice continues to pay off as Lampard requires just three more goals to surpass Bobby Tambling as Chelsea's record goalscorer.

"With experience you can play the deeper role and try to arrive at just the right time, a bit less often but with a bit more effect," Lampard said.

"I think I probably learned to play this way when Di Matteo came in in the run-up to the Champions League final.



"I've developed a bit more and now I'm able to play deeper and still arrive in the area."

Lampard: Special goal for me

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard says it was a 'special' feeling to score his 200th career goal for the club against West Ham on Sunday.



style="border-radius: 25px 25px 25px 25px; border: 5px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);" width="320" />The veteran Blues man struck in the 19th minute against his old side with a well-placed header to put the hosts on course for their 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

Lampard was happy to reach the milestone and credited team-mate Eden Hazard, who provided the assist before scoring himself in the second half.

"It's special. It's obviously a landmark I've been getting towards," he told Sky Sports.

"I'm just pleased to get there and pleased it's an important goal for the team.

"I've been very fortunate to play for the club for a long time here with great players and players who put the ball on a plate sometimes for you like Hazard did there so I'm thankful.

"I think he's got the world at his feet and he can handle that pressure because he's that good."

Despite reaching the landmark, Lampard was frustrated not to make it 201 when he uncharacteristically blasted a chance over the crossbar in the second half.

He added: "I'm really annoyed. I won't sleep tonight.



"I love scoring goals and I love being able to arrive in the box. I think I relaxed a bit on that one and skied it over the bar."

Benítez: Lampard and Cole are on their way out

Rafael Benitez has revealed he expects Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole to leave Chelsea in the summer.



Benitez has signed a short-term contract at Stamford Bridge and has adopted a squad that boasts several players with uncertain futures.



Both Cole and Lampard are yet to clarify what their careers hold when their contracts expire, with Cole so far only offered a one-year deal. Lampard has not received a fresh offer and has been linked with moves to China or the US.



Asked if he believes the players, both Champions League winners, will leave in the summer, Benitez said in the Guardian: "I think so.



"I don't have all the information and it's not fair to tell me I'm only here for seven months and then expect me to have an influence at the club over the next two or three years, but I think that's the case at the moment."



Benitez claims he does not enjoy mind games, but that did not stop him taking part in them during his first Friday press conference as he placed Arsene Wenger ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson as a manager.



On his first full day in the Chelsea job, the Spaniard was greeted with a typical barb from his old sparring partner Ferguson, who claimed he was "lucky" to be in a position to win a second Club World Cup.



Benitez, however, responded by talking about how he ranked Wenger above the Manchester United manager when he first came to England, and that any such comments were only in reply to other managers "pushing him".



"No, I don't enjoy that [mind games]. I enjoy my team playing well and winning games. I have to defend my team, my club, so I cannot wait while they push and push," Benitez said.



"You're playing to win trophies, and only one can win it. Some managers in the middle of the table can be friendly, but only one wins it. People try to win in different ways. I like to respect people, but sometimes I cannot because they push you...



"There are a lot of good managers in the world, many who have won trophies. I don't like to talk about other managers.



"When I came to England I knew the other managers. Arsene Wenger was the best manager who had been here for a while. But I cannot talk about these things every day."

Chelsea wait on Lampard scan

Frank Lampard is expected to learn on Thursday whether he will be ruled out of Chelsea's showdown against Manchester United this weekend with injury.

The veteran midfielder lasted just 15 minutes of the Blues' first serious defeat of the season against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night.

Lampard limped out of the 2-1 UEFA Champions League loss with a recurrence of the calf injury that ruled him out of England's World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland and is set to undergo a scan to determine the extent of the problem.

The 34-year-old's withdrawal from the damaging Group E defeat saw manager Roberto Di Matteo's game-plan go up in smoke, leaving Chelsea in danger of becoming the first holders to crash out of the competition before the knockout phase.

With John Terry resuming his domestic racism ban, vice-captain Lampard's absence against United on Sunday could leave Di Matteo with another headache in a game the Blues will be desperate to win to open up a seven-point gap on their opponents.

Confirming the midfielder would undergo a scan on Wednesday - the results of which will be revealed on Thursday - Di Matteo said: "It's basically a recurrence of an old injury.



"He was training with us fine and there were no alarm bells before the game. He was in good condition to play."

Lampard, Bertrand ruled out of Poland clash

England suffered a double blow ahead of Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Poland after Chelsea duo Frank Lampard and Ryan Bertrand were ruled out of the trip to Warsaw.



Lampard, who has a knee injury, and Bertrand, sidelined by a throat infection, missed Friday's 5-0 victory over San Marino, but England manager Roy Hodgson was hopeful they would recover in time for the Poland clash.



But, after reporting to England's training camp on Sunday to be assessed by the medical team, it was decided that neither would be able to take part.



"Frank Lampard and Ryan Bertrand have been ruled out of England's FIFA World Cup qualifier with Poland," read a Football Association statement.



"Lampard (calf) and Bertrand (illness) did not take part in England's 5-0 win over San Marino, and will not be ready for Tuesday's game.



"Roy Hodgson and his squad of 23 players travel to Warsaw on Monday morning."

Lampard out of San Marino clash

England midfielder Frank Lampard has been ruled out of Friday's World Cup qualifier with San Marino.



The Chelsea man has failed to overcome a knee problem and has returned to his club in a bid to regain fitness before Tuesday's meeting with Poland in Warsaw.



Lampard's absence increases the likelihood of Roy Hodgson deploying Wayne Rooney in midfield - a role he has taken up at Manchester United recently.



Rooney could also be named as captain with Steven Gerrard suspended.

Lampard: England can cope without Terry

Frank Lampard believes England possess the strength in depth to fill the gap created by an ankle injury which has ruled John Terry out of Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.



Terry will miss the Wembley encounter after suffering the setback against Moldova during Friday's 5-0 win in Chisinau.



England finished the game with 10 men when the Chelsea captain limped out of the game during the closing stages.



Centre-back Terry was assessed by England's medical staff over the weekend and he returned to his club after it was decided he would not recover in time to face the Ukrainians.



But Lampard has faith in either Terry's club-mate Gary Cahill or Everton's Phil Jagielka to step in alongside Joleon Lescott.



Midfielder Lampard said: "It is a blow for John personally and for the team because he is an inspirational player and a fantastic centre-half.



"He is a top player and experienced in these qualifying games.



"We saw his ability through the Euros in the summer and the other night and a big player, you always miss.



"But it's squad football and we are fortunate enough to be blessed with fantastic back-up, good centre-halves like Cahill and Jagielka.



"Whoever comes in are experienced top players. Whenever you lose a big player, you need the squad to step up and do the business and I'm sure we've got that."



The Football Association confirmed Terry's withdrawal in a statement on Sunday.



It read: "Following further treatment from the England medical staff today, John Terry will not be available for the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on Tuesday.



"Terry suffered an ankle injury in the game with Moldova and has returned to his club."



If Cahill is chosen, it would be his first appearance at Wembley since he suffered the broken jaw against Belgium in early June which ruled him out of Euro 2012.



Jagielka, who scored the opening goal in last month's win over Italy in Berne, has previous experience of partnering Lescott when the pair were team-mates at Everton.



Terry became the second player to withdraw from the squad in the space of 24 hours.



His Chelsea team-mate Ashley Cole had not recovered sufficiently from the ankle setback which caused him to be unavailable against Moldova.



It leaves Cole on 98 caps and he could now reach the century mark next month when England visit Poland and entertain San Marino in two more qualifiers.