Lampard - We Had To Dig In

Frank Lampard believes winning the Premier League this season would rank alongside the two titles Chelsea won during the Jose Mourinho era.

Chelsea head into the final game of the season on Sunday one point clear of Manchester United and knowing victory over Wigan Athletic would end a four-year wait to be crowned champions.

The Blues had been back-to-back title winners under former manager Mourinho and Lampard is hoping the team can lift the trophy in front of their own fans.

However, after losing to Wigan away from home earlier in the campaign, the free-scoring midfielder is adamant Chelsea is not going to be taking three points for granted.

"It's been a season of peaks and troughs and that will give us just as nice a feeling as the other two titles," said Lampard. "To win it with Mourinho, especially the first year, was amazing.

"But this one, with the ups and downs, the need to dig in, the low points of the season at times and the togetherness we needed, then just to be within touching distance of it is a nice feeling.

"To actually go and do it after all the ups and downs of the year will be great. We'd have taken going into the last game being top and needing to win it to win the league.

"What's happened means we won't take it for granted even now. Wigan have beaten us this season, and if you relax and think 'we're there', it can bite you on the bum."

Lampard also believes that the cockiness that was a characteristic of Mourinho's time in charge at Stamford Bridge has come to the fore again in recent weeks.

He added: "In this last bit of the season we certainly have done that. We have to believe in ourselves.

"There's a real lot of talent in this squad, a real load of ability and you have to walk out with a bit of cockiness.

"That is what the best teams have always done over the years. Maybe there have been times when we've gone back into our shells and not been together quite as much over the past couple of seasons. But we've certainly got our house in order over the past two months.

"We've got two games to win the Double - that's not bad! It will be historic, great for the club and the fans.

"These last three years we've won FA Cups and stuff, but it has been frustrating to see Manchester United dominating and that's why there's a real determination this year."

John Terry: Carlo Ancelotti's Calmness Has Been Crucial At Chelsea

Chelsea skipper John Terry feels that the way in which Carlo Ancelotti has been able to calm his players down at crucial times has been vital to the Blues' efforts over the course of the campaign.

Chelsea leads the Premier League table going into their final game of the season against Wigan Athletic.

Terry points to the weekend win at Liverpool as a key example of how Ancelotti has been able to keep his players focused and their emotions in check when it matters.

At Anfield, Salomon Kalou had a claim for a penalty turned down just prior to the interval, but Ancelotti made sure that his side's frustrations were channelled positively.

"It could have been really costly," Terry told Chelsea TV when asked about the penalty claim.

"Salomon should have had a penalty away to Inter Milan as well, that proved really important, and again on Sunday, Liverpool going down to 10 men and us going 2-0 up could have been really decisive.

"I think he was really frustrated as well but the manager calmed us down at half-time," the captain revealed.

"In the second half I thought we played a lot better, a lot more controlled.

"We just needed to keep the ball a little bit more, Liverpool looked tired and were pressing us much less and we needed the experienced players like Lamps [Frank Lampard] and Bally [Michael Ballack] to keep the ball, as they did."

Terry was pleased with the display at Anfield and is now looking forward to the fans helping the team seal the title against Wigan Athletic on the final day of the season.

"We really fancied our chances and it is not always you can say that at Anfield. It was just going to be a case of finding our feet. The lads were excited as well as nervous beforehand, which is a good mixture," he added.

"It was a really professional performance with great support from the fans, they were brilliant and it is looking good.

"I want to get my hands on that trophy again but the job is not done yet and it is going to be a tough game [against Wigan]."

Sinclair Patient Over Future Plans

Scott Sinclair will return to Chelsea this summer to discover his future after a disappointing season with Wigan.

The 21-year-old moved to the DW Stadium on a season-long loan deal in August, but has been unable to claim regular first-team football under Roberto Martinez.

Sinclair has made one start and 17 substitute appearances in the Barclays Premier League for the Latics, with four starts in cup competitions.

"I've had a frustrating season because I haven't really played as much as I would like," he said.

"But I think I've learned a lot off the field, because I haven't been on it much."

Sinclair was speaking at Stamford Park at a media event for the BT Paralympic World Cup, in which his brother Martin will represent Great Britain in the seven-a-side football competition for athletes with cerebral palsy.

But it is Stamford Bridge where his future will be determined.

Chelsea is on the verge of title success under Carlo Ancelotti, who has stated the Blues will rely more on their academy graduates next season.

Whether that includes Sinclair remains to be seen and the Bath-born winger will seek discussions with the Italian to determine his fate.

"Next season I'm just going to go back to Chelsea and see what happens," added the former England under-19 international, who will be a spectator as his parent club Chelsea look to seal the title with victory over Wigan on Sunday.

"I haven't really planned that far ahead.

"I just need to speak to the gaffer (Ancelotti) when I get back, see what happens and go from there."

Chelsea Preparing A Sensational €80 Million Double Swoop

Chelsea are preparing to bid €80 million to persuade AC Milan to sell both Pato and Thiago Silva according to reports in both Italian and Spanish newspapers. Chelsea and their manager Carlo Ancelotti have been linked with Pato all season and despite AC Milan from their president downwards stating that Pato is going nowhere, the West London club is confident that the Milan club will accept the €80 million offer for both players.

Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport are adamant that Chelsea will be bidding, the story has now been picked up by Marca the Spanish daily and they are not the only ones, more and more online and offline media outlets are starting to believe that Chelsea are very serious about attempting to get the Italian’s to change their minds in the face of such a high offer.

Real Madrid have also been linked with Pato but it is Chelsea that are seen as firm favourites now and a bid is expected imminently, but that’s not all, Corriere dello Sport also claims that Chelsea are still interested in Kaka and that they have not given up hope of one day signing him also. Looks like Ancelotti will be spending a bundle this summer.

Liverpool In Pole Position To Sign Chelsea's Joe Cole

The Daily Mail reports this morning that Liverpool will look to sign Joe Cole , who looks unlikely to sign a new contract with Chelsea and will be available on a Bosman free transfer.

Although the 28 year-old has made it clear that he would like to stay at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea chief Roman Abramovich is looking to curb spending on exorbitant wages and is resisting Cole's demands.

It is thought that Liverpool would have to pay Cole around £6.2million a year in wages — £120,000 a week.

However, it appears that Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is looking to instill a greater English spine into the club and he has already signed promising English youngsters Raheem Sterling from QPR and Jonjo Shelvey from Charlton.

Although Liverpool have failed to qualify for next season's Champions League, Cole would likely see a move to Anfield as an excellent option if Chelsea continue to refuse his demands.

However, the continuing uncertainly over the future of the club and a bid from either Tottenham or Manchester City guaranteeing Champions League football could scupper Liverpool's plans.

Chelsea Must Sign David Villa Or Sergio Aguero, Urges Former Blues Star

Chelsea should sign one of Sergio Aguero and David Villa along with French international Franck Ribery to beef up their side for next season, believes their former defender Jason Cundy.

Speaking exclusively to Goal.com UK, Cundy said he hopes top new signings will be supplemented by the pick of Chelsea's promising academy youngsters in next season's squad, but that the experienced nucleus of the team must remain in place, despite recent speculation linking Frank Lampard with a move abroad.

"I'd like to see a frontman," said Cundy, "a David Villa or Sergio Aguero type player, someone with something a bit different, who can maybe play off the front man, whether it be Didier (Drogba) or Nicolas (Anelka)."

Cundy, who represented the Blues between 1988 and 1992, is looking forward to the return of Michael Essien, who "will bring some energy and pace in the middle," but added that the Ghanaian would benefit from a creative foil. "I'd like to see a bit of pace in the middle of the park," he said.

"I think we lack pace sometimes, we can be a little slow to react and when we counter-attack teams can regroup quite quickly against us. Someone like a Ribery - or Arjen Robben, though he won't come back of course - who can travel 30 or 40 yards with the ball, at pace."

With his contract set to expire at the campaign's end, doubts remain over Joe Cole's future at Stamford Bridge. Cundy is concerned and thinks he may have missed his chance to fill the creative role for Chelsea and, with the World Cup fast approaching, England too. "Joe Cole is a surprising one," he said, “but he's really struggled this season, partly because of injuries which have meant he's struggled to hold down a first-team spot, and if he can't do that then obviously his World Cup ambitions are going to be severely dented as well."

Cundy has observed the club's academy products at close quarters, having covered their progress in his role with Chelsea TV, and sees a few with the potential to step up. He thinks this may tempt Carlo Ancelotti to move on some of the many 30-somethings in the camp. "I think Chelsea have one or two youngsters that can perhaps fill some boots," he said.

"There's Jeffrey Bruma for example. The question is, can he come in and replace (Ricardo) Carvalho? I think he probably can. He's an excellent talent and he could easily become our third or fourth centre-back, as Ivanovic can play there too.

"There's possibly a space to be freed up with someone like Carvalho, who's had a lot of injuries and might want to move on. Belletti's contract is up at the end of June, so you'd have to consider him as a man who’ll move on."

Frank Arnesen was expensively recruited from London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in 2005 to oversee youth development and despite his optimism over the long-awaited fruits of his labours, Cundy warns that results are now expected. "It takes time to happen, but he's been there a while, and there comes a time when the talking has got to stop, and you've got to start delivering," said Cundy.

"There's a couple like Bruma, (Patrick) Van Aanholt, the left-back, and young (Fabio) Borini, who is that type of player I was talking about to play off the big man. He's not quite ready. And of course Gael Kakuta, who has bags of ability in the middle of the park, and don't forget Michael Mancienne, who's been out on loan at Wolves. Jack Cork has had glowing reports about him from his loan spells. Realistically, Bruma and Kakuta are probably the ones who are good enough to step up at this stage, with Mancienne maybe able to fill a place in the squad."

Nevertheless the TalkSPORT host was quick to praise the contribution of the senior squad members to the champions-elect's title push. "I don't think there's any need for wholesale changes (in the summer)," he said. "I really don't. Didier's here to stay, as is Nicolas Anelka."

Cundy stressed it is imperative that midfield lynchpin Lampard stays at the club, in the wake of rumours linking him with a move to Inter Milan, or even Real Madrid should his former coach Jose Mourinho switch to the Bernabeu.

"I know there's been a lot of speculation over Frank, and if a club tables a £30m-£40m bid, then it gives the club something to think about," admitted Cundy. "But when he's in the form he's continued to be in this season, how do you replace him? I wouldn't let him go."

Cundy, whose also turned out for Tottenham and Chelsea's FA Cup final opponents Portsmouth during his playing career, was keen to eulogise Ancelotti's influence at Stamford Bridge. He firmly believes that the Italian's personality is finally allowing Chelsea to step out of the not-insignificant shadow of the Mourinho era. "This is a different Chelsea side," stressed Cundy. "There are two ways of playing 4-3-3; as a 4-5-1 when we lose possession and 4-3-3 on the attack, but he tends to go in search of that next goal. There have been games this season when Chelsea have been 3-0 up at half-time and we've gone on to win the game 7-0 or 7-1."

The safety-first tactics of Mourinho's sides have now been firmly consigned to the past, he said. "I remember under Jose (Mourinho), if we were 3-0 up at half-time, we'd get to full-time and it would still be three or four nil," remembered Cundy. "I think Ancelotti's work ethic is to say 'let's continue looking for goals, don't slack and don't be happy with just three-nil'. That's definitely something he's brought to Chelsea in a very short time, and it's a different Chelsea to that which people are used to seeing."

Cundy thinks the former AC Milan coach has already carved his name in the club's annals. "For the team to score more goals than any other time in their history in his first season tells you everything you need to know about how he wants to play the game."

Cech: Beating The Best

There are few in the Chelsea squad who think about football facts and figures more deeply than Petr Cech and the significance of Chelsea's 'big four' success this season is not lost upon him.

The Liverpool win made it six out of six against this season's Champions League-qualified teams - the first time in the Premier League era that either ourselves, Arsenal, Manchester United or Liverpool have enjoyed a clean sweep over the other three.

It is certainly a contrast to last season when we won just one of the corresponding games - away to Arsenal. The other five yielded a home draw to Manchester United and four defeats.

'So far the biggest difference to last season is that,' acknowledges Cech.

'We have won all of those games home and away. Last season, before the change of the manager we gave points to our rivals.'

Cech highlights the team's resilience this season as another reason why we top the pile with one game to go. There have been set backs but they have more often than not been followed much better displays.

'We are confident and we know that we shouldn't lose two games in a row,' says the keeper. ‘We know that when something goes wrong, we always want to put it right the next game and so far it has worked well.'

Sunday's results move Cech level with Liverpool's Pepe Reina in the race for the Premier League Golden Glove. Both have 16 clean sheets.

The Chelsea keeper naturally has more pressing concerns this coming weekend.

'If at the beginning of the season someone had said we were going to play the last game at home and a win would win the league, I think everybody would have signed for it. So we know what we have to do. We play at home and it is always good if you can win a title at home.'

Zesh Backs Chelsea's Asian Initiative

Britain’s top Asian footballer Zesh Rehman is urging young players from the Asian community to get involved with Chelsea's Search for an Asian Star initiative.

Rehman is the only Asian player to have played at every level in the English game and has backed Chelsea's groundbreaking scheme which is designed to boost participation levels throughout the game.

"Get involved and sign up now - this is a fantastic opportunity to show how many talented players are out there,” said the Bradford Captain.” It's not just in the Premier League where Asian players are under represented it's at all levels and the Search for an Asian Star programme is a great way of breaking down the barriers. My cousin went down last year and he had a great time and learnt a lot."

Last year, two of the three winners went on to play for professional clubs. This year Chelsea have doubled the number of age groups participating and six young players aged eight to 13 will win the chance to have a weeks trial at Chelsea's Academy, playing with some of the best young talent in the country.

Ian Rush Credits Carlo Ancelotti's Tactics For Chelsea's Victory Over Liverpool

Former Liverpool striker Ian Rush has hailed the astute tactics deployed by Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti at Anfield at the weekend.

A 2-0 win for the Blues meant that they took a massive step towards winning the Premier League title, and Rush believes that Ancelotti had prepared his team's shape superbly, forcing Steven Gerrard into the crucial mistake which gifted Chelsea the opening goal.

"You have to give credit to Carlo Ancelotti for getting his tactics right at Anfield," Rush told The Liverpool Echo.

"Initially, it looked as though Chelsea didn’t want to take the game to Liverpool. They were quite happy where they were. Chelsea were set up to prevent us moving the ball forward.

"By closing Liverpool down and not allowing us time on the ball, Chelsea forced the mistake for the first goal.

"In football you instinctively look to play forward. If nothing is on you then look sideways and eventually backwards.

"The way Chelsea were set up, it’s difficult for Steven Gerrard to go anywhere other than backwards from the position he’s in when he makes a wayward back pass.

"By forcing him backwards Didier Drogba is then alert to the danger and does what he does best to hand Chelsea the lead.

"Ancelotti had done his homework. Liverpool sometimes have a tendency not to look forward first, and sideways or backwards becomes the first option.

"While Gerrard will be first to admit he’s made a mistake, it’s the positioning of Chelsea’s players that has restricted his options and forced him into the error."

Rush also believes that the Reds looked tired though, after a season in which disappointment as much as leg weariness has taken its toll.

"Fatigue has come into it too. The Europa League semi-final defeat just a few days earlier will have taken a lot out of the players," he added.

"If you’re winning, you don’t get tired. But if you’re losing, you do; both physically and mentally. Players like Jamie Carragher and Dirk Kuyt have played in nearly every game this season. It’s bound to catch up with you at some point."