Lampard keen to play his part

By Trevor Haylett

Frank Lampard is desperate to play for Chelsea FC in tonight's UEFA Champions League match with Besiktas JK. Having missed the start of their Group G campaign two weeks ago away at AC Sparta Praha, the English international is keen to extend his European club experience.

Multi-national collection
However, even the best players in this Chelsea squad - and the attacking midfield player is emerging as one of the most influential in the Premiership - are not always certain of a starting role. The multi-talented, multi-national collection assembled by Roman Abramovich is fantastic for the Russian owner, for manager Claudio Ranieri and particularly for the supporters of the club who have largely been strangers to the game's big prizes.

Squad rotation
But the rules of the game still permit only eleven men to be on the pitch at any one time and that leaves a lot of players frustrated. Lampard is slowly coming to terms with the fact that, now and again, he will have to step outside the first team. The disappointment was that his turn as a bystander came as Chelsea returned to Europe's most prestigious club competition.

'Disappointed not to play'
His chance to start in the competition proper for the first time should come tonight. As Chelsea made preparations to add a second victory to the single-goal success achieved in Prague he revisited that disappointment of two weeks ago. "A lot was made of that at the time," said Lampard. "Of course I was disappointed not to play and the manager would not have wanted me not to be disappointed. But there was no great reaction on my part.

Play your part
"I understand the situation and I really wanted to be on my game to show what I can do. Everyone at Chelsea understands. The players, whatever their names or calibre, are going to be rested. You just hope that over the season you are able to play your part."

Unbeaten start
Last weekend, as Chelsea continued their unbeaten start to the season with the 1-0 defeat of Aston Villa FC, Lampard lined up in midfield alongside Emmanuel Petit, Juan Sebastián Verón and Damien Duff and in that particular mix of personalities and talents, the Englishman knows he has to curb his attacking inclinations.

Improving defensively
It is something he has been aware of since making the move across London in the summer of 2001. "When I first met the boss he said that he was happy with my attacking game but that he wanted me to improve defensively. In two years he has kept on at me about my defensive duties. I sometimes get frustrated because he's telling me things." (At this point Ranieri, a wide smile creasing his face, interjects to say: "I kept losing my voice!")

Surprise factor
Lampard admits that the introduction of attack-minded players like Verón has meant he must limit those damaging forward runs that have brought him quite a collection of goals over the years. However, he believes this also enhances the surprise factor that can catch opponents off guard.

Show the quality
"The manager has always said that if you go [forward] a few less times in a game it is more of a surprise to the other team," he said. "If you can show the quality when you get in those areas it's what makes the best players, the Michael Ballacks, so dangerous."