Send your favourite player a Christmas message - amazing new service from www.contacttheplayers.com

You can send an email to the likes of Michael Mancienne and he replies!

Stunning Terry, Lampard and Drogba photos, the shirts, the calendars and even the wrapping paper! Head to Red Hot Football

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has come out apologising to fellow team-mate Joe Cole, as he took the spot kick during the 5-0 win over Blackburn Rovers despite Cole wanting to have a go.

The west London club were awarded a penalty in the game yesterday after the referee pointed to the spot, owing to a challenge from Ryan Nelsen on Didier Drogba.

"I just want to say sorry to 'Coley' [Joe Cole] because he fancied the penalty as he has been out a while," Lampard said on the club's official website.

"It wasn't me being selfish, I just wanted to finish off the game, and for me he was different class on the day."

He added: "'Coley' was unbelievable with this being his second start and his first Premier League start.

"I think everybody knows what he brings us, it is something different as he runs with the ball, he can create something out of nothing and he showed that having been out as long as he has been."

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is hoping that before the Blues add to their squad, they secure the future of Joe Cole.

Lampard believes the best move his club could make would be signing up his team-mate on a long-term contract.

Cole has been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur as he seeks guaranteed first-team football ahead of next year's World Cup in South Africa.

However, Lampard told The London Evening Standard: "It will be great if he follows all the others and signs a new contract. It’s for Joe and the club to sort out but he is part of the furniture now.

"It is very important that the club keep the affiliation with the English players, the fans relate to us. We have become a core of the club and Joe’s a member of that."

27-year-old Cole is currently recuperating from injury but 'Lamps' cannot wait for his return.
He added: "Joe coming back will be like a new signing for us. He has been out since January and that is a long time to be without someone of his talent. He is looking to be back in the next few weeks.

"Joe has been a big miss for England, as well as Chelsea. Before he had his injury he was playing fantastically."

A common motif that had been developing among the Chelsea managers of the Roman Abramovich-era was to laud midfielder Frank Lampard as one of the world's best, if not THE best. But Carlo Ancelotti has gone against that grain by indicating that he can still improve.

Charismatic 'Special One' Jose Mourinho believed Lampard, 31, was easily the greatest player in world football, and felt obliged to first confirm as much in person while a confused footballer dripped naked in the showers after one training session, as revealed in Totally Frank.

Luiz Felipe Scolari opined that Lampard's chipped goal against Hull City last season was "the greatest goal" he had ever witnessed, while interim boss Guus Hiddink described 'Lamps' as the "complete box to box midfielder".

There is no room for a "box to box" player in Ancelotti's diamond formation, and the England international has thus far been pushed into more of an elevated position, and despite opening his goal-scoring account for the season at Sunderland on Tuesday night, the Italian tactician believes the player - who equalled Jimmy Greaves' tally of 132 Chelsea goals - can further improve his game.

"Frank is in the history of this club but he can still improve on that," Ancelotti informed the press following the Sunderland win.

"We will help him to do the best he can," he added. "I am not concerned my team has gone behind in all the matches so far. It's important to have a good reaction.

"Winning these matches after going behind is a good sign. We went behind but we showed good control and possession all over the pitch."

Chelsea star Frank Lampard's consistency in front of goal in the past five years is unrivalled in the Premier League. It is therefore no surprise that he is propelling himself up the goal-scoring hall-of-fame at Stamford Bridge - and the 31-year-old is "delighted" to equal legendary striker Jimmy Greaves' accumulation of 132 in a blue shirt.

Lampard is now tied fifth in the club's all-time goalscoring charts.

"I'm delighted with that," Lampard beamed to the club's official website.

"Jimmy is a goal-scoring legend and I'm sure he did it in a lot less games than I did.

"I'm very pleased to be up there with him and just want to keep on scoring goals for Chelsea, especially important ones that help us win games," he concluded.

Lampard was correct in his assertion that it took Greaves fewer games. The West Ham United-trained attacking midfielder mustered his 132 from 429 appearances, while Greaves, a natural inside-forward and instinctive poacher, struck with astonishing frequency to achieve his 132 goals in just 169 games.

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard believes that he can score another 20 goals this seasons under new manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Chelsea stars Didier Drogba, John Obi Mikel and Frank Lampard

The England international has scored 100 goals in his last five seasons at Stamford Bridge, and is hopeful of surpassing his personal best of 21 goals in a campaign.

Lampard will feature behind strikers Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka in a new 'diamond' formation.

Ancelotti used the diamond formation with great success during his time at AC Milan, and Lampard believes the tactic will give him a new lease of life: "Playing behind Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, who make so many runs and moves, causes such a problem for the back four that you can run in behind them.

"People will be so worried that if I make those late runs behind them then hopefully I will get the opportunities to score more," he said.

Lampard scored in his first appearance under the Italian in Sunday's Community Shield victory against Manchester United.

Frank Lampard believes he can smash another 20 goals from Chelsea's midfield this season after enjoying a new lease of life in Carlo Ancelotti's 'diamond' formation.

Lampard has scored 100 goals in his past five seasons at Chelsea but looks even more threatening behind two strikers rather than just the customary one, and feels he could break his personal best of 21 during this campaign.

"Playing behind Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, who make so many runs and moves, causes such a problem for the back four that you can run in behind them," said Lampard.

"People will be so worried about those two that if I make those late runs behind them then hopefully I will get the opportunities to score more.

"I won't be doing tricks behind the front men, that is not the way I play. I will probably give a little more defensively to the team than other players do in that position, but at the same time I think I can create and score more than I have done in the past years. I am very happy to play there."

rank Lampard has come out pledging his allegiance to Chelsea, hoping that he can finish his career at Stamford Bridge. He has also confessed that he would love to manage the London club one day.

"I’m a Chelsea lifer now," Lampard exclaimed to The Times.

"With the news about John [Terry] staying, we’ve both been here a long time and I’d like to keep it that way."

The 31-year-old believes that Terry and himself are the backbone of the Blues, and maintains that due to the frequent reshuffling that takes place on the bench with respect to players as well as managers, staying put with the club will only add to its stability.

"In the [Roman] Abramovich era there have always been players coming and going, so it’s good if we can keep that backbone," he remarked.

"With the frequent changes of manager, maybe they need us for that."

Frank Lampard believes fans are now starting to recognise the abilities of Chelsea and England team-mate Ashley Cole.

Too often in the past events off the field have drawn attention away from the performances Cole has produced on it.

The controversial comments he made about the contract offer he turned his back on at Arsenal brought the nickname 'Cashley', while tabloid revelations about his private life did not do much for his public image either.

However, as he proved against Manchester United on Sunday, Cole is now firmly established among the world's top full-backs.

Lampard feels the Chelsea fans are aware of it and believes it is only a matter of time before the England fans get behind the defender as well.

"People are starting to appreciate Ashley Cole a bit more, that is certainly the case at Chelsea," said Lampard ahead of England's friendly against Holland on Wednesday night.

"Going from Arsenal to Chelsea is not an easy transition but since he has got over a few niggly injury problems, his performances have improved.

"We are blessed that he plays for England because if there is anyone better in the world, I don't know who he is."

While most Premier League full-backs may be hugely relieved at Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Manchester United for Real Madrid, Cole might be slightly disappointed because he generally came out on top in their personal duels.

"Not many can compete with Ronaldo in a one-on-one situation but Ashley probably got the better of him," said Lampard.