Lampard: Fans warming to Drogba
Chelsea’s England midfielder Frank Lampard believes striker Didier Drogba is winning the battle with club’s boo-boys.
Drogba was booed by his own fans for diving against Manchester City but has since produced some of the best form of his Chelsea career as the club close in on their second successive Barclays Premiership title.
He was given a rapturous reception by the fans during their 3-0 Easter Monday win over Everton after laying on the opener for Lampard and scoring the second with a header.
Lampard said: “Didier is playing brilliantly and it is good to see him get the relationship with the crowd he is getting.
“They respect and give everything for someone who works very hard for the team.
“Didier is doing that but not just that. He is playing with quality, scoring goals and making them.
“When they see him chase back and make a sliding tackle, get up and make a goal that is everything you want from a striker. All credit to him because he is playing very well.
“It is great to see him get the reception he got.”
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Petr Cech revealed how he feared he had broken his leg during the win over Everton.
Cech suffered a cut just below the knee after William Gallas accidentally trod on him as the pair closed down an attack by Everton striker James Beattie.
The injury, which required 10 stitches, forced him out of the game at half-time but Cech is confident of making a swift recovery.
Cech said: “I went for the ball and I felt the pain, and at first I thought my leg was broken.
“But fortunately after that I was able to stand up. There was still 10 minutes to go so I thought I’d try and stay on until the end of the first-half.
“I wanted to try and stay because I can imagine being the second goalkeeper and having to come on without a warm-up or a touch of the ball is not easy.
“At half-time I knew it was better for the team for Carlo (Cudicini) to go on and it was a good decision because we won in the end 3-0.
“I had quite a big cut on my leg and I had 10 stitches. It was painful but there is nothing serious so it is good news for me. Everyone is positive about it and I think I will be ready for the next game.”
Manager Jose Mourinho added: “There are some holes in the knee and the leg, a lot of blood and it is quite scary but I believe the knee structure, that is the most important thing, is okay.”
Even if Cech recovers before this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final clash against Liverpool, he is unlikely to play as Cudicini has been Mourinho’s first choice in the competition this season.
“It is the manager’s decision and whether it is me or Carlo, we will be strong enough,” said Cech.
“Carlo has been doing brilliantly well and with him in goal we have reached the semi-final. Now we must make sure we make the final.”
