"The spine of the team is what has made us what we are!"

Frank Lampard has once again reiterated that he needs games to find his best form, the team spirit is OK at the club and also an interesting point, he believes that it's the established core of the Chelsea side that has seen us through in the last seven years and that same core is important to us this season.

He said:

"We need our big players with John Terry, who was magnificent (against Wolves) at the back. The spine of the team is what has made us what we are in the last seven years. I think it's important.

There are changes to the team and of course we all understand that things change with time, but what we are about is that spine to an extent. It's nice to see big players who have been here a long time producing the goods.

The boss is the boss, he picks the team, for me personally I know that's when I'm at my best (playing regularly). I will always stay completely behind the cause of Chelsea because it's me now, Chelsea is my club.

I am very committed. The thing is for me it is much easier when I'm playing regular games and starting, playing 90 minutes to get into the rhythm that I have found since I have been here. That is what I love doing.

I think the team spirit is okay. When you're losing games it's the first thing people look at. It takes the big players in the dressing room and everyone collectively to stand up and make a difference, which is what we did against Wolves.

It (team spirit) is something we pride on ourselves at Chelsea for many years, it won us titles, won us a lot of things and it is something we can't lose because if you lose that, you can't be at the top."

(Source)

Now for me, this is such a difficult situation we are dealing with here regarding the core of the side. We can more or less put the other things he is talking about to one side as we all know that if Lampard starts more games than he doesn't he WILL score goals from midfield.

It's the situation with the established core of the side that provides us with the most debate at the moment isn't it. We all know AVB is trying to rebuild the squad and has already made the decision to say "goodbye" to Anelka and Alex. The problem we have is making the same mistakes that we did at the beginning of last season where we let too many experienced players go and when we were short on numbers through injuries and suspensions, it cost us.

Lampard is spot on when he says that it's been that core that has seen us through and led us to the successes we have achieved of late. Different managers have come and gone here as they tried to build a side based around those players. It's those players that Jose called the "untouchables" but as time moves on, the club has to!.

At the moment for me, there is one of these players that shouldn't command a first team start or any kind of favouritism from AVB and that's Didier Drogba. As for the others, bearing in mind the position we find ourselves in, I would state that the likes of Cech, Terry AND Lampard should all be playing.

It's my own personal view that you can say what you like about Frank Lampard but we all know that he will guarantee us goals from midfield. Lampard has scored 8 goals from midfield already this season which is a great return considering he has been in and out of the side. I think it's only Danny Sturridge that is ahead of him.

The thing about Lampard is that no one else has the natural instinct to make those late runs into the box and to get on the end of something. Ramires, Meireles and Essien are different players. You take Lampard out of the side, you are taking away guaranteed goals and that's what we have been struggling for against the likes of Wigan, Fulham and Aston Villa.

As for Drogba, in a time where we need results and to go on a run of games, we cannot rely on Drogba as he is far too inconsistent. I said it yesterday in my post about Torres, Drogba has been brilliant and unplayable one minute, and then shockingly bad the next and looking uninterested. At least Torres will run his socks off for the team ALL GAME!. Torres over Drogba all day for me!.

There is now an argument that we have found ourselves some new "untouchables" this season. Sturridge, Mata, Romeu and Ramires HAVE TO start every single game now so maybe the likes of Lampard needs to step up to the plate more than ever now to ensure he remains in the first team week in, week out.

The thing we as Chelsea fans HAVE TO consider here is our league position and what it means to the club at the end of the season. Whatever decision AVB decides to make he has to consider where we are expected to finish.

Would you all take the squad being rejuvenated and run the risk of missing out on the top four and Europe all together for next season?

They say that successful sides need a blend of youth and experience. Would it be too much of a risk to take the established core out of our side and rely on the new breed?

KTBFFH

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