Lampard insists he can still improve

Blues fans rightly talk about Claude Makelele as being the engine room of their team's midfield but he will not have run as many miles for the cause, in this glorious season for Chelsea, as Lampard the long-distance thoroughbred.

Lampard's work ethic may be punishing but it has made him the player he is today, that and a fierce determination to keep improving and never be satisfied.

Even though his operation means he will now have a well-earned break, Lampard is not a man to take things easy.

"I'll have to keep off the foot for a bit so I will have a rest but as soon as I'm able to, I'll be out jogging again," said the 27-year-old. "I've always had that in me, way back from the time when dad took me out running with him. It's in the blood now and I don't feel right, even after a hard season, if I don't keep ticking over. This last season has been unbelievable but already you have to think ahead.

"To improve on 19 goals will be going some but I will be trying. There are still areas where I can improve, for example I don't score enough headers, so I'll be working hard on that."

In general, though, Lampard is thrilled with what he and his club have achieved this season.

"It's just all beginning to sink in now," he said. "I haven't had a lot of time to think about it before but now it's all over there has been some time to stop and think about it all.

"The afternoon of the Charlton game [when Chelsea received the Premiership trophy] was special with all the fans. Later, after all the celebrations in the dressing-room, a lot of us went across the road to a place which was full of Chelsea supporters. They couldn't believe we were in there with them but it was great, the happiest time.

"People were coming up to us and saying it was the best time of their lives. To make people that happy gives you a great feeling of pride.

"The moment for me, though, was the week before up at Bolton. That was when the dream finally became reality and that was definitely the high point of my career so far.

"There were no real celebrations though. We had the game against Liverpool coming up so we went back to the hotel, had a few beers and watched Match of the Day."

Lampard knows keeping the title will fully test Chelsea's resolve next season but he remains confident.

"This was a fantastic club when I signed but in the position we're in now, we can really dominate for some time to come," he said. "We know there will be new faces coming in but everyone has total confidence in the manager not to rock the boat. He will improve where he sees fit but he won't want to upset what we've built here.

"It's not just the team here but the spirit and the togetherness and I am sure he will take all these things into account when he looks to strengthen the squad."

The accolades, the awards, the medals and the congratulations, have been coming thick and fast over the past couple of weeks but it was the acknowledgement of the Chelsea players' achievement by some of their own kind which Lampard most appreciated.

"The guard of honour at Manchester United and Newcastle was special for me," he said. "When players of the stature of Roy Keane and Alan Shearer show you that respect, it means everything. Mind you, it was also a good feeling to go out at Old Trafford and win the way we did. That could have been our best performance of the whole season. We really played with the swagger of champions that night."