“He’s lethal, sharp and very confident” - When Chelsea icon Frank Lampard named striker ‘better’ than Didier Drogba
Chelsea's legendary midfielder Frank Lampard, who is also the club's all-time top-scorer with 211 goals, believes that there is one striker who was better than Didier Drogba. Drogba was a fan favorite at Chelsea and one of the key components of Jose Mourinho's Premier League-winning side and perhaps the best striker in the league during that tenure.
However, Frank Lampard had other views to offer. In his footballing career, Lampard has shared the pitch with strikers like Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, David Villa, and Didier Drogba but it was former Argentine forward Sergio Aguero whom he believes to be the better fit.
Frank Lampard had a very small stint at Manchester City during the 2014-15 season at the fag end of his career. During this period, he played alongside Sergio Aguero, who retired at the age of 33 and is till date Manchester City's all-time top-scorer with 260 goals.
Back in 2017, when Lampard was working for Sky Sports as a pundit, he was asked about the top strikers he has played with in his career. The Chelsea legend didn't shy away from taking Aguero's name, who was back then on the scoresheet against Sunderland (March, 2017).
He said:
"Oh, [he is] right at the top, for me I think. I have been fortunate enough to play with great players, Didier Drogba was one I always raved about as an all-round striker, as he gave you everything. But in terms [of being] an out-and-out goalscorer and finisher, Aguero is the best I have played with.
"He can be quiet for a lot of the game, but then score a winning goal, with any type of goal as well around the box. He is lethal, he is sharp and he's a very confident lad. He has a certain demeanour in the way he plays and the way he trains."
Chelsea icon Frank Lampard made a return to Stamford Bridge as a coach
Although Frank Lampard spent just one season at Manchester City, the midfielder formed a decent partnership with Sergio Aguero in that campaign. Aguero scored a total of 26 goals in the Premier League to bag home the Golden Boot for the 2014-15 season. Lampard, on the other hand, scored against his former side Chelsea at the Etihad but at the end of the season it was the West London-based outfit which went on to win the trophy.
After the end of his loan tenure at Manchester City, Lampard returned to his parent club New York City and announced his retirement in 2017. Following this, the English midfielder joined Chelsea as a coach and took charge of the youth teams before making a shift to Derby in 2018.
His tactical brilliance at Derby attracted interested from the Premier League and in 2019, he took over the hot seat at Stamford Bridge, staying at the club for 'almost' two consecutive seasons before parting ways in January, 2021. In 2022, he signed for Everton but a poor stretch of performances meant he had to leave midway through the campaign. In 2023, he was once again appointed by Chelsea, this time as a caretaker manager, but it was a short-lived stint.