'Lamps' shining brightly for Mourinho
Lampard came under heavy fire for his below-par performances in the recent World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Northern Ireland but he silenced his critics by rifling home a 19th-minute free kick.
The 27-year-old's strike clinched an uninspiring victory for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and Mourinho declared himself happy with the player's club form.
The Portuguese said: "Frank isn't worried about the criticism. He's playing very well for Chelsea. Chelsea are winning and he is scoring.
"He has scored more goals than he did at this time last season - he has three now.
"His performances are good. He wasn't happy after the results with England, but who is happy when they lose games?
"I have to rely on my judgement on the performances I see with Chelsea and I'm very happy with Frank Lampard."
Lampard continued the club's 100% start to the season which now reads six victories from six matches, but it was hardly the emphatic triumph expected against the Belgium league leaders.
Chelsea's hero was not too concerned at the workmanlike nature of the win. "It's not normal to be hitting top form early in the season, we didn't do it last season either," said Lampard.
"But looking at our record, having won every game, it's a good sign.
"We could see the way they set out was to sit back and stop us, and they did that well."
Asked whether he channelled some of his England frustration into the strike, he replied: "It was just a natural strike for me to hit across it, and happily enough it went through the 'keeper.
"We had good chances in the second half and should have scored more, but we got the win and the three points and that's what we set out to get. Now we can look to the next game."
Chelsea dominated most of the match but were frustrated by their own lethargy and a handful of fine saves from goalkeeper Daniel Zitka, whose heroics could not prevent Anderlecht collapsing to their eighth successive Champions League defeat.
Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Shaun Wright-Phillips all wasted chances but Mourinho insisted he was satisfied with the night's work after pointing out a struck post from Anthony Vanden Borre was the only danger all game.
"In the first half we played very well. The result was short because of the way we played. They couldn't get through our midfield and we played some very good football," he said.
"In the second half we waited for them and waited for them but they never came.
"They didn't do it and we have to be realistic. In the last 10 minutes they had a go and put some pressure on us.
"But we were always very comfortable. They had one shot and hit the post. Otherwise I can't remember one single shot at my goal. The result is justified."
Anderlecht were expected to be little more than Group G cannon fodder but Mourinho revealed he tailored his gameplan to combat the Brussels-based club's counter-attacking instincts.
He explained: "I know Belgium teams - they have speed. They wanted us to go for them so that they could then get behind us. I'm happy with the three points.
"We couldn't afford to lose the ball because that's what they wanted us to do. We couldn't give them space behind us. Mbo Mpenza is fantastic at running diagonals, but we didn't see him all game. The players did what I wanted, so I'm happy."
Anderlecht boss Frank Vercauteren insisted Chelsea had played like he expected and was pleased with the spirit shown by his side.
"There were no surprises from Chelsea. I was happy with the performance. We could always do better but we made it difficult for them. Ultimately only the result is important," he said.
: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Gallas, Duff (Joe Cole 77), Essien (Huth 90), Makelele, Lampard, Robben (Wright-Phillips 67), Drogba.
: Zitka, Zewlakow (Jestrovic 81), Juhasz, Tihinen, Deschacht, Vanden Borre, Vanderhaeghe (Delorge 89), Deman, Goor, Mpenza, Akin (Wilhelmsson 70).
: Wolfgang Stark (Germany).





