The Chelsea star has been playing a more disciplined holding role since Fabio Capello took charge of the national team 15 months ago.

It has allowed Gerrard to do more of the attacking, although he was asked to play out of position on the left wing in his last international appearances against Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Capello's predecessors, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren, both failed to find a way of utilising the pair but Lampard insists the Italian has found the key.

"The way Capello works is very authoritative," said Lampard. "Other managers will sit you down and ask how this or that is going, whereas he will just tell us how we're going to do it.

"I am playing a different role. It is much more of a holding position, while Steven has been asked to play more on the left, but to be fair it's worked.

"There had to be a re-jigging of the midfield because it wasn't working. I do want to get forward because that is my natural game but I will try to adapt."

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich's general manager, Uli Hoeness, has backed Michael Ballack to lead Germany at next year's World Cup in South Africa.

The Chelsea midfielder currently captains the side but his leadership has been called into question in recent months after he criticised manager Joachim Low.

The rift has since been repaired and Hoeness says nobody else in the current Germany squad has the experience of the 32-year-old.

Germany currently top group four with 10 points from four games and Hoeness is sure Ballack will remain as captain for the finals if they qualify.

"If he stays at Chelsea and things keep developing positively for him there, then he will be a leading figure again come the World Cup," said Hoeness.

"We need him because there are no young players as far down the line as he is."

Chelsea midfielder Deco is set for an amazing return to action just weeks after the club's interim coach Guus Hiddink hinted that a hamstring problem could have finished his season.

Portugal are now confident Deco will be fit for international duty on Saturday when Carlos Queiroz's men face a crunch 2010 World Cup qualifier against Sweden.

They had looked set to be without Deco's talents after he collected a new hamstring injury during the first half of Chelsea's recent clash with Manchester City.

However, the problem is not as serious as first feared and Deco could return to action for his country.

"There is a very good chance he will be able to play against Sweden," Portugal's doctor Henrique Jones told Aftonbladet.

"He feels good after the training he has done and it looks really promising that he will be fit for Saturday."

Meanwhile, Chelsea are launching a search for young Asian football stars of the future.

The club has teamed up with the Football Association, Kick it Out and the Asian Media Group to launch the 'Search for an Asian Soccer Star'.

They will be holding open trials for youngsters from Asian backgrounds during the May Bank Holiday with the most talented players being offered a three-day residential try-out at the club's academy.

It will take place between May 2-4 at Chelsea's training ground in Cobham for players in the under-12 to 14 age groups and will be open to London and south-east based players from Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi backgrounds.

"We realise that there is a lack of representation of players from Asian backgrounds within the game and we hope that the competition will help inspire Asian youngsters," said former Chelsea and England star Graeme Le Saux.

"We want to show that race is no barrier to joining our club and that opportunities for Asian players do exist.

"We are proud of the religious and racial diversity at Chelsea and it is important that all clubs share our ambition that players should only be judged on their talent and their potential," he added.