It may have been the havoc that a four-hour airport delay played with his planning ahead of the Champions League game here but Villas-Boas lost his cool as he discussed the Lampard issue in Valencia's Mestalla Stadium.
'What is the dramatic thing here?' snapped the Chelsea manager. 'Part of the team, part of the team? It's not about persons. I make choices like any manager. There's nothing unusual in that.'
Big Player: Frank Lampard has found himself out of the Chelsea first team recently
Perhaps not, but Lampard has played more than 500 games for Chelsea, rarely missing a match when fit and setting a Premier League record for the most consecutive appearances by an outfield player.
He has long been an automatic choice, yet despite being fully fit, the 33-year-old England midfielder has started only one of the last four and is not certain of his place tonight.
'You just took the negative part instead of the positive part,' said Villas-Boas. 'It's not a question of dramatic change. You (the media) want to make it that these players are finishing. That's not true.
'Frank is an established, top-quality player, one of the most important at the club. He has nothing to prove to the football world. He will continue to succeed in this club and be a big player for Chelsea for as long as I am here.'
Benched: Lampard reportedly was unhappy at his latest place with the subs
Villas-Boas has made no secret of his desire to instil a quicker tempo in his team, with midfielders pressing higher up the pitch a sentiment echoed by Fernando Torres as he tried to explain the slow start to his Chelsea career.
Indeed, Torres has seemed happier in the last few games with Raul Meireles and Ramires in advanced central midfield.
It makes sense and the manager will be applauded for making tough decisions but he appears hyper-sensitive to questions on the subject in his attempt to keep players like Lampard and Didier Drogba motivated for the day he needs them.
'You have it in the wrong perspective,' said Villas-Boas. 'I am not being brave. It's for the benefit of the team. You've got it all wrong.'
Another selection issue is whether to start Juan Mata on his return to the club where he spent four years before last month's ?24million move to Stamford Bridge.?
'Different players react differently coming back home,' said Villas-Boas, with a nod to David Villa, who played poorly on his first return to the Mestalla after leaving for Barcelona.
Mata received a frenzied welcome at the airport but the Chelsea boss would not promise the locals they wouldsee him in action. 'We have to wait and see,' he told them.
'It is going to be strange for me going into a different changing room,' said Mata. 'But it will make it special for me. I know about the atmosphere in the Mestalla when Valencia play in the Champions League. I know how special the game is going to be and I hope both of us go through and I want to win this game. I play for Chelsea now.'
Welcome home: Juan Mata comes up against his former club
The man who succeeded Mata in the Valencia number 10, Ever Banega, admitted the winger was a huge loss to his former club.
He said: 'A great player left and went to Chelsea. He chose his future.
'Obviously, everyone at Valencia misses him.
'But we have lots of fantastic players and we have to carry on playing our football, with or without Mata.'
Warm welcome: Valencia's head coach Unay Emery (left) greets Juan Mata
A win tomorrow would put Chelsea well on course for the last 16 of the Champions League, with Valencia having been held to a goalless draw in their opening game at Genk.
Banega added: 'This game's going to be fundamental for Valencia.
'It's a very important game, especially after the first game.
'We're at home and we have to win this game by any means.'
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Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail