Frank Lampard and Chelsea found out

Superdub2

Right for all the Frank Lampard fans i will say he is easily the best GOALSCORING midfielder in the premiership now that Scholesy's best days are gone.

He is in no way one of the best midfielders, never mind players, in europe or the world. He, like chelsea, is technically limited and hasnt got the ability to control a game or grab the game by the scruff of the neck like all the truly great midfielders. He simply works hard.

It annoys me the way he gets the Becks treatment, (ie. being treated like a god by the english media when he is anything but) becuase is is completely annoymous for so many games yet the whole world lauds him as one of their best players?

This draws a comparison with chelsea fo me who are technically incapable of controlling the game or fluid passing and who instead base their game on incredible defence and hard work and have been found out by a Barca team who didnt break a sweat in Barca

They were both found out by a Barcelona side missing their most influential midfielder in Xavi (who we will all recall, with the help of alonso, gave Lampard and Gerrand a footballing lesson in the friendly against Spain!)

Wayne Rooney is the only english player who has truly world class technical ability and who is worthy of a mention with the Ronaldinhos of this world.

growler

i thought mushrooms were made illegal in ireland ?

must be some left over then

Big Nelly

Superdub2 wrote:

Right for all the Frank Lampard fans i will say he is easily the best GOALSCORING midfielder in the premiership now that Scholesy's best days are gone.

He is in no way one of the best midfielders, never mind players, in europe or the world. He, like chelsea, is technically limited and hasnt got the ability to control a game or grab the game by the scruff of the neck like all the truly great midfielders. He simply works hard.

It annoys me the way he gets the Becks treatment, (ie. being treated like a god by the english media when he is anything but) becuase is is completely annoymous for so many games yet the whole world lauds him as one of their best players?

This draws a comparison with chelsea fo me who are technically incapable of controlling the game or fluid passing and who instead base their game on incredible defence and hard work and have been found out by a Barca team who didnt break a sweat in Barca

They were both found out by a Barcelona side missing their most influential midfielder in Xavi (who we will all recall, with the help of alonso, gave Lampard and Gerrand a footballing lesson in the friendly against Spain!)

Wayne Rooney is the only english player who has truly world class technical ability and who is worthy of a mention with the Ronaldinhos of this world.

Ahh you will always have one!!

dirkey_wynne

I have to say, this is one ridiculous post. Talking about Xavi et al destroying England in a friendly, yes, a friendly. We'll see how they get on in the summer, I may be proven wrong, but I think Spain will once again flatter to deceive, as they always do in the big championships. Does that mean those players are ordinary? Lampard had a bad game the other night, yes. But by all accounts he wasn't fully fit. All players don't play well in every single game. Talk about knee jerk reaction.

iregk

Thats hillarious that post is. Pure brilliance.

zAbbo

Post is bang on the money, Xavi and Alonso are streets ahead of Gerrard and Lampard, how on earth Lampard is being lauded as one of the best players in the world is beyond me.

ferdi

chelsea are massivly over-hyped. thats all.

RE*AC*TOR

zabbo wrote:

Post is bang on the money, Xavi and Alonso are streets ahead of Gerrard and Lampard, how on earth Lampard is being lauded as one of the best players in the world is beyond me.

he scores a lot of goals and does some nice passing *when* Chelsea are controlling a game (which is a lot of the time).

besty

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

he scores a lot of goals and does some nice passing *when* Chelsea are controlling a game (which is a lot of the time).

That's it exactly. He rarely, if ever, becomes the gamebreaker by winning the ball in midfield and spurring an attack from nothing. He can't "grab the game by the scruff of the neck" as some have already alluded to.

Big Nelly

zabbo wrote:

Post is bang on the money, Xavi and Alonso are streets ahead of Gerrard and Lampard, how on earth Lampard is being lauded as one of the best players in the world is beyond me.

Xavi is a defensive midfield like Keane, Lampard is an attacking midfielder like Scholes, you cant compare the 2 midfielders because they play different roles. This thread is a joke, how do you think that Lampard got the 2nd best player in the World? bu being useless? some people:rolleyes:

eirebhoy

I really like Gerrard, he can be the best player on the pitch even if his team lose. Lampard is nowhere to be seen when the opposition have the ball. He is definitely not a leader. He has fantastic technical ability but not much else. Playing in front of 2 central midfielders, technical ability may be all that he needs but away to any of the top 4 or 5 teams in the world and you can bank on him being nothing more than average.

Put Gerrard in the Wigan team and he'd still be the player he is now. I couldn't say the same about Lampard. Big Nelly is right, Lampard is an attacking midfielder but most people I know would think of him as this complete midfielder. Scholes is a midfielder who people say can't tackle, at least he tries.

Guy:Incognito

zabbo wrote:

Post is bang on the money, Xavi and Alonso are streets ahead of Gerrard and Lampard, how on earth Lampard is being lauded as one of the best players in the world is beyond me.

Apart from the fact that Xavi and Alsono are completely different types of Midfielders to Gerrard and Lampard?

How many goals have Alonso and Xavi scored? now compare that to Gerrard/Lampard. It's defensive midfielders Vs Attacking.

Xavi scores 3/4 goals a season and Alonso somethign similar.

besty

Stekelly wrote:

Apart from the fact that Xavi and Alsono are completely different types of Midfielders to Gerrard and Lampard?

How many goals have Alonso and Xavi scored? now compare that to Gerrard/Lampard. It's defensive midfielders Vs Attacking.

Xavi scores 3/4 goals a season and Alonso somethign similar.

But when they were most recently pitted against each other - allbeit in a friendly - the Spanish combination came out on top.

Also, more talented individuals don't necessarily translate into a better partnership.

zAbbo

Obviously you can't compare Gerrard/Lamp to Xavi/Alonso, these 4 players only matched up against each other.

By youre reckoning Lampard can't be compared to many players, only those out and out AM's.

I'd advise some people to get out and watch more world football.

Guy:Incognito

zabbo wrote:

By youre reckoning Lampard can't be compared to many players, only those out and out AM's..

You can only compare them to similar postitioned players. Is John Terry better than every midfielder he scores more than in a season?

besty

No, I said that a more talented player doesn't necessarily translate into a better component of a successful midfield. I do watch alot of football, outside the Premiership mostly La Liga. I don't think he is as good as his coming runner up to Ronaldinho in the Balon d'Or would suggest.

*This is a reply to Zabbo*

Big Nelly

zabbo wrote:

Obviously you can't compare Gerrard/Lamp to Xavi/Alonso, these 4 players only matched up against each other.

By youre reckoning Lampard can't be compared to many players, only those out and out AM's.

I'd advise some people to get out and watch more world football.

Your the one that is comparing players, nobody else, why don't you go out and watch more football because it had to be pointed out to you that you cant compare players that play in differnet positions.

Lampard can be compared to every midfielder that plays the same type of role he plays at at the moment he is the best in the World in that position. Simple. Every professional footballers agree with that, but sure what do they know

iregk

Yeah Lampard is complete muck isn't he. All he can do is score and pass a few balls. Seriously people, you may think you know about footie because you watch it but honestly take off the Lampard/Chelsea hating glasses and get realistic.

Does a player come runner up in the european and world player of the year awards, is openly wanted by every top team in the world and is one of two prime targets of Barcelona all by being crap?

Cop on will you.

Big Nelly

iregk wrote:

Yeah Lampard is complete muck isn't he. All he can do is score and pass a few balls. Seriously people, you may think you know about footie because you watch it but honestly take off the Lampard/Chelsea hating glasses and get realistic.

Does a player come runner up in the european and world player of the year awards, is openly wanted by every top team in the world and is one of two prime targets of Barcelona all by being crap?

Cop on will you.

Well said:D

besty

iregk wrote:

Yeah Lampard is complete muck isn't he. All he can do is score and pass a few balls. Seriously people, you may think you know about footie because you watch it but honestly take off the Lampard/Chelsea hating glasses and get realistic.

Does a player come runner up in the european and world player of the year awards, is openly wanted by every top team in the world and is one of two prime targets of Barcelona all by being crap?

Cop on will you.

Who said he's crap?
Take it easy.

Big Nelly

besty wrote:

Who said he's crap?
Take it easy.

Read the first post

RE*AC*TOR

Big Nelly wrote:

Read the first post

Read the first post?
I've tried, several times, it makes no sense to me, i think its Aramaic.

Big Nelly

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

Read the first post?
I've tried, several times, it makes no sense to me, i think its Aramaic.

Well at first I thought it was mumbo jumbo but on second thought it could be Aramaic

besty

The OP doesn't say he's crap. It says he is the best goalscoring midfielder in the Premiership. I agree with that. It goes on to say that he is not as technically gifted as other midfielders in Europe. I find it hard to disagree with that fact. That's all. He is undoubtedly a quality player, but not on the scale he is hyped about.

gracehopper

I think Lampard is a fantastic player and personally he wasnt found out on tuesday but chelsea definitely were found out by an all round better side on the night. I dont think even Chelsea fans can disagree that when the time came for the manager & players to do something different they failed. They didnt have anything extra so in essence they were found out.

iregk

besty wrote:

The OP doesn't say he's crap. It says he is the best goalscoring midfielder in the Premiership. I agree with that. It goes on to say that he is not as technically gifted as other midfielders in Europe. I find it hard to disagree with that fact. That's all. He is undoubtedly a quality player, but not on the scale he is hyped about.

Ok trying hard to supress the laughter that this thread has brought on. For a start yes he is the best scoring midfielder in the premiership and one of the best allround midfielders in teh world.

He may not be technically gifted as Ronaldinho but few are! The fact is he is still superbly gifted both technically and mentally. He has a superb touch, close control and ability on the ball. His range of passing is excellent and everything Chelsea do flows through him. Did you see the goal he scored in the bridge against Barca last year? If thats a player who isn't technically gifted tell me who is please!

Different players bring different things to the game. For Lampard thats controlling the tempo and style in which Chelsea play. Recently after being rested for a game the team struggled and in a post match interview Carvahallo said, they were lost without Lampard he is the heartbeat of the team.

Lauren Robert on the other hand is arguably a more technically gifted player than Lampard, as far as touch and control goes. Is he a better player though? Not even close. Technical ability is not everything, look at Roy Keane. The best midfielder of the past 10 years but technically not brilliant and couldn't pass a ball over 30 yards!

As for the hype factor! I can't believe people are still biting the hype dish served up by the english media and sky. If you are then you deserve a slap.

eirebhoy

iregk wrote:

For a start yes he is the best scoring midfielder in the premiership and one of the best allround midfielders in teh world.

There we go.

iregk

Well what do you want me to call him. Ok how about, defensively minded yet occasionally attacking all while staying close to the center of the park midfielder.

Whats your point exactly? Gerrard, is an allround midfielder. Keane in his prime was an allround midfielder. Viera is an allround midfielder. Do you want me to go or are we being that linier these days that your either attacking or defensive, your not allowed to be both and certainly not within the same game!

Chardee MacDennis

have to agree with the op bout lampard he is not a controlling midfielder, he is extremely lazy and never gets back. for the amount of shots he takes the precentage that goes in isnt THAT high in comparison to the PL top scorers and there are many better midfielders than him the in the PL alone and he shouldnt be guarenteed his place.

If Mourinhio did to Lampard what he did with Joe Cole (taught him he had to defend as well as attack) he would be a much better player. imho i would prefer Gerrard in the middle than lampard any day for the week.

eirebhoy

iregk wrote:

Well what do you want me to call him. Ok how about, defensively minded yet occasionally attacking all while staying close to the center of the park midfielder.

Defensively minded? Lampard hardly knows what defending means.

iregk

oh sweet jesus. I see sarcasm has never introduced itself to you.

eirebhoy

iregk wrote:

oh sweet jesus. I see sarcasm has never introduced itself to you.

So Lampard isn't an all rounder? When did the sarcasm start?

Kingp35

iregk wrote:

one of the best allround midfielders in teh world.

This is where you are wrong. Lampard is not an allround midfielder, not even close to it, although he is a very good player. He can score goals and play some good passes but he is in no way a hard worker for the team in the sense that he tracks back and can control a game. I have never seen Lampard control a game in the sense that Gerrard can. Gerrard gets on the bal and surges forward and beat a few players. Lampard can t do that. To call him one of the best allround midfielders in the world is laughable because he is NOT an all round midfielder.

Fighting Irish

Superdub2 wrote:

Right for all the Frank Lampard fans i will say he is easily the best GOALSCORING midfielder in the premiership now that Scholesy's best days are gone.

He is in no way one of the best midfielders, never mind players, in europe or the world. He, like chelsea, is technically limited and hasnt got the ability to control a game or grab the game by the scruff of the neck like all the truly great midfielders. He simply works hard.

It annoys me the way he gets the Becks treatment, (ie. being treated like a god by the english media when he is anything but) becuase is is completely annoymous for so many games yet the whole world lauds him as one of their best players?

This draws a comparison with chelsea fo me who are technically incapable of controlling the game or fluid passing and who instead base their game on incredible defence and hard work and have been found out by a Barca team who didnt break a sweat in Barca

They were both found out by a Barcelona side missing their most influential midfielder in Xavi (who we will all recall, with the help of alonso, gave Lampard and Gerrand a footballing lesson in the friendly against Spain!)

Wayne Rooney is the only english player who has truly world class technical ability and who is worthy of a mention with the Ronaldinhos of this world.

As a united fan i will add Steven Gerrard to that list with rooney

p.pete

Big Nelly wrote:

Read the first post

The one that says:

...he is easily the best GOALSCORING midfielder in the premiership...

Stop talking crap please.

jank

Now now ladies.

Came across this article that I think best sums up Lampard and Chelsea.

http://www.football365.com/opinion/f365_opinion/story_179310.shtml

The Wednesday morning Mailbox contained, as expected, a fair amount of gloating anti-Chelsea letters. In fact, it was pretty much entirely made up of them, which wasn't surprising. What was surprising was the number of those letters, both from Chelsea fans and neutrals (if the word can really be applied in this case) placing the blame firmly at the feet of Jose Mourinho.

Philip Cornwall, too, was less than impressed with the Special One, saying 'Mourinho's tactics were not equal to the situation as the game wore on, before as well as after Ronaldinho's moment of magic,' an opinion he shared with many of the Wednesday newspapers.

I'm not going to defend Mourinho's tactics, but as easy as it is to criticise with the benefit of hindsight, he didn't get it that wrong at the start. It's all very well saying Chelsea should have started with two up front and gone for Barcelona's jugular, but Mourinho was well aware that his side were facing possibly the best attacking team in Europe, and to concede a goal would - and did - decide the tie long before the final whistle. As for the identity of that lone striker (because we can't really count Arjen Robben as any sort of support), the decision to start Drogba ahead of Crespo was one that many agreed with.

Once the game was underway, I will agree with Philip that Mourinho got things wrong. Throwing Robert Huth on to play up front with a few minutes to go may not have been as extreme as Stuart Pearce sending David James up to the wrong end of the pitch, but it was ineffective. Arjen Robben certainly spent too long in the centre, and Frank Lampard certainly spent too long in a defensive midfield role. But those events can't be blamed entirely on the Special One.

There comes a point where the players have to make a decision for themselves. When Arsenal are struggling to get the ball up to their strikers, Arsene Wenger doesn't stand on the touchline calling for Thierry Henry to come deep; the Frenchman does it himself. Rafa Benitez - hailed day after day on the pages of the mailbox and the forum as a better tactician than Mourinho - doesn't tell Gerrard to pick the ball up at left-back and drag Liverpool kicking and screaming down the pitch to score. The players think for themselves.

And that is the crux of Chelsea's problem. Their players can't think for themselves. And for the second time in one article, I am forced to disagree with Philip Cornwall, who says 'you can't buy a cup competition the way you can a domestic title. Mourinho is two for two in Premiership titles but has won one out of five cup competitions since arriving at Stamford Bridge and that fact cannot be glossed over.'

Now, Chelsea have bought the title. Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to start saying the money doesn't matter. But I think a more accurate, or at least an alternative way of looking at Mourinho's situation is to say that a manager can't win you a cup the same way that he can a league.

Anything can happen in an individual game. However good a manager is, there will be anomalies - hence Chelsea's 3-0 defeat to Middlesbrough in February. Over a season, a good manager prepares his team so they win as many games as possible, but it doesn't always come off. Luckily, that's the same for everyone, so over the course of a season the best team will win the most games. Losing one game isn't the be-all and end-all. It is in a cup, and once those players cross the line they are - to some extent at least - on their own.

To return to the example of Liverpool, Rafa Benitez didn't change the game at 3-0 down in last year's Champions League final. The players did. Particularly Steven Gerrard. In the Nou Camp on Wednesday, Chelsea's players didn't. That was most noticeable in the case of Frank Lampard.

Now again, don't get me wrong. Lampard was by no means the worst player on the Chelsea team, and even if he was he had some excuses. Whether he had completely recovered from the injury problem that ruled him out of England's win over Uruguay and Chelsea's over West Brom is unclear. He was playing in an unfamiliar role, and I certainly don't think he should be made the scapegoat for Chelsea's rather drab performance. But the fact remains that Lampard is the player in the Chelsea midfield that you look to to make a difference when it's needed.

Had Steven Gerrard been playing in that role, there would have come a point when - whatever his manager had told him - he would have thought 'hang on, we can't just keep knocking it around, we need to score.' No-one thought that for Chelsea. They obeyed their manager's pre-match instructions to keep it tight, and went out of the biggest club competition in the world without a whimper.

Chelsea are by no means a unique case. Juventus - for my money the best team in the competition last season - went out in exactly the same way at the hands of Liverpool - with no urgency. It's a claim that has also been levelled at England team after England team.

Chelsea are the best team in the Premiership, without a doubt. You can't argue with that, and if you do it's down entirely to bias. And in those terms, Frank Lampard is superb. He is consistency personified. And, in the same way as Kevin Keegan did, he has achieved far more through hard work than many naturally more gifted players.

What the Barcelona game highlighted, though - and this is not a knee-jerk reaction, but something I've said before - is that he's not the sort of player who can think for himself. Before the letters start arriving in their droves, I'm not saying he hasn't got a brain, whether footballing or otherwise, merely that he isn't one of those incredible players that can think outside of the box. Or inside of the box, if necessary.

What was also highlighted was his ineffectiveness when shackled to a defensive role - something that has repercussions for England. Should we be desperate for something to change on the pitch in Germany this summer, we'll be looking at Beckham and Gerrard, not at Lampard.

I'm not trying to argue that Gerrard is the perfect footballer by any means. He plays too many Hollywood balls when retaining possession would help his team more, and as we saw against Benfica, he can't always inspire his team to victory. But he does offer that extra something. He doesn't go missing, and he is always willing to try something different if he thinks the game needs it.

That's why if Gerrard and Lampard don't work together, it's the Chelsea man who needs to make way. And just imagine, if we do need to change a game this summer, being able to bring Lampard off the bench. Where the manager will have been able to tell him exactly what he wants him to do.

I think that sums it up nicely.

evad_lhorg

Im no Arsenal fan at all but.... THIERRY HENRY, THIERRY HENRY!!!! definitely one of the top players in the world and miles better than eto'o or lampard.

eirebhoy

Nice find jank. Couldn't agree more with that article.

Superdub2

right this is the first time ive looked at the thread since i posted it and i think the reaction is strange. while some might say im wrong or over the top i doubt you can call it laughable

Also for all the people who say FL and SG score lots of goals, thats only when playin for a winning team and you can compare them to xavi and Alonso as they could be their direct opponents in the world cup.

they are all midfielders and to be talked about as truly great they need more than an ability to score goals

iregk

Yeah that article is perfect isn't it. I suspect there are a number of Liverpool fans battering around in here.

The fact that Stevie G as the red part of Liverpool like to call him does in fact go missing in big games makes it kind of a mute point. For England Lampard is the one in the middle that constantly shines where as Gerrard disappears. Now I will admit that I never paid attention to that until I heard Liam Brady say it about a year ago.

So the CL second half was all down ot the players and nothing to do with Rafa. The change in lineup, the re positioning of Gerrard and restructure of the midfield was all the players doing.

Lads at least look at this in retrospect before jumping on bandwagons and actually think about the situations.

I'm not claiming Lampard is the all conquering god of world football. Plenty of Chelsea games I have seen this year where they have been poor he has dropped back, got on the ball and drove it through midfield. If he doesn't do any of this and only scores as someone put it (a small percentage of his shots) where are Barca after him? Why is the rest of the world after him? Why is he coming second in all the player comps? Certainly not the mark of a player who isn't all that great is it?

Ruskie4Rent

I wouldn't go as far to say that lampard is not a world class midfielder. I'm sure most top class teams would find space in their line up to accomodate him. he's not as great as the english press say he is but he and makalele would be the only two players that have been essential to chelsea's success in the EPL.

There is one possible good thing to come out of the barcelona game and that is, i hope, that most teams will be able to see chelsea as a beatable team. I'd tip ManU to do the double over them this year which would maybe be some consolation after missing out on the league.

eirebhoy

iregk wrote:

The fact that Stevie G as the red part of Liverpool like to call him does in fact go missing in big games makes it kind of a mute point. For England Lampard is the one in the middle that constantly shines where as Gerrard disappears.

First of all, I've seen a load of big performances from Gerrard in the big games. It's a myth that he goes missing against the big teams. On your 2nd point, tell me the last time Lampard "shined" in an England shirt? Also, I can't believe you brought Liam Brady into a post backing up Lampard. I can guarantee you that Brady thinks Lampard isn't as great as people make out. I know that for a fact unless he's changed his view in the last 6 months.

Jazzy

I knew it!
that OP has made it so clear for me!

the premiership is really cack and barcelona and la liga are leaps and bounds ahead of it!!
now i know

all hail la liga
all hail eamonn dunphy
all hail the people that copy and paste his RTE sport rants onto boards.ie

growler

"Had Steven Gerrard been playing in that role, there would have come a point when - whatever his manager had told him - he would have thought 'hang on, we can't just keep knocking it around, we need to score.' No-one thought that for Chelsea. They obeyed their manager's pre-match instructions to keep it tight, and went out of the biggest club competition in the world without a whimper "

so Adam Fraser of Football 365 can read minds now can he?

That "opinion piece" is utterly biased, time and time again I've seen Lampard create goal scoring opportunities for himself and for others from midfield, however this is not some computer game where you can suddenly turn off the opposition, Barcelona are a very good team, if Lampard had continually ventured out of formation it would have posed a serious threat to Chelsea , that is why teams have tactics, strategy, first priority for chelsea was not to concede another goal (or get anyone sent off), with Cole, Duff, Robben and Drogba on the pitch there wass no need (in that formation) for a, less than 100% fit, Lampard to be going against the team tactics. Should an opportunity have presented itself I'm sure his instinct would have taken over, however I don't possess the mind reading abilities of the author so I can't say for certain.

One may disagree with the tactics on the night, but since none of you, nor Adam Fraser have won the Champions League or the Premiership, I'm more than willing to believe the JM knew exactly what he was doing, and the Lampard was doing as he was told. By the same token, I'm willing to accept that the professional footballers of Europe know more about whether Lampard is a world class player or not, than the OP.

The Insider

I am sorry but that’s just rubbish, you can't get much bigger then being 3 nil down at half time in the champions league final against AC Milan. He dragged us back into that match just like he has done on numerous occasions. He actually played nearly all of extra time as right wing back and he still managed to drive the team from there. Lampard would never be able to do that, Gerrad had played at RB, LB, CM, RM, LM and just off the striker for Liverpool. He is an all-round midfield player. He is the type of player who could play in nearly any position the same type of thing you would have said about Keane in his prime.

Lampard is an excellent attacking midfielder, he is exactly like Scholes was in prime for Man Utd, he has a superb shot and a great ability to ghost into a box and score. However that is it, he is not a great tackler, he cannot drive a team on like Gerrard does, he would not inspire his teammates around him. If you want an example of a world class Midfielder look at Gerrad or Keane in his prime or even Vieira. To say Lampard a great all-rounder just shows a basic understanding of football.

dirkey_wynne

A couple of points points I disagree with here.

jank wrote:

but Mourinho was well aware that his side were facing possibly the best attacking team in Europe, and to concede a goal would - and did - decide the tie long before the final whistle.

Conceding a goal made absolutely no difference to them losing the tie. They still had to score 2, plain and simple. At 0-0, they were out. At 0-1, they were out. At 0-2, they were through. At 1-2 they were to extra time. So that point, is incorrect.

jank wrote:

Rafa Benitez didn't change the game at 3-0 down in last year's Champions League final. The players did. Particularly Steven Gerrard.

My God, he so blatantly did. He brought Hamann on at half time, taking off Finnan (correct me if I'm wrong, I may be) and switched to a 5 man midfield, giving Gerrard more of a free role to get involved further on and influence the play.

dirkey_wynne

Oh, and by the way, as a neutral (Utd fan) between Gerrard/Lampard (as this thread seems to be descending into a farce of "Stevie is better" "No no Frankie is better" "No no mine is bigger..." etc, I'd have to say I'd much rather have Lampard in my side than Gerrard, any day.

Superdub2

p.pete wrote:

The one that says:
Stop talking crap please.

sorry bit you have me confused? are you mocking my opinion or are you telling someone else to stop talkin crap?

Superdub2

Big Nelly wrote:

Ahh you will always have one!!

one what? one person who holds a different opinion to you?? nob

Superdub2

dirkey_wynne wrote:

I have to say, this is one ridiculous post. Talking about Xavi et al destroying England in a friendly, yes, a friendly. We'll see how they get on in the summer, I may be proven wrong, but I think Spain will once again flatter to deceive, as they always do in the big championships. Does that mean those players are ordinary? Lampard had a bad game the other night, yes. But by all accounts he wasn't fully fit. All players don't play well in every single game. Talk about knee jerk reaction.

nothing kneejerk bout it mate, and that was anything but a friendly. If you think for a second that both teams didnt give it everything they had you are sadly mistaken

Superdub2

Big Nelly wrote:

Xavi is a defensive midfield like Keane, Lampard is an attacking midfielder like Scholes, you cant compare the 2 midfielders because they play different roles. This thread is a joke, how do you think that Lampard got the 2nd best player in the World? bu being useless? some people:rolleyes:

I will put it as simply as this. If Roy Keane in his prime or Xavi were to come up gainst Lampard they would destroy him and he wudnt get a touch of the ball.

pretty easy to compare them as midfielders, while they often play different roles we are talking in terms of an all round midfielder