Lampard 'big enough' to cope with the boo-boys
It was one of those strange anomalies of English football on Friday at Wembley that the moronic elements of England's support managed to be respectful during the Brazilian national anthem but could not resist booing Frank Lampard. New stadium, same old problems. He is not the first Englishman to be jeered by his own fans in the last two seasons but Lampard might be wondering what exactly he has to do to turn around this old grudge. 
After the match he did not seem like a man racked with hurt. That is not Lampard's way. He is, by his own admission, the stubborn type, steadfastly confident in his ability to turn things around. He did so with the West Ham fans who made life difficult for him there and on Friday he put in a performance that drew praise from an unimpeachable source. Dunga, the Brazil manager, described Lampard and Steven Gerrard as the "engines" of the England team, even if they had to spend the evening in the shadow of the man on the right wing.
Officially that means that any move now by Lampard to buy out his contract would probably earn him a nominal ban when he joined his new club. Unofficially it is further evidence that the 28-year-old will be staying put, although after Friday's experience he will probably be considering a good holiday after Wednesday's match.
He is not the first England player to be booed by his own fans, although Peter Crouch and Owen Hargreaves were given much rougher treatment than Beckham ever experienced. The issue for Lampard next season will be whether he keeps his place, with Hargreaves fit and playing at Manchester United and Steve McClaren presumably committed to playing 4-4-2, with Gerrard and one other in the centre. Before then there is the small matter of Estonia, a side with no goal in six defeats so far. Were things to go wrong it would be one of the biggest embarrassments in the history of the England team.
The pairing of Lampard with Gerrard against Brazil may have looked to be inviting disaster - no holding midfielder to look after Kaka - but it worked up to a point, with the Liverpool man playing a more defensive role. The debate over the compatibility of these two players has gone on so long that new evidence is always to be welcomed, but it will have to withstand a few more tests before Hargreaves can again consider himself surplus to requirements.
After the match he did not seem like a man racked with hurt. That is not Lampard's way. He is, by his own admission, the stubborn type, steadfastly confident in his ability to turn things around. He did so with the West Ham fans who made life difficult for him there and on Friday he put in a performance that drew praise from an unimpeachable source. Dunga, the Brazil manager, described Lampard and Steven Gerrard as the "engines" of the England team, even if they had to spend the evening in the shadow of the man on the right wing.
Officially that means that any move now by Lampard to buy out his contract would probably earn him a nominal ban when he joined his new club. Unofficially it is further evidence that the 28-year-old will be staying put, although after Friday's experience he will probably be considering a good holiday after Wednesday's match.
He is not the first England player to be booed by his own fans, although Peter Crouch and Owen Hargreaves were given much rougher treatment than Beckham ever experienced. The issue for Lampard next season will be whether he keeps his place, with Hargreaves fit and playing at Manchester United and Steve McClaren presumably committed to playing 4-4-2, with Gerrard and one other in the centre. Before then there is the small matter of Estonia, a side with no goal in six defeats so far. Were things to go wrong it would be one of the biggest embarrassments in the history of the England team.
The pairing of Lampard with Gerrard against Brazil may have looked to be inviting disaster - no holding midfielder to look after Kaka - but it worked up to a point, with the Liverpool man playing a more defensive role. The debate over the compatibility of these two players has gone on so long that new evidence is always to be welcomed, but it will have to withstand a few more tests before Hargreaves can again consider himself surplus to requirements.
Labels: Lampard
posted by wheel cool @ 5:59 PM
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