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.

McClaren backs Gerrard and Lampard

Under-pressure England coach Steve McClaren has backed Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard to prove their doubters wrong and finally impress in central midfield together.

Liverpool skipper Gerrard and Chelsea lynchpin Lampard have never fully convinced when playing in tandem in the middle of the park, with both players used to operating with a defensively-minded anchorman at club level.

With former Three Lions captain David Beckham recalled to McClaren's squad for England's upcoming double header and Manchester United-bound Owen Hargreaves injured, McClaren is set to play Gerrard and Lampard together for the first time during his international managerial career.

The coach had previously avoided the issue by playing Gerrard on the right wing.

"Quite a while ago, I looked at the games Frank and Steven had played together over the previous two years," McClaren explained.

"They had played ten games together in the centre of midfield in qualifiers and tournaments. We won seven, drew two and lost one.

"That is not a bad record and I believe it proves they can play together."

England play Brazil in a glamour tie at the new Wembley Stadium this Friday, followed by a must-win Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia the next week.

McClaren's predecessor Sven-Goran Eriksson persisted with Gerrard and Lampard in central midfield, favouring Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole and Beckham on the flanks.

This is likely to be the same midfield McClaren opts for against Brazil, prompting criticism that the manager is already fresh out of new ideas just nine games into the job.

England are currently fourth in Euro 2008 qualifying group E, trailing Croatia, Russia and Israel.

McClaren has faith in in Lampard-Gerrard axis

Steve McClaren is adamant Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard can forge an effective central midfield partnership for England - and he has the statistics to prove it.

The return of forgotten man David Beckham to the international fold signals the end of McClaren's experiment with Gerrard in the right-sided role.


Gerrard's flexibility was one of the reasons the England coach felt he could cope without the man who was so integral to the work of predecessor Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Now, with his side hitting the point of no return in their bid to reach Euro 2008, McClaren has abandoned the plan, bringing back Beckham and restoring Gerrard into his favoured central slot.

Yet that move has only re-opened the old debate surrounding the effectiveness of Lampard and Gerrard in the same midfield pairing.

In the past it has been suggested the pair inhibit each other, with neither man reaching anywhere close to the heights they hit so often at club level.

But McClaren has done some research. And he feels there is no reason to believe England cannot succeed with Lampard and Gerrard in the engine room.

'Quite a while ago, I looked at the games Frank and Steven had played together over the previous two years,' revealed McClaren.

'They had played 10 games together in the centre of midfield in qualifiers and tournaments. We won seven, drew two and lost one.

'That is not a bad record and I believe it proves they can play together.'

There are plenty of people who felt Gerrard should never have been shunted out of position in the first place.

While insisting he was happy to play anywhere for his country, the Liverpool skipper has never made any secret of his desire to operate in the middle.

And his inspirational display in the absence of Lampard during March's Euro 2008 qualifier with the part-timers of Andorra in Barcelona, which appeared destined to end in humiliation at the interval, finally convinced McClaren to make the change permanent.

'Steven can play on the right-hand side,' he said.

'He has done that for Liverpool, scored goals and given big performances.

'But, especially in the second half against Andorra, it seemed Steven had a point to prove about playing in the middle, and he proved it.

'He was our inspiration that night and he inspired from the centre of the field which is a strength with him.