WE HAVE heard a lot about tonight’s Chelsea-Barca game being a big one for keeper Hilario, a big one for Shevchenko, who is not scoring, and a big one for Gudjohnsen against his old club.
But it’s a massive game from Frank Lampard, the midfielder whose dismal World Cup performances were followed, amazingly, by a demand for more respect for what he has achieved for Chelsea.
Last season we heard stories that Barcelona wanted him. I doubt that.
He isn’t good enough to play for Barcelona. His style is too pedestrian. He would not fit in, any more than Owen fitted in at Real Madrid. Teams like that need touch players.
That is the main reason that Van Bommel didn’t make it there.He is more of a halfback than an inside forward and he is much more effective at Bayern Munich now.He fits in there.
Frank Lampard is a journeyman with a great engine who can hit a ball.He is Chelsea’s top scorer because their teams have been built round him and he has got forward and had a lot of shots.
England continue to change their team to keep Lampard in the role he likes, bringing in Hargreaves, moving Gerrard wide.
The time is approaching when Steve McClaren must grasp the nettle. He must recognise that the common factor in all of England’s poor performances in the last 18 months is Frank Lampard.
Tonight is a big one for a player who is not as zippy as Iniesta, not as creative as Deco.
For me, Lampard gives the ball away too much. In tackling and passing he is average. A method player, not a flair player.
And he is a midfield player, not a striker. His main job is not scoring goals. A midfielder’s main job is to get the ball and pass it and keep it.He will find that hard against Barcelona.
Lampard’s Chelsea career was helped hugely by the unselfish play of Makelele, Gudjohnsen and Duff. In 2004 and 2005 they helped to propel him as far as a player with his skill can go in football. And now only one of them is still at the club.
Also, Lampard passes the ball one second slower than Ballack. Watch closely tonight and you’ll see what I mean.
It’s not a semi-final, its only a group game on Matchday 3, so this match should not be spiteful.
Has Shevchenko lost a yard, as Gavin Peacock says?
It’s a bit too soon to say.
In the Ukraine-Scotland game it was 21 journeymen and Sheva, whose all-round play was magnificent.
Myself, I think Sheva misses Kaka, hugely. Let’s face it, Lampard is no Kaka.