Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, and Oscar were combining to produce some of the most exciting and fluent play witnessed in this, or any other, Premier League term. The whispers about Lampard becoming obsolete to Chelsea’s plans were becoming audible. Since his return, and the appointment as Blues’ manager of Rafa Benitez, however, Lampard has enjoyed a renaissance.
The experience of a player with 93 caps for his country has been considered essential by the studious Spanish boss, and Lampard has responded in style. Possibly his greatest impact this term was the forceful way in which he set the tone for his team to compete so ferociously with a Leeds United side, fully revved up by Neil Warnock, in a frantic cup-tie on a filthy night at Elland Road.
For all the talent in the Chelsea ranks, and the ease with which they eventually ran out winners on that December night in Yorkshire, Lampard’s captain’s performance left none of his colleagues in any doubt about the importance of the occasion.
Unusually, particularly with his side finding the target five times, Lampard’s name was not on the score-sheet at Leeds. He did though score both goals in Benitez’s most impressive win to date, a 2-1 victory against Everton at Goodison Park. In truth, this was a game of such pace and intensity that Lampard often found himself on the periphery. Typically, though, he was twice in the right place to convert chances and earn his team a superb three points. It was that double strike which sparked much of the debate concerning Chelsea’s apparent acceptance of their joint second all-time top goalscorer’s departure.
During an unerringly high-quality encounter on Merseyside, it was Lampard’s nerve and ruthlessness that won the day. Those two qualities cannot be under-estimated. Naysayers may look at Lampard’s overall performance against David Moyes’ high-energy side and say his contribution didn’t extend beyond his goals, which brings to mind a comment once made by the then England cricket selector, Mike Gatting, that prolific batsman Graham Thorpe brought little to the team except his runs.
Like Thorpe’s runs in cricket, goals are football’s most precious commodity, and Lampard regularly scores and creates them. It would be easy to criticise Chelsea for seeking to attempt to offload a Stamford Bridge legend with undue haste. There is much to admire however, in the club’s policy of looking to the future in their attempts to re-define their style of play, and they should be afforded some credit for the application of a philosophy based on continued evolution and improvement. It just so happens, that desire for evolution, and even in the autumn of his career, improvement, are essential components in Lampard’s admirably motivated mind-set.
On the weekend that he drew level with striking hero Kerry Dixon’s 193 Chelsea goals, and Giggs provided a timely reminder elsewhere of the value of an older head with magic in his feet, the argument for a uniquely blessed, enduringly tough, and consummately professional 34 year-old being retained by his club for at least a further 12 months must surely be unequivocal.
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Giggs has been on rolling contracts on several years and only half Lampard’s wages. Giggs has adapted a new role to allow the new blood to shine and does his job for the good of the team.
I love Lampard but he’s held the club to ransom (using Inter interest) to get a five year deal on his current wages at 29. He was also the ringleader of the group that got a manager sacked which is unprofessional no matter what AVB did.
He’s served his term and it is him and his people that has dragged this into the public eye with the implication he’s somehow being mistreated.
He’s been given the reason and should respect it as Drogba did. He’s had a great career and has been well looked after by club and fans for 12 years. Time to respectively step aside.
That’s a fascinating insight Eidur and shows there’s always at least two sides to every story.