Of the players in the current England squad, it makes sense that he should be captain for tonight’s game against Denmark. But why is he playing in this match in the first place? Why is he even in the squad? We know what Lampard offers for England: a pale imitation of the player he is at club level, and at the moment he isn’t even performing for Chelsea.
Lampard has consistently produced the kind of mediocre performances that are emblematic of the national team at major tournaments. At 31 he is already a fading force. Do England fans want him failing to produce, and hindering Steven Gerrard again in 18 months’ time in Poland and Ukraine? Do they want him playing in the World Cup in Brazil at 34? The answer must be no, and so why is Fabio Capello flogging a dead horse by including starting him in a meaningless friendly against Denmark?
Lampard’s policy of shooting on sight may have worked against some weaker Premier League teams in the past, but it has proven ineffective at international level, and is symptomatic of a direct English style that is easily worked out by more technical sides at each major tournament. Lampard shoots just wide from distance; our pacy wingers beat their man but the final ball lacks accuracy. Such events give the fans ultimately empty promise but ultimately do not produce results. Meanwhile the Germanys and Spains of this world pass the ball accurately and intelligently, and England are outdone yet again. Capello surely needs to bring in players early and use his continental expertise to rid them of their English impatience; to nourish a brand of football to compete with the technical sides that win international tournaments.
If England’s promising younger players are to gel in time for these tournaments, Capello needs to use every chance he has, of which there are not too many, to play them together so they fulfil their potential when it really matters collectively and individually . This means Jack Wilshire playing in his preferred position, with a license to get forward. The boy has the promise to be a much better player than Lampard, and has shown a continental style in his attacking play that has been taught by Arsene Wenger and mentored by Cesc Fabregas, neither of which, crucially, are English. Why, then, is Capello talking of him in the holding midfield/Makelele role? England have lacked intelligence going forward, so why are they stifling their most exciting midfield talent for years before he has even played 10 minutes of international football?!
Read Charlie Coffey’s brilliant blog at my11.com.
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