推 wadissimo:英格蘭中場就屬他表現最穩 80.229.140.103 10/10
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1323391,00.html
Wherever he plays he is England's Mr Reliable, says Daniel Taylor
Saturday October 9, 2004
Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid to Frank Lampard is that it
is beginning to feel like a trick of the mind that he was once booed by England
fans. Admittedly it was at Upton Park, where the locals have never forgiven
him for leaving West Ham, and England were in the process of losing 3-1 to
Australia, but it still feels slightly surreal to remember Lampard was the
most abject performer on a night Sven-Goran Eriksson would rather forget.
The nadir of Lampard's international career came on the same evening that
Wayne Rooney, then aged 17 years 111 days, became the youngest England
international, beating the record set by James Prinsep of Clapham Rovers in
1879, with 134 days to spare. As English football hailed the new kid on the
block, Lampard slunk away almost apologetically. He had not been good
enough and he knew it.
His development since has been every bit as staggering as Rooney's own story.
A fringe player six months ago, he is now a permanent fixture on the England
teamsheet and was an ever-present at Euro 2004. He has started 11 of the past
12 internationals, playing at three different points of Eriksson's diamond,
and scored five times in the last eight games - a record that Michael Owen,
among others, would gladly boast.
It was no surprise, therefore, to find the 26-year-old from Romford oozing
confidence on the eve of his 27th cap. Lampard's body language as he stood
straight-backed and looked his questioner in the eye was that of a man whom
Wales have every right to fear.
He was even self-possessed enough to give the sort of speech that is usually
the captain's territory. "In a game like this it's not so much about systems
and more about the passion and work-rate," he said.
"You can talk about 4-4-2, three up front, diamonds, whatever you like, but
in an England-Wales match it will start at 100mph and everyone will have to
be at their very best from the first kick of the match. It's a question of
having the right mind-set and believing in ourselves that in all the
different match-ups all over the park we can come out on top. And as long as
do that we will be fine."
Strictly speaking, his own match-up will be against the right-back Mark
Delaney. Yet Lampard's position on the left of midfield gives him licence to
drift into the centre and make the surging runs into the penalty area which
have become his forte. With Steven Gerrard missing through injury, there is
even greater responsibility on him to dictate events in the middle, while
Ashley Cole will be expected to add width and penetration on the left as an
attacking full-back.
"We've worked on how we're going to play tactically. But most of all we have
spoken about the extra passion compared with a normal match. We're ready for
that and as professionals we pretty much understand that anyway. We have
prepared our tactics and how we'll play but off the pitch we've also had
meeting to discuss why this match has an extra edge to it.
"It's going to be an FA Cup atmosphere and we know what kind of surprises
that competition has thrown up in the past. This game will have that feel to
it and the important thing is that we match them for attitude, passion and
work-rate, especially in the early stages. We need to take control and impose
ourselves on them rather than the other way around."
Lampard, always fit, always willing, sounds like a captain-in-waiting and
it is easy to see why Eriksson now considers him indispensable, just as
Jose Mourinho, and before him Claudio Ranieri, have done at Chelsea.
"It's nice to hear people say I can be considered like that [an automatic
choice] but the most important thing is that the manager thinks that as well.
I've played regularly in the last six months and my club form is good. I'm
pretty pleased with that. I've played a lot of games for Chelsea in succession
over the last few seasons [a Premiership record 116] and everything is going
well apart from the fact I should maybe have scored two or three more goals
this season."
He has managed only one, a penalty against Southampton. "But I'm getting in
the right positions," he points out. "To be fair to Jose Mourinho and
Sven-Goran Eriksson, neither of them try to hold me back from going forward.
If anything, Claudio Ranieri did that last season at times but I still scored
15 goals. I like to get forward at the right time and I've learned to do
that over the years."
For a player whose natural instinct is to attack, Lampard is relishing the
prospect of Eriksson deploying Wayne Rooney just behind Owen and Jermain Defoe.
"We get criticised for not being attacking enough but those three are really
exciting - their youthfulness, their ability, their pace. They play with no
fear and, when you are blessed with three players like that, defenders are
bound to be worried."
Lampard's own scoring record is worthy of a striker. Not even the most fervent
Eastender would boo him now.
Lampard's Run:
Records for consecutive Premiership appearances by outfield players
1 Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 116
2 Wayne Bridge (Soton) 113
3 Alan Shearer (Blackburn) 108
4 Gary Kelly (Leeds) 99
5 Robbie Fowler (Liverpool) 98
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