lamps booed by england fans

[The Brit]

I thought i heard it on tv during the game myself but hoped I was wrong, but lamps copped it from some tw*ts in the crowd last night...these were probably the same muppets who turned on beckham a number of times through his career but were last night chanting 'there's only one david beckham' and cheering his every touch...there's no doubt lamps hasn't been on top form in an england shirt for the past 12 months and has faded in a chelsea one for the last three, but he doesn't deserve the stick he's getting now...england are sh*te yet all the blame on the pitch is aimed at him...I wish he'd say f*ck em and concentrate on playing for chelsea...let the deluded see gerrard in his preferred role and count how many of his passes find the opposition...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 873849.ece

[The Moos]

If he had played for Liverpool or perhaps ManU then he woundn't be booed so much. But as it is he's playing for Chelsea and unfortunately means being booed if he's having a bad game.

[callista]

McClaren has supposedly condemned those who booed Lampard today in the papers. Don't rate McClaren at all but at least this is one thing he has got right and supported the player.

On the phone in with Alan Green last night (Alan again calling Gerrard the greatest midfielder in Europe at least three times, are they related at all?) he did have a number of calls from Chelsea fans who said that Lampard was just exhausted, he has played more games than anyone, remains a good player but on current form he should not have been picked.

Green to be fair agreed with them that Lampard of course is good but he's just running on empty. Some callers actually called Lampard "finished" as a player - how pathetic, so does that mean when Gerrard or Rooney are in poor form are they finished?

No wonder some of the England players are so wary of playing for their country when they actually get booed whilst out on the pitch trying their best.

[g3.7]

gerrard made 2 or 3 great tackles*, but he gave away the ball far more than lamps and didn't close down the cross for the brazil goal. it's getting so boring with this debate, it really is- defending lamps is fighting a losing battle.

as for gerrard playing "the holding role", wouldn't that suggest lampard would not have to spend 70% of the game on the edge of his own box?

* great recovering tackles. recovering, as our "defensive midfielder" was out of position. playing in many positions doesn't make you versatile, playing many positions well makes you versatile. gerrard can really only play one position to a high standard, and it's not even a strictly tactical position- it's a free role.

[Gem]

gerrard made 2 or 3 great tackles*, but he gave away the ball far more than lamps and didn't close down the cross for the brazil goal. it's getting so boring with this debate, it really is- defending lamps is fighting a losing battle.

I heard Lamps came off on the 87th minute, and Brazil scored in the 92nd... I take it the paper got it wrong if it was Frank who didn't close down the cross?

[Backbiter]

You misread the post - it was Gerrard who didn't close down the cross, not Lamps!

[Jimboola69]

Did Lamps play well...no

Is he the first to be booed...no - long line of them, including Becks of course. Worst was probs John Barnes.

Did Gerrard play well...apparently yes (the pundits) although of what I saw he gave the ball away quite a lot and did 4-5 really bad tackles that in a non 'friendly' would have resulted in a booking.

People forget that it was Lamps whose goals got us to the WC, he was after all our top scorer.

[Jack]

I just laugh at the whole England thing. The team is utter crap, the media fuss around it is a joke and it's become an anachronism in todays world. The borders of Europe are open, we are all integrating, the English league is now mostly owned and populated with people who aren't English, and the biggest joke is that the England supporters don't support the team seem to go to games to highlight their prejudices. Alan Green is from Northern Ireland - what the f**k does it have to do with him who is and who isn't playing well? Gerrard gets the Man of the Match on the BBC - I suspect it was for one neanderthal-type tackle on Goofy - the same be-toothed man who flicked the ball through 'the greatest midfield player in the World's legs and left him on his over-rated arse, but then tackling like a nutter is an Englaish attribute - being able to leave your opponent on his arse by using your skill isn't!

The sooner Lampard gets dropped and can concentrate on his Chelsea career the better. England is a massive waste of time and energy for our boys who should be on their holly-bobs right now, especially Lamps who has played enough football for one season and has a newly-born at home to fuss over.

[luminous]

GUYS GUYS GUYS! Leave out sentiments. Lampards form has been in the decline for much TOO long now. There hasn't been any consistency. This same guy's holding out for over ?120k a week wages too!! is it sane to let him command that sort of pay??? Think about it! Leave out the sentiments, its just as hard for me as fan too. Gerrard is class - even tho i cant stand Liverpool (thats the nicest way to put it).. gotta give it to him.. top top player n i still trip on the time Chelsea missed out on him. I think its bout time Lamps started to come off the bench when a games safe! We got good prospects in Mikel as a play maker among others!

[sweet waffle]

My old man bought The People newspaper today for some reason, something to do with the other papers having too much wriiten about Big Brother, anyway I was suprised to read this nicely balanced article, if only more journos wrote or spoke like this, Lamps wouldn't be suffering the unwarrented boos:

[web]http://www.people.co.uk/sport/macca/[/web]

[loz]

GUYS GUYS GUYS! Leave out sentiments. Lampards form has been in the decline for much TOO long now.

What do you classify as 'too long'?

For me, a player should be assessed over the duration of an entire season, not over the final few months. Over the course of the past season Frank was, once again, a excellent contributor to the team. Yes his form dipped in the latter months and yes he should maybe have been rested or benched a few times however I don't for one season bbuy into the idea that he is now simply bench material.

If the season had been flipped and he had his slump straight after the World Cup, played averagely for a few months and then raised his game from December to March we would all be saying he had another fantastic season.

Frank needs a rest, plain and simple, he has played a farcical amount of football for club and country over the past few seasons (an amount that would have had lesser players crying for a rest) and the combination of that, and the lack of a break last summer due to the World Cup has meant that finally his gas tank is at red.

I am totally confident that the coming break will see Frank return next season fit, healthy, and in top form.

And if he returns in something a little less than top form but returns 20 odd goals and god knows how many assists then...well I guess the knives will still be out. Any other English midfielder would be worshipped for that kind of contribution.

[Butch]

Thank goodness you interjected, Loz. I was just about to let all hell break loose .

Cheers,

Butch

[Guest Brian M]

Butch gets, well...butch...

[Elliott]

To their credit, a few of the columnists have come out in support of Lamps.

It's pathetic. England fail to demolish Brazil, so let's grief Lampard.

I'm sick of it. I just hope that they actually drop him.

England will struggle even more without him, and realise just how wrong they were.

[Jimboola69]

It is the way of things.

Before Lamps it was Crouch, before him it was Hargreaves, before that Beckham, before that David James, before that Sol Campbell etc etc not forgetting Gary Neville.

The worst I recall was for John Barnes, and he was 'class in a glass'.

God knows why we feel the need to do this...I don't, I like to SUPPORT!

Old fashioned I know.

[The Brit]

even the csr's favourite Mr Stevens has come out in support of Frank in reasonable fashion

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... =1779&ct=5

[Lofty]

Another one for a caption competition?

I'll start you off with:

"Paw ... Good boy Stevie .. smile for the camera and then you can have a choccie drop"

[c3blu]

I have only just joined this debate, i was at the game on friday and was gutted to hear Lampard get booed when his name was called out before the game. He could have done better for England but so could a lot of others. How many other midfielders score 20 a season. He is in there on merit and to get booed by your own fans before a ball has been kicked is a disgrace.

[jemchelsea]

It was totally infair, I am disappointed in the fans- I guess it just goes to show that they are not 100% chelsea fans!

[loz]

jem

It was England fans not CHelsea fans.

[jemchelsea]

Oh soz,

He still shouldnt have got bood though!

[Nibs]

I don't condone booing anyone - especially when they are representing your own country. Be it a Manc like Gary Neville or a Liverp**l player like Crouch, I would never boo them and it's well out of order that Lamps should get this treatment from so called England fans.

That said, he really shouldn't be getting selected on current form and even the most die hard Chelsea fans should be conceding that one. He needs a rest and a long one at that and I hope he comes back next season looking something like the Lamps we know as currently he is pretty woeful and it's not great to watch.

In contrast, I went to the u21 game last night and I know they were only playing a pretty average Slovakia side, but it was really refreshing to see our players look comfortable on the ball and run at players with no fear. It was 5-0 and could easily have been double that and it would be interesting to see a number of those playing last night getting a crack in place of some of the current senior squad who look jaded and pretty uninterested at times. Of course the coach could well have something to do with that. I haven't been a huge Pearce fan up to now at club level but I'd love to see him in charge of England in place of McLaren. Pearce and the England job might just be a perfect match and if he carries on doing well for the u21, you could well see him step up.

My 9 year old son was pretty disappointed that it was only an u21 game and would have liked to see the Gerrards, Rooney's & Beckhams etc. But coming out of Carrow Rd last night he was well enthusiastic and I know that he saw a better game than he is ever likely to witness from the current senior squad.

[The Moos]

I don't condone booing anyone - especially when they are representing your own country. Be it a Manc like Gary Neville or a Liverp**l player like Crouch, I would never boo them and it's well out of order that Lamps should get this treatment from so called England fans.

That said, he really shouldn't be getting selected on current form and even the most die hard Chelsea fans should be conceding that one. He needs a rest and a long one at that and I hope he comes back next season looking something like the Lamps we know as currently he is pretty woeful and it's not great to watch.

In contrast, I went to the u21 game last night and I know they were only playing a pretty average Slovakia side, but it was really refreshing to see our players look comfortable on the ball and run at players with no fear. It was 5-0 and could easily have been double that and it would be interesting to see a number of those playing last night getting a crack in place of some of the current senior squad who look jaded and pretty uninterested at times. Of course the coach could well have something to do with that. I haven't been a huge Pearce fan up to now at club level but I'd love to see him in charge of England in place of McLaren. Pearce and the England job might just be a perfect match and if he carries on doing well for the u21, you could well see him step up.

My 9 year old son was pretty disappointed that it was only an u21 game and would have liked to see the Gerrards, Rooney's & Beckhams etc. But coming out of Carrow Rd last night he was well enthusiastic and I know that he saw a better game than he is ever likely to witness from the current senior squad.

Yes, Lamps hasn't really been good recently for England so I think he should be rested. England has other players that can take his place and it's "only" Estonia you're facing. Not exactly the best team in the world.

As for U21 I was a bit disappointed not to see one single Chelsea player in the squad. Don't we have anyone who's good enough?

[Jimboola69]

It is the way of things.

Before Lamps it was Crouch, before him it was Hargreaves, before that Beckham, before that David James, before that Sol Campbell etc etc not forgetting Gary Neville.

The worst I recall was for John Barnes, and he was 'class in a glass'.

God knows why we feel the need to do this...I don't, I like to SUPPORT!

Old fashioned I know.

Actually as Lamps is now getting support in the media, i wonder who the next 'target' will be? We should start a sweep!

[ethicalstrategy]

I don't completely agree with Nibs about our Frankie.

There is no doubt that he is not showing the same outstanding form that he had in the 2004/05, 2005/06 and first part of 2006/07 seasons. I'm sure that a lot of that is down to tiredness.

Having said that, he did not have the mare of a world cup that many say he did. He wasn't at his best but then neither were the majority of the rest. Unfortunately for him, he has set such high standards that failing to score for a few games is regarded as a slump in form and the criticism has had an impact on his confidence.

What people shouldn't forget is that he is not a striker. He brings more to the team than just goals and not all of it is eye catching. The game against Brazil the other day is a good example. He was asked to play a more disciplined role and did so pretty well. But, of course now he is under immense scrutiny and every missed placed pass or possession lost is jumped on with glee. I saw Gerrard give the ball away just as much as Frank, but because he rushed around a lot and is the media darling he was deemed to have been excellent.

Personally I think it is all bullsh*t. A Frank Lampard playing at 70% of the level he has shown for the last 2 years is more than good enough to hold down his place in the England team. Owen Hargreaves and Carrick can't hold a candle to him in my opinion.

I hope that he does get the rest he needs over the summer and comes out next season all guns blazing for Chelsea and England and shows the doubters that they are talking out of their arses.