++ [ originally posted by Tom ] ++
Heresy is defined as "contrary to what is widely acknowledged to be fact" and it is you who cites this word time and time again. Whats ironic is that its only you who can't see how much a brilliant player Lamps is.
I never anywhere said that Lampard is not a good player. If I did, show me. I merely said, and I say it again,
he is not the best that there is right now. Kaka is better, Ronaldinho is better, Pirlo is better, at the risk of sounding biased, Vieria is better. You want more? Essien who is his teammate is another one.
Hitting the ball hard and accurately with minimal run up from any angle. This, alone, is a phenomenal skill to possess yet you write it off as if seemingly irrelevant. You'd rather see Zizou do a 360 degree spin in the centre circle and the crowd shouting olé?
True, and I was the one who brought up those points which will only aid to punch holes in your argument that I refuse to acknowledge that Lampard is a good player. But you know one thing? Zizou had all those qualities too.
The we get into this one discernable skill business. Apparently the only skills that matter are possessing other-wordly ball control and close skills. Actual end product is less important.
Actually yes, end product is less important, and you want to know why? Cruyff had all the skills in the world, Beckenbauer was the more effective captain, who is usually mentioned first when we are talking of all time greats? People tend to remember what made them happy while watching the game, not those who just ran around the pitch for 90 minutes like robots. That is why Zizou's goal against Leverkusen is acknowledged as one of the greatest ever, not because it won the Champion's League, but because of the joy it brought all watching that game, including non-Madrid fans, and I dare say even Leverkusen fans! People remember Maradona's performance in Mexico 86 not because he won the World Cup there, but because of the game against England where he scored that goal (not the
Hand of God goal that you English chose to remember all the time, but the
other goal. Okocha is adored in Frankfurt, Fernabache, PSG and now Bolton, and worshipped in Nigeria, not because he won us medals or won medals for any of these clubs, but for the fact that
he made the people happy.
So Lampard's other abilities like long range passing, close range finishing, heading, set piece taking, tracking back, being a workaholic, good tackler etc (most of which you fail to even recongise that he possesses) are all worthless?
Once again Tom, you miss the point. I never said FL didn't have these abilities, but then again, Zizou had all. If memory serves me correct, his 2 goals against Brazil in 1998 were headers. Zizou was once upon a time France's free-kick taker. Who said Zizou never marked? Go back and watch him when he was still with us. Work-rate? Once again I refer you to his time in Turin. Close range finishing? WTF???
I'll be the first to accept he lacks Zizou's close control and technique but he's superior in most other aspects of the game, which is why he's an all round midfielder and ZZ was a playmaker. Different positions require different talents.
Admittedly we never really saw te defensive side of Zizou's game, but that was because at any given point in time he had either of Petit, Deschamps, Vieira, Makelele, Tacchinardi, Davids or even Birindelli behind him. I hear someone say doesn't Lampard have Makelele behind him now? I hear another what happened to Zizou when Makelele left Madrid. It is this simple, age. Lampard had defensive duties last season because let's face it, Makelele is not the player he used to be when he was at Madrid. Same as Zizou after Makelele left. How often have we seen Lampard playing the defensive midfielder since the arrival of Essien? How often have we seen Poland and Northern Ireland tear through the England middle because Lampard didn't have players of equal stature beside him in an England jersey?
So?
Do you want me to bring up all the opta stats that would be in favour of Lampard in this argument? Even though this has nothing to do with Ronaldinho? Ronaldinho either plays as a forward or an attacking midfielder? You'd expect him to be the more accurate finisher anyway, surely?
Bring the stats. Please include the source URLs too.
Ai ful gran
And it hardly does anything to diminish Lampard's achievements in any case. The only stat that will matter to Mourinho this year is 11 goals, from central midfield. Top scorer in the EPL, and he's a midfielder. Goals win games.
Shey it was in this thread that I mentioned that Chelsea's modus operandi includes booting the ball route one to Drogba who heckles defenders, he rebound falls to Lampard who shoots.
I hope you're not referring to me there. Way to belittle everyone just because they disagree with your opinion on the matter. I think people on this board are well aware of Zidane's mercurial talents.
My apologies if that offended you.
Buy on AliExpress.com
