Re: The Football Thread - 2011/12

[Guest]

He's fine when he has a bunch of world class players around to cushion him, but complete dump when the onus is on him to lift a struggling team (ala England).

He was awesome when he first came into the team, but i agree that he hasn't put in the performances you would expect from someone with his class since 2006.

And you can say all you like about having world class players around him but the fact remains that they aren't scoring as many as he does and only Ronaldo scored more goals as a midfielder.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Yeah, proper legend. England career isn't what it should have been despite a few strong years in the mid 2000s but he's probably been the best English attacking midfielder in the premiership over the last decade.

Word. Finally someone's with me. And despite all the retarded England boos, he's still the 4th highest scoring English midfielder of all time (only 4 behind 3rd and 5 behind 2nd with a possibility of adding to them) and has given some outstanding performances for England through the years. His problem is that he's a passing player in a largely lump it forward team.


The fact that Ancellotti, Hiddink, Mourinho, Scolari, Villas Boas, Capello, Ranieri etc have ALL always had him as an ever present first chice tells you something. But I'm sure Henry knows more about football than the lot. The link between them? They're all Europeans who appreciate a player like Lamps. He'd be feted anywhere else.

[Henry]

I'll give him this- He has a knack of being in the right place at the right time AND, his 'goal' against Germany COULD have inspired England to great things if the Ref hadn't been asleep.

Frankly, I dislike most of the so-called 'golden generation'. Bunch of over-rated, unlikeable c*nts and Lampard seems to embody their failings far too often in an England shirt.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Obvious Scolar isn't European but you get the point.

And the "great players around him" is rubbish too. Who doesn't perform better with great players around them? What madness. Messi, Ronaldo, the lot. Great players do better in great teams. Bar Ronaldo/Messi (who arent really midfielders) show me one other midfielder with his record in Europe in the last decade? If its so easy with good players around how come no one else has done it? Kaka came closest and he did it or a year or two.

So you're problem is that he hasn't single handedly won loads of games for England in the same way

An I'd argue he has lifted the England side on many occasions.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

I'll give him this- He has a knack of being in the right place at the right time AND, his 'goal' against Germany COULD have inspired England to great things if the Ref hadn't been asleep.

Frankly, I dislike most of the so-called 'golden generation'. Bunch of over-rated, unlikeable c*nts and Lampard seems to embody their failings far too often in an England shirt.

Yeah, so you've just taken an irrational dislike to him like most of his detractors. There's no real basis for the dislike. It doesn't matter how many facts are put in front of you, you just dislike him and you'll keep mumbling about England games and deflections and other sh*t munching rubbish like all the other simpletons who have just taken a dislike to him.

Underrated beyond belief.

[Henry]

You really do go all Shastri Gavaskar Mrs stokes when someone has a go at your Frank.

He's often average. Occasionally good. But almost never in an England shirt. Hooray, give him a knighthood.

[Guest]

I've always rated Frank, though I still have reservations about his England performances over the past 5 years.

And since Trev lives in Aus he doesn't know sh!t, I mean how many live matches would it be possible to see over there? Super Sunday is out of the question as it would be the middle of the night with work the next day, weekday matches would again be happening near working hours. Early kick offs on Saturday would be the only ones he could see I think.

[Henry]

I've always rated Frank, though I still have reservations about his England performances over the past 5 years.

And since Trev lives in Aus he doesn't know sh!t, I mean how many live matches would it be possible to see over there? Super Sunday is out of the question as it would be the middle of the night with work the next day, weekday matches would again be happening near working hours. Early kick offs on Saturday would be the only ones he could see I think.

My decoder box allows me to record straight from pay tv. similar to Sky+? Every game is both shown live and then replayed at a more suitable hour. And we also have an hourly highlights show every Monday evening.

[G.Wood]

I've always rated Frank, though I still have reservations about his England performances over the past 5 years.

And since Trev lives in Aus he doesn't know sh!t, I mean how many live matches would it be possible to see over there? Super Sunday is out of the question as it would be the middle of the night with work the next day, weekday matches would again be happening near working hours. Early kick offs on Saturday would be the only ones he could see I think.

No idea if it is right but I heard someone once say that we get more live EPL games than you do over there.

Obviously, the time puts a dent in the practicality of watching all of it (but all games are replayed the next day)

[Henry]

Lunch time kick off in late August/September is the best, when here in Sydney the game will start at 9.30pm.

[Guest]

In that case you are even more clueless. If you weren't watching it then at least you would have an excuse for hating him, but if you are watching Chelsea matches and can't see his quality then you are just retarded.

[Henry]

In that case you are even more clueless. If you weren't watching it then at least you would have an excuse for hating him, but if you are watching Chelsea matches and can't see his quality then you are just retarded.

There must be a lot of retarded people out there.....

But in all seriousness I don't hate him, really. I just think he's not all that. And the genuine quality he produces is few and far between when you compare him to guys like Xavi and David Silva. Even Van Persie. And Gerrard. And about 20 other guys in World Football.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

You really do go all Shastri Gavaskar Mrs stokes when someone has a go at your Frank. 

He's often average. Occasionally good. But almost never in an England shirt. Hooray, give him a knighthood.

But can't you see that you have almost nothing to back up your baseless conjecture? You can spout any old clap trap without substantiating it. I'm sorry but you have fallen in lime with the millions of other idiots who claim to be football fans and have gone along with a tiresome bandwagon that's rolled on for years.

121 goals and 90 assists in 353 games for Chelsea according to wiki. That means he's scoring or creating a goal in 60% of all his games for the club. Incredible scenes. And that includes his rookie games and subs appearances. Scoring or assisting in 60% of all games? For a midfielder?? 18 goals in the champs league (only a few midfielders have scored more). Just above Cruyff, level with Ronaldinho - how can you not see the company he's amongst?

Almost never in an England shirt?

Scored nine times for the under-21s (Shearer scored 13)

England fans player of the year in 2004

England fans player of the year in 2005

3 goals in 4 games at Euro 2004. In the team of tournament.

6 goals in 10 games in 2009

6 goals in 13 games in 2004

Top scorer in WC 2006 qualifying

22 goals in 88 games.

A lot of players would kill for an international career like that. Kill for it.

It's alright though, you just don like the guy. Which is fine. But it doesn't mean anything. It just shows your lack of understanding about football.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

In that case you are even more clueless. If you weren't watching it then at least you would have an excuse for hating him, but if you are watching Chelsea matches and can't see his quality then you are just retarded.

There must be a lot of retarded people out there.....

Yes. Yes there are. You're amongst them.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Correction on the 60% stat - obviously it's a contributions per game stat and doesnt consider that the goals/assists might have come in the same match. Still, he's created or scored 211 goals in 353 games. Ridics.

[Henry]

Be honest- If you were picking a World XI would he be in your midfield? Or even on the substitutes bench for that matter?

[Guest]

Backtracking much? You originally said he should have started on the bench for England. Now it's that he doesn't make your world XI.

He wouldn't make my world XI either incidentally, but he'd be one of the first names on the teamsheet if we were making a Premiership team from the 2000s.

[Henry]

Backtracking much? You originally said he should have started on the bench for England. Now it's that he doesn't make your world XI.

He wouldn't make my world XI either incidentally, but he'd be one of the first names on the teamsheet if we were making a Premiership team from the 2000s.

So what are you saying? England>World XI?

Snigger.

[Guest]

Clearly, if you think that's what I said then you've just confirmed your retardation.

[Henry]

How is it back-tracking if I say he should be on the bench for England and not in my World XI? That's about his ability level- Decent sub for England, but nowhere near being one of the best midfielders in the World.

Obviously he's not in my World XI. I posed the question to die hard Lampard fan LLL. If he thinks Franky is so f*cking ace, will he pick him in a World XI ahead of Silva and Xavi?

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Be honest- If you were picking a World XI would he be in your midfield? Or even on the substitutes bench for that matter?

No, because he's not the best player in his position in the world, which you have to be to get into a world XI. And he's 33 and not the force he was. There have been times in the past when he's been up there and contending for a spot.

As had been proven by his nominations.

> Runner up in World Player of the Year award in 2005 (behind Ronaldinho)
> Runner up in 2005 Ballon D'or. (behind Ronaldinho)
> PFA player of the year 2005
> England player of the year 2004, 2005
> UEFA club midfielder of the year 2008
> Premiership player of the decade

Etc, etc, etc.

Again, ballon d'ors mostly voted for by European coaches. Even Fergie has called him a special special player he'd like to sign in the past.

There's just mountains of evidence for how good he is and it's all completely ignored by blind/stupid/sheep England fans.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

This is from the Sun but I can find the original
opta article -

Player of the decade

The Chelsea and England midfield star is the dominant figure in Premier League statistics over the past 10 years.
Facts and figures' wizards Opta have looked back at every Premier League game since January 1, 2000 and Lamps is the man who emerges with most honour.

The 31-year-old ace boasts:

> Most games

> Most wins

> Second-most assists

> Fourth-highest goals record


Fourth-highest goals record
Lampard pips Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher by five games to most appearances with a total of 346 — 210 of which have been wins.
He comes second to Ryan Giggs with 76 assists and bagged 100 goals, finishing fourth behind top scorer Thierry Henry, who netted 169 times for Arsenal.

Signed from West Ham for £11million in June 2001 by Claudio Ranieri, he must go down as one of football's greatest-ever buys.
Ranieri told SunSport last night: "This news fills me with a great satisfaction and pride because Frank Lampard is totally unique.
"He is a complete player and so professional. It doesn't surprise me that he is the best statistically, ahead of other players you might consider to be even bigger stars.

"I'll tell you something. In my view Frank Lampard is a genuine 'Pallone d'oro' — which means he should be a European Footballer of the Year. He really is that good.
"He is up there with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of quality — he is just a different type of player.
"He does difficult things but he makes them look simple and that is why some people think he is less spectacular.

"But I am glad the statistics have shown what a great player Lampard is. They show just how influential he is.
"Lampard has such a strong mentality and that probably shines through too. Only the other day he had to take a penalty three times but he still scored. That tells you how cool he is under pressure, how focused.
 
"Frank makes a difference to any game he is in. Sometimes it is obvious, sometimes it is less obvious. But he is so often the key to a victory.
"That's why I am really glad that he has been recognised in some way as the player of the decade in England."
Lampard's father, Frank Snr, was thrilled by his son's Player of the Decade accolade.

He said: "To do this over a decade is something special — he has done it by working very, very hard.
"I call him the Bobby Moore of the midfield. He does not try to do the impossible things that can look good on the eye if they come off.
"He's not crash, bang, wallop, either. Instead, he sticks to the things he knows can work and makes sure it's the team that he puts first.
"To score so many goals is a magnificent achievement for a midfielder. He plays in a team where everyone wants to score but he is the one who is consistently on the scoresheet."

Chelsea coach Ray Wilkins added: "Frank's contribution has been immense over the last decade, both for Chelsea and England.
"The consistency he has shown has been remarkable and he is still producing the same top-quality performances that he was a decade ago."
In contrast, the biggest loser of the decade was Hull's Kevin Kilbane, who lost 146 times.

Robbie Savage, now at Derby, was the naughty boy of the noughties finishing top of the bad boys league for most bookings and red cards — elbowing Kevin Davies of Bolton into second place.

Bearing in mind this was 2009 and just in the premiership he's added 38 goals and 25 assists since then.

Ranieri going a bit OTT though.

[Henry]

Be honest- If you were picking a World XI would he be in your midfield? Or even on the substitutes bench for that matter?

No, because he's not the best player in his position in the world, which you have to be to get into a world XI. And he's 33 and not the force he was. There have been times in the past when he's been up there and contending for a spot.

As had been proven by his nominations.

> Runner up in World Player of the Year award in 2005 (behind Ronaldinho)
> Runner up in 2005 Ballon D'or. (behind Ronaldinho)
> PFA player of the year 2005
> England player of the year 2004, 2005
> UEFA club midfielder of the year 2008
> Premiership player of the decade

Etc, etc, etc.

Again, ballon d'ors mostly voted for by European coaches. Even Fergie has called him a special special player he'd like to sign in the past.

There's just mountains of evidence for how good he is and it's all completely ignored by blind/stupid/sheep England fans.

Well, it's not the fans that pick the England team. It's the Coach. And Eriksson, McLaren, and Capello have all given him a good run. Of course, Lampard can't take all the blame for that, but as the central/attacking midfielder, he has a big part to play. And guess what, England are still sh*t.

[Guest]

So England are sh!t because of Frank Lampard? You're sounding more clueless each post.

[Lara Lara Laughs]

Oh dear...

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