England lose Lampard for Euro: every cloud has a silver lining?

Frank Lampard has become the latest casualty of glitz for Euro in Poland and Ukraine to start in just a week. The midfielder and second captain of Chelsea FC will join the list of unfortunates of which also includes the likes of Puyol, Villa, Wilshere, Rossi, Abidal ...

Of course one should never rejoice in the misfortune of a player, much as it can be a formidable rival, but not have to forget that not all casualties are equal and there are even times that teams are unexpectedly benefited when forced to make a change that otherwise would not have faced (this season have said several times how much he earned Depor when Juan Dominguez replaced the suspended Jesus Vazquez and since then, the team played considerably better).

In the last World pondered how England lived the obligatory slave, almost forced, owned by Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard. Summarize here the statement then: Lampard and Gerrard are two different players, but they share a number of points in common that, when repeated in two headlines, severely affecting the play of his team. Both the Chelsea midfield as Liverpool are two of those players so beloved in the islands, those that call box to box for their ability to deploy from area to area. The two share a great aptitude for the arrival area breaking enemy lines, have a great shot of middle and long distance, handled superbly displacement along a strong character and show winner.

But as share several virtues, so are its shortcomings: despite its physical play, neither is a great ball retriever, making it necessary to give you an expert behind the effect, also, are not may consider some playmakers, those who are able to play and play horizontally to a computer. Both are some flyers that always do better in midfield, with two midfielders behind them as possible release of these two obligations discussed: cut and make. That is why I consider that to fit them both in the same alignment one should grant much in other posts, thus, the team always suffers, either for one reason or another.

In the last World Cup Fabio Capello always aligned to the two together. Or did not dare to lay one of the two, or directly, did not see the need to do, and there was water for England. In the first game, 1-1 against U.S. , The Three Lions played with a traditional 4-4-2, with Lampard and Gerrard in midfield: did not work out. In the second, an embarrassing 0-0 draw against Algeria, Capello switched to 4-3-3, with Barry over his back to Frank and Steven: worse still, finding himself unable to do damage even once to the Desert Foxes. In the third, 1-0 win to Slovenia, Capello opted for a 4-4-2 diamond-shaped, without a single generator game, ahead of Barry Gerrard and Lampard shot a sidewall pulling beat caste, not game. And finally, in the beating they endorsed Germany in the second round, 4-1, was the tip of the diamond Lampard and Gerrard which fell to a band: Germanic midfield, more numerous and balanced English ate the head to toe.

Lampard and Gerrard play together for England remains anchored in the traditional style, a style that never bore fruit far beyond the World 66 which won at home with real merits more controversy: there were many strange things, as in the quarterfinals to Argentina , where the referee sent off Rattin albiceleste half an hour because, by his own report, "I looked with bad intentions ..." or, how to forget, the goal that gave them victory in overtime in the final against Germany: a ghost goal that never should get on the scoreboard.

For all the above I consider that the decline in Frank Lampard can do some good to the English game. The alleged improvement could be noted that there would be much more if England did not have the misfortune not to have Jack Wilshere who, for me, today is the best midfielder in Britain. As things stand, it seems that Scott Parker (who debuted in 2003 but only has 12 caps) will be fixed at the pivot, but who will accompany you? Will have to see what makes Roy Hodgson Gerrard: if aligned parallel to the Spurs midfielder or is placed below, placing alongside Parker Milner, Chamberlain or another option.

In any case does not appear that Roy Hodgson will be the coach to revolutionize English football for once and for all, the islands boast forget both for having invented the sport and recognize that they have been back several decades. The Premier was also a competition with a marked style and continues to do so, of course, English football is very recognizable, but the contribution they have made the foreign coaches and players, far from adversely affecting their level, what has really is strengthening it through complementary diversity. The selection is not the same, of course, but the need for change and evolution is the same.