The Guardian | Saturday July 1 2006 7 Burnout or Barça — Key clashes just why is Lampard playing so badly? around England’s base in Baden-Baden. There has been talk of him being critical of the dry pitches, despite the fact players with lesser reputations have been zipping Gary Neville v Cristiano Ronaldo the ball about as if they were playing on a If fit, the Portugal winger might be bowling green. Most damagingly, there used against his Manchester United have been allegations of professional team-mate. Neville is short of jealousy, that he has come to resent the match-sharpness, but Ronaldo has Daniel Taylor acclaim that is foisted upon Steven still to prove that he is as influential Gerrard and that he feels he is being made as he is tricky. The England Gelsenkirchen the scapegoat for their apparent inability full-back’s experience and his to gel in midfield. Most of the above, if not seniority at Old Trafford may see all, is probably unfair, but that misses the him subdue the youngster. What has happened to Frank Lampard? It point. The point is that Lampard would has been impossible to sit down at any not be subjected to this level of examina- dinner table in any World Cup city tion if he were playing anywhere near his without hazarding that question. Salt and exhilarating best. pepper pots have been rearranged to His sympathisers can point out, recreate tactical manoeuvres and analyse justifiably, that Lampard not only played what has gone wrong, yet still no one 58 matches last season but did so knows the answer for certain. What has exceptionally, scoring 20 goals for Chelsea happened to the man who was runner-up and three for England. Given that he has to Ronaldinho for Fifa’s world footballer missed only two since arriving at of the year? Why is the World Cup Stamford Bridge, maybe he is entitled to witnessing the West Ham United player of run into a spell of bad form, however old rather than the Chelsea player of new? atrociously timed it is. Football, at its Finding the root cause is no straight- highest level, is a mentally taxing Rio Ferdinand v Pauleta forward matter, especially when there is occupation and, playing for a club with The most prolific scorer in Portugal’s a tendency within the England camp, Chelsea’s expectations, it would be history tends to dry up in the big rigidly led by Sven-Goran Eriksson, to pre- entirely permissible if a player of his games. There were no goals for him tend there is no problem to confront. If responsibilities had come into the at Euro 2004 and the one he got at Eriksson were to be believed yesterday, tournament suffering from what, in the this World Cup was unmissable. All Lampard has simply been “unlucky”. The vernacular of the game, has become the pressure is on him and England’s Swede spoke about Lampard’s 22 shots known as burnout. centre-backs will be expected to stop being higher than any other player in One of the more reasonable arguments him recovering the form which earns the tournament as if it were a matter of is that Lampard has also committed the him so much at Paris Saint-Germain. pride. Others would contend it is more cardinal sin of allowing himself to be realistic to note that 14 have been off tar- distracted by talk of a possible transfer get and he has yet to score. Football peo- away from Stamford Bridge. It is not a ple tend to use words such as unlucky debate that Jose Mourinho would enter- when they do not want to face up to harsh tain, but Lampard has reputedly set his facts and Lampard’s statistics tell the story heart on a move to Barcelona and is said of someone who is troubled by far more to have been crestfallen when he learned than misfortune. two weeks ago it would not happen. One There are all sorts of different theories, of the most revealing sights of England’s some half-baked, others credible. They campaign — behind the scenes anyway — say it is better to be talked about than not was of the 28-year-old walking past the but Lampard would blanch at some of the German, French, Italian and south Chinese whispers, half-truths and American journalists in the mixed-zone conspiracy theories that are swirling interview area after the opening game Wayne Rooney v Ricardo Carvalho against Paraguay but then stopping for 10 They last encountered one another in minutes to speak to the Catalan press, all April when the Portuguese centre- Tournament so far sweetness and light. back had an outstanding match, Eriksson, an unflinching protector of Chelsea took the title and Rooney his players, wrinkled his face when it was broke his metatarsal. It surely cannot put to him that Lampard had had a poor be so miserable again for the England tournament thus far. “He is working very striker, but he will have to be at his hard to be right,” reported the head coach. very best to pose a threat and link “He’s had more shots than any other with his midfielders. player in the tournament, which is very good — a good statistic. Maybe he’ll get his first goal against Portugal. I have no concerns about him whatsoever.” Lampard, as Eriksson emphasised, is a robust enough character to disperse the scepticism as though he were swatting away flies but, equally, he is in danger of joining that band of outstanding foot- Mins on pitch 360 ballers who will look back on individual Goals 0 World Cups with little satisfaction. Think Shots 22 of Graeme Souness for Scotland in 1986 or On target 8 Italy’s Roberto Baggio in 1994, or even Off target 14 Pele in 1966. Shooting accuracy % 36.4 If Lampard is not to be added to that list Owen Hargreaves v Luis Figo Conversion rate % 0 he may need to rediscover himself. With Deco suspended, Figo should Attempts created 3 England’s supporters have voted him assume some of the playmaking Passes 206 the national team’s player of the year duties and the veteran, in any case, Accurate passes 164 for two successive seasons but it is seldom dribbles round defenders. Passing accuracy % 79.6 a measure of his diminished status, This game will show if Hargreaves Crosses 3 temporary or not, that not everyone was has the anticipation to go with his Tackles 10 jubilant to learn that his twisted ankle athleticism. By the end England will Tackles won 6 had healed in time for him to win his 44th know whether he really is a holding Tackle success % 60 cap in a match when he simply dare not Frank Lampard, England’s player of the year for the last two seasons, is being player of the highest calibre. flounder again. backed by Sven-Goran Eriksson despite his poor form in Germany Dan Chung.