Frank Lampard

[The only place to be 11,313]

Anyway when City started to press us more in the second half Lampard was invisible at times, Fernandinho was getting too much space and time to pick his passes despite the efforts of Oscar to try and stop him and that allowed Silva, Nasri and Toure to get more involved.

Despite all that time to pick out his passes, Fernandinho was limited to 77% passing accuracy.

Frank, despite some of the comments on here, matched Rami for passing accuracy, had a team-high number of interceptions and effectively cleared the ball 4 times (to Ramires's 1) despite playing little more than an hour.

It was certainly a dip in his stats compared to the last four matches but in tight games that can happen.

[didierforever 7,349]

does every player get the stick on here who plays in the DM role. mikel, then rambo, then luiz and now frank. we ll be satisfied only with DDR or ALONSO.

thank god i was not here when ballack was here, i would have literally killed people.

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

Despite all that time to pick out his passes, Fernandinho was limited to 77% passing accuracy.

Frank, despite some of the comments on here, matched Rami for passing accuracy, had a team-high number of interceptions and effectively cleared the ball 4 times (to Ramires's 1) despite playing little more than an hour.

It was certainly a dip in his stats compared to the last four matches but in tight games that can happen.

Fenandinho's passing stats are not really relevant as he was the one player in charge of playing through balls, long diagonal passes, etc.

[Jase 43,479]

does every player get the stick on here who plays in the DM role. mikel, then rambo, then luiz and now frank. we ll be satisfied only with DDR or ALONSO.

thank god i was not here when ballack was here, i would have literally killed people.

Lampard has basically been getting stick for playing the pivot since last season..

[Phil Driver 503]

Stats,lies and damn statistics,it seems stats apply to some players more than others on here.

[didierforever 7,349]

Lampard has basically been getting stick for playing the pivot since last season..

not this much. he was good yesterday. he surpassed my expectations by a mile. the comments on here make it sound like he was abysmal. i understand henrique saying it cos he is well.... but even others are critisizing his performance. very unfair, i feel.

[OneMoSalah 8,616]

Despite all that time to pick out his passes, Fernandinho was limited to 77% passing accuracy.

Frank, despite some of the comments on here, matched Rami for passing accuracy, had a team-high number of interceptions and effectively cleared the ball 4 times (to Ramires's 1) despite playing little more than an hour.

It was certainly a dip in his stats compared to the last four matches but in tight games that can happen.

Yes Fernandinho maybe only completed 77% of his passes but his influence in the game grew in the second half, he was controlling the game for most of the second half until about the 75th minute or so when we put much more pressure on them.

[kellzfresh 7,226]

He was fantastic in the first half, he was in the thick of the action. The yellow card made him more cautious and reserved in the second half thats really what happened.

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

I feel he does not belong in that position, that's my gripe, knowing how much better we could be if we had a player made for that role. I wouldn't mind seeing Frank as the AM in a 4-3-3 in some games for example, but not in the pivot in a 4-2-3-1.

I wonder what the people who are saying he was good yesterday would be saying if Hart hadn't given us that early Christmas gift.

To prove I wasn't being unfair when I said he was poor, here are two match ratings from goal.com (yes, I know) and the dailymail:

"The 35-year-old was overwhelmed by the pace of the game and the industry of City's midfield. Tends to look increasingly pedestrian in the marquee matches - and this was no exception. Subbed after 65 minutes."

"Struggled to get into the game and once he was booked early on, he couldn't afford to take any more risks"

[Phil Driver 503]

Some of Lampard's link play and one touch quick passing was fantastic,that is what you need when in posession in that role,Lampards direct opponent was Toure who usually owns us,not this time though.

[Phil Driver 503]

Messiah has done his usual and googled every paper and publication to find one that is negative on Lampard,which paper compared Mikel to Zidane when he came on?

[The only place to be 11,313]

Fenandinho's passing stats are not really relevant as he was the one player in charge of playing through balls, long diagonal passes, etc.

Of the 61 passes he attempted, only 6 were 'long balls' and he completed 4 of those. Which stats were you referring to?

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

Of the 61 passes he attempted, only 6 were 'long balls' and he completed 4 of those. Which stats were you referring to?

None, the basing my opinion on what I saw during the game,

[The_Flash 1,144]

Stats can't tell you the impact that someone has when they are on the park not just how many goals etc they score but mentally, I know when I see Franks name on the team sheet we are fine.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

He is a born winner. Just being there is like a boost for us, along with Mourinho.

[ZOS 580]

Oh frankie frankie frankie .... I'd rather have him as a number 10 than in the pivot anymore... he's so poor right now, its painful :(

[The only place to be 11,313]

None, the basing my opinion on what I saw during the game,

Me too...I'm just using the stats to supplement what I saw.

Maybe you should contact the stats guys and tell them they're wrong.

[Tomo 21,684]

To be honest i can't see why we cannot re-energize the pivot and still keep Lampard beyond the end of the season.

If we get someone like Gundogan or Witsel to be Rami's long term pivot partner, i don't see why Lampard can't stick around in the squad for a couple more years and play the Scholes role within the squad and their will still be enough games for him.

I think if any of our veteran English lads move on next summer it should be Cole while we look at a new long term left back (hopefully Shaw for a variety of reason's).