Fabio Capello is set to start both Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard for England's qualifier against Kazakhstan. The Stevie-G and Lamps midfield combo has been the subject of debate for years, with many questioning whether the two can co-exist effectively in the middle of the park.
The argument is that the Liverpool captain and the Chelsea dynamo play the same game, and have struggled to deliver the goods when paired together.
The majority of England fans have preferred Gerrard in the past, ever since the Huyton-born midfielder broke into England side in 2000.
However, public opinion seems to favour Lampard in recent months. The Chelsea midfielder, once booed by his countrymen, has had a renaissance for the Three Lions. The former West Ham apprentice was a pillar of strength against Croatia in the absence of Gerrard, producing a fine display in England's 4-1 victory in Zagreb.
Gerrard is now fully fit for England, and it is reported that Capello will field both midfield maestros against European rivals Kazakhstan.
As both are in the attacking mould, it seems that England's Italian tactician will add some steel to the midfield by starting another player in the middle.
Owen Hargreaves' struggle for fitness means Capello will have to play Gareth Barry as England's holding midfielder. The Aston Villa skipper has complemented both Gerrard and Lampard well in the past, though he has not played with both at once.
Capello may, like every manager that's managed Stevie-G, start the Liverpool man on the flanks or ‘in the hole'. The 28-year-old has, in the past, publicly shown his ire when being played out of position more than once; believing that this shuffling affects his performance for England.
But recent developments would suggest that Gerrard is finally coming to terms with his role for England, and with Joe Cole out though injury, he may start on the left against the Kazakhs, leaving Lampard and Barry to man the middle.
Capello, to his credit, has arranged for a scrimmage on Thursday, which he will use to evaluate how to best use the Gerrard-Lampard-Barry combination before his date with Wembly.
espnstar.com/football/world-cup/news
Tags:
No comments:
Post a Comment