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Goal.com 50: Frank Lampard (17)
Frank Lampard was the 17th best player of the 2009-10 season, according to a panel of Goal.com experts.
Jul 29, 2010 6:15:00 AM
By Chris Myson
Welcome to the Goal.com 50! In this special series, Goal.com editors worldwide vote for the top 50 players of 2009-10. We count down to the announcement of the winner on August 10th with profiles of each and every player who made it into the top 50...
Frank Lampard was at his brilliant best for Chelsea during the 2009-10 season, playing a massive part in the Blues’ Premier League and FA Cup triumphs.
Despite being in his ninth season at Stamford Bridge, Lampard was still an influential figure, who arguably enjoyed his best individual season for the club as they won the Double for the first time.
The Englishman was irreplaceable for manager Carlo Ancelotti, playing in 36 of the 38 league games and making a total of 51 appearances in all competitions.
A return of 27 goals and 20 assists from those matches highlights his success and made the 32-year-old a certainty for recognition in the Goal.com 50.
The vast majority of strikers in world football would be delighted with a return of 27 goals in a season, so the fact the midfielder has managed such a feat makes it all the more commendable.
After Ancelotti’s arrival at the club, the Italian initially deployed his trademark diamond formation. This led to confusion about what position in the midfield would be right for the former West Ham United player.
Lampard himself seemed unsure, and although he started well at the point of the diamond with goals against Manchester United in the Community Shield and another against Sunderland in game two of the league season, his next club goal did not come until late October in a Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.
The 10-game run without a goal had been one of the longest of Lamps’ Chelsea career, and the relief on his face was clear for everyone to see when he ended the drought.
By this point Lampard was playing on the left of the diamond in Ancelotti’s system, but it wasn’t until that strategy was abandoned when a number of key players travelled to the Africa Cup of Nations that Lampard really came into his own.
With the Blues back in a familiar 4-3-3 system, with Lampard the most attacking of the three midfielders and timing his runs from deep, he scored a brace as Chelsea demolished Sunderland 7-2 and two more goals followed against Birmingham City the following week.
Chelsea’s Champions League last 16 exit to Inter was a massive blow for the club, but with re-focused aims of domestic glory, Lampard’s best game of the season arrived in March.
With Manchester United and Arsenal still in touching distance of the Blues at the top of the table, Ancelotti’s side faced a tricky clash against Aston Villa, who were still very much in the running for a Champions League spot.
You wouldn’t have thought it on the day, though, as Lampard scored four times in a 7-1 Chelsea victory. Buoyed after that result, the 2-1 victory at Old Trafford the following weekend had the Blues in control of the title race as the midfielder enjoyed a rich vein of form.
He scored again against Villa in a 3-0 FA Cup semi-final win at Wembley, before scoring two as his side reached seventh heaven again with a 7-0 trouncing of Stoke.
The decisive 2-0 win at Anfield on the penultimate day of the season effectively secured the title, with Lampard on the scoresheet – before the club’s first Premier League title in four years was confirmed with an amazing 8-0 win over Wigan Athletic on the final day, Lampard again scoring as the Blues broke the 100-goal mark.
After that glorious triumph it was time for the FA Cup final against Portsmouth, and despite a closely fought encounter, the 1-0 win at Wembley gave Lampard his third FA Cup medal as the Blues celebrated their first Double.
Unfortunately for Lampard, his season would end in disappointment as England yet again failed to deliver at a major international tournament.
Lampard played for the Three Lions in all three of their group matches against the United States, Algeria and Slovenia as Fabio Capello’s side struggled to gather any sort of momentum in South Africa.
He was one of the better performers in the humiliating 4-1 last 16 defeat to Germany, which will be remembered for his ‘goal’ with the score at 2-1, which was not given despite clearly crossing the goal-line.
Lampard’s chance to be a World Cup winner during his playing career is now almost certainly gone, but 2009-10 should be a season he looks back on with immense pride.
Click here to follow the Goal.com Twitter feed and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Frank Lampard was at his brilliant best for Chelsea during the 2009-10 season, playing a massive part in the Blues’ Premier League and FA Cup triumphs.
Despite being in his ninth season at Stamford Bridge, Lampard was still an influential figure, who arguably enjoyed his best individual season for the club as they won the Double for the first time.
The Englishman was irreplaceable for manager Carlo Ancelotti, playing in 36 of the 38 league games and making a total of 51 appearances in all competitions.
A return of 27 goals and 20 assists from those matches highlights his success and made the 32-year-old a certainty for recognition in the Goal.com 50.
The vast majority of strikers in world football would be delighted with a return of 27 goals in a season, so the fact the midfielder has managed such a feat makes it all the more commendable.
After Ancelotti’s arrival at the club, the Italian initially deployed his trademark diamond formation. This led to confusion about what position in the midfield would be right for the former West Ham United player.
Lampard himself seemed unsure, and although he started well at the point of the diamond with goals against Manchester United in the Community Shield and another against Sunderland in game two of the league season, his next club goal did not come until late October in a Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.
The 10-game run without a goal had been one of the longest of Lamps’ Chelsea career, and the relief on his face was clear for everyone to see when he ended the drought.
By this point Lampard was playing on the left of the diamond in Ancelotti’s system, but it wasn’t until that strategy was abandoned when a number of key players travelled to the Africa Cup of Nations that Lampard really came into his own.
With the Blues back in a familiar 4-3-3 system, with Lampard the most attacking of the three midfielders and timing his runs from deep, he scored a brace as Chelsea demolished Sunderland 7-2 and two more goals followed against Birmingham City the following week.
Chelsea’s Champions League last 16 exit to Inter was a massive blow for the club, but with re-focused aims of domestic glory, Lampard’s best game of the season arrived in March.
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Frank Lampard
Moment of the Season
 Scoring four goals as Chelsea hammered Champions League contenders Aston Villa 7-1 in March.
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You wouldn’t have thought it on the day, though, as Lampard scored four times in a 7-1 Chelsea victory. Buoyed after that result, the 2-1 victory at Old Trafford the following weekend had the Blues in control of the title race as the midfielder enjoyed a rich vein of form.
He scored again against Villa in a 3-0 FA Cup semi-final win at Wembley, before scoring two as his side reached seventh heaven again with a 7-0 trouncing of Stoke.
The decisive 2-0 win at Anfield on the penultimate day of the season effectively secured the title, with Lampard on the scoresheet – before the club’s first Premier League title in four years was confirmed with an amazing 8-0 win over Wigan Athletic on the final day, Lampard again scoring as the Blues broke the 100-goal mark.
After that glorious triumph it was time for the FA Cup final against Portsmouth, and despite a closely fought encounter, the 1-0 win at Wembley gave Lampard his third FA Cup medal as the Blues celebrated their first Double.
Unfortunately for Lampard, his season would end in disappointment as England yet again failed to deliver at a major international tournament.
Lampard played for the Three Lions in all three of their group matches against the United States, Algeria and Slovenia as Fabio Capello’s side struggled to gather any sort of momentum in South Africa.
He was one of the better performers in the humiliating 4-1 last 16 defeat to Germany, which will be remembered for his ‘goal’ with the score at 2-1, which was not given despite clearly crossing the goal-line.
Lampard’s chance to be a World Cup winner during his playing career is now almost certainly gone, but 2009-10 should be a season he looks back on with immense pride.
Click here to follow the Goal.com Twitter feed and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
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