The Underestimated Midfielder: Frank Lampard

A three-time Chelsea Player of the Year, Lampard is the club's second highest all-time goalscorer with 201 goals in all competitions. Lampard is one of seven players, and the only midfielder, to have scored 150 or more goals in the Premier League. He is second in the Premier League's all-time assists table with 91 assists. He has had over 1400 successful passes and 10 or more assists every season. In 2005, Lampard was voted FWA Footballer of the Year and was runner-up in both the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or. In 2010 he received the FWA Tribute Award. On 23 December 2009, he was named the Premier League's player of the decade by official statistics.

From his début, he was ever-present in the Chelsea first team, setting a record 164 consecutive Premier League appearances. He established himself as a prolific scorer at the west London club and was a key part of the sides which won back-to-back Premier League titles in 2004–05 and 2005–06 and a domestic cup double in 2007. He signed a new contract in 2008, becoming the highest-paid Premier League footballer at that time, and scored in his first Champions League Final that year. He won a second FA Cup winners' medal in 2009, scoring the winning goal in the final. In the 2009–10 season, Lampard won the Premier League title and the FA Cup (domestic cup double) and had his most prolific season with Chelsea, scoring 22 league goals and 17 league assists. In the 2011–12 season, Lampard captained Chelsea to their first UEFA Champions League title.

Lampard has proven over many years that he is class act anywhere on the pitch alongside anyone. Many point to Claude Makelele as the vital player that delivered Chelsea back to back EPL titles (2004-2005) as he was the outstanding enforcer in Chelseas midfield under Mourinho. Therefore Lampard's ability to score and create became a lot easier as his defensive responsibilities were reduced as Makelele was such a fine defensive anchorman. His departure and Manchester United's subsequent dominance was seen as a strong sign of Makelele’s immense influence. Frank Lampard has been able to overcome the loss of Makelele by going on to claim 3 more FA cups, an EPL title and Champions League title.

The closest comparison to Frank Lampard is Steven Gerrard. First lets look at the trophy haul for each player:


Gerrard won the Ballon d’Or Bronze award and was voted as England’s Player of the year twice. Gerrard has won 1 UEFA Champions League trophy, 2 FA Cups, 3 League Cups and 2 UEFA Super Cups in his illustrious career.


Lampard won the Ballon d’Or Silver award in 2005 and was voted England’s player of the year twice. Lampard has 3 EPL titles, 4 FA Cups, 2 League Cups and 1 UEFA Champions League trophy under his belt.

*Premier League statistics thru 01/13/2012

All Hail Frank Lampard – king of the goalscoring midfielders. He’s got more goals, more assists, and more against the Top 6 with a very impressive 24 goals compared to Gerrard’s 14. He is durable and can be relied on to play more games each season. If you don't believe me, Sir Alex Ferguson recently admitted "regret" in not signing Lampard as a young player while he was at West Ham. Whereas Ferguson rejected Steven Gerrard after a TRIAL at Manchester United, which led him to sign with Liverpool.


While Lampard may not be the pure technical talent that soccer purists adore but his work ethic, great timing, vision and winning mentality has been a huge coup for Chelsea. At the end of their career players are measured by statistics and trophies, Chelsea's trophy haul throughout his career and his total goal/assist tally (201/114) has catapulted the club to unseen heights during Lampard's tenure.