I'm not a Chelsea fan, but Frank Lampard is one of my top five footballers. I own an England kit with his name on. I wear a SuperFrank shirt, for goodness sake. So just try to imagine my dismay when Lamps limped off during the match against West Ham. People close to me patted me on the head and assured me he'd be back after just a couple weeks. Those people lied. Carlo Ancelotti lied. He looks like a cuddly teddy bear but he flat out lied.
The weeks stretched on and on, with me no longer trusting any news story promising Lampard's return. The pitch seemed less green, the drizzle less grey. I needed to do something to shake myself out of my misery. I needed a focal point. Clearly my club, Aston Villa, weren't going to provide it, as watching them this season brings nothing but grief, and people find it slightly disturbing when a grown woman drools over a wee Scot. Napoli, and particularly Ezequiel Lavezzi, provide the perfect distraction, but alas I cover English footy as well, and need something for early Saturday morning when there are no crazy Italians. And so I found Samir Nasri, or SamiArseTM as I like to call him.
Samir Nasri and Arsenal provide almost the perfect contrast for Frank Lampard and his Blues-except, of course, that they've both lost multiple matches that the clubs were expected to win. But while the injury of Lamps left a gaping midfield hole that no one on Chelsea has managed to step forward and fill, the multiple injuries to Cesc Fàbregas gave SamiArseTM the opportunity to step out and shine. Nasri has proved himself well-suited to the central role, and while his finishing still leaves something to be expected, does anyone really believe that a 23-year-old can be perfect? The Frenchman is creative and stylish, making him quite fun to watch on the pitch, particularly since he has the best arse in all of football. Just don't look too closely at his teeth, ladies (and gentlemen):
But now Lampard is back. And in some ways, he just doesn't compare. While Lamps is steady and dependable, he doesn't have the same creative flair as Nasri. Nasri's career is moving onwards and upwards, while Lamps is likely looking back at his heyday. Yet Chelsea's recent struggles in midfield reveal that clubs shouldn't be so quick to overlook a player of quiet quality in return for a bit of flash. Lampard is a necessary anchor for the Blues, a much-needed rock that possesses the ability to accurately place a pass.
I know it's easy to favor looks over substance. We all chase lustily over that which we drool over. But now's not the time to drop Lampard and Chelsea to switch over to SamiArseTM and the red side of town. Give a dependable relationship a try. You might think stability is boring and overrated, but it's not as though the rear view in this case is anything to sniff at:
Not so boring after all, right? Samir Nasri has a bit more work to do before he convinces me to abandon Lamps.
The weeks stretched on and on, with me no longer trusting any news story promising Lampard's return. The pitch seemed less green, the drizzle less grey. I needed to do something to shake myself out of my misery. I needed a focal point. Clearly my club, Aston Villa, weren't going to provide it, as watching them this season brings nothing but grief, and people find it slightly disturbing when a grown woman drools over a wee Scot. Napoli, and particularly Ezequiel Lavezzi, provide the perfect distraction, but alas I cover English footy as well, and need something for early Saturday morning when there are no crazy Italians. And so I found Samir Nasri, or SamiArseTM as I like to call him.
Samir Nasri and Arsenal provide almost the perfect contrast for Frank Lampard and his Blues-except, of course, that they've both lost multiple matches that the clubs were expected to win. But while the injury of Lamps left a gaping midfield hole that no one on Chelsea has managed to step forward and fill, the multiple injuries to Cesc Fàbregas gave SamiArseTM the opportunity to step out and shine. Nasri has proved himself well-suited to the central role, and while his finishing still leaves something to be expected, does anyone really believe that a 23-year-old can be perfect? The Frenchman is creative and stylish, making him quite fun to watch on the pitch, particularly since he has the best arse in all of football. Just don't look too closely at his teeth, ladies (and gentlemen):
But now Lampard is back. And in some ways, he just doesn't compare. While Lamps is steady and dependable, he doesn't have the same creative flair as Nasri. Nasri's career is moving onwards and upwards, while Lamps is likely looking back at his heyday. Yet Chelsea's recent struggles in midfield reveal that clubs shouldn't be so quick to overlook a player of quiet quality in return for a bit of flash. Lampard is a necessary anchor for the Blues, a much-needed rock that possesses the ability to accurately place a pass.
I know it's easy to favor looks over substance. We all chase lustily over that which we drool over. But now's not the time to drop Lampard and Chelsea to switch over to SamiArseTM and the red side of town. Give a dependable relationship a try. You might think stability is boring and overrated, but it's not as though the rear view in this case is anything to sniff at:
Not so boring after all, right? Samir Nasri has a bit more work to do before he convinces me to abandon Lamps.
