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| Frank Lampard feels Montreal Impact as New York debut ends in defeat | Frank Lampard feels Montreal Impact as New York debut ends in defeat |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| It will go down as one of the most delayed debuts in history. Frank Lampard, a player so good he needed two introductory press conferences, finally made his MLS bow for New York City on Saturday more than 12 months after the former England midfielder was unveiled as the club’s poster boy. | |
| He was thrown into the fray on 70 minutes with his new side 2-1 down yet invigorated after his fellow stellar arrival David Villa provided a lifeline for New York City from the penalty spot. | He was thrown into the fray on 70 minutes with his new side 2-1 down yet invigorated after his fellow stellar arrival David Villa provided a lifeline for New York City from the penalty spot. |
| The defensive deficiencies of his new team-mates, however, ensured Lampard’s long-awaited playing bow here resulted in the kind of head-scratching defeat that characterises soccer on this side of the pond. Oh well, at least he was finally on the pitch in New York at the end of a year-long wait. | The defensive deficiencies of his new team-mates, however, ensured Lampard’s long-awaited playing bow here resulted in the kind of head-scratching defeat that characterises soccer on this side of the pond. Oh well, at least he was finally on the pitch in New York at the end of a year-long wait. |
| “It was a disappointing result,” the former Chelsea player said. “It would have been nice to come on with the team winning. I haven’t trained much but it was good to have my debut. Losing the game takes the gloss of it, though.” | “It was a disappointing result,” the former Chelsea player said. “It would have been nice to come on with the team winning. I haven’t trained much but it was good to have my debut. Losing the game takes the gloss of it, though.” |
| He added: “The calf is OK, I have only trained a couple weeks so I am short of match fitness. That’s why it was important to come on although it was in a difficult situation. It’s important for me now to get my fitness up. I have a long week now until the next game. I will take it easy for a couple days, get some treatment and work hard. Hopefully I can start contributing quickly. The season is going on and we need to win games. It has been frustrating not to play. It’s up to me to put it right, though.” | He added: “The calf is OK, I have only trained a couple weeks so I am short of match fitness. That’s why it was important to come on although it was in a difficult situation. It’s important for me now to get my fitness up. I have a long week now until the next game. I will take it easy for a couple days, get some treatment and work hard. Hopefully I can start contributing quickly. The season is going on and we need to win games. It has been frustrating not to play. It’s up to me to put it right, though.” |
| Lampard, after his season with Manchester City, could be forgiven for being in a rush to impress. His second introduction last month finally signalled his second coming in the Big Apple only for a calf injury to force him to miss another three games. Considering NYC had played 21 matches without the man who was the figurehead for season ticket sales, what is another few 90 minutes in the grand scheme of things? Add in the arrival of the Italian playmaker Andrea Pirlo, whose typically classy, albeit 23-minute, debut against Orlando City last weekend drew gasps of wonder from the ever-excitable, starstruck masses and it became abundantly clear the Englishman in New York’s star had fallen. Results recently have not suffered. Far from it. Since the start of June, City have won five in seven with Villa notching 10 goals from his last nine appearances. Yet now Lampard is finally up and running, the club’s three European stars, who rake in 78% of the wage bill and have a combined age of 106, will finally have the chance to mould a triumvirate to match the best MLS has to offer. | Lampard, after his season with Manchester City, could be forgiven for being in a rush to impress. His second introduction last month finally signalled his second coming in the Big Apple only for a calf injury to force him to miss another three games. Considering NYC had played 21 matches without the man who was the figurehead for season ticket sales, what is another few 90 minutes in the grand scheme of things? Add in the arrival of the Italian playmaker Andrea Pirlo, whose typically classy, albeit 23-minute, debut against Orlando City last weekend drew gasps of wonder from the ever-excitable, starstruck masses and it became abundantly clear the Englishman in New York’s star had fallen. Results recently have not suffered. Far from it. Since the start of June, City have won five in seven with Villa notching 10 goals from his last nine appearances. Yet now Lampard is finally up and running, the club’s three European stars, who rake in 78% of the wage bill and have a combined age of 106, will finally have the chance to mould a triumvirate to match the best MLS has to offer. |
| Pirlo, fresh from an impressive cameo in the win over Kaká and Orlando last weekend, was afforded his first start here, much to the pleasure of another healthy crowd at Yankee Stadium. | Pirlo, fresh from an impressive cameo in the win over Kaká and Orlando last weekend, was afforded his first start here, much to the pleasure of another healthy crowd at Yankee Stadium. |
| The Italian’s touch and awareness was evident from the off, a sweet chipped through ball to Villa classily serving notice of his playmaking intentions.Yet the perennial problem of defending in MLS reared its ugly head on just five minutes. With virtually all teams preferring to occupy their designated player slots with attackers, there is often a notable imbalance when comparing qualities at either end of the pitch. And so it proved on five minutes, the Montreal striker Dominic Oduro easilyrunning on to a Laurent Ciman through-ball which was horrifically dealt with before rolling home with ease. | The Italian’s touch and awareness was evident from the off, a sweet chipped through ball to Villa classily serving notice of his playmaking intentions.Yet the perennial problem of defending in MLS reared its ugly head on just five minutes. With virtually all teams preferring to occupy their designated player slots with attackers, there is often a notable imbalance when comparing qualities at either end of the pitch. And so it proved on five minutes, the Montreal striker Dominic Oduro easilyrunning on to a Laurent Ciman through-ball which was horrifically dealt with before rolling home with ease. |
| How Didier Drogba, Montreal’s new signing who was absent here while he awaits a work visa, will relish the challenge – or lack thereof – of playing in North America. Certainly, the striking similarity of Montreal’s second would have warmed the Ivorian and his new team-mates, Ignacio Piatti running on to Andres Romero’s through-ball to calmly lob Saunders. Coach Jason Kries would have been tempted to introduce Lampard, Chelsea’s all-time record goalscorer, at the interval yet, aware of the 37-year-old’s calf problem, held back, preferring to introduce Mix Diskerud and the lively Kwadwo Poku. | How Didier Drogba, Montreal’s new signing who was absent here while he awaits a work visa, will relish the challenge – or lack thereof – of playing in North America. Certainly, the striking similarity of Montreal’s second would have warmed the Ivorian and his new team-mates, Ignacio Piatti running on to Andres Romero’s through-ball to calmly lob Saunders. Coach Jason Kries would have been tempted to introduce Lampard, Chelsea’s all-time record goalscorer, at the interval yet, aware of the 37-year-old’s calf problem, held back, preferring to introduce Mix Diskerud and the lively Kwadwo Poku. |
| The chants of ‘We want Lampard’ were growing discernibly louder with every woeful pass from a midfield failing to break down a resolute, well organised Montreal side. Their wishes were granted with 20 minutes remaining, just moments after Villa pulled one back from the penalty spot after Thomas McNamara was hauled down in the box. Lampard, however, could only watch on as Piatti extended the lead once more after he was fouled by Saunders. McNamara ensured it was a lively denouement by reducing arrears moments later, yet there was to be no happy ending for New York, or Lampard. | The chants of ‘We want Lampard’ were growing discernibly louder with every woeful pass from a midfield failing to break down a resolute, well organised Montreal side. Their wishes were granted with 20 minutes remaining, just moments after Villa pulled one back from the penalty spot after Thomas McNamara was hauled down in the box. Lampard, however, could only watch on as Piatti extended the lead once more after he was fouled by Saunders. McNamara ensured it was a lively denouement by reducing arrears moments later, yet there was to be no happy ending for New York, or Lampard. |
| Better times, however, surely await. | Better times, however, surely await. |