England v Switzerland: weary Jack Wilshere lights up Wembley Stadium but Frank Lampard's time might just be up
If Jack Wilshere was in danger of burnout, then Frank Lampard was completely spent. This was a game too far for the 32 year-old who suffered the ignominy of being withdrawn at half-time.
Class act: England's Jack Wilshere dances through the Swiss defence Photo: GETTY IMAGES
7:48PM BST 04 Jun 2011
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A summer, well four weeks, to recharge the batteries will also come with the fear that his England career is at a crossroads and the direction he is in danger of taking is not one he thought he would have to consider just yet.
It is too strong to claim that Lampard’s international career is over but, certainly, a player who has been an automatic choice cannot, really, be sure for how much longer he will figure.
The doubts are growing. The return of Steven Gerrard will add further pressure, the claim by Capello that Ashley Young’s best position is in the centre of midfield will heighten it further.
But, above all, the emergence of Wilshere – the cornerstone of this England midfield, and team, so immense is his talent – provides the most compelling evidence.
Lampard’s season has been hamstrung by injury but he is a determined enough figure and has defied the doubters before, although he will not prolong his England career if he is consigned to being merely a squad member.
With Chelsea set to restock, too, it may be that sooner, rather than later, Lampard bows out for his country.
He was a passenger for 45 minutes here – his contribution being to drill home the penalty earned by Wilshere. But even that was not a true strike and the Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio was unlucky not to block it.
In play, Lampard was sluggish with the trickier, quicker Swiss midfielders bypassing him while Wilshere was caught out trying to provide the support for Darren Bent rather than, as he did after the interval, surging from deep.
In one moment, Wilshere was caught remonstrating with arms outstretched as Valon Behrami gained possession on the England 'D’ and Lampard stood watching.
Capello had complained about a lack of energy and Lampard’s levels appeared the lowest. There was no standing on ceremony, and Lampard was the one departing.
Wilshere was sluggish also and this match – the 60th of his first full season – provided so much to back up Arsène Wenger’s claim that the most talented player England have produced since Paul Gascoigne is in danger of running himself into the ground.
Thank goodness that he is only going to the European Under-21 Championships as a spectator.
Wilshere himself insists he has enjoyed being such a key figure this season. “It has been a crazy year,” he said. “It started with me going on loan to Bolton – I have played 60 games this year. But I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
"Next season I want to carry on the performances for my club.”
When asked whether he was as tired as he appeared, he admitted: “At the end I was probably a bit tired and it showed – for the first 70 minutes I was fine, though. Now it’s about next season, there’s a big tournament at the end of it and I need to be ready for it.”
Avoiding lethargy is the eternal conundrum. Capello had been pilloried for his pre-World Cup training camp in Austria last year so in preparation for this game they were given a week off. And looked well off the pace.
England also missed Wayne Rooney. Wilshere had no worries about taking Rooney’s No10 shirt – and he should have such belief. Rooney was absent because of suspension and England lacked his running power and creativity.
England’s shape was much-improved with Young’s introduction and Lampard’s departure. Wilshere was pulled back alongside Scott Parker and it was more of a 4-2-3-1 formation which better suited the personnel with, finally, some pace closer to the isolated Bent.
It also meant that Wilshere wasn’t being asked to do the running he had done earlier on and could collect possession in deeper areas.
As a result he surged forward to gain the throw-in from which Leighton Baines cleverly teed up Young for England’s equaliser. It was a good decision to bring on Young – it would have been a better one to have started with him.
There was a caution for Wilshere for a reckless lunge after John Terry’s wild pass infield, but then he cleverly released Bent for what should have been England’s third goal with a well-weighted pass.
His influence was growing, while Young provided a cutting edge, setting up Bent with a chance the Aston Villa man could only balloon over.
That could prove very costly. Those wasted chances again raised questions over Bent’s ability at this level, while the debate will now begin over whether Lampard can justify an automatic start.
There are no such doubts over Wilshere, though, tired or otherwise. He is clearly England’s present as well as its future.
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