Article: Lampard earns upgrade from bit-player to key role

THE England midfield has been reconfigured so many times around Frank Lampard over the past 16 months that one more tactical flourish by Sven-Goran Eriksson, one more tinker with the formula, is hardly likely to faze the Chelsea man. The left, the centre, the diamond, the flat four or 10 men behind the ball - it only seems a matter of time before England have to build a midfield that fits Lampard's requirements.

If Lampard has to line up on the left in an ad hoc midfield of three against Wales today, the change should not be a problem. Count up the central midfield partners that Lampard has accompanied through his effortless rise to seniority in England ranks - Steven Gerrard, Nicky Butt, ...

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