Lampard's run puts pressure on Scholes

Ranieri has encouraged Lampard to flourish in the areas where he does most damage. Eriksson has yet to reward Lampard with the same responsibility, preferring the Gerrard-Scholes combination.

Lampard is uncomfortable wide on the left and would be most effective for England in the Scholes role, supporting the front two and attacking from deep.

His 12 club goals this season suggest he's turned this into something of an art form, just as David Platt and Bryan Robson did. Platt scored 27 for England and Robson 26 and Lampard showed what he could do when he came on as a substitute and scored superbly in the 3-1 win over Croatia in August.

To accommodate him in this role, though, Eriksson would have to consider leaving out Scholes.

The Manchester United player can no longer be considered a regular England goalscorer. He has 13 goals to his name but the last of those came in 2001. Now, surely, Eriksson must give serious consideration to Lampard especially as England will face France - and Vieira - in the opening Euro tie.

Young Lampard has no sterner critic than his father, Frank, who watched Chelsea's 2-1 win over Arsenal. Frank senior said: "I know I'm biased, but there's not a lot of daylight now between him and Vieira is there?"

Frank senior was assistant manager at West Ham when his boy was starting his career.

"When he was a kid there I suggested he invest in a pair of spiked running shoes and work on his sprinting," recalled Frank senior. "When he got his spikes he used to wait for training to end and the others to leave because I think he felt a bit embarrassed. Then I'd look out of the window and see this little speck in the distance going through his running.

"He's a very determined boy but also intelligent. He understands what is needed to be a success."