‘Gerrard-Lampard won’t work’

ALGERIA’s former Portsmouth midfielder Hassan Yebda says he had witnessed first-hand how England pair Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard fail to reproduce their club form for their country.

Yebda, who was on loan at Fratton Park from Benfica last season, was one of the more impressive players on the pitch in Friday’s goalless draw in Cape Town.

Indeed, the 26-year-old outshone his more recognisable counterparts in a sprightly and industrious performance.

And he can see there is a clear difference between the Gerrard and Lampard of Liverpool and Chelsea and the same players when wearing England shirts.

Yebda said: “Everyone knows Lampard is not the same player in Chelsea and with England. I felt that in the match, I agree.

“I don’t know, maybe it’s because Gerrard and Lampard have the same style, they can’t play together. That’s what I can tell you.”

He added: “They play at a very different level and I don’t know why. Ask Fabio Capello.

“If they win third game they can do something though.”

As for his own side’s performance, which followed the narrow defeat by Slovenia and that precedes their final group game against the United States, Yebda said: “We played against a big team and big players for England but we did well, we did a good job.

“We have good players also, so we deserved that point.

“For Algeria first of all we had to show good football and I think we did a good job.

“We’re going to try our best to win against United States.

“They have a good team, good players, so it will be very difficult for them and us.”