Super Frank Lampard left Chelsea's match against West Ham after missing a penalty and breaking down in tears. Turns out the midfielder had a hernia, but Carlo Ancelotti assured the world that it was a minor issue, and that Lampard would return to the pitch within two weeks.
Four months later and Lamps is finally back with the Blues. He's played in six games since his return and finally netted in open play, scoring two in Chelsea's 7-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town in their FA Cup tie. And while Chelsea fans may have been hoping that the return of one of their stars would pull them out of the doldrums and into the title race, it seems Lampard might not have that sort of strength.
Turns out, in fact, that Frank will never fully recover from his injury. He trained too hard, too soon after the hernia operation, which resulted in a tendon torn from a bone near his pelvis. Lampard noted:
I've got to try and keep it strong because I've got a weakness there. My tendon came off the bone and it doesn't go back, you just have to stay very strong in that area.
So...let's wrap our heads around this. Frank Lampard has a permanent injury in his groin, which will need to be kept as strong as possible in order for his playing career to continue.
This man:
is hurting
right here:
and he needs to both nurse this injury and keep it as strong as possible.
Christine Bleakley, you're about to be replaced.
That is, if John Terry doesn't beat me to it. He does, after all, have a bit of a head start.