Really depends what you are looking for in a player. There are too many variables for there to be a single best. RE: the guys you mentioned.
Lampard - overrated. His goal scoring record seems impressive, but he wasted 3 shots for every 1 he spammed into the back of the net. Good, but no where near the quality of the others.
Gerrard - great player, master of the through-ball and a fairly mighty shot, but his real value came as a “force multiplier”. He made the players around him better. He kept heads up allowing some amazing comebacks. If you are looking for overall contribution he probably nicks it, but if you are looking purely at their individual abilities there are a few contenders that squeeze past him.
Scholes - a lot of people’s choice and def a contender. Tenacious and a good footballing brain. Think a lot of those good decisions maybe held him back from more outright displays of individual brilliance that he was capable of for safer plays. Also maybe slightly flattered by the team around him (though maybe more impressive being especially noteworthy amongst such talent).
All three played at least 15 seasons, and were consistently good or better which sets them apart from most other candidates.
KDB - playmaker extraordinaire. Some times conjures goals out of nowhere whether for himself or his team mates. Don’t think he has the defensive chops to be talked about as the greatest though.
KDB however hasn’t had the same time in the league as the others you mentioned. When you start taking out longevity (in EPL) you have to consider Viera and maybe Makalele. I’d also strongly argue that Xabi Alonso would be a seriously strong contender, though some might consider him more a CDM than CM if they were looking to split hairs.
Really depends what you are looking for in a player. There are too many variables for there to be a single best. RE: the guys you mentioned.
Lampard - overrated. His goal scoring record seems impressive, but he wasted 3 shots for every 1 he spammed into the back of the net. Good, but no where near the quality of the others.
Gerrard - great player, master of the through-ball and a fairly mighty shot, but his real value came as a “force multiplier”. He made the players around him better. He kept heads up allowing some amazing comebacks. If you are looking for overall contribution he probably nicks it, but if you are looking purely at their individual abilities there are a few contenders that squeeze past him.
Scholes - a lot of people’s choice and def a contender. Tenacious and a good footballing brain. Think a lot of those good decisions maybe held him back from more outright displays of individual brilliance that he was capable of for safer plays. Also maybe slightly flattered by the team around him (though maybe more impressive being especially noteworthy amongst such talent).
All three played at least 15 seasons, and were consistently good or better which sets them apart from most other candidates.
KDB - playmaker extraordinaire. Some times conjures goals out of nowhere whether for himself or his team mates. Don’t think he has the defensive chops to be talked about as the greatest though.
KDB however hasn’t had the same time in the league as the others you mentioned. When you start taking out longevity (in EPL) you have to consider Viera and maybe Makalele. I’d also strongly argue that Xabi Alonso would be a seriously strong contender, though some might consider him more a CDM than CM if they were looking to split hairs.