Our strikers are limping towards the end of season. Tadanari out. Connolly injured (?). Lambert not fully fit. Barnard lacking match practice. Guly and Lallana not scoring like they were. It's time to get behind Billy. He is a proven striker and most will miss penalties sometimes (apart from St Ricky, obviously). This isn't the time to put pressure on our remaining fit striker by moaning and groaning if all doesn't go to plan. Time to start a love in for Billy.
Too true Fran. Billy strikes me as a confidence player and ewe all need to get behind hi. He could do a massive job for us in these last few games!
When I first read about him, I thought, he's a confidence player. I think the pressure has slightly got to Sharp. I know it's early days and so I'm not saying it firmly, but I think playing for Doncaster Rovers was something he was used to and could handle, being in familiar surroundings and people. However, I think the pressure of having to deliver for Saints may be being a burden and it might have sapped his confidence. Plus, there is that other nagging doubt which I don't think is out of the way. We know he and his partner lost their two day old child, just a few months ago, and I don't think Sharp has got through the raw grief of it yet. There is a sadness about him that I don't think is the ordinary person. Others might say, of course he isn't through it, that's so obvious it doesn't need mentioning, and still more might just say he's just out of form or basically rubbish anyway. Sadness from grief affects form almost like nothing else, whatever profession you're in. Whatever people think of Sharp, I think it is time to put aside any feelings about his form and ability, and just cheer him on. Besides, I believe he'll come good, but he needs time.
Nigel said that Lambert should be back for Saturday. I really hope so. If he plays, my money is on him to score.
He scored two against Doncaster...he's got the monkey off his back. Time for fans to chant his name, whatever happens. He will be important to us in the run in and, after a whole preseason with Saints, will be important for us next season.
spot on I did read somewhere that when he joined us that he wasnt in as good a shape as the saints squad, Adkins has said he is working hard behind the scenes and i hope he gets amongst the goals over the weekend
He is a good player with a natural aversion to running away from where the goal is ... quite important in a striker. I remember when Ruud Gullit first came to the Premier League and was interviewed during Euro 96. He was talking about top British strikers and he said that he didn't understand why British fans expected the striker to run so much. particularly into the corners and channels. His view was that if the striker was there, then he would be away from the goal and not scoring. If you watch Billy, he naturally moves between the width of the goal and then gets uncomfortable when he goes beyond the width of the six yard box. His territory is where the goal is. As a one-time striker, I was always taught to make runs into the channels/off the CB/drop deep and when I was young and fit, I'd do that and score less goals. As I got older, less fit, a little heavier and maybe wiser, I moved around less .... that's when I'd score 20+ goals in a season at a decent level. I'd have many a discussion with my boss and team mates about it, becasue it is selfish and doesn't always help the team during build up play etc, however I always said that the best help I could give was sticking it in the net from about 8 yards. It is about a little sacrifice. I'd sacrifice some great play and running from Billy for a few goals between now and April 28th.
Billy is more of a goalhanger, whereas I think Lambert would play in goal if he could. There's a place in the game for both types of player, but if Billy is the main striker we need Richardson back for those lovely balls into the box.
ok, ok. 6 words where I wrote a paragraph to say the same thing. Tut! Stop making the game sound so simple Fran, or we'll have to campaign agaisnt women being allowed to watch!
