VIDEO: Sunday Supplement - Lambert has the skills to deal with international football - http://www1.skysports.com/watch/tv-...amptons-rickie-lambert-deserves-england-place
Indeed. I think there was more appreciative talk about Lampard's layoff to Gerard. Rickie provided two killer passes against Moldova. He saw those passes, and I'm not 100% sure our England midfield generals would have, because they often play too complicated a game. To quote an old saying, football is not rocket-science. Rickie plays it as simply or as complicated as it needs to be to get goals. It's no wonder the more open pundits are beginning to see his wider game. Incidentally, I'm beginning to give co-commentator/pundit Andy Townsend a more favourable view. All of his comments about Rickie, during both the Scotland and Moldova matches, were spot on. He has obviously seen Lambert play several times, because he also talked about Rickie having a picture of the game in his head and knowing where all the players are around him, and that he is a clever player. That's a very good description of one of Rickie's non-obvious attributes, and can only come from watching him play a lot. So well done Townsend.
One of those Lambert video interviews made me grin. Rickie said about Welbeck's first goal that the pass wasn't spot-on but Danny made it his own. Not spot-on..? Crikey, I would have liked to have seen how he might have played it better..? In that situation, that was the pass the play, and he played it within a foot or two of where it was most effective.
T'was slightly frustrating that some of Rickie's play wasn't as drooled over as it would have been if it had of come at the hands of a Rooney or a Gerrard, both his assists and a lovely backheel flick to Baines would have been met with awe if provided by others but only light praise as they came from Rickie. Am nervous for the Ukraine game, he's been excellent so far but this is his 'make or break'.
It's win:win for saints: either he scores, we win and he returns a hero, or we lose, Rickie gets the blame in the media and his international career comes to an abrupt end an he returns to Saints OUR hero, never to be risked again.
Well it's the same old situation isn't it. The occasional magical thing might happen in a League One or Two game, and although everyone involved goes wild the news doesn't get out. So much so that nowadays you'll actually hear commentators say something like... if that had been Rooney or [insert celebrity player name] they [whoever they are] would be talking about it for weeks..! And it's absolutely and unfortunately true. Once a player becomes a celebrity, every move they make, on/off the pitch is talked about, because the conversation is no longer confined to a section of football public, but to all of the football viewing public AND the wider population who enjoy talking about football, sport and celebrity. That's a lot of people for a story to go round and round with. If Rickie starts to become an automatic pick for the England squad, and occasionally produce a little bit of magic in matches, his profile will rise even further than it already has done. Then we'll see a difference. Mind you, it already is a bit different.
Rickie's success for England is good for Saints. He has scored two goals...his confidence must be sky high. England have played our striker into form.
Just to add to that thing about magical stuff happening in the lower divisions, I saw a compilation of some of Rickie's Bristol Rovers goals this morning, and some of them were fantastic. There was one where he was about 35-40 yards out from goal and someone had booted the ball Rugby Union style into the air, and it came down with snow on it. Rickie watched it and volleyed it perfectly into the goal. An astonishing strike, and one I'd never seen before and never heard of. It it had been a Premier League goal we'd all be able to refer to it with complete familiarity.
Yeah that goal was amazing [video=youtube;T3r_a377MaU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3r_a377MaU[/video] He scored a very nice volley for us in this video at 2:27 (vs MK Dons) [video=youtube;JI6qLZdJmvI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI6qLZdJmvI[/video]
Yep, that's the one. Forget whatever league that is, that is a truly fantastic goal. Thanks for finding it, Leg#7.
It's unfair that he is still being very much judged for the club he plays for. He's going to have to string together a series of impressive performances without firing blanks to benefit from some slack. The likes of Wellbeck, Rooney (especially) and Sturridge will be afforded off games. Lambert won't for sure. For the foreseeable future, once the missing default strikers are eligible or fit they'll be first choice. One thing is for sure, Lambert over most other players won't change his approach and attitude just because it's 'Ukraine away in their hostile stadium'. If he can score against the best centre back partnerships in the Premiership there is no reason why he can't get past the likes of Feditskiy.
It's an interesting juxtaposition to his saints career where he can pretty much do no wrong. He has been far from his best this season, but Rickie has earned the benefit of the doubt which would not be given to a Ramirez or Davis. S. Its going to be whole new experience traveling abroad for a competitive match, but I'd rather a 30 year old taking it on than the latest teenage sensation.
I love this thread and I loved watching Rickie's wonder goal against Luton again! He is quite simply a marvellous footballer and person. Signed my son's Rovers shirt and always took time to stop and talk to the fans. Couldn't have gone to a better club when we sold him to you guys. Rickie Lambert: nurtured at Bristol Rovers, matured at Southampton.
