Actually, they are as dissimilar as two dissimilar peas in different pods. Carroll is a big lump, with not a great deal of balance and technical skill. He does have an almighty presence and rock hard head though. Lambert is slightly less in those departments. Less of a presence and his head is more cultured. But he is also an all-round player capable of so many things I won't bother to name them. Carroll may be the closest thing to Lambert, but he isn't close.
Roy will pick one or the other I suspect, but I never said they where similar players in terms of their skill set, just if Carroll finds form he is a favourite of Roys.
Lambert said much the same anyway he is the player he views as his biggest threat but hopefully it will be a non starter anyway as Carroll is too busy having a fight with the treatment table!
I do agree that it's likely an either/or, barring other injuries. More than a goal, I'd like to see Lambert pick up an assist in one of these friendlies in his usual style -- dropping deeper and playing a ball through to one of England's many pacey wide players -- to show exactly what he can do that Carroll cannot.
I wonder, if England get a penalty at any stage, whether Rickie might just mention to Messrs. Lampard, Rooney, and Gerrard just how good his record from the spot actually is?
Carroll's goal in the last Euros was an exceptional header and I also think he is actually quite technically good, however you are right he cannot drop deep like Lambert, the problem is that England want Rooney to do that while Carroll is the only one who is an out and out target man (I though Welbeck might develop into one but he has not). On current standings you would be mad to pick Carroll but I guess you could argue he offers something different which none of the others offer.
I just have a horrible fear that Lambert could be doomed to take a penalty in a shoot out and miss :s.
I can hear it now: Commentator: "Rickie Lambert steps up to take the penalty that will propel England to the World Cup Final; 40 out of 40 for Southampton (by then!). Surely England have reached their second ever World Cup final...We can all look as he never misses...." What happens next?.....! No 7
He has missed: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Lambert-s-penalty-miss-proves-costly-Bristol-Rovers/story-11273000-detail/story.html Just not (yet) for us. Interestingly, not so Cleverley played in that game I believe.
2!!!! I think we should give someone else a go now...too unreliable. (please I hope I haven't jinxed him.....)
AH that,s great so he has not got a 100% record to defend so he has already missed the one that everyone misses in their career.
So what with Lambert having missed one [or two..?], I think that only leaves David Peach and James Beattie as 100%-ters throughout their league careers. Once again, shoot me down as that was just an informed guess.