"errrrrrrrmmmmm, errrrrrrrrrrrm, I'm confused as I'm scouse but deh kept picking me for Scotland like"
That's the first time I've seen the Echo for years & years. Think they had "traffic chaos" in the headline back then as well.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23720112# "I think there's a choice for that type of player between Andy and Rickie," said Allardyce. "It's going to be a challenge this season on who's the best of the two." No contest!
This shows how Rickie's profile has risen. Carroll (with his ridiculous price tag) is assumed by outsiders to be a better player than SRL, but now doubt is setting in. Fair play to Allardyce for acknowledging this.
Chap doing paper review on Sky has just said that Rickie Lambert should be held up as an example to youngsters setting out in football today. Work hard and you can achieve your dream. Said Lambert did what he was supposed to do...score a goal...when Rooney couldn't. Finished with a hope that he would get to Brazil. My view: Rooney and Lambert are different players. It helped that Rickie was an unknown quantity and came on when Scotland were flagging, but there's a place in a team for a player like that. A natural goalscorer who doesn't need to play himself in...he can come on and grab you that winning goal (as shown in our opening game last season). Keep scoring for Saints and he should be in the next squad at least.
Yep, Rooney and Lambert are completely different players. I think Rooney has a better technique and is more likely to produce that 'moment of magic' (although not recently and I don't understand why he is still seen as England's best striker). Although I do feel Lambert is more of a team player. One of the best comments I read recently is that England are currently playing with two wide men (Welbeck and Walcott) plus two attacking full backs but do not have a target man. As Lambert is very strong in the box surely he can fit into that system, perhaps with Rooney playing behind/alongside him. Not too sure how you work out the midfield with that formation though (perhaps a 4-2-3-1 a la Saints!). I think he has impressed the England set up and clearly they realise that if they give him the opportunity he will apply himself fully!
There will be a focus from the media on him in the 1st few games. Thinking about Lambert as a footballer more recently I believe it's a lack of the spectacular which has pushed him under the radar. He has a great touch and control, but his feet don't dance and he won't wow a crowd with a neat trick like Lallana or a Zaha. No Pace, space is found with clever movement. Unlike Walcott or Jay Rod the crowd won't be cheering him chasing down a defender in a foot race. Spectacular goals - he takes a great free kick and strikes the ball brilliantly, but those goals which catch the eye are like a bale or Rooney who cut inside and curl one into the far corner. A goal out of nothing as they say. Heading - This is probably the attribute that stands out the most. Brave, strong and clever. Rickie is great in the air but he is not freakishly tall or possess a massive leap. Watching Carroll and you think that the one on one contest with the centre half is the be all and end all for him. Rickie will compete but he knows the war is more important than the battle. Passing - control, look up, pass and more often than not beautifully weighted. He is not in a position to hit Gerrard and Schneiderlin esq 60 yard passes, but he'll make the right pass without any fanfare. To summarize Lambert is a footballer who plays with an efficiency the Germans would be proud of. Nothing is done for show, energy is not wasted and the technique is flawless. Teddy Sheringham is the most recent English player who you can draw a comparison too.
One pundit did compare Lambert with Sheringham. I think Rickie is admired more by his peers than by fans (apart from his own) or the media. Roy Hodgson remarked what an intelligent and talented player he is...good that he has had a chance to see him close up. I hope he gets a second chance....perhaps Nicola could take out contracts on Sturridge and Carroll. Southampton and Lambert are a marriage made in heaven. Saints were a big club down on their luck until Markus and Nicola arrived. We would have found it very hard to attract top quality strikers to League 1 whatever money we paid. Meanwhile, Rickie was a player with huge talent who for various reasons (fitness/bad luck) was playing in a league below his talents. We gave him the chance to get really fit and achieve his potential and he seized his opportunity. He repaid our faith and Saints and Rickie rose up the leagues in tandem. Not discounting the contribution of the other players, but this is Rickie's story
Here's a really interesting view on Lambert's apparent rival, Andy Carroll, and West Ham's tactics: http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/1683?cc=5739 Excerpt:
Here's a nice piece about Rickie's family and friends travelling down from Liverpool for the match: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/family-reveal-pride-after-merseyside-5739601 They're almost as proud of him as we are!
DAILY MAIL: Rickie Lambert - a real hero! - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...erfect-antidote-selfish-modern-superstar.html
Theo Walcott: "He's the nicest guy and has worked so hard from all the levels upwards and deserves this moment without a doubt. "It was an absolute bullet header. I blinked so I didn't see it go in, but it shows he has that difference that will help us I think. This qualification people won't expect that."
I don't know if this has been posted before http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/te...is-head-again-and-quit-while-he-is-ahead.html but it is the responses that are the most interesting thing.
