Well to defend Lambert look at it this way. Last season he played 37 games in the league, played two England games before the season was over, add the cup competitions onto that and he played over forty games last season. He then went to the World Cup where you get little rest between finishing the season and starting the new one. He then wanted to come back because he didn't feel fit enough, could that be mistaken for fatigue? I go to the gym a lot and consider myself athletic but if Ive done a twelve hour shift before going to the gym, I'm tired when im there. Imagine playing a over forty games at 31 years old, coming back a week earlier and obviously trying to work hard to resolve the issue. Now with him working harder to get fit he could be doing himself no good if fatigue is actually the issue. Just a thought.
Never wanted Lambert but was ready to be proved worn. I haven't been. It's looking like he should be the Carling Cup option. We ****ed up big time buying strikers over the summer.
Uncle Kolo and uncle Ricky, along with papa Stevie are the moral spine of the team. Some appreciation there folks. It's an understated role, but necessary with all our fledglings wanting to strut their feathers like it's nobody's business. And I'd include BR's youthful alter ego in the latter category too.
And what would the carers who help them up the stairs and carefully watch them when around trip and fall hazards at Melwood and Anfield do if we got rid of all of them.
Looking back at last season stats - Lambert 13th top scorer in the PL with 13, Lalalalalalallana 19th with 9. They're the figures the club knew they were getting when they sorted the deals so that must be the base level we're wanting from them. Aguero 'only' got 17 and look how highly he is regarded. We're 5 games in so plenty of games left for these players to meet the base targets. However attitude, mentality and pressure are other considerations that can't be accounted for on paper. @Rubbersoul - I know what you mean about fatigue and the gym. The tiredness that comes from working, doing a job that isn't sport or exercise based is different to the kind of positive tiredness you get when just exercising as that releases endorphins and has a beneficial effect all around, whereas a desk job say is sedentary and has other non-beneficial stresses. When I come out of the gym or have played sport I feel tired yeah, but energised. After work I sometimes just feel beat up and want to sleep. In short I don't think his excuse of doing too much of a sport is actually an excuse. Especially considering the expert teams he has around him.
Agreed. More concerned by the Markovic situation the Lambert, but what is baffling is that for Soton and England lambert could drop deep and still influence play with fine passing from either feet. Now he just slows play up or stops it completely by woeful control. I cannot believe he's lost his ability to control and pass a ball in six months. AND, he doesn't seem to rough-up centre backs any more (totally legitimate, in my book), thus creating fear, confusion and space for stealth players like Raheem, Studge Coutinho. Sad thing is, with Studge out this was the time we needed him, and if he wasn't fit - why? Over 30's shouldn't be straining themselves with extra, extra fitness regimes either - they'll just get tendon and soft-tissue injuries themselves. Play him in the derby, but if he can't cut the mustard now, well, sadly, he probably never will.
Lambert wasn't even supposed to be our main striker last season but osvaldo turned out to be a complete Cock, will always be a legend in saints eyes, his goals dragged us up from league 1. It completes his fairytale but I kinda think he was a make weight to get more money as we had to give 25% of Lallanas fee to Bournemouth, from my point if you forget the story it's a very odd transfer for a champs league team to by a 31 year old who hasn't been prolific in the prem
P The story needs to be included imo, if he was Scottish or from London we wouldn't even consider him. He's a guy who came from the bottom and basically helped Southampton yo what they are now and we've given him the chance to finally complete his dream.
Liverpool's performances so far just illustrate how brilliant a player Suarez is. Where do you go to replace such an awesome talent??? You could scour all of Europe and come up with maybe Muller, Messi, Ronaldo, who are in the same class. So whoever you signed would be a downgrade on Suarez. If only there was a modern day "King Kenny"in the game somewhere in the UK and then you might be halfway to replacing the irreplaceable. My club Southampton have managed to replace Lallana, Lambert, Lovren, Shaw and Chambers with similar type players in terms of quality, maybe they are an improvement. Suarez is in the elite company and very hard to replace as you are finding out. Good luck though, and I have said this before. you will do brilliantly in this season's ECL. Arsenal and City won't!!
I firmly believe this and I've said as much over the last few days. However, I think we'd be a better team with Lambert playing instead of Balotelli.
