Internationals.

[fran-MLs little camera]

If Lambert was called up, he wouldn't regard any friendly as meaningless...would be a well deserved pinnacle of his career.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Lambert is in much better form than Welbeck but I wouldn't be surprised to see him picked ahead of Sir Rickie purely because of the team he plays for.

His pace might also have something to do with it.

 

[Itchen North Matt]

If Lambert was called up, he wouldn't regard any friendly as meaningless...would be a well deserved pinnacle of his career.

Not to him, but it would be meaningless for Roy Hodgson. The bloke has a difficult enough job as it is without handing out token caps.

 

[Joe!]

Lallana when fully fit is the only one. Shaw is rightfully behind Cole and Baines. U21s definately though. Lambert is the wrong player at the wrong time. 30 years old and playing the game at a time when the target man/supporting striker is going out of fashion. The England ship has sailed for him unless he gets a meaningless call up in a meaningless friendly because all the other strikers are injured. Jay Rodriguez is more likely to get in with some good form and a few more headlne-grabbing dives.

Don't agree with that. Firstly, I don't think the support striker role is out of fashion at all. Secondly, Rickie would only get a call up for a friendly game if Hodgson genuinely was considering him for competitive games and wanted to try him out first. Just because Rickie probably only has a couple of good years left in him, that doesn't mean he can't do his part in that time. He could probably do a job against most sides England come up against in the qualifiers.

 

[ThatThereSaintsFan]

Don't agree with that. Firstly, I don't think the support striker role is out of fashion at all. Secondly, Rickie would only get a call up for a friendly game if Hodgson genuinely was considering him for competitive games and wanted to try him out first. Just because Rickie probably only has a couple of good years left in him, that doesn't mean he can't do his part in that time. He could probably do a job against most sides England come up against in the qualifiers.

Scott parker is a great example of someone who came into the England game late. (I'm aware he had caps at a younger age the point still applies though).

 

[Itchen North Matt]

His pace might also have something to do with it.

He's quicker than some of the more senior centre halves he comes up against. His movement though is a bit predictable. It's not that of an international class striker. The likes of Defoe or Wellbeck admittedly don't add much to the play, but their chances of converting an early ball seem pretty good. Spain play without a striker and spend most of the game going round in circles because no one takes the gamble to leave the play behind and leg it into a goalscoring position. In England terms, that translates as kicking the ball around aimlessly until someone wins a free kick. That's not far off the reality, but it's not something we should encourage.