I'm a bit drunk here (six pints down), so being very careful to type properly... Scenario: Lambo scores a seriously high pressure pen tonight. On of our most important goals of the season. Completely unrelated: I personally finished a goal drought I had suffered tonight in my 5-a-side, by channelling Billy Sharp, but try not to focus on that if you can... I've noticed the inconsistency of penalty takers in the Premiership this season and last. We have a record of great takers, with Le Tissier (above all others) and Shearer, but - and here comes my question - is Lambo simply the best penalty taker in English football - including the Premiership? (This is the question for which I start this thread - ignore the waffle around it.) That was a high-pressure kick - I couldn't bear to even wait for the next tweet to load - who knows how hard it was to take, knowing that one/six points were potentially at stake. Just a complete talisman - a legend, pure inspiration. (In the conversation with my team tonight, incidentally, in the pub, all (as usual) completely amazed that not only Walcott came from us, but also Bale and O-C. Of course, we then started a conversation about what a great club Saints are, but guaranteed we will have the same conversation in a year's time). We never get the credit we deserve!
Taking the one serious question - is Lambo the best penalty taker in the country the answer is no. In the world, yes! Drunk though you may have been when posting, you are spot on about the pressure. Add to what you have said the self-doubt that could have followed a goal drought at SMS and that he knew we all expected him to score. This was the first game that I could only follow on Saints Player for a while. I did that thing where you bury your head when he took the kick, and had I been there I know I would have turned away until he'd taken it. What did There is so much more to Rickie's game than a kick like a mule, of course, but when there is a penalty who would you want to take it?
We never seem to get penalties when Rickie isn't playing so another question needs to be asked - who would be our backup penalty taker? I can't remember who took the kicks when we had the last shoot-out (against Norwich in the JPT?) but there has been a fair bit of change in the team since then. So, if the world's greatest penalty taker wasn't available, who would it be? Hammond? Fox? Lee? Sharp? What do you think?
My my, Ice Cool Lambert is super. I was so nervous, god knows how he was feeling. Our number 7's seriously have a outstanding record over the last couple of decades.
Quick search reveals Billy Sharp missed a penalty against Preston for Donny. I think our assistant manager was the designated penalty taker for Scunny while he was there, but i've seen a goal compilation including a penalty from him in a scunny shirt. edit: it was saved, so at least it was on target.
What was the pen like? Perfectly placed, slide rule just inside the post, or straight down the middle? No chance for the keeper, or a close thing?
Guly has taken penalties when Lambert hasn't been playing, and I don't think he's ever missed one either (obviously a smaller sample size though!) Funny how no-one mentioned him!
The strange thing about Guly is that he doesn't look like a penalty taker or even a striker. He's more like a plate of spaghetti, luckily this fools the opposition (and many Saints fans apparently).
Always rekon you can see the sheer power that Lambo uses when taking a pen. I would hate to get in the way of one of his Penalty strikes.
An interesting question might be where would each team be in the table if no penalties had been scored. Saints seem to have had a lot of penalties this season.
Better attacking sides will always get more pens (except last night) because defenders take risks and/or panic.
