Morning everyone! We've only had 3 games 2 in the league, is anyone slightly worried about Rickie? This is probably a total over reaction but do you think when it comes to the league football he may have a mental block when it comes to scoring at this level baring in mind he has never played in the championship before? I honestly think that he should be our main striker as he has been for the last 2 seasons. I just hope he breaks his duck before it does become a mental block for him and he has a bit of a barren spell.
Yeah it is only 2 league games, I just hope he scores on Tuesday or next Saturday before it becomes a problem!!! Probably am over thinking it!!
ITS BEEN 2 GAMES!! JUST 2!! Do you not watch what he does while he is not scoring goals. Set up Lallana for the Leeds goal, and is constantly winning headers and holding the ball up for others to come into play.
You are overreacting, but thankfully it is more from concern than being of a damning nature. No, don't worry about Rickie. From what I've seen so far in the 3 games, not only is he the supreme free kick taker, but he happens to be our most creative midfielder too, when he comes deep. The Lad has a fantastic football head on his shoulders and we are certainly better with him than without. The goals will also come. I've noticed opposition defenders are ganging up on him. They know how dangerous he is. This obviously leaves more space for others to exploit. His role may change in the Championship, but from what I've seen so far, he's still brilliant. Still the first name on the team sheet.
Nothing wrong with Lambert's performance so far, he'll get goals as well but as Sotonsaint says, his contribution to allow others get into scoring opportunities is immense. He has already proved he can make the step up to Championship level IMO, but looks to be playing a different role than that of an out and out centre forward. We have goals in the team from all over the pitch, however it is Lambert that facilitates this by drawing defenders out of position, holding the ball up and giving players time to move into the channels. Don't forget that he is still the free kick king as he proved against Torquay, so I can see him getting 20 goals this season despite this mystical step up to the Championship that everyone seems to be worried about. Hammond also gets a lot of criticism from people who think he can't make the step up - he's put that one to bed in the first few matches and I think him and Lambert will be a major contribution to our future sucess in this league.
HAVE YOU ACTUALLY SEEN LAMBERT THIS SEASON?????? Without him this seasons start would have looked a whole lot different. He would be my first name on the team sheet the contribution he's made so far. Just coz he hasn't scored the goals yet.
Played well in two league games and scored in the cup game. There's a few teams that would like to be so worried.
Give him time boys. In the next couple of games, he will shine i'm sure. Ipswich or Millwall he will score.
Absoloutly stupid that your on his back, saints have scored 8 goals in 3 games, lambert has scored one of these, he sets up, holds up the ball and is a proper team player, have you seen him this season? It's silly that we are moaning having won our first three games of the season (cup included) a feat we haven't achieved for ages.
Rickie is clearly playing a different role to the traditional CF he was under Pardew, and even seems to have changed slightly since last year. He's dropping deep to collect the ball to feet, and the CMs and defenders are looking to give it to his feet rather than on his head. This brings a defender with him, creating space for the likes of Guly and Lallana to run into- like Lallana did for the Leeds goal, though admittedly that came from a poor defensive header on Leeds' part. Also the likes or Richardson at right back are playing the ball inside the pitch to Rickie's feet and looking to push on rather than hit it to his head or down the wings to him. I think this seems to be working well so far as it allows the 2 wingers and other striker, as well as one of the CMs, to be free-flowing in front of him, and Rickie's passing ability is IMO as good as anyone at the club, so he is more than capable of picking a decisive pass. All this considered, I'd suggest that, whilst we obviously still need some goals from RL, the assist stats and the way he contributes to passing moves may be of more importance or significance than his total goals this season.
If you think Lambert's only contribution is goals then you clearly either don't go to games or are mentally disturbed. Rickie's a player that you might not appreciate when he's not scoring (which he did 5 days ago btw!) but you would notice the difference when he's not playing. He plays a part in nearly every goal we score and his technical ability is that of a Championship player now - he's improved that much since we bought him.
Exactly what he said. If we were struggling in the league then we would know there is a problem but we've scored 8 goals in three games in league and cup shared around 7 goal scorers, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Rickie Lambert. You would have to watch a match to understand the influence Rickie has on a game, you can't determine it from stats. You have to see how he holds up play for the midfield and hassles defenders, there isn't really a stat for that. The key to our flawless start to the season I think is team spirit and team mentality and Rickie Lambert is an integral part of this without doubt. I'm loving life at the minute, RIP Markus you great, great man.
He has come a long way as a player since signing for us. He wasn't ready for the Championship when he left Rovers but now he certainly is.
