£8 mill does look dangerously close to a "fair" price. Hopefully that just means that the journalist who invented the story wanted to look credible.
If MP thinks Rickie has a future in the team, then 'no' don't sell. If he doesn't, then sell him, as sad as that would be. If Rickie was told he is going to be a bit part player and is happy then great, if he wants regular 90 minutes then let him go. Personally, I think it's all a storm. He has had a few not so great games, but hardly awful and looking at the Hull/Fulham games, he was immense. I am looking forward to reading this again at the end of Feb after his hat-tricks against Fulham and Stoke, and the two goals he'll put past the Spammers. Football is funny, everyone lives it in the now and never considers a period of time as now, i.e., from two months back up to two months time.
Hmmm. 8 million quid? I suspect that the first penalty that gets missed and those that want to sell him will want to reconsider. I think it's only his age which causes the question to be asked. All players have a dip in form, even Adam from time to time. Lambert is a model professional and I wouldn't like to see him going anywhere in January. As for the paper, you can see the process. West Ham desperately need a goal scorer. Who might be available? Rickie fits the bill and the story writes itself.
He's 32 in a few weeks, £8m is a ridiculous figure for a player of that age, which says that you simply don't want to sell him imo.
People say that Lambert is not playing too well, however I just think his role in the side has changed and we get far fewer opportunities with the way we play. It would be madness to sell as although Rodriguez is getting goals we would be relying on him as the sole main goalscorer. Nearly every Premier League squad is looking for a proven striker, I don't want us to join this list!
So, I don't know everything then Why put a price on him if that price is meant to put people off? Why not just say, he's not for sale? I agree with a lot of the comments here, he is too important a player to us for all sorts of reasons to be sold now. Maybe in the summer, who knows?
For what it's worth... Club Spokesman Jordan Sibley on Twitter this morning: "Oh joy, seems like transfer rumour silly season has started a day early this year. #saintsfc"
I don't want to see Rickie go ANYWHERE. He epitomises our journey so far and is the player my 7 year old has grown up with and admires. he is the consummate professional appreciates all of the opportunities given to him as well as being so down to earth. This is not just me saying keep him purely because of the memories or because he HAS been so good for us in the past. I (and many other pundits/supporters etc..) have said how there is so much more to his game and how talented he is with the ball at his feet. His vision and passing is so good and he is well capable of playing at least a half per game, if not more. Not to mention his penalty taking and free kicks. Yes we have not seen many of either recently but by all accounts referee's don't want to give us any penalties and there are few free kicks being given in dangerous areas. Certainly not Rickie's fault. Long and short of it is he need's to stay.
The only thing I could see as a realistic possibility --and even then I consider it unlikely-- is that IF we really do have someone coming in and/or we are really high on Gallagher and want to get him minutes, is that Lambert could go out on loan until the end of the season. Not so much for the club, but by sending him to a really favorable situation where he can go back to more of his old role and score some goals and boost his WC chances. But even if such an occasion arose, I'm not sure he wouldn't rather just take his chances with Saints.
His understanding and link up play with Adam, honed since League 1, makes them both better players and we shouldn't throw that away cheaply. Adam knows the positions that Rickie takes up and vice versa and has set up countless goals in the past few years.
Even if the club did take an offer of 8 mil for him, he is under contract and the last word will go to RL. Clubs do panic buy in Jan, Bent was sold for twice that amount but helped keep Villa up. MP did say no young players would be sold, he never mentioned older ones
If he's not getting much game time, you could loan him to Portsmouth if you like, we'd welcome him and destroying the defences of various League 2 sides will help him get his form back
...and keep him in a garden on the isle of widget ... a random garden that may need a fence fixing now and then?
nah, he'd never work playing alongside a small nippy striker like Connolly.... oh, hang on a minute..
£8M seems a fair valuation considering his age and all round game. However, my bet is that if Saints were actually questioned openly about whether Rickie has been officially valued for transfer, my guess is that they'ed reveal it for the speculative bull that it almost certainly is.
Beattie looks set to come out of retirement, and rejoin his former side in their Premier League uphill challenge. You heard it here first.
Ok, Some of you have forced me to do it....out come the stats Premier League leading Goal scorers 2013/14 Player Name Team Goals 1 Luis Suárez Liverpool 19 2 Sergio Agüero Manchester City 13 3 Loïc Remy Newcastle United 10 4 Romelu Lukaku Everton 9 4 Wayne Rooney Manchester United 9 4 Daniel Sturridge Liverpool 9 4 Yaya Touré Manchester City 9 5 Olivier Giroud Arsenal 8 5 Eden Hazard Chelsea 8 5 Ãlvaro Negredo Manchester City 8 5 Aaron Ramsey Arsenal 8 5 Jay Rodriguez Southampton 8 6 Robin van Persie Manchester United 7 7 Yoan Gouffran Newcastle United 6 7 Rickie Lambert Southampton 6 7 Danny Welbeck Manchester United 6 I'm not really sure how much more people really expect sometimes. 13 clubs don't have a player who has scored more than our 2nd highest scorer. No chelsea striker has scored more than Rickie. He has either started or come off the bench in every PL game this season I'm not seeing a player who needs to leave
Six goals and five assists is a great return. Another stat I have: Lambert was directly involved in a goal every 136 minutes last season. This season it's every 131 minutes. If you throw penalties out of the equation then Lambert has been directly involved in a goal every 144 minutes this season compared to every 156 minutes last season. By directly involved I mean he either picks up a goal or an assist.
