Lambert

[shurlock]

Been mentioned in lots of other threads but don't think questions about Lambo's form and wider impact can be avoided. I watched him carefully today to try and work out how much his lacklustreness is due to injury or poor form. Seemed to run around and chase balls OK but only once did he jump for a header and as a consequence was easily outgunned in the air most of the afternoon.

 

Pards said he was 85% there before the Brizzle game - he seems closer to 40%.

 

This raises a bigger question about the legacy Pards has left. Needless to say, Lambert is a good player and would be a key player in any team; but our direct style of play which requires a focal player like Lambert to win and hold up balls so we can play off him basically makes him indispensible. This rigidity cost us time to time last season when Lambert had a poor game but his sheer consistency masked our true dependence on it. This season as Lambert has struggled for form for whatever reason, the chickens have come well and truly home to roost.

 

Where now? Pards has lumbered us with a rather one-dimenstional style of play which cannot be adjusted over night - too many players roles are defined by Lambert's position in the team. But as today showed, we look like the cross between lost children and aimless sledgehammer without a functioning target man. Will Lambert be returning to form anytime soon? Or is he reverting to his former Stockport self - unlike Puncheon, doesnt seem to be the kind of player who is naturally and aggressively confident (thank god) and without goals can become quite withdrawn.

 

If not, who's available to loan once the window reopens. Cant think of many target men that havent already been snapped up.

[lordswoodsaints]

I heard he was 100% in the bedes lea most

Nights.

[CWD]

He needs to pull his finger out. I love the man, but he was our worst player today and against Orient. Can't understand what's wrong him, it could be any number of things though I guess

[doddisalegend]

In fairness to Lambert he got a lot of flick ons today but no one in our team is picking them up. Last year people like Lallana, papa, Barnard and Antonio (ummmm none of those played today did they) where getting on the end of Lambets headers and flick ons to score we quite often won the second ball. Connolly was never in the right place and was dropping deep a lot and no one was coming in from midfield either. So often Lambet's headers or flick ons just ended up in no mans land today.

[The Kraken]

He's a little off the pace, but nothing too bad. I just thought the balls into him today were not good enough, and not in the right areas. It seemed all too simple to loft a ball in from just inside their own half, which was either mopped up by their defence or worse, overhit and shunted out of play. Chamberlain at least tried to get the ball down and take people on, but I just didn't think anyone wanted to step up to the plate and grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Too much shirking of responsibility for me.

[Turkish]

He wants to leave.

 

Or it might be that he is a big lad, didn't have much of a preseason and he needs a good few games to get his form and fitness back to 100%. James Beattie was the same, sh*te for the first 5 or 6 games of most seasons he was here.

[Stu Man Do]

Personally I think if hes carrying an injury we would be better off taking him out of the next game with a place on the bench and let him get that sorted. We will be in even bigger trouble if his groin, if that is the issue, does go and hes out for 6 or 7 weeks.

 

From what I've seen of him in the home games this year he looks markedly off the pace from not having a full pre season is it just me or does he appear to be carrying some excess baggage in comparison to last season?

[shurlock]

In fairness to Lambert he got a lot of flick ons today but no one in our team is picking them up. Last year people like Lallana, papa, Barnard and Antonio (ummmm none of those played today did they) where getting on the end of Lambets headers and flick ons to score we quite often won the second ball. Connolly was never in the right place and was dropping deep a lot and no one was coming in from midfield either. So often Lambet's headers or flick ons just ended up in no mans land today.

 

He won a few though that was only because he had come deep and the defender backed off and his headers were at any rate too heavy. Overall I can't remember him winning more than 20% of his headers whereas last season it was close to 80%.

[Dangerous Albert]

He's a little off the pace, but nothing too bad

 

 

You are f*****g joking,right ?

[LostBoys]

Very unfit and possibly still carrying a groin injury as he is not currently jumping for the ball

[S-Clarke]

Not fit at all, totally off the pace of the game. He needs to get his injury sorted out once we get a bit of cover in.

 

He may need an op.

[The Kraken]

He's a little off the pace, but nothing too bad

 

 

You are f*****g joking,right ?

 

No, I'm not. Granted, I've only seen him in three games so far. He's clearly not up to his standards of last year, but I also don't think the team are helping him too much by having so many hopeless long balls lofted in to him in poor positions. Yes, there's plenty more to come from him, but I think the perceived decline in his performances can also be attributed to the fact that the service he's getting from midfield is not what it should be.

 

Edited for red wine spelling (and thinking, some woul say....)

[shurlock]

He's a little off the pace, but nothing too bad. I just thought the balls into him today were not good enough, and not in the right areas. It seemed all too simple to loft a ball in from just inside their own half, which was either mopped up by their defence or worse, overhit and shunted out of play. Chamberlain at least tried to get the ball down and take people on, but I just didn't think anyone wanted to step up to the plate and grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Too much shirking of responsibility for me.

 

I dont think the balls (at least from the back) were any different from earlier games or last season - just that then he was playing out of his skin. You're right about shirking of responsibility (though Punch -whatever his failings- always gives it a go). I think players have grown comfortable -and something encouraged by Pards- with relying on the ball to Lambert and playing from there. Only OXO and Guly when he came on showed an interest in passing and moving from midfield.

[John McGrath's Jockstrap]

Obviously unfit but being pushed to play with no obvious plan B in evidence. Didn't win any high balls today because he is injured and not able to get off the ground - especially second half....could see it in his body language nobody more frustrated than he is I think......the real question is with whole of the summer to have a plan B in place for a long term Lambert injury why don't we have one?.

[shurlock]

Obviously unfit but being pushed to play with no obvious plan B in evidence. Didn't win any high balls today because he is injured and not able to get off the ground - especially second half....could see it in his body language nobody more frustrated than he is I think......the real question is with whole of the summer to have a plan B in place for a long term Lambert injury why don't we have one?.

 

He's as honest and conscientious a footballer as they come which makes it even more worrying since he takes poor performances to heart.

[derry]

Not fit at all, totally off the pace of the game. He needs to get his injury sorted out once we get a bit of cover in.

 

He may need an op.

 

I know from one of the players that he still has a groin injury, isn't fully training so a little overweight. Have you heard about possibility of an op or is that just a guess?

[shurlock]

Hasn't defoe been carrying a groin injury (obviously Lambert isn't used the same way as defore). Nonetheless i thought they could be managed OK without causing too many problems.

[Ampersound]

Plus I think the service to him has been shocking. We certainly weren't able to win any freekicks in his area today

[Pokerchampion]

Around 60 mins a shot came in that nearly knocked the Rochdales defenders head off and game was stopped , Lambert was doing the exercises to stretch the hamstrings associated with cramp and fitness . He really is out of sorts , and not fully fit , he looks quite uninterested as well . Last season he hardly got a free kick off off target , this season he has looked terrible when taking free kicks , several have ended in row Z .

At the end of the day we have a lot of good players not exceptional players excluding Lalanna, when they play as a team with focus we look very good , with no guidance they look very average at best .

[kpturner]

He's been drugged - fact!

[Tractor_Saint]

The only reason he turned up today was to pick up the pre-match award - fact

[S-Clarke]

I know from one of the players that he still has a groin injury, isn't fully training so a little overweight. Have you heard about possibility of an op or is that just a guess?

 

Not ITK on that Derry, just a hunch. Groin injuries can be an utter nightmare to get rid of, esp. when you're a big fella. Sometimes surgery is the only option, but it doesn't usually result in a long-term lay off (well it could if we keep bloody well playing him with the sodding injury)

[Kenilworthy]

I thought I would never say this. But Lambert should have been subbed off today, he was dreadful. Ideally he should have a rest, and we need to get a big and silly striker in on short term loan as cover. Like Hayles for example.

[fanimal]

He wanted to come off when they took Connolly off! Clearly injured.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Reminded me of Rooney at the World Cup. In fact Saints reminded me of England at the World Cup.

[Smirking_Saint]

Been mentioned in lots of other threads but don't think questions about Lambo's form and wider impact can be avoided. I watched him carefully today to try and work out how much his lacklustreness is due to injury or poor form. Seemed to run around and chase balls OK but only once did he jump for a header and as a consequence was easily outgunned in the air most of the afternoon.

 

Pards said he was 85% there before the Brizzle game - he seems closer to 40%.

 

This raises a bigger question about the legacy Pards has left. Needless to say, Lambert is a good player and would be a key player in any team; but our direct style of play which requires a focal player like Lambert to win and hold up balls so we can play off him basically makes him indispensible. This rigidity cost us time to time last season when Lambert had a poor game but his sheer consistency masked our true dependence on it. This season as Lambert has struggled for form for whatever reason, the chickens have come well and truly home to roost.

 

Where now? Pards has lumbered us with a rather one-dimenstional style of play which cannot be adjusted over night - too many players roles are defined by Lambert's position in the team. But as today showed, we look like the cross between lost children and aimless sledgehammer without a functioning target man. Will Lambert be returning to form anytime soon? Or is he reverting to his former Stockport self - unlike Puncheon, doesnt seem to be the kind of player who is naturally and aggressively confident (thank god) and without goals can become quite withdrawn.

 

If not, who's available to loan once the window reopens. Cant think of many target men that havent already been snapped up.

 

Was thinking the exact same earlier.

 

AP's legacy was a big hoof and play off of RL's scraps, the big hoof hasn't worked all season and so we look poor.

 

We need a manager in with more to his game, and more importantly we needed a backup to Rickie, we have niether ATM and the team don't seem to know what to do.

 

I know Akinfenwa everyone slagged off as a fat f*ck. But the man is big, strong, and he is scoring goals.

[doddisalegend]

Was thinking the exact same earlier.

 

AP's legacy was a big hoof and play off of RL's scraps, the big hoof hasn't worked all season and so we look poor.

 

We need a manager in with more to his game, and more importantly we needed a backup to Rickie, we have niether ATM and the team don't seem to know what to do.

 

I know Akinfenwa everyone slagged off as a fat f*ck. But the man is big, strong, and he is scoring goals.

 

Sorry can't agree with that there was a lot more to saints than hoof it to Lambert last season, secondly even if we did play that way at trimes (and we did) there was nothing wrong with it if you have the sort of players who can take advantage of the scraps sadly to of those players were let go at the end of last season, andthe other too were unavaliable to play yesterday. The re-writing of history turnning AP into some sort of **** manager would be quite funny if it weren't so sad

[Chez]

Dawson had him in his pocket. He's not the first centre back to do so. Really top class centre backs that are decent in the air kept him quiet last year as well. The difference this sezason is when he does get an easy flick on it is going to an oponent not a Saint. He must have flicked the ball on about 30 times and every sinlge time it went to a Dale shirt. Nothing to do with Connellys runs, everything to do with poor heading by Lambert. Because we rely on him t start most moves that is why we looked so poor yesterday. Improvement from Lambert and we'll get an iimprovement from the side as a whole. By the way he didn't look like he was injured and the fact he played in the JPT game suggests he is not injured.

[chivvy1664]

Santa Cruz on loan? lol as if

[Deppo]

Santa Cruz on loan? lol as if

 

lol

[alpine_saint]

Not fit at all, totally off the pace of the game. He needs to get his injury sorted out once we get a bit of cover in.

 

He may need an op.

 

I was given so much crap over the summer when I said the squad is weaker and we depend too much on him, we are f**ked if he suffered a loss of form and we needed cover for many positions. NickG (amongst others) scoffed at the very idea...................

[doddisalegend]

I was given so much crap over the summer when I said the squad is weaker and we depend too much on him, we are f**ked if he suffered a loss of form and we needed cover for many positions. NickG (amongst others) scoffed at the very idea...................

 

Well at least you're to big a man to point stuff like that out good on you.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Lambert's poor form also highlights the stupidity of Barnard getting himself sent off in a meaningless game on Tuesday.

[saint lard]

He is carrying a groin injury,hence he is not training properly.

He only needs to look at a kebab and he puts on weight,therefore he is struggling to keep his weight down at present.

 

I think until he gets this niggling injury sorted you will not see the best of Lambert.

Edited 5 September, 2010 by saint lard

[fanimal]

To be fair though when he had the ball at his feet in space he set up 4 great chances for JP, Harding and Guly, only one of which was on target!

[fire&skill]

He needs to pull his finger out. I love the man, but he was our worst player today and against Orient. Can't understand what's wrong him, it could be any number of things though I guess

 

fat?

[Armitage Shanks]

Yesterday was the first time I've seen Saints since last season and hence the first time i've seen Lambert since last season. Have to say I was quite shocked. My immediate reaction upon seeing him was that he looked a good stone or so overweight. If I'm correct in terms of his weight that's probably all you need to know as to why he's off colour at the moment.

[Smirking_Saint]

Sorry can't agree with that there was a lot more to saints than hoof it to Lambert last season, secondly even if we did play that way at trimes (and we did) there was nothing wrong with it if you have the sort of players who can take advantage of the scraps sadly to of those players were let go at the end of last season, andthe other too were unavaliable to play yesterday. The re-writing of history turnning AP into some sort of **** manager would be quite funny if it weren't so sad

 

Not really re-writing history, Pardew did ok. But hardly set the world alight did he ? He achieved the average last year really, he never made the playoffs, we won the JPT but as i have said before i would hand that back for even a coin toss to get into the NPC.

 

Shurlock summed up his tenure earlier in one of his posts, he signed obvious talents, yes he did well with Lallana but anyone with a set of eyes saw the boy had talent if played correctly. He signed a RB this year, but never addressed the CM, back up to Rickie (which is obvious considering the way we play) and a bit of pace.

 

A lot more to saints ?? Not really a lot, we play football every now and again but more often than not it falls to the big hoof to him.

 

What makes me laugh is the hero worship of Pardew really, he was ok, but never set the world alight. But then its ok because Pardews tactics and team are still performing so well this season under Wilkins............................oh

[CWD]

fat?

 

well he most certainly isn't as toned as last year

[Smirking_Saint]

Dawson had him in his pocket. He's not the first centre back to do so. Really top class centre backs that are decent in the air kept him quiet last year as well. The difference this sezason is when he does get an easy flick on it is going to an oponent not a Saint. He must have flicked the ball on about 30 times and every sinlge time it went to a Dale shirt. Nothing to do with Connellys runs, everything to do with poor heading by Lambert. Because we rely on him t start most moves that is why we looked so poor yesterday. Improvement from Lambert and we'll get an iimprovement from the side as a whole. By the way he didn't look like he was injured and the fact he played in the JPT game suggests he is not injured.

 

Spot on as usual Chez, i got slagged off last season for saying the better CB's in the air get the better of Rickie.

[Thedelldays]

Spot on as usual Chez, i got slagged off last season for saying the better CB's in the air get the better of Rickie.

 

no no no...lambert is the best striker outside of the prem and would score more than torres

[Smirking_Saint]

no no no...lambert is the best striker outside of the prem and would score more than torres

 

True, and Les Reed knows nothing about football.....priceless

[Turkish]

no no no...lambert is the best striker outside of the prem and would score more than torres

 

and he should have been in the England squad for the world cup and Saints are better than England.

[Legod Third Coming]

Seriously, what planet do some of you live on. You obviously missed:

 

Lallana 20 goals

Papa 11 goals

Barnard 9 goals

Connolly 7

Antonio 7

Hammond 6....

 

Pardew was not Mourinho big deal. Championship winning form from October forgotten, fine. A trophy (yes for lower league clubs - HELLO WE ARE A LOWER LEAGUE CLUB) a fine cup run in the FA Cup losing to eventual finalists. A top two/three finish without a points deduction. Forget all that, fine.

 

But for people now to start having a pop at Rickie Lambert, what a bunch of miserable c u n t s! No, you are really you are.

[S-Clarke]

Seriously, what planet do some of you live on. You obviously missed:

 

Lallana 20 goals

Papa 11 goals

Barnard 9 goals

Connolly 7

Antonio 7

Hammond 6....

 

Pardew was not Mourinho big deal. Championship winning form from October forgotten, fine. A trophy (yes for lower league clubs - HELLO WE ARE A LOWER LEAGUE CLUB) a fine cup run in the FA Cup losing to eventual finalists. A top two/three finish without a points deduction. Forget all that, fine.

 

But for people now to start having a pop at Rickie Lambert, what a bunch of miserable c u n t s! No, you are really you are.

 

No one is having a pop at him?

 

We're simply observing that he's not quite right this season, anyone with eyes can see that. Hopefully he sorts himself out because he really miss his influence.

 

I don't understand why people seem to think that anything at this club is beyond criticism and everything is all rosy and fine.

[Barry the Badger]

I don't think anybody is really criticising him or having a pop. It's fair enough to point out that he doesn't look his usual self, he's clearly not fully fit and that is not his fault, doesn't mean we cant discuss it or be worried by it though.

 

The reason people are picking up on it is because he's usually so f*cking awesome.

[Smirking_Saint]

Seriously, what planet do some of you live on. You obviously missed:

 

Lallana 20 goals

Papa 11 goals

Barnard 9 goals

Connolly 7

Antonio 7

Hammond 6....

 

Pardew was not Mourinho big deal. Championship winning form from October forgotten, fine. A trophy (yes for lower league clubs - HELLO WE ARE A LOWER LEAGUE CLUB) a fine cup run in the FA Cup losing to eventual finalists. A top two/three finish without a points deduction. Forget all that, fine.

 

But for people now to start having a pop at Rickie Lambert, what a bunch of miserable c u n t s! No, you are really you are.

 

I wasn't Pardews biggest fan, everyone probably knew that before the sacking, he just didn't set the world alight for me but hey ho me and you have already discussed his merits so i won't start again, everyones opinion is different etc.

 

I can't see anyone having a pop at Lambert though, he is just off colour, which worries the f*ck out of me as it seems our entire game plan at times revolves around him.

[dubai_phil]

Lambert was rubbish Saturday. No idea if it is his preseason injury or what but he was allowing the CB's to get to the ball first.

 

He simply seemed to have no presence.

 

And don't get me started about Connelly. WTF was he trying to do - he isn't Fernandes so WTF was he thinking? oN the odd occassion when he managed to get to the ball ahead of a CB he ran in triple turns and then passed the ball into nowhere