Lambert and Tactics

[pressingon]

I am a big fan of Lambert but I do wish he wouldn’t drift out wide so often. Yes he does deliver a great ball into the box (remember when he was taking corners!) and can pick a pass but we need him to be in the box putting pressure on the centre backs and keeper. I think he would be more effective if he played in a traditional centre forwards role. Anybody think that he must be playing to NA instructions or is he just given free role to roam where he likes?

[beatlesaint]

The diamond formation doesn't do Rickie any favours as he has to drift out wide.

He is much better, goalscoring wise in a 4-4-2.

However he has got a good football brain. A lot of his passing is excellent.

Just look at the little ball he dinked through for Barnard to score on Saturday.

[benjii]

I reckon he would be class at the top of the diamond.

 

Fact.

[dubai_phil]

Spotted him playing deeper ages ago, commented on it. We don't actually line up as a 4-4-2 Barnard pushes up on the CB's and RL drifts into the space. They only line up in a "2" when KD or the defence decide to switch play and go long

 

Hence my recent thread on tactics & LB & taxis . I think he plays the role very well, but it means he doesn't get into the box quite as often.

 

He was a midfielder and (to howls of abuse) he would make one hell of a scary Attacking Central Midfielder in one of those 1 up front versions that many PL & NPC teams play these days, or in a 4-4-2 diamond with LB & CMS up front next year

[Turkish]

I reckon he would be class at the top of the diamond.

 

Fact.

 

NOt mobile enough for that position.

[Kingsland Red]

No bad thing, especially as he is often man marked.

By going out wide and players like Lallana drifting inside, the opposition defenders will struggle to pick up the players and thus create openings for the runners from midfield .

QED.

[doddisalegend]

I am a big fan of Lambert but I do wish he wouldn’t drift out wide so often. Yes he does deliver a great ball into the box (remember when he was taking corners!) and can pick a pass but we need him to be in the box putting pressure on the centre backs and keeper. I think he would be more effective if he played in a traditional centre forwards role. Anybody think that he must be playing to NA instructions or is he just given free role to roam where he likes?

 

He must be. At first I thought it was Lambert not doing his job but this has been going on every since Nigel took over. If Nigel didn't want Lambert roving all over the pitch he would have put a stop to it by now, he hasn't so it must be part of the plan.

 

Personally I would like to see Lambert in the box, having said that he does pass the ball well and seems to set up so many of our goals. Maybe if Lambert is in the box scoring more goals we will have less goals coming from the rest of the team?

[Benj]

Lambert creates bucket loads of chances by doing this. The full-backs aren't used to going up against a strong, tall, centre forward and by doing that he draws out the gap for Lallana to get between the Centre Back and the Full Back.

 

It's a very clever piece of tactical play.

[LGTL]

To be fair to Lambert, in the diamond formation he is probably told to do this by Adkins. The two CF's play wide apart creating space through the middle for the "front" of the diamond. It frustrated the hell out of me though, his best position is inside the 6 yard box.

[benjii]

NOt mobile enough for that position.

 

I don't think you need to be particularly mobile for that - certainly not at this level. All you need to do is occupy a certain plane of space - you don't need to charge around like a nutter. A good first touch and the ability to hit a good pass or shot and hold the ball are probably more important and I think he has all of those.

 

If mobility was a prerequisite then would MLT have been bad there? No.

Edited 4 April, 2011 by benjii

[pressingon]

To be fair to Lambert, in the diamond formation he is probably told to do this by Adkins. The two CF's play wide apart creating space through the middle for the "front" of the diamond. It frustrated the hell out of me though, his best position is inside the 6 yard box.

 

I agree with you but why can't LB do that role and leave Rickie in the box ?

[Turkish]

I don't think you need to be particularly mobile for that - certainly not at this level.

 

Would MLT have been bad there then?

 

A ridiculous comparion, totally different sort of player, you cant even compare the two. To play that position you need to exceptional movement, control and mobility to create space for yourself. Le Tiss was able to play there because he was so skillful and his control so good he always apppeared to have time on the ball, which is what they say is the mark of a great player. Lambert would be at his best playing as a traditional centre forward like he did last season, no talk about him being better in another position then was there! The two best players we have for that role are Lallana and Gully, although Lallana is streets ahead in terms of consistancy and ability.

[View From The Top]

We play better when the two CFs play in tandem and not miles apart in the hope that someone has the ability to exploit the space which, on the evidence I've seen, doesn't happen.

[pressingon]

Lambert creates bucket loads of chances by doing this. The full-backs aren't used to going up against a strong, tall, centre forward and by doing that he draws out the gap for Lallana to get between the Centre Back and the Full Back.

 

This is true as well but RL is never going to take the full backs on unlike Lallana/Oxo/Forte.

If he is wide on the left at least he can come inside and possibly create room for a shot but wide left the only option is pass inside or cross into the box where LB will come off second best to the two 6ft+ centre backs.

[dubai_phil]

This is true as well but RL is never going to take the full backs on unlike Lallana/Oxo/Forte.

If he is wide on the left at least he can come inside and possibly create room for a shot but wide left the only option is pass inside or cross into the box where LB will come off second best to the two 6ft+ centre backs.

 

Hence why LB doesn't fit into that style of play hence should we change the style slightly or should we get a taxi for Barnard

 

Ah, thanks

 

And NO we don't need a taxi for LB - just it explains why we have seemed a bit frustrating of late.

 

It'll come, they'll work it out

[Saint_clark]

Trouble is when he's in the box he gets two CBs on him every time. Better to drag one of them wide and then play a quality ball into the box with Lallana/Chambo/Chaplow/Hammond rushing up to get on the end of it, as well as Barnard of course.

[niceandfriendly]

Lambert creates bucket loads of chances by doing this. The full-backs aren't used to going up against a strong, tall, centre forward and by doing that he draws out the gap for Lallana to get between the Centre Back and the Full Back.

 

It's a very clever piece of tactical play.

 

Absolutely. Noticed it a while ago actually when I too got a little frustrated at Rickie being wide on one occasion, only for it to come to me a few minutes later when the exact thing above started occurring!

[positivepete]

I don't think you need to be particularly mobile for that - certainly not at this level. All you need to do is occupy a certain plane of space - you don't need to charge around like a nutter. A good first touch and the ability to hit a good pass or shot and hold the ball are probably more important and I think he has all of those.

 

If mobility was a prerequisite then would MLT have been bad there? No.

 

I cannot agree he has a good first touch, I think he has a good footballing brain, and is able to find space in between the defenders and the midfield, but he rarely shows a good first touch. This will be even more evident at the next level.

[Bridge]

Originally Posted by Benj

Lambert creates bucket loads of chances by doing this. The full-backs aren't used to going up against a strong, tall, centre forward and by doing that he draws out the gap for Lallana to get between the Centre Back and the Full Back.

 

It's a very clever piece of tactical play.

 

 

 

This is exactly what is happening. It creates space around the box because defenders are pulled all over the place and his link up play with Adam is sublime.

[ringwood]

because RL carries a goal threat he's always going to be shepherded by the defense, by playing out wide they can't chance he'd strike from outside the box and by doing so allows room for others to slip in such as LB at the weekend or more recently AL and AOC.

 

LB is more of a poacher

 

his best position maybe as traditional CF but for the team its a roaming role to drag the opposition out of shape .

 

All AL lacks is pace, but certainly has a footballing brain you can see that by his assists

[Saint_clark]

Lallana has alright pace. But he makes up for it in effort anyway.

[rolosfc]

NOt mobile enough for that position.

 

Definitely not, would get caught out far too often. Deeper off another striker like Barnard, maybe but not as an attacking midfielder.

[The9]

I am a big fan of Lambert but I do wish he wouldn’t drift out wide so often. Yes he does deliver a great ball into the box (remember when he was taking corners!) and can pick a pass but we need him to be in the box putting pressure on the centre backs and keeper. I think he would be more effective if he played in a traditional centre forwards role. Anybody think that he must be playing to NA instructions or is he just given free role to roam where he likes?

 

I just wish he'd get into the box full stop.

[up and away]

He must be. At first I thought it was Lambert not doing his job but this has been going on every since Nigel took over. If Nigel didn't want Lambert roving all over the pitch he would have put a stop to it by now, he hasn't so it must be part of the plan.

 

Personally I would like to see Lambert in the box, having said that he does pass the ball well and seems to set up so many of our goals. Maybe if Lambert is in the box scoring more goals we will have less goals coming from the rest of the team?

 

There's a lot in that with Adkins, he must know what is going on. When we had that forced break because of the weather, Ricky came back far better than he had been previously and he did do a job up front, gradually creeping back as time went by. So I would guess it's largely dictated by where he can be effective on the day and Adkins is prepared to go along with that.

 

From others comments I believe it's the away games where we may be better off resting Ricky depending upon how he's up for it. Defenders have license to launch you up the arse in this league, generally not getting penalised in the process. That's just one of the facts in this league which is all to evident from Lee and Ricky, find a way round it or suffer.

[benjii]

I reckon he would be class at the top of the diamond.

 

Fact.

 

Seems Adders reads my superb insights on here. Well done Adders.

[Lazlo78]

Seeing highlights from this season it really is striking how many of our goals are set up by Lambert. He's calm and confident, has excellent technique and is able to read the game well. When he creates space for himself, he is backed up by a lot of runs from our offensive players and usually he makes some telling passes. I know the comparison is wrong on many levels, but there is a touch of MLT to the Lambert we're seeing this season - not the most mobile player, but an important part of our offense that the opposition has to prepare well for... and he is still our top scorer! ;-)

[david in sweden]

I am a big fan of Lambert but I do wish he wouldn’t drift out wide so often. Yes he does deliver a great ball into the box (remember when he was taking corners!) and can pick a pass but we need him to be in the box putting pressure on the centre backs and keeper. I think he would be more effective if he played in a traditional centre forwards role. Anybody think that he must be playing to NA instructions or is he just given free role to roam where he likes?

 

I've never seen Lambert as an out-and-out, old-fashioned CF. (though he may have been in former times at Bristol Rovers.?

 

Anyone who can score 30+ goals, in any league at any level, really knows where the goal is, like MLT and Channon before him, Ricky gets more of the ball by roaming around and getting/winning the ball himself, instead of " waiting " for it to come to him.

 

(As someone who recalls the GREAT Ron Davies (no apologies for the CAPITALS) it became harder for Ron after the first couple of seasons when everyone had "sussed him out " and he became more mobile, and people forgot that he was also a good player on the deck, too.)

 

Lambert's great strength (last season especially ) was his command of the situation from set-pieces and when he took free-kicks himself, and had a good penalty record, too... (did he miss any?) With good wingers we don't have to rely on a "big man in the middle " and defenders are more aware of that these days.

 

I think Ricky does OK moving around as he does, and thankfully he's not the only marksman we have in the side.