Rickie Lambert: Number 9 and a half

[ThreeSixty]

Saw Robin Van Persie call himself a 9 and a half '(As in not a number 9 or a number 10) on Sky's usual Super Sunday overhyped Hollywood style build up and it got me thinking about our Rickie. Personally I see Rickie as similar player as RvP, capable of dropping deep, bringing other people into the game and playing as a second striker but also equally adapt at leading the line, scoring goals and holding the ball up.

 

Which lead me to thinking about next season which if we are fortunate enough to be promoted, we might well switch our system to the dynamic 4-5-1/4-3-3 deployed by most of Europe's top teams. 4-4-2 is almost suicide against a decent 4-5-1/4-3-3 team because they overrun the midfield and the defensive midfielder stops the gap between the defence and midfield being employed by a number 10. Even against the Skates our midfield struggled at times against what could be described as a very average midfield 3.

 

I also think this formation helps out with the full backs defensively (Which we can all say as been woeful at times this season) in addition to the wide men tracking back, the defensive player of the midfield 3 can drift to help out on the flank in trouble (Alex Song does this well for Arsenal who have very attacking full backs, to keep the RvP analogy going)

 

Anyone else think Lambo would be capable of playing that role?

 

Possible line up (Using this seasons players)

 

-----------------------Davis--------------------------

 

Frazier-----------Jose--------Jos------------------Fox

 

-------------------Morgan----Cork--------------------

 

Guly-------------------Lallana--------------Tadanari Lee

 

-------------------------Lambert------------------------

 

 

Or am I crazy?

 

 

P.S I think 4-4-2 is absolutely the way to go in the championship.

[Dalek2003]

9 and three quarters, def a wizard !

[up and away]

Absolutely no chance. Ricky is a #10 at best, a slow #10 and the sooner Adkins realises that the better. We will desperately need a main striker that brings out the best in Ricky, otherwise all the talent Ricky has will go to waste in the Premier. I only heard the game today but it has been an age (maybe more than a season) where I have heard / seen Ricky fashion his own opening for a goal he then scores. You need to think Sheringham not Van Persie and I believe we can get a lot more out of Ricky than what he has delivered so far, with the right partner up front.

[Colinjb]

Absolutely no chance. Ricky is a #10 at best, a slow #10 and the sooner Adkins realises that the better. We will desperately need a main striker that brings out the best in Ricky, otherwise all the talent Ricky has will go to waste in the Premier. I only heard the game today but it has been an age (maybe more than a season) where I have heard / seen Ricky fashion his own opening for a goal he then scores. You need to think Sheringham not Van Persie and I believe we can get a lot more out of Ricky than what he has delivered so far, with the right partner up front.

 

I am inclined to agree but I believe the player to bring out the best in Rickie is already here. His name is Tadanari Lee.

[Roger]

Absolutely no chance. Ricky is a #10 at best, a slow #10 and the sooner Adkins realises that the better. We will desperately need a main striker that brings out the best in Ricky, otherwise all the talent Ricky has will go to waste in the Premier. I only heard the game today but it has been an age (maybe more than a season) where I have heard / seen Ricky fashion his own opening for a goal he then scores. You need to think Sheringham not Van Persie and I believe we can get a lot more out of Ricky than what he has delivered so far, with the right partner up front.

 

U sir talk a load of rubbish and should go to some games. Second half rickie was awesome. Can win everything in the air and make and be skilful. If it wasn't for lambert we wouldn't have won. The guy is superb.

[The9]

Absolutely no chance. Ricky is a #10 at best, a slow #10 and the sooner Adkins realises that the better. We will desperately need a main striker that brings out the best in Ricky, otherwise all the talent Ricky has will go to waste in the Premier. I only heard the game today but it has been an age (maybe more than a season) where I have heard / seen Ricky fashion his own opening for a goal he then scores. You need to think Sheringham not Van Persie and I believe we can get a lot more out of Ricky than what he has delivered so far, with the right partner up front.

 

Lambert scores a lot of headers for a creative midfielder. We do need someone who accentuates his skillset though. Or someone who gives us an alternative.

[kpturner]

I only heard the game today but it has been an age (maybe more than a season) where I have heard / seen Ricky fashion his own opening for a goal he then scores.

Errmmm - second goal today perhaps? Also Derby away maybe?

[JonnyLove]

I thought he was our #7 ?

[SNSUN]

If we do go up, we'll need a lot more pace - it's something we lack as things stand.

 

As for Rickie, he'll be a hit in the Premiership, although I couldn't tell you what formation that would be in. I do think that, one day, he'll drop deeper into a midfield role (a role he has played before in his career), similar to Mark Hughes in his Saints days.

[JonnyLove]

If we do go up, we'll need a lot more pace - it's something we lack as things stand.

 

As for Rickie, he'll be a hit in the Premiership, although I couldn't tell you what formation that would be in. I do think that, one day, he'll drop deeper into a midfield role (a role he has played before in his career), similar to Mark Hughes in his Saints days.

 

Lets hope he'll be allot better than that

[up and away]

U sir talk a load of rubbish and should go to some games. Second half rickie was awesome. Can win everything in the air and make and be skilful. If it wasn't for lambert we wouldn't have won. The guy is superb.

 

You really need to take the blinkers off when it comes to all things Ricky. We are talking about Ricky in the Premier and as we are set up at present he will struggle big time. I fully agree that Ricky is our player of the season already and the only person challenging Adkins as the main reason we will get promotion this season. Saying that Ricky can win everything in the air just shows how little you understand of his game. Back him up to the last defender and Ricky gets turned over by even modest centre backs with the help of a push and a shove. Ricky knows that and uses his intelligence to come more into the midfield to find the space such he is winning far more. The trouble is that it is very difficult to be effective when you are trying flick ons from that far back unless the rest of the team are dominating. You only have to look at Adkins comments for the first goal against Palace to see how it works. The intelligence of Ricky and movement of the other players left Ricky jumping against the midget Clyne for the first goal. He picks his battles intelligently and because of that reaps the rewards.

 

Since Sharp has been at Saints it has posed several questions as to where the strike partnership will end up. So far I really don't see that Billy adds to Rickys game and vice versa. When we are not playing well it can make a lot of sense to go 451, a role Ricky does poorly in and I feel we would be better with just Sharp as the lone striker. Going into the Premier I still feel Ricky can be the main man, but those weak links he exploits at present will just not be there in the Premier. Free kicks have dried up as a source of goals and penalties will be far less.

 

So far I have painted a gloomy picture for Ricky in the Premier but that does not have to be the case. With Rickys intelligence and paired up with someone like Crouch or Yakubu, you can see all sorts of possibilities opening up. What I don't see is that happening with the likes of Billy.

 

 

Errmmm - second goal today perhaps? Also Derby away maybe?

 

One of the reasons mentioning that was the comment from DM on Solent as Ricky created his own chance there. Have not seen it to comment yet, but the last I can remember is the great goal coming in from the left against Huddersfield at home.

[Roger]

You really need to take the blinkers off when it comes to all things Ricky. We are talking about Ricky in the Premier and as we are set up at present he will struggle big time. I fully agree that Ricky is our player of the season already and the only person challenging Adkins as the main reason we will get promotion this season. Saying that Ricky can win everything in the air just shows how little you understand of his game. Back him up to the last defender and Ricky gets turned over by even modest centre backs with the help of a push and a shove. Ricky knows that and uses his intelligence to come more into the midfield to find the space such he is winning far more. The trouble is that it is very difficult to be effective when you are trying flick ons from that far back unless the rest of the team are dominating. You only have to look at Adkins comments for the first goal against Palace to see how it works. The intelligence of Ricky and movement of the other players left Ricky jumping against the midget Clyne for the first goal. He picks his battles intelligently and because of that reaps the rewards.

 

Since Sharp has been at Saints it has posed several questions as to where the strike partnership will end up. So far I really don't see that Billy adds to Rickys game and vice versa. When we are not playing well it can make a lot of sense to go 451, a role Ricky does poorly in and I feel we would be better with just Sharp as the lone striker. Going into the Premier I still feel Ricky can be the main man, but those weak links he exploits at present will just not be there in the Premier. Free kicks have dried up as a source of goals and penalties will be far less.

 

So far I have painted a gloomy picture for Ricky in the Premier but that does not have to be the case. With Rickys intelligence and paired up with someone like Crouch or Yakubu, you can see all sorts of possibilities opening up. What I don't see is that happening with the likes of Billy.

 

 

 

 

One of the reasons mentioning that was the comment from DM on Solent as Ricky created his own chance there. Have not seen it to comment yet, but the last I can remember is the great goal coming in from the left against Huddersfield at home.

 

Go and support another team mate. Probably the most stupid post I've ever seen on here. Maybe try going to the game before passing comment.