is lambert good enough for the prem?

[St_Tel49]

Carroll was excellent when he came on and held the ball up, which Rooney couldn't do for toffee.

 

Andy is the future, and is an international class player. Lambert is our legend, but he isn't an international class player.

 

Always predictable to see these sort of posts, or ''We could beat them''. No we couldn't, even on that showing they would beat us 9.9times out of 10.

 

All this lower league winning seems to have gone to some peoples heads! The gulf is huge...

!!!!!! The ball went from Carroll's Head/ Foot straight to the opposition most of the time. Mind you, he wasn't alone in that!

[St_Tel49]

Carroll was poor - less subtle than a geordie on the pull. Winning the ball is one thing; genuinely bringing others into play is another.

Hodgson got it wrong with 4-4-2 -should have played a diamond or crowded the midfield both to neuter Italy and give Carroll/Rooney more support. Very few international teams play with out and out wingers, so going narrow has fewer risks.

Hodgson's a lucky boy that he's english. Almost feel sorry for Capello and Sven.

It shows that no matter who is manager, England never do better than quarter finals. Surely that therefore defines where they are as a footballing nation. It will stay like that until coaching at very junior level starts to concentrate on developing fundamental skills and good technique rather than the obsession with competitive games that still seems to dominate (I think that it is slowly changing though)

[PhilippineSaint]

It shows that no matter who is manager, England never do better than quarter finals. Surely that therefore defines where they are as a footballing nation. It will stay like that until coaching at very junior level starts to concentrate on developing fundamental skills and good technique rather than the obsession with competitive games that still seems to dominate (I think that it is slowly changing though)

 

 

You are not allowed to be competitive in English school's now in case it upsets some minority who might not like somebody else winning.

[PhilippineSaint]

Yeah, she's called cтарий удар.

 

Not unlike Krap Notarf then and the perchance of their managers for places of easy leisure.

[Dr. Kucho]

Lambert will be top scorer of the English players next season, starting with a brace against Citeh.

[St_Tel49]

You are not allowed to be competitive in English school's now in case it upsets some minority who might not like somebody else winning.

The issue is not about competitive games as such - it is about treating the results of those games as being more important the skills development. At very junior level one skillful (or big) kid can score a ton of goals so that his team wins everything but it is doing nothing for the development of the rest.

[John Cool]

Q: Is Lambert good enough for the Prem?

A: Yes.

[dronskisaint]

Q: Is Lambert good enough for the Prem?

A: Yes.

 

Thank you

 

+1

[Eastcowzer]

Surely this thread should be renamed to "Is Carroll good enough for England" ???

 

The answer being in the negative it remains the fact that the three Lions are being led by a donkey'.(Name that 'Team member' in one)

[The9]

I think Lambert will get a fair few games and score a few goals, but he won't be the bolted-on first name on the teamsheet, especially now we've signed Rodriguez. As I said about a month ago, I think Billy Sharp will play more matches than him in the Prem next season. Just a hunch based on when they were signed.

 

Oh, and against Italy Carroll was excellent in the air (not his fault people didn't read his flicks) and in bringing balls down - and utterly terrible on the floor for England. He looked about as suited to that environment as Ali Dia, I've never seen a player worse with his feet in an international quarter-final, that one time he was Bambi-ing his way down the left side I thought he was going to crap himself on the pitch he looked so awkward/scared/out of his depth. They could have stood off him for 5 minutes and he'd have just poked the ball ahead of himself until he ran off the pitch.

Edited 26 June, 2012 by The9

[Dig Dig]

I think Lambert will get a fair few games and score a few goals, but he won't be the bolted-on first name on the teamsheet, especially now we've signed Rodriguez. As I said about a month ago, I think Billy Sharp will play more matches than him in the Prem next season. Just a hunch based on when they were signed.

 

 

That's nonsense, Sharp will be behind Lambert, Rodriguez and Lee (when back fit).

[The9]

That's nonsense, Sharp will be behind Lambert, Rodriguez and Lee (when back fit).

 

It's my opinion, and we shall see. Whether he's "behind" them or not, I think he'll play more matches. Adkins hasn't signed any of them to sit on the bench all the time.

[Dig Dig]

It's my opinion, and we shall see. Whether he's "behind" them or not, I think he'll play more matches. Adkins hasn't signed any of them to sit on the bench all the time.

 

He was happy for Sharp to sit on the bench every week until Lee got injured. I'm sure he'll get games but IMO Lambert and Rodriguez will be starting, Lee and Sharp will be making impacts from the bench.

 

Sharp offers no way near as much as Lambert does in terms of all round game so I very much hope that he doesn't get more games than Lambert. I still think that Sharp will struggle to make an impact anyway.

[david in sweden]

I mean lets be honest Carroll is average.

Never an international player in his current form. Crouch would have been a much better option, even Holt would have been.

 

 

I agree with you on this one.

Carroll wasn't even in the England squad two months ago. He wouldn't have gone on the pitch if Rooney had played from the first game (except perhaps the last 10 mins. as a sub). YES, he looked a bit lively when he was on, and his one goal looked good .. but he isn't England class on those showings.

 

I'd go as far to say that if Liverpool hadn't parted with Torres (to the only Prem. side that could afford him) and left L'pool with £50 million burning a hole in their pocket, then Carroll would still be at Newcastle, and be what he was before.....an exciting young prospect who had one very good season behind him and came down to Earth last season.

 

It'll be a long time before Liverpool fans admit he was a good buy..for ONLY £35 million.. even an FA cup win is no replacement for Champions League football.

[david in sweden]

He was happy for Sharp to sit on the bench every week until Lee got injured. I'm sure he'll get games but IMO Lambert and Rodriguez will be starting, Lee and Sharp will be making impacts from the bench.

Sharp offers no way near as much as Lambert does in terms of all round game so I very much hope that he doesn't get more games than Lambert. I still think that Sharp will struggle to make an impact anyway.

 

I agree with your statement, but maybe not in the way you mean...

I think that Sharp took some time to get himself into the right mindset after he arrived, and I don't mean just losing a few pounds and getting "Saints-fit".

 

TBF Lee looked red hot from his first game, and as it was after his unfortunate injury that Billy Sharp did what a good squad player should do, namely go on and DAJFU.

 

For many seasons past, we've had a "goal scoring saviour " who delivers goals at the end of the season - when it matters. Agreed some of Sharp's efforts were a bit scrappy but (when the ref. sees it) those that go over the line count as goals, and though we can be thankful for Ricky Lambert's fantastic efforts throughout the season, it was Billy who got the important goals in the last couple of months.

 

Very few strikers are consistantly good all the time. Lambert has been for three seasons, Channon was and Ron Davies and Martin Chivers before him ..since when even MLT and James Beattie had embarrasingly long "dry spells" when they were goal-less week after week.

Thankfully Billy hit form when we needed him most, but he might never become as prolific as the other mentioned above.

Edited 29 June, 2012 by david in sweden

[John Boy Saint]

People offer Grant Holt as the example when the question in the original post is asked, the one thing that stands out for me in this comparison is that Grant Holt is the same blunt instrument at the end of the day. Whereas if you look at Rickie by comparison he is a razor sharp Rapier. The Adkins effect on the teams fitness has been demonstrated well in Rickie and he by own admission has never been fitter, which in return if you saw the second half of the season made him not only a bigger goal threat, but also a goal creator and game chaser.

I think he will be fine in the Premiership as without doubt Adkins will have him and any other member of the squad who has been playing under Adkins at Saints even more finely tuned, by way of evolution.

[Thedelldays]

how can you say holt is a blunt instrument. some of his goals were pure class last season

[John Boy Saint]

how can you say holt is a blunt instrument. some of his goals were pure class last season

He just lacks finesse for me, whereas Rickie has been maturing into a rather pleasant full bodied wine (he says searching for a better analogy) over the past couple of seasons, his contract extension length must also point to the fact that the club also believe Rickie has the attributes to make it in the top flight.

[The9]

He just lacks finesse for me, whereas Rickie has been maturing into a rather pleasant full bodied wine (he says searching for a better analogy) over the past couple of seasons, his contract extension length must also point to the fact that the club also believe Rickie has the attributes to make it in the top flight.

 

We had a load of players get contract extensions last season due to promotion clauses.

[The9]

He was happy for Sharp to sit on the bench every week until Lee got injured. I'm sure he'll get games but IMO Lambert and Rodriguez will be starting, Lee and Sharp will be making impacts from the bench.

 

Sharp offers no way near as much as Lambert does in terms of all round game so I very much hope that he doesn't get more games than Lambert. I still think that Sharp will struggle to make an impact anyway.

 

Yeah but Sharp had only just joined us then, my opinion of that was that he was being trained hard to get him up to Saints levels of fitness without risking injury by overtraining AND playing, and he would then get a run at the end of the season when we needed fresh blood. Which was exactly what happened.

 

I also think Sharp's got certain attributes that more strikers who are successful in the Prem have, and all of the ones needed to have a chance, but I've already had this discussion on here and no-one seemed to agree with me that having the ability to go past players was useful for a goalscorer in the Prem.

[The9]

He just lacks finesse for me, whereas Rickie has been maturing into a rather pleasant full bodied wine (he says searching for a better analogy) over the past couple of seasons, his contract extension length must also point to the fact that the club also believe Rickie has the attributes to make it in the top flight.

 

You could just stick to discussing tangible football skills rather than obscure similes! Holt is faster than Lambert and much more agile, which are two important qualities for strikers in the Prem. He's also got very quick feet (not necessarily better than Lambert) and can get past people in open play.

[david in sweden]

surely the conversation about the merits of Holt and Lambert are superfluous. Any successful striker is only as successful as the team tactics that allow him to score.

Lawrie Mac's old adage about " roadsweepers and prima donnas" is a quote that comes to mind.

 

Going back far enough - Ron Davies (no excuse for ever using him as an example) was a fairly average striker with Norwich in the mid 1960's but his later transfer to Saints and the subsequent service he got from wingers Paine and Sydenham, turned him into one of the best CF in Europe - (quote: Matt Busby legendary Man U manager)

 

Current examples of players like Carroll and Torres show that without the support and style of play to suit them, star players can look " quite ordinary "- and vice versa.

 

The only thing that Lambert and Holt have in common is that they both score lots of goals. I don't believe that either of them would be as successful were they to be in.. the others / another team.. whoever it was.

[Dig Dig]

Yeah but Sharp had only just joined us then, my opinion of that was that he was being trained hard to get him up to Saints levels of fitness without risking injury by overtraining AND playing, and he would then get a run at the end of the season when we needed fresh blood. Which was exactly what happened.

 

I also think Sharp's got certain attributes that more strikers who are successful in the Prem have, and all of the ones needed to have a chance, but I've already had this discussion on here and no-one seemed to agree with me that having the ability to go past players was useful for a goalscorer in the Prem.

 

Sharp is less likely to get past players than Lambert is. I can't think of a single goal he scored (for us) where he had to do so.

[laughba]

If Lambert is not good enough for the prem, then no-one in the saints squad is good enouggh.