This is serious. How close could Rickie be to an England call-up ???

[alpine_saint]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4522911/England-can-rule-out-glory-if-they-have-only-3-main-hitmen.html

 

I would argue if he continues to get a few goals, it might not be long.

[Saint J 77]

I think you have answered your own question and I agree! If he continues to score goals at this level, it can't be long before he is given a game at international level. He certainly deserves a chance I think.

Edited 6 September, 2012 by Saint J 77

[Sparky_Mark]

If Jay Boothroyd and Kevin Davies can have international caps then Rickie has to be in with a massive shout, any idea when our next friendly is or are they all qualifiers now on in?

[CB Fry]

Perfectly possible if he keeps scoring. There's not that many options for Roy.

[badgerx16]

Perfectly possible if he keeps scoring. There's not that many options for Roy.

 

Wasn't Roy @ the ManUre game ? Who was he watching ?

[Secret Site Agent]

He would certainly score more than Rooney.

[Nigel=God-Poyet=Sod]

He should get selected and he would do brilliantly. The thing about Rickie is that he couldn't have done much more in recent seasons. Top scorer in League one, 20+ league goals in League one, top scorer in the chanpionship plus numerous assists and the Player of the season award. This season, he has continued to perform in the big games. 2 league goals already in 2 starts and 1 sub appearance plus an assists for Morgan's goal.

He doesn't just score goals, he creates them too and is a proper team player. In terms of his game, there is not much more he could do and frankly Hodgson would be a fool not to call him up in the future.

[Noodles34]

If he plays for England, then that would just show how dire our international team choice is.

[Hatch]

If one of the forwards gets injured on Friday, it might be as early as next Tuesday.

[Glasgow_Saint]

Is he better than Grant Holt?

[Saint Garrett]

The thing with him is that he is 30. Holt should have got a chance last season but probably because of his age he didn't. I think Rickie would do a superb job for England, but I can't see him being in the set up when Brazil comes round. However I do feel if we want players for now, then there aren't many better options around at the moment. You have Sturridge and Welbeck who aren't even playing regularly and I doubt Defoe will be either despite playing a bit at the start of this season.

[saintbob40]

I just can't see any of Sturridge,Welbeck, Defoe in the middle of a 451 or 433 formation at this present time. Sturridge ok on the left but greedy and petulant, Welbeck possibly in time when he fills out a bit and learns to play with his back to goal. Defoe is 3 ft 4 and needs to play off a big no.9. So SRL is as good as we have at present and would do a decent job I feel because he can play on the floor and link in as well as hold the ball up/trouble the CBs with his strength and aerial power. As we found on on Sunday when SRL left the field you need player who can hold the ball up and bring other players into the game.

[eharty9]

If he plays for England, then that would just show how dire our international team choice is.

 

ohh shut up you miserable git

[alpine_saint]

The major obstacle to this happening is Hodgson himself, who to my mind is already stuck in low-risk, unoriginal, big-club, trapped-by-the-system thinking (not that he ever struck me as a creative and innovative coach...)

[monkadill]

Adam L is a better prospect for England, isn't Rickie to similar to Carol?

[Guest Dark Sotonic Mills]

Adam L is a better prospect for England, isn't Rickie to similar to Carol?

 

Vorderman?

[Dig Dig]

The major obstacle to this happening is Hodgson himself, who to my mind is already stuck in low-risk, unoriginal, big-club, trapped-by-the-system thinking (not that he ever struck me as a creative and innovative coach...)

 

he's more travelled, more educated and has a more hollistic overview of world football then most. He wouldn't be an obstacle at all. He's already monitoring Ward-Prowse and has him on his radar accoring to Neville. No way would Capello even be aware of his exisitence at this stage of hie career by comparison

[alpine_saint]

he's more travelled, more educated and has a more hollistic overview of world football then most. He wouldn't be an obstacle at all. He's already monitoring Ward-Prowse and has him on his radar accoring to Neville. No way would Capello even be aware of his exisitence at this stage of hie career by comparison

 

Yet he sticks to Rooney and Terry.

[Flyer]

Hes too old, I doubt anyone on here would want Grant Holt playing for England and most non Saints fans would feel the same about Lambert.

 

It would just show how bad our attacking options are, a bit like Rob Green being the #2 shows the woeful state of our goalie after Hart.

[Ewell]

Is he better than Grant Holt?

 

According to Talk Sport listeners then it is RIckie Lambert by a long way.

 

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/drivetime/120903/poll-who-better-rickie-lambert-or-grant-holt-180177

[The Kraken]

Yet he sticks to Rooney and Terry.

 

He'd be an idiot not to stick with Rooney. And i don't think Roy should be judged at all on what happened at the Euros; he basically inherited a squad that had qualified, playing a certain way and formation, with players who had proved themselves under a former manager. It was a no-win situation for him, if he had made sweeping changes he would have been criticised, he played a very safe game by sticking with Capello's plan.

 

If the system doesn't change from here in, then I'll start to worry. But I think we'll begin to see a change in the formation and makeup of the England team from now on, but it will come step by step, he can't just ditch all the old guard unless there are replacements who can come in and do a better job. Currently, we have few options in certain departments.

[Thedelldays]

Hes too old, I doubt anyone on here would want Grant Holt playing for England and most non Saints fans would feel the same about Lambert.

 

It would just show how bad our attacking options are, a bit like Rob Green being the #2 shows the woeful state of our goalie after Hart.

 

What a come rely ignorant post

[Dig Dig]

He'd be an idiot not to stick with Rooney. And i don't think Roy should be judged at all on what happened at the Euros; he basically inherited a squad that had qualified, playing a certain way and formation, with players who had proved themselves under a former manager. It was a no-win situation for him, if he had made sweeping changes he would have been criticised, he played a very safe game by sticking with Capello's plan.

 

If the system doesn't change from here in, then I'll start to worry. But I think we'll begin to see a change in the formation and makeup of the England team from now on, but it will come step by step, he can't just ditch all the old guard unless there are replacements who can come in and do a better job. Currently, we have few options in certain departments.

 

Spot on

[ALWAYS_SFC]

What a come rely ignorant post

 

Early afternoon alcohol?

[Thedelldays]

[/b]

 

Early afternoon alcohol?

 

Bad predictive text

COMPLETELY

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Hes too old, I doubt anyone on here would want Grant Holt playing for England and most non Saints fans would feel the same about Lambert.

 

It would just show how bad our attacking options are, a bit like Rob Green being the #2 shows the woeful state of our goalie after Hart.

 

 

Are you suggesting Holt and Lambert are bad?

We are without rooney and carroll, so who would you suggest then?

[SNOWY]

He has no chance. If RL was going to be selected by Hodgson it would have been for this squad. But after watching his excellent performace against Man U Hodgson decided to not replace Carrol wit anyone. I can't see what more Rickie can do.

[krissyboy31]

He has no chance. If RL was going to be selected by Hodgson it would have been for this squad. But after watching his excellent performace against Man U Hodgson decided to not replace Carrol wit anyone. I can't see what more Rickie can do.

 

I have to agree with this tbh. Personally I'd have him ahead of Carroll but somehow I don't think Roy agrees! I don't agree that Holt and Lambert are too old, the qualifies are a 2 year cycle, so we don't need look any further than that. Unless we can get RVP to naturalise and change allegiances, I can't see too many options.

[Saint Scott]

Rickie has been clinical in both the Manchester games which is against international level players. He should defiantly get a shout. With Carroll injured he would be the ideal candidate in my eyes, maybe Hodgson would go with crouch first but I think rickie is a lot more deadly.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2197903/Rickie-Lambert-believes-play-England.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

[Fan The Flames]

Steve Bull and James Beattie, both high scorers but failed at international level. However our Rickie has stepped up to every challenge so far so who knows.

[Bucks Saint]

Would love to see it, but for the life of me I dont understand what Crouch has done wrong for England. Surely he would be next in line

[CB Fry]

Steve Bull and James Beattie, both high scorers but failed at international level. However our Rickie has stepped up to every challenge so far so who knows.

 

In fairness, Steve Bull didn't even prove himself at top flight level, let alone anywhere else. Beattie was a proven Premier League striker.

[alpine_saint]

He'd be an idiot not to stick with Rooney. And i don't think Roy should be judged at all on what happened at the Euros; he basically inherited a squad that had qualified, playing a certain way and formation, with players who had proved themselves under a former manager. It was a no-win situation for him, if he had made sweeping changes he would have been criticised, he played a very safe game by sticking with Capello's plan.

 

If the system doesn't change from here in, then I'll start to worry. But I think we'll begin to see a change in the formation and makeup of the England team from now on, but it will come step by step, he can't just ditch all the old guard unless there are replacements who can come in and do a better job. Currently, we have few options in certain departments.

 

I take your point about inheriting a squad for the Euros, and that the squad only had/has really a chance to change from here on, but I vehemently dispute your assertion that it is idiocy not to stick to Rooney. In the last 2 tournaments he has contributed almost nothing (apart from his first goal in 8 years as a STRIKER). FFS, Carroll had more of an impact than him at the Euros.

 

I am sure this opinion will attract ridicule, but I have long argued that England needs to stop worrying about the short-term gain of qualifying for the next tournament and put a new way of doing things in place, and if the process of achieving that causes us to slip up and miss out on qualifying for the first tournament thereafter, or to get beaten in every game if we do get there, then so be it. Really, the time to do this was when Keegan quit after the 2002 WC qualifying match against Germany, but then Eriksson beat Germany 5-1 in the return fixture and we all got carried away about our standing in world football again.

 

For me the target is now Russia 2018, as far away and ridiculous as that sounds - but sure it wont happen.

[alpine_saint]

Would love to see it, but for the life of me I dont understand what Crouch has done wrong for England. Surely he would be next in line

 

Crouch will never succeed at international level, but thats not his fault.

 

The pedantry and niggliness of international refereeing means he is always going to get pulled up for the slightest contact with an opponent because of his size.

[KK the 2nd]

Would love to see Rickie in an England shirt but trying to look at this objectively, Hodgson needs to build a team for the future and I think age is against RL.

 

Anyway I'm not sure we should risk him, probably best to say he has a knock and not available ... :-)

[alpine_saint]

Would love to see Rickie in an England shirt but trying to look at this objectively, Hodgson needs to build a team for the future and I think age is against RL.

 

 

Well, its a valid argument, I suppose.

 

But then shouldnt we be ditching Terry, Gerrard and Lampard ?

[KK the 2nd]

Well, its a valid argument, I suppose.

 

But then shouldnt we be ditching Terry, Gerrard and Lampard ?

 

They are proven at ths level but yes, maybe we should. We need to look beyond the old guard and the likes of Adam Lallana should be seriously considered.

[The Kraken]

I take your point about inheriting a squad for the Euros, and that the squad only had/has really a chance to change from here on, but I vehemently dispute your assertion that it is idiocy not to stick to Rooney. In the last 2 tournaments he has contributed almost nothing (apart from his first goal in 8 years as a STRIKER). FFS, Carroll had more of an impact than him at the Euros.

 

I am sure this opinion will attract ridicule, but I have long argued that England needs to stop worrying about the short-term gain of qualifying for the next tournament and put a new way of doing things in place, and if the process of achieving that causes us to slip up and miss out on qualifying for the first tournament thereafter, or to get beaten in every game if we do get there, then so be it. Really, the time to do this was when Keegan quit after the 2002 WC qualifying match against Germany, but then Eriksson beat Germany 5-1 in the return fixture and we all got carried away about our standing in world football again.

 

For me the target is now Russia 2018, as far away and ridiculous as that sounds - but sure it wont happen.

 

Its all very well saying "lets build for the future" (and I do believe we should), but there simply has to be the players in place to do that. You may not like Rooney, but he scored nearly 30 league goals last season. His closest contenders had around half that or less. Gone are the days of having the likes of Shearer, Owen, Sheringham, Ferdinand, Fowler, Wright etc etc to call upon. Our strikeforce is something of a joke, and Rooney is the stand out player amongst them. His performance at the Euros, well a bit pointless really. He wasn't fit, and couldn't play in the first 2 games anyway. But there isn't anyone obvious who could fill the void he leaves, we really are that short of options up front.

 

I think Roy will put a new plan in place. Starting with the formation, he's either going for 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. Either way a deviation from the rigidity of the 4-4-2, and more inline with the systems players are used to at club level. Despite being ranked #3 in the world (guffaw) Roy knows as well as anyone that the England team is in need of a major rethink.

 

I don't disagree that we should plan ahead; but the England U21 squad is there for a reason, to develop players until they are ready for a full call-up. Young players shouldn't IMO be rushed into action unless they're absolutely good enough, as testified to by Theo Walcott's elevation to the England World Cup squad before he'd even played a league game for Arsenal. So there is a definite balance to be made. And I don't really see anyone from the U21s who should be fast-tracked into the senior, if anything Welbeck and Sturridge have been thrust into the reckoning too soon, they're not even starters for their own club sides (which also kind of reinforces the opinion that our backup options to Rooney are extremely limited).

[david in sweden]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4522911/England-can-rule-out-glory-if-they-have-only-3-main-hitmen.html

 

I would argue if he continues to get a few goals, it might not be long.

 

 

a bad result for England in the next couple of games could tilt the balance.

Houghton chose Carroll when he had no sort of form at all - but regardless of the final result, Rickie did himself no harm at all with goals in the two Manchester games.

[The Kraken]

a bad result for England in the next couple of games could tilt the balance.

Houghton chose Carroll when he had no sort of form at all - but regardless of the final result, he did himself no harm at all with goals in the two Manchester games.

 

Who?

[VectisSaint]

The major obstacle to this happening is Hodgson himself, who to my mind is already stuck in low-risk, unoriginal, big-club, trapped-by-the-system thinking (not that he ever struck me as a creative and innovative coach...)

This is clearly not the case, hence Butland (Birmingham) and Ruddy (Norwich) were selected by Woy.

[VectisSaint]

Adam L is a better prospect for England, isn't Rickie to similar to Carol?

No, Rickie gets played all year, not just at Christmas :-)

[Noodles34]

ohh shut up you miserable git

 

the sort of reply i would expect from some muppets on here. God, try some intelligence, you might like it.

[Noodles34]

Hes too old, I doubt anyone on here would want Grant Holt playing for England and most non Saints fans would feel the same about Lambert.

 

It would just show how bad our attacking options are, a bit like Rob Green being the #2 shows the woeful state of our goalie after Hart.

 

exactly, christ if we cant find 4 top class strikers from the likes of Utd, City, Arsenal, Chelsea etc. what does that tell you about our talent.

 

I love SRL, think he is a very good footballer, so much beter in the last couple of years, BUT if he gets in the England team as a 30 year old playing for a bottom of the league side, well, how desperate have we become? Lets face it, the big clubs wont be in for Rickie (thankfully), so how does that make him good enough for England? If it does, its because we have such a lack of young English talent. Would much rather see the likes of Sturridge being given plenty of games to improve and build for the future.

[Noodles34]

Crouch will never succeed at international level, but thats not his fault.

 

The pedantry and niggliness of international refereeing means he is always going to get pulled up for the slightest contact with an opponent because of his size.

 

apart from the fact he has scored more goals recently than any other England striker, would love to see that stats, goals to starts, bet Crouch would be well ahead. But hey, because he might get pulled up by a ref, lets not chance it!

[Noodles34]

Well, its a valid argument, I suppose.

 

But then shouldnt we be ditching Terry, Gerrard and Lampard ?

 

yes

[david in sweden]

Who?

 

well you know who I mean the other guy who was in Sweden.....that Hodgson fellow !

[Northernsaint]

Rickie is not too old... Hes fit and hungry and banging goals in. Sick of people trying to write players off because of age. Ashley cole is older than rickie ffs so are lampard probably gerrard. There is no other english striker close to rickie for consistently scoring goals. Rickie is as near to a Shearer as we have had and has been in lower league for way too long.

 

Age wise Look at Pirlo in the euros. The stereotypes got rewritten. England should have never let scholes retire from international football at 30. Best player in a generation. Should have been our Pirlo.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[farawaysaint]

apart from the fact he has scored more goals recently than any other England striker, would love to see that stats, goals to starts, bet Crouch would be well ahead. But hey, because he might get pulled up by a ref, lets not chance it!

 

Don't have goals to starts, goals to minutes however is 2187/22 or a goal every 99 minutes (not bad at all.) In the last 3 years it's 8 goals in 461 minutes or a goal every 57 minutes which is phenomenal. [Apologies if the stats are incorrect but this is the greatest detail I could find.]