Lambert
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Had to check a couple of stats:
So this guy scored 14 goals in the Premier League last season, and 15 the season before. The 15 in 2013 making him the highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League. That's two good seasons however you polish it.
Let's not dress this up as something it isn't; he's not a Suarez, and he isn't costing us 40M and going to add to the small handful of world class players we've got. He's Rickie Lambert folks. By the same token, he's no Andy Carroll or Kenwyne Jones - he can play football. He's not some agricultural lump ambling around the pitch aspiring for a long throw. Anybody who's watched him will see he's got a touch, he comes short and picks it up, and can move well. And he works his absolute arse off. You don't get in that Southampton side if you can't play with the ball at your feet - he's clearly a good enough footballer.
For 4M quid that's fine by me. Buy him. We're gonna be playing 15 odd more games next season, and you know Sturridge/Suarez will be suspended and injured for plenty of games - they were last season anyway. This guy will start 15-20 games, and come off the bench in at least that too. 4M for a proven goalscorer who can make 30-35 appearances. Fine. As Keniget say's too - he gives you something different. Someone to stand and take the heat and bumps for a Suarez, someone to occupy a John Terry, someone to stretch a defence.
And then there's the boyhood fan thing. That means fuck all in terms of whether we should or shouldn't sign him to be honest. You only buy players if they're good enough, fuck who he supported. But imagine you're him for a second; you're fucking around at Macclesfield Town, Rochdale, Bristol Rovers, Blackpool and Stockport County for 11 years. That's your career. And now at 32 when you're as good as done you get to go and join your club. I can empathise with that. I think a lot of us who post on here (certainly the guys I know and have met) are around that age. Imagine BR calls you up and tells you he wants to sign you today, and you're gonna play for Liverpool. That's pretty special. Imagine you're him right now, imagine how you'd feel. That's what football's all about.
Love stories like that.
So this guy scored 14 goals in the Premier League last season, and 15 the season before. The 15 in 2013 making him the highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League. That's two good seasons however you polish it.
Let's not dress this up as something it isn't; he's not a Suarez, and he isn't costing us 40M and going to add to the small handful of world class players we've got. He's Rickie Lambert folks. By the same token, he's no Andy Carroll or Kenwyne Jones - he can play football. He's not some agricultural lump ambling around the pitch aspiring for a long throw. Anybody who's watched him will see he's got a touch, he comes short and picks it up, and can move well. And he works his absolute arse off. You don't get in that Southampton side if you can't play with the ball at your feet - he's clearly a good enough footballer.
For 4M quid that's fine by me. Buy him. We're gonna be playing 15 odd more games next season, and you know Sturridge/Suarez will be suspended and injured for plenty of games - they were last season anyway. This guy will start 15-20 games, and come off the bench in at least that too. 4M for a proven goalscorer who can make 30-35 appearances. Fine. As Keniget say's too - he gives you something different. Someone to stand and take the heat and bumps for a Suarez, someone to occupy a John Terry, someone to stretch a defence.
And then there's the boyhood fan thing. That means fuck all in terms of whether we should or shouldn't sign him to be honest. You only buy players if they're good enough, fuck who he supported. But imagine you're him for a second; you're fucking around at Macclesfield Town, Rochdale, Bristol Rovers, Blackpool and Stockport County for 11 years. That's your career. And now at 32 when you're as good as done you get to go and join your club. I can empathise with that. I think a lot of us who post on here (certainly the guys I know and have met) are around that age. Imagine BR calls you up and tells you he wants to sign you today, and you're gonna play for Liverpool. That's pretty special. Imagine you're him right now, imagine how you'd feel. That's what football's all about.
Love stories like that.
Him and Brendan are gonna have a proper snog when he arrives at Melwood.
I'm a bit worried though that Lambert isn't as well suited to the English game as Valbuena is to the French game.
We are getting him as well
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...arget-Mathieu-Valbuena-set-to-leave-Marseille
And also on 2x the wages + signing on fees. Would probably have worked out the same. Eto'o could be 42 years old though, so the comparison still falls a bit in favour of Lambert.
Matt Le Tissier @mattletiss7 · 3h
If Rickie joins lfc i will say good luck to him and thanks for helping to resurrect #sfc its His boyhood team and in CL. #stillahero
Lets not panic about possible exits until you see how the funds are reinvested in the squad and see how we look when season starts
One man leaving is another players opportunity. I only became a regular in sfc team after d wallace went to man utd #grassnotalwaysgreener
If Rickie joins lfc i will say good luck to him and thanks for helping to resurrect #sfc its His boyhood team and in CL. #stillahero
Lets not panic about possible exits until you see how the funds are reinvested in the squad and see how we look when season starts
One man leaving is another players opportunity. I only became a regular in sfc team after d wallace went to man utd #grassnotalwaysgreener
I like this. He'll blend in with the rest of the squad without any problems and will galvanise it if anything, and more importantly, won't disrupt the apple cart of creating a divide between the two best strikers in the league. Contributed 25 goals in 33 matches if you add his minutes up in terms of total games, and for what £4m? that's a bargain considering he'll be getting more chances supplied to him and being a marked improvement on Aspas. He's a hard fucker to play against, Ryan's right about the Shearer comparison, elbows flying everywhere, powerful natural finisher, he hasn't racked up the sheer amount of goals he has by being a slouch.
"Thanks for all your contributions. I hope you crash by the way".
Yep another point we are agreeing on.
It's becoming a worrying habit.
This deal reminds me of Bellamy's return. Except I guess that Bellamy came on a free, but possibly also on higher wages due to him arriving from City.
Also, for anyone wondering if Lambert's scoring record was padded with tons of penalties - he scored 3 penalties in each of the last 2 seasons (source: http://www.football-lineups.com/footballer/15706/Analysis/Penalties/).
Also, for anyone wondering if Lambert's scoring record was padded with tons of penalties - he scored 3 penalties in each of the last 2 seasons (source: http://www.football-lineups.com/footballer/15706/Analysis/Penalties/).
You're putting on candles????
What.... You're wearing them?
How many bottles of Malbec have you guzzled already?
Really pleased with this signing. Good depth signing which allows us to bin off our other strikers who wont get a look in. Will help us circumvent the sell-on issue in the Lallana transfer. Boyhood club. Good technique.
As someone else mentioned, reminds me of getting Bellamy (second go around). Pleased.
As someone else mentioned, reminds me of getting Bellamy (second go around). Pleased.
Never thought I'd see an old ogre like LeTissier using hash tags.
One of my favorite non Liverpool players ever, but it's just strange.
I'll never forget trying to copy his free kick against Wimbledon. Class.
Meanwhile, as I was researching this topic (Le Tissier's apparent Liverpool hate, not Lambert), I came across this interesting match report from way back:
http://www.lfchistory.net/Articles/Article/759
Le Tiss off as McManaman stuns Dell
Matthew Le Tissier was sent off for only the second time in his league career as Liverpool free spirit Steve McManaman plunged Southampton deeper into trouble with two goals at the Dell.
Terry Venables' chief scout Ted Buxton was watching as England outcast Le Tissier, who had already collected his fifth booking of the season for a foul on Ian Rush, slid in clumsily on defender Phil Babb in the 68th minute. John Barnes led the mercy pleas from Liverpool and home players but Banbury official Dermot Gallagher showed none as he flourished the yellow card again, followed by the red. The 27-year-old Saints captain was cheered to the dressing room by the home fans.
For Le Tissier this offence is yet another nail in the coffin of his international ambitions.
By the time he departed, his side were already beaten, having surrendered the early lead he created as McManaman showed the kind of skill England tried unsuccessfully to harness in Norway earlier this month. Roaming at will, he scored twice and then made the 73rd minute third for partner Jamie Redknapp which plunged Southampton, watched by new 850,000 pound capture Barry Venison, to their sixth defeat in 10 games this season and stretched Venison's old club's unbeaten run to 10 games since September 9.
Southampton could not have had a better start, David Hughes sending David James full length to earn the second minute corner from which they went ahead. Gordon Watson claimed the goal though Sky replays suggested Le Tissier's curler from the left might have sailed in untouched as the little striker stooped low at the near post.
The home side hustled and got tight on Liverpool, threatening to stifle their natural passing game. Had Hughes hit the target five minutes later when Le Tissier, grasping closer to his old form, slipped him clear, it would surely have been a different story.
But slowly Redknapp and McManaman broke the shackles. Supported by new signing Jason McAteer and with Robbie Fowler buzzing around the box, Southampton's five-man midfield disintegrated. Nine-goal Fowler had already brought Dave Beasant dashing to the edge of his box and clashed off the ball with Francis Benali before he set up the 22nd minute equaliser.
Southampton claimed he was offside as he dashed onto Redknapp's pass on the right, but he was allowed to go on and pull the ball back for McManaman to wallop in from the edge of the box.
The same trio nearly earned McManaman his second moments later, Beasant saving well.
Southampton, who gave a first start to Paul Tisdale, a 22-year-old with A-levels in Art, Law and English, had few chances to restablish their advantage.
Neil Shipperley wasted the two best, firing straight at James when Tisdale prodded him through just before the break and then heading woefully over from five yards when Watson's weaving run and cross found him unmarked at the far post.
Beasant meanwhile was keeping his finger in the dyke, making a series of excellent saves, none better than his 52nd minute parry from Steve Harkness. But his resistance crumbled two minutes later when McAteer, in for the suspended Rob Jones, swooped past Charlton down the right, Saints claiming in vain that the ball briefly went out of play. He cut into the box and hammered a right foot shot which slammed off the chest of the goalkeeper back into the path of the predatory McManaman.
It was all over in the 73rd minute, McManaman running at the 10-men home side before finding Redknapp whose left foot gave Beasant no chance.
Matthew Le Tissier's dismissal against Liverpool had nothing to do with his England frustration, Southampton manager Dave Merrington insisted after today's 3-1 defeat. The international outcast was shown the red card for two late fouls on Ian Rush and Phil Babb, classed as "ungentlemanly conduct" by referee Dermot Gallagher. "I'm not sure about the first one -- it might have been a bit 'iffy' -- but I have no grumbles with the second. He's gone in a bit late and the referee had no option but to show him the second yellow card," said Merrington. "It's nothing to do with the England squad, more to do with the fact that he's trying so hard. When he's at the top of his form everything he tries comes off, but at the moment they're not happening for him. It's frustration with himself. We've tried lots of things to help him and he's just got to get back on the training field and work it out. Sometimes when you're going through a bad spell, you have to go back to simplicity and start again."
Liverpool's players tried hard to persuade Mr Gallagher not to dismiss Le Tissier and two-goal man-of-the-match Steve McManaman said afterwards: "It was a pity he had to go."
Liverpool boss Roy Evans added: "It's sad in a game that has had no ill-feeling. He's got sent off for two bookable offences but in the old football they were never bookable offences. It makes the game look ridiculous."
Saints have now lost six out of 10 games this season but hope the signing of Barry Venison, to be completed tomorrow, will give them a lift after they threw away a goal start at The Dell.
"No grumbles, they're a good side and I'm delighted with the way my lads worked," added Merrington.
But Evans had a moan at his side for not following the high-scoring lead of Newcastle and Manchester United in finishing off the home team. "We couldn't have won more easily but we could have won by more," he said. "For all the possession we had in the last 20 minutes it was a bit negative. On the back of a 3-1 win away from home it's sensible to have a little go -- then it becomes constructive criticism rather than sour grapes. We over-elaborated but if we had kept it simple we could have had three or four more goals. I thought Steve McManaman had an average game. He didn't want to pass to a yellow shirt."
Copyright - Press Association
http://www.lfchistory.net/Articles/Article/759
Le Tiss off as McManaman stuns Dell
Matthew Le Tissier was sent off for only the second time in his league career as Liverpool free spirit Steve McManaman plunged Southampton deeper into trouble with two goals at the Dell.
Terry Venables' chief scout Ted Buxton was watching as England outcast Le Tissier, who had already collected his fifth booking of the season for a foul on Ian Rush, slid in clumsily on defender Phil Babb in the 68th minute. John Barnes led the mercy pleas from Liverpool and home players but Banbury official Dermot Gallagher showed none as he flourished the yellow card again, followed by the red. The 27-year-old Saints captain was cheered to the dressing room by the home fans.
For Le Tissier this offence is yet another nail in the coffin of his international ambitions.
By the time he departed, his side were already beaten, having surrendered the early lead he created as McManaman showed the kind of skill England tried unsuccessfully to harness in Norway earlier this month. Roaming at will, he scored twice and then made the 73rd minute third for partner Jamie Redknapp which plunged Southampton, watched by new 850,000 pound capture Barry Venison, to their sixth defeat in 10 games this season and stretched Venison's old club's unbeaten run to 10 games since September 9.
Southampton could not have had a better start, David Hughes sending David James full length to earn the second minute corner from which they went ahead. Gordon Watson claimed the goal though Sky replays suggested Le Tissier's curler from the left might have sailed in untouched as the little striker stooped low at the near post.
The home side hustled and got tight on Liverpool, threatening to stifle their natural passing game. Had Hughes hit the target five minutes later when Le Tissier, grasping closer to his old form, slipped him clear, it would surely have been a different story.
But slowly Redknapp and McManaman broke the shackles. Supported by new signing Jason McAteer and with Robbie Fowler buzzing around the box, Southampton's five-man midfield disintegrated. Nine-goal Fowler had already brought Dave Beasant dashing to the edge of his box and clashed off the ball with Francis Benali before he set up the 22nd minute equaliser.
Southampton claimed he was offside as he dashed onto Redknapp's pass on the right, but he was allowed to go on and pull the ball back for McManaman to wallop in from the edge of the box.
The same trio nearly earned McManaman his second moments later, Beasant saving well.
Southampton, who gave a first start to Paul Tisdale, a 22-year-old with A-levels in Art, Law and English, had few chances to restablish their advantage.
Neil Shipperley wasted the two best, firing straight at James when Tisdale prodded him through just before the break and then heading woefully over from five yards when Watson's weaving run and cross found him unmarked at the far post.
Beasant meanwhile was keeping his finger in the dyke, making a series of excellent saves, none better than his 52nd minute parry from Steve Harkness. But his resistance crumbled two minutes later when McAteer, in for the suspended Rob Jones, swooped past Charlton down the right, Saints claiming in vain that the ball briefly went out of play. He cut into the box and hammered a right foot shot which slammed off the chest of the goalkeeper back into the path of the predatory McManaman.
It was all over in the 73rd minute, McManaman running at the 10-men home side before finding Redknapp whose left foot gave Beasant no chance.
Matthew Le Tissier's dismissal against Liverpool had nothing to do with his England frustration, Southampton manager Dave Merrington insisted after today's 3-1 defeat. The international outcast was shown the red card for two late fouls on Ian Rush and Phil Babb, classed as "ungentlemanly conduct" by referee Dermot Gallagher. "I'm not sure about the first one -- it might have been a bit 'iffy' -- but I have no grumbles with the second. He's gone in a bit late and the referee had no option but to show him the second yellow card," said Merrington. "It's nothing to do with the England squad, more to do with the fact that he's trying so hard. When he's at the top of his form everything he tries comes off, but at the moment they're not happening for him. It's frustration with himself. We've tried lots of things to help him and he's just got to get back on the training field and work it out. Sometimes when you're going through a bad spell, you have to go back to simplicity and start again."
Liverpool's players tried hard to persuade Mr Gallagher not to dismiss Le Tissier and two-goal man-of-the-match Steve McManaman said afterwards: "It was a pity he had to go."
Liverpool boss Roy Evans added: "It's sad in a game that has had no ill-feeling. He's got sent off for two bookable offences but in the old football they were never bookable offences. It makes the game look ridiculous."
Saints have now lost six out of 10 games this season but hope the signing of Barry Venison, to be completed tomorrow, will give them a lift after they threw away a goal start at The Dell.
"No grumbles, they're a good side and I'm delighted with the way my lads worked," added Merrington.
But Evans had a moan at his side for not following the high-scoring lead of Newcastle and Manchester United in finishing off the home team. "We couldn't have won more easily but we could have won by more," he said. "For all the possession we had in the last 20 minutes it was a bit negative. On the back of a 3-1 win away from home it's sensible to have a little go -- then it becomes constructive criticism rather than sour grapes. We over-elaborated but if we had kept it simple we could have had three or four more goals. I thought Steve McManaman had an average game. He didn't want to pass to a yellow shirt."
Copyright - Press Association
@peterhague has a point though – the advantage of signing Lambert is that he's going to give you "something different," but this could also be a disadvantage, if you you don't have, say, Sturridge available for a game and you want "more of the same," rather than "something different." I think in a perfect squad Lambert would be an ideal 4th striker, with a 3rd striker someone younger who could actually challenge Sturridge.
I think the good thing is that he has the ability to play off both players and feed them aswell as chipping in, so if one is missing he can play the role between the lines with Sturridge or Suarez as the main striker, which they both clearly prefer.
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