Rickie Lambert Retires

Spot on.

 

Yeah, it's kinda my conundrum with tactics. I think we might be better playing a really high-tempo, vertical game (think Leicester, not Allardyce), because we have some fairly quick players, but it might also be that I think that given that it's diametrically opposed to what we're doing that isn't working. Beyond that, it's hard to determine what would be playing to our strengths*, because while this squad has strengths in two-thirds of the pitch, I've yet to figure out what they're most capable of when they get to the bit that involves the goals.


*Except for Tadic, who should be on the left, and Redmond, who should be on the right.

 

Er, um ... no, still can't find the words.

 

Bit late to the party, but thanks, SRL, and enjoy your short retirement before finding your second wind in another career. Great player and great guy....what a time we all had.

And people always remember that goal against Scotland, but he also played well and scored in his next England game.

 

It's all been said about Rickie, but I remember the match before Kelvin's testimonial that he came to the game. He was making his way to the stadium from the car park behind the Chapel, and of course he was mobbed. It must have taken him 15 minutes to walk the 100 yards as he posed for every selfie and made no effort to push in through. Made many kid's (of all ages) day.
I was also struck by the contrast in excitement between then and now. A number of things stood out. The Pochettino high press and the Koeman "mid" press which followed stand out from the pedestrian build up now. But I don't think that it's just tactics. With Rickie, a free kick was a cause for excitement. This season and last, do we really have a player with the threat to take on a long shot with any expectation that it would be on target, except Prowsey who is rarely on the pitch? Above all, I no longer see us bombing out of defence at pace. Its not so much a break as a chess move these days. I have a horrible feeling that it's not just the lack of another striker in the window that's needed. It just feels like we're trying to fit a square peg in a round hole somehow. Not sure how we fix this. It's a decent squad. Let's hope the manager gets it playing.

 

I think (hope) that we are just in a down phase that all clubs can have and that we will have a turnover of personnel and burst back into the light. That's what I am going for.....I hope our present state isn't the plan.

 

Because its her with Ricky? She met the man and spoke to him
He's not Nelson Mandela but ...

 

A very strange plan it would be Fran.

Watching the last 20 minutes of the Stoke game and we were a very different side to the first 20. Pushing, pressing, quick, aggressive.. but all borne out of desperation. Gabbiadini, Boufal, Austin and Long all had a chance or two. There must have been more chances in the last 20 minutes than in the first 70. We are not short on attacking quality, we are short on desire and leadership both on the pitch and on the touchline. MP2 looked downright pissed off for much of the Stoke game but I don't understand what he was pissed off about. What was he expecting to happen that hasn't happened in the last 3 games? Redmond hasn't really been working for the last 12 months, Long has never been a first choice quality striker and our proven goalscorers are on the bench next to our most mercurial talent. I'm all for giving the manager a chance to find his feet but I fear he's busy looking for the marbles he has lost.

 

...but then, Nelson Mandela never got a hat-trick against Millwall, did he?

 

Lol, just spat out my coffee in Santorini [emoji16]

 

Is it that bad.? Surely not. Greek coffee is ace.

You can give some despatches from the Greek Islands any time you fancy. Temperature.? Aspect.?

 

Second time in Santorini this year and it fails to disappoint.

Arrived at the hotel at around 1am local time, it is the second time here and everyone recognised us and is so friendly.

Weather sitting around 23 degrees with a wind today, but that really doesn’t matter when you have the breathtaking views everywhere you look. As Belinda Carlisle once said, Heaven is a place on Earth. In Santorini.

Fell in love with the Greek Islands when I worked in Naxos 21 years ago for the summer, it took me 21 years to return, but now this is twice in a year [emoji16]. Some people say the Greeks can be rude, but I just ‘get’ them.

I’ll post a bit more with a couple of pics later in the OT thread as this is all about SRL.

To go back on topic the views here are as breathtaking and wonderful as Rickie was in a Saints shirt. Yep that good [emoji16]

 

Thought for a split second you were referring to SRL vs VD What a contrast in players mindset. Our Mr R Lambert deserves the "S" 100%
Ps. Just found last years Stoke home program with Prick VD on front - I only buy a program once a season & have done for the last zillion years (underpants & socks thing). Threw it into the bin.

 

I know , I was joking

You say she spoke to him , that's brilliant .

When he replied , did she actually understand him ?

Or just nod politely & hope for the best ?

 

Is it just me or do you hear John Bishop in your head every time you hear Rickie speak.

 

It's not just you

 

You had me going ... Why !!!

She knows Scouse, used to be married to one

You'll like this, his name was Stephen Gerrard

 

Why did she leave him, did he keep "slipping up"?...

 

Not really. They're actually different sounding Liverpool area accents, to me.

 

Does she sing, "No Frankie Lampard or Stephen Gerrard, don't take my Spider-Man away?"