Rickie Lambert (Liverpool -> West Brom)

Not bitter,just an honest appraisal.
You will be of the same opinion at the end of the season
Rickie and Lala are class. Loveren is not.
If you can find it on Youtube, look at how he failed when we were 2-0 up at White Hart Lane last season
I think the only reason Rodgers bought him was because he scored when we eased to victory at Anfield.
Oh, and thanks for the Bellend comment. Very necessary

Not bitter,just an honest appraisal.
You will be of the same opinion at the end of the season
Rickie and Lala are class. Loveren is not.
If you can find it on Youtube, look at how he failed when we were 2-0 up at White Hart Lane last season
I think the only reason Rodgers bought him was because he scored when we eased to victory at Anfield.
Oh, and thanks for the Bellend comment. Very necessary

He's so bad your lot spent virtually the entire game booing him.

Thought he stretched the game yesterday - Saints began sitting deeper again when he came on which gave us a bit more space to play around in.

Why would Southampton sit deeper because Lambert has come on? He is hardly going to run past anyone. For me Lambert's introduction made little if any impact..... Allen did.

Yes he was a distraction, as would any other player we had stuck up front...

I certainly don't attribute our win to the introduction of Lambert... at best a distraction, at worse a lumbering striker who offered little.

As you can perhaps tell from my subtle hints , I am not overly enthusiastic about Lambert... hopefully time will prove me wrong.   

Why would Southampton sit deeper because Lambert has come on? He is hardly going to run past anyone. For me Lambert's introduction made little if any impact..... Allen did.

Yes he was a distraction, as would any other player we had stuck up front...

I certainly don't attribute our win to the introduction of Lambert... at best a distraction, at worse a lumbering striker who offered little.

As you can perhaps tell from my subtle hints , I am not overly enthusiastic about Lambert... hopefully time will prove me wrong.   

Allen had more of an influence on the game than Lambert I agree Saint.

Why would Southampton sit deeper because Lambert has come on? He is hardly going to run past anyone. For me Lambert's introduction made little if any impact..... Allen did.

Yes he was a distraction, as would any other player we had stuck up front...

I certainly don't attribute our win to the introduction of Lambert... at best a distraction, at worse a lumbering striker who offered little.

As you can perhaps tell from my subtle hints , I am not overly enthusiastic about Lambert... hopefully time will prove me wrong.   

No perhaps not but they were aware of the knock-ons in behind S@int and the pace of others - it was just my impression that they wanted to stay close to him (knowing him well) which just created a few more gaps. He also moved out wide a few times which again stretched them.

I'm not trying to convert you mate - just my opinion.

Why would Southampton sit deeper because Lambert has come on? He is hardly going to run past anyone. For me Lambert's introduction made little if any impact..... Allen did.

Yes he was a distraction, as would any other player we had stuck up front...

I certainly don't attribute our win to the introduction of Lambert... at best a distraction, at worse a lumbering striker who offered little.

As you can perhaps tell from my subtle hints , I am not overly enthusiastic about Lambert... hopefully time will prove me wrong.   

Watch the MNF clip from Carra and his analysis of the goals. He helps contribute the goal to Lambert and why him being on the pitch and movement helped us score that second goal.

Lambert is no pushover, give him a chance. He did not score all those goals last season because of luck, he has talent. He has only played 20 minutes in a competitive match and yet you are all slagging him off.

The way you play in friendlies means absolute sh*t.

I don't want to oversimplify things here, but if Lambert was a distraction, then he made an impact. Certainly not as a big of an impact as Allen or the formation change, but enough to make Southampton think twice, which give a bit more freedom to everyone else. So logically, yes, Rickie did make an impact.

I thought Lambert did pretty well when he came on. I actually agree with the Southampton fan in that I think we may as Liverpool fans generally be getting the wrong end of the stick with Ricky too, he´s more of a footballer in the Sheringham mould (though obviously not as good) than he is a Carroll style battering ram.

As for the "he made them defend deeper" comments, whoever posted that has got the wrong end of the stick. The last thing you want to do when defending against physicality/aerial threat is to defend deeper, you actually look to do the opposite.

I am reading this thread with a modicom of amusement.
It seems to have gone along the lines of:
Welcome home
He's rubbish/too fat/too slow/too expensive
Why do we need a big fella up front
He won't fit into the Liverhampton squad/system
And then after watching him play - Oh, actually he's quite good.

If he is played as a big man up front he will fail.
Sir Rickie's skill is holding the ball, bringing faster palyers into play and spotting the killer pass.
He is more of a midfielder than an out and out striker
He can score goals with the best of them but his true value is in creating them

Loveren on the other hand is a liability. He will cost you games and any chance of a champion's league place next year with his poor decision making.

Hahahaha Saints fan I live in Southampton and have been to a fair few games the last few years, Rickie Lambert CAN play as a big man up front and be a success, I doubt we'll play him like this (Carroll?) but Dejan Lovren is a fantastic Centre-half, maybe his poor decision making was because he didn't have the quality of teammates he does now offering the OPTIONS for those decisions. Yes Southampton did very well last year, which was nice to see but we finished 2nd...and no 18 year old left back is worth £30m - he maybe go on to be, but not now

Lovren had a decent debut, he'll get better as he settles more.

If Lambert is this season's plan B then it's a good plan B.

And without Suarez you can guarantee that plan B will need to be used more often than we needed one last year.

Couple of you highlighting his potential impact in cup games - I think it will be most evident in the European Cup.

As for the "he made them defend deeper" comments, whoever posted that has got the wrong end of the stick.

I think they may have being referring to the fact that until he was subbed on Southampton's defenders were sitting on the half-way line having a picnic.

I don't want to oversimplify things here, but if Lambert was a distraction, then he made an impact. Certainly not as a big of an impact as Allen or the formation change, but enough to make Southampton think twice, which give a bit more freedom to everyone else. So logically, yes, Rickie did make an impact.

I don't think he touched the ball maybe once so maybe by default but I think we got lucky no deeper meaning .

Looking like we're gonna see Big Rick a bit more over this next month or so if Sturridge's injury is bad...
Could he partner Mario up front?..I think so..
As sad as it is for Studge it's a great opportunity for Ricky to muscle in and give it his best shot in red shirt..

I've seen quite a few fans on here slate Lambert already and I just don't get it. In my opinion, he's gave us a boost each time he's came off the bench and he's not even played enough time to properly be judged. I honestly think he'll do great for,one things for sure,you won't be able question his passion and determination. It's crap that Studge is out but I hope we see Lambert given a chance in his place,he brings us something different and I think that will be especially important in the CL.

Looking like we're gonna see Big Rick a bit more over this next month or so if Sturridge's injury is bad...
Could he partner Mario up front?..I think so..
As sad as it is for Studge it's a great opportunity for Ricky to muscle in and give it his best shot in red shirt..

My personal opinion is that a front two of Balotelli and Lambert won't work the way BR likes to play. Both players like to play with their backs to goal, and I don't think the two would make a good pairing. I think either a 5 man midfield behind a lone striker, or having Borini as a partner would make more sense. I like Lambert and think he will be a good player for is, but I just don't see him dovetailing well with Balotelli.

I've seen quite a few fans on here slate Lambert already and I just don't get it. In my opinion, he's gave us a boost each time he's came off the bench and he's not even played enough time to properly be judged. I honestly think he'll do great for,one things for sure,you won't be able question his passion and determination. It's crap that Studge is out but I hope we see Lambert given a chance in his place,he brings us something different and I think that will be especially important in the CL.

Would agree there mate, think he's done OK when coming on, he's getting past the 'rabbit in the headlights' phase running out for his childhood club, and think he'll show more over time.

Big Rickie is a very good footballer; way better than a lot of people think. Lovely touch, good technically and a great eye for that 'final' ball. In my opinion he's much, much, more than just a target man and when I see him I think more of a Teddy Sheringham than big target man.

He'll have a role to play here and (I believe) he'll surprise a few with what he can offer.

I wish BR would play him and Lallana together for a game. Maybe it would kick start both of them.

I wish BR would play him and Lallana together for a game. Maybe it would kick start both of them.

I think he will, next week against Middlesbrough.

I wish BR would play him and Lallana together for a game. Maybe it would kick start both of them.

Whether it's with Lallana or not, I just want to see Lambert involved more. I am still not convinced with Balo and would like to see Lambert starting some games vs the big teams.

I think he will, next week against Middlesbrough.

Same here, if he doesn't start that game then I don't think he will ever start one for us.

Same here, if he doesn't start that game then I don't think he will ever start one for us.

Did Brendan buy him???. If he plays Borini in front of him I would be very pissed off in his shoes. Lallana and Lambert play very well together why not play them together now.

More potent in front of goal, think there may be some over thinking how Balo can work better with Borini from the manager.
I'd rather Lambert and Balo were in competition for who will score and who's the best striker than Borini being Balos sidekick.
Of course it's much easier saying things after the fact.

Very poor tonight, he is better than that maybe the pressure of playing for his boyhood team is too much for him.