Rickie Lambert will be 31 at the end of next week but the Southampton captain believes it is not too late for him to make his debut for England.
Rickie Lambert will be 31 at the end of next week but the Southampton captain believes it is not too late for him to make his debut for England.
Lambert, who scored his 11th goal of the season against Wigan and the 99th of a Southampton career that is only halfway through its fourth year, revealed afterwards that he was disappointed not to be called up for the friendly with Brazil on Wednesday.
"I don't think my age is a hindrance," Lambert, who has scored more times in his campaign than any other Englishman in the Premier League, said. "I'm not saying I expected it - I wasn't - but I was hoping."
Lambert has a superior goals-per-game ratio to any other player who has played more than 100 matches in Southampton's history. It is likely that he will also reach his century of goals quicker than any of the legends who have worn the club's colours before him, including Matt Le Tissier and Mick Channon.
His new manager, Mauricio Pochettino, is certainly a fan, insisting he had first noticed him when managing Espanyol. "Across Europe, he is well thought of," Pochettino said. "I have been delighted with his attitude and his performances. But I am not surprised."
Not only Lambert's goal made his performance noteworthy. Far more than a good, old-fashioned centre-forward, gis technical level and intelligence outstripped those around him.
He also showed an underrated ability to cross accurately, much like one of his Southampton predecessors, Alan Shearer.
On one such occasion, when Lambert found space on the touchline, his delivery landed on Gaston Ramirez's right boot only for the Uruguayan to volley into the stand.
Lambert stressed his focus is to ensure Southampton remain in the top flight. In a display where 17-year-old Luke Shaw vindicated Stuart Pearce's decision to call the left-back into England's under-21 side, Southampton should have won having been in the lead as injury-time approached - despite falling behind to Gary Caldwell's first-half strike.
Lambert's equaliser was fearless. He ignored Ali Al-Habsi's presence to stab home before Morgan Schneiderlin tapped Southampton into a lead following decisive wing-play from Shaw and Jay Rodriguez.
In the 90th minute, however, Shaun Maloney reacted first to Paul Scharner's knock-down to deny the visitors' victory.
Both Wigan goals originated from Jean Beausejour corner kicks. Pochettino admitted he is concerned by Southampton's inability to defend adequately in such situations. "We will put a lot of work into this ahead of our next game against Manchester City," he said.
Lambert said Pochettino had told his players to defend from the front. "The pressure, you could see it today, was all over the pitch," Lambert said. "We didn't want to give them any time to play."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}