'I don't think both of us will go': Forward thinking Lambert determined to get ahead of Carroll for place in Hodgson's World Cup squad

By Sam Cunningham

PUBLISHED: 17:30 EST, 14 March 2014 | UPDATED: 17:30 EST, 14 March 2014

Rickie Lambert is facing up to the challenge ahead of him of winning a place in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for the World Cup this summer.

A lot has been discussed about whether it will be the Southampton striker, who only received his first England call-up seven months ago, or West Ham’s battering ram Andy Carroll, who has missed most of the season due to injury but who would take with him more international experience.

‘I don’t think both of us will go,’ Lambert concedes.

VIDEO: Scroll down for to watch Lambert and Shaw talk about England

Striking pose: Rickie Lambert is desperate to win a place in England's squad for the 2014 World Cup

Striking pose: Rickie Lambert is desperate to win a place in England's squad for the 2014 World Cup

Help the aged? 32-year-old Lambert (C) only won his first England call up seven months ago

Help the aged? 32-year-old Lambert (C) only won his first England call up seven months ago

Saintly: Rickie Lambert hopes he can make it to the 2014 World Cup
Hammer time? Andy Carroll is competing for a place in Brazil

Which one will go? Lambert is competing with West Ham's Andy Carroll to be England's centre forward

‘There’s no hiding the fact there’s a big possibility that is what’s going to happen.

‘There’s a chance both of us might not go, but Hodgson does like that type of striker.’

Hodgson has long been an admirer of Lambert, 32, his entire career and was well aware of the player even when he was plying the majority his trade outside of the Barclays Premier League.

Game on: Titanfall is out now on Xbox One and PC

Game on: Titanfall is out now on Xbox One and PC

By his own admission, Lambert hasn’t lived up to his form of last season and certainly not his goal-scoring exploits which made him the highest-scoring Englishman in the Premier League with 15 goals.

That, he suggests, is partly down to adapting his game to a different system under manager Mauricio Pochettino whereby he is sacrificing his own goal-scoring chances to create space for others.

A return of two goals in four games for the national team will certainly count in his favour and he still has eight in the league so far this term, 11 in all competitions in 34 appearances.

Carroll hasn’t scored once.

The West Ham striker, 25, missed the first half of the season with a foot injury then shortly after he returned was banned for three matches for receiving a straight red card against Swansea.

In total he has managed only six matches, played just 275 minutes of football and is yet to last the full 90 on the pitch.

Decisions: Roy Hodgson (C) is a fan of physical strikers and has followed Lambert throughout his career

Decisions: Roy Hodgson (C) is a fan of physical strikers and has followed Lambert throughout his career

Take a bow: Lambert celebrates scoring in England's 2-0 qualifier win over Moldova

Take a bow: Lambert celebrates scoring in England's 2-0 qualifier win over Moldova

On song: Andy Carroll celebrates scoring against Sweden at the Euro 2012 Championships

On song: Andy Carroll celebrates scoring against Sweden at the Euro 2012 Championships

His manager Sam Allardyce, fighting his own player’s corner, has pointed to the fact that Carroll’s lack of action will make him the freshest forward available to Hodgson this summer.

‘That’s up to Hodgson to take into account,’ Lambert argues.

 

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‘A Premier League season is hard, I’m not going to try to deny that. I’m sure I’m not going to be the only one in that physical state.

‘When it comes round to the beginning of the World Cup I’m sure the players will be fresh, refreshed and ready to go again.’

Missed opportunities: Lambert admits he has failed to reach the scoring heights of last season

Missed opportunities: Lambert admits he has failed to reach the scoring heights of last season

Lambert’s call-up to the England squad to face Scotland in a friendly last August was one of the stories of the nation’s qualification for the tournament in Brazil.

Similar to those late runs he used to make as a midfielder in the lower leagues during the early stages of his career, Lambert left it until the last minute – until the age of 31 – to reach the very top level of international football.

Only a year previously he had never played in the Premier League.

It seemed the fairytale was complete when he rose from the bench to head the winner with his first touch within three minutes of coming on.

But the story is certainly not over yet for him.

Out of touch? Carroll has spent most of the season injured (or suspended) for West Ham

Out of touch? Carroll has spent most of the season injured (or suspended) for West Ham

Slow tracked: Lambert has risen through the lower leagues to eventually play at international level

Slow tracked: Lambert has risen through the lower leagues to eventually play at international level

Lambert pauses for a moment – sat on a balcony overlooking a beautiful marina in Hythe, just outside Southampton, with the first rays of summer shining down – while he contemplates what gaining a place in the England squad for a World Cup will mean to him.

‘I know people always say it would mean everything, but it’s happened so fast in the last couple of years for me that it’s hard to take in,’ he reflects.

‘I’m just rolling with it. It’ll probably be years from now that I look back and realise what’s happened.

‘It’s been mad the last couple of years.

‘It’s a chance that I’m desperate to take, absolutely desperate.’

Learning curve: Lambert has had to adjust to Mauricio Pochettino's new methods at Southampton

Learning curve: Lambert has had to adjust to Mauricio Pochettino's new methods at Southampton

Saints alive! Southampton's Lambert, Luke Shaw (C) an Jay Rodriguez were all selected for the Denmark friendly

Saints alive! Southampton's Lambert, Luke Shaw (C) an Jay Rodriguez were all selected for the Denmark friendly

Lambert’s experiences in the national side meant he was able to offer a few reassurances when team-mate Luke Shaw received his first call-up by Hodgson recently, aged only 18.

The pair were sat either side of the huge Wembley changing room ahead of kick off against Denmark and, not wanting to yell, Lambert walked over to the left-back to say a few words.

‘He was so nervous as you would be at that age,’ Lambert, who was speaking at the launch of Titanfall, recalls.

Video games: Lambert gave this interview in association with the launch of Titanfall

Video games: Lambert gave this interview in association with the launch of Titanfall

Happy days: Lambert admits he couldn't stop smiling when team-mate Shaw made his England debut

Happy days: Lambert admits he couldn't stop smiling when team-mate Shaw made his England debut

‘I was trying to reassure him but I knew I didn’t have to. He’s that good I knew when he got on the pitch he would be fine.

‘When he came on I couldn’t stop smiling.’

He adds: ‘When Luke first came in at Southampton he adapted straight away, normally it takes a kid six months to adapt to professional football.

‘I’ve only seen that once before and that was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. To see two in the space of that time is frightening.’

Year of the Ox? Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is another Southampton player who has progressed to England

Year of the Ox? Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is another Southampton player who has progressed to England

Brazil bound? Lambert is hoping to re-enact the scenes at the World Cup come the summer

Brazil bound? Lambert is hoping to re-enact the scenes at the World Cup come the summer

Much is said of Southampton’s production line of youngsters who go on to become stellar names, churning out players ready for Premier League football in their late teens or early 20s.

For Lambert it has been a far longer journey to the top.

He has climbed every tier of the Football League to stand on the precipice of a World Cup in Brazil.
If he can out-muscle Carroll and clamber over the towering striker’s shoulders, he might just reach it.

Rickie Lambert was speaking at the launch of Titanfall, out now on Xbox One and PC. Prepare for Titanfall at Titanfall.com

 

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Has to be Carroll, twice the player

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Would like to wind up Lambert and let him go with 20-25mins on the clock. Get him to get amongst the defence and unravel them, open them up. Carroll doesn't stand a chance whatsoever, unless he's planning a break there. It should be (with 3 keepers, 8 defenders, 8 midfielders, 4 strikers) Sturridge, Rooney, Welbeck and Lambert .

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I am annoyed that people seem to think Welbeck has cemented his place in the squad.

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Has to be Lambert ahead of sick note Carroll.

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Make your choice between two no hopers.

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Its a no brainer,Ricky Lambert is much better than Carrol.

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Think Lambert is more likely to come on in the 80th minute a nick a goal.

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Why is carol even in contention, barely played this season and made of glass. Lamberts been class this season, fully deserves his place

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I don't think either should go!

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Having to consider taking either Carroll or Lambert to the World Cup Finals sums up the state of English Football perfectly.We don't have a chance,nor will,until more and more English players get the chance to play in the English Premier League.

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Good point, if you have a son with great potential, get into saints academy, if he is good enough he will be old enough..then saints could add to their 19 players representing England at several levels....

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