Saints Have Striker Crisis Ahead Of Swansea Friday, 2nd May 2014 13:03 Saints could be without an experienced recognised striker ahead of the trip to South Wales on Saturday. Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that Rickie Lambert has suffered a leg injury going into the clash with Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium and is likely to not be fit enough for a place in the starting line up although he might make the bench. This could of course all be a ruse by Pochettino to try and bamboozle ex Saint Garry Monk as to his true line up, but if Lambert is injured then Saints have a crisis on their hands. Of the four experienced recognised strikers Saints have on their books at the moment, Jay Rodriguez is of course injured, Osvaldo and Billy Sharp are out on loan, which leaves only Lambert. This would leave Mauricio Pochettino with a dilemma as to what to do, his first option would be to play Sam Gallagher again, on one hand Gallagher although working hard is clearly still lacking that guile needed to make the right runs etc, but on the other perhaps he will benefit from a team that has to play to him more, rather than as last week with Lambert playing a hybrid role at times. If Pochettino feels that he needs experience up there then he could opt to give Guly a final swansong, the Brazilian has played mainly in the midfield when called upon since our return to the Premier, but in the Championship and League One he would often be used as a more forward player and could play there. Otherwise the options are limited, Adam Lallana could be used, but again that would leave us short of creativity in midfield as Lallana couldnt pass to himself up front. Of course in the great scheme of things it doesnt really matter, we will not drop a place nor go up one whatever happens now this season, but it does highlight our need to have a full squad rather than a 16 man squad with another 9 or so playing virtually no part, it also emphasises our need to get in a striker for next season, Rickie Lambert is coming to the end of his career and Osvaldo could be stuck at the club, the situation needs to be sorted in the summer, this crisis has happened at a time when it doesnt matter, if we had lost Rodriguez at the in January as Osvaldo departed we could have been in big trouble Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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