Can Rickie Lambert sue for restraint of trade ? Brendan Rodgers has killed off Lambert 's career and you 've got to feel sorry for the player . You ca n't blame him for joining Liverpool – why would he turn that down ? At the time he was a confident striker – playing regularly in the Premier League and scoring goals for Southampton . He 'd just been to a World Cup . Rickie Lambert has scarcely been given a chance since joining Liverpool despite their striking problems . Brendan Rodgers ' decision to ignore Lambert , in favour of Mario Balotelli , is completely illogical . This time last year Lambert was about to play at a World Cup for England but his stock has fallen since . For Rodgers to ignore him when they have desperately needed goals is illogical . I 'm well aware Lambert is n't Luis Suarez , I know he 's not a world-class striker . Lambert missed out on Saturday at West Brom because of a hip injury but it must have been gutting for him to see Mario Balotelli get yet another chance . The England striker played 90 minutes 20 times last season , made 31 starts , and unlike any Liverpool player in the scoring charts this season , easily got into double figures . Contrast that with this campaign when in terms of Premier League minutes on the pitch Lambert has played the equivalent of roughly six-and-a-half games . Lambert has enjoyed the opportunity to score for his boyhood team but he deserves more football . When he has started in the Premier League or Champions League , Lambert and Liverpool have impressed . On his first Premier League start for Liverpool he scored , and when he played 90 minutes in four consecutive games he scored in the first game , Liverpool won the next two , and drew the fourth . And then he was dropped again and has n't started since . Meanwhile , Balotelli regularly gets more time on the pitch , and regularly fails to deliver . He has to go down as Liverpool 's worst-ever signing – at least the club won a trophy when Andy Carroll was at Anfield . How come Balotelli got more time on the pitch at Wembley last weekend than Lambert ? And what about Saturday ? Balotelli was hopeless yet again . Whether you watch his performance or check the stats , he was useless – not for the first time this season . Ultimately it 'd be wrong to suggest Lambert was going to be the man to spearhead Liverpool 's charge to the title and a Champions League challenge . But to be so underused in a season when Daniel Sturridge has been missing for so long , and Balotelli has been ineffective , is inexplicable . Balotelli , no matter which way you look at it , has been useless , and Lambert should be picked ahead of him . Balotelli was given more time on the pitch than Lambert in Liverpool 's FA Cup semi-final defeat by Villa . Lambert scored 20 goals for Southampton - he may not be world class , but he is better than the alternatives . Lambert should have joined Aston Villa in January . But he found out about the move just a few hours before the transfer window closed and chose to stay . Rodgers told Lambert that he did n't want him to go . Why say that and then not bother using him ? Nobody can ever take away the fact that Lambert has scored for his boyhood club Liverpool in the Premier League and the Champions League . And Lambert is the kind of guy who will treasure those special moments and keep them close to his heart . But he 's lost his England place and his reputation as a Premier League striker has been seriously undermined by Rodgers and Liverpool this season .
Rickie Lambert has barely played since joining from England . Brendan Rodgers ' decision to continue with Mario Balotelli is illogical . Balotelli has to go down as Liverpool 's worst-ever signing . Lambert may not be world class but he deserves better than this . READ MORE : Manchester United need to raid Borussia Dortmund . READ MORE : Mesut Ozil is in danger of becoming an Arsenal flop .