Many people have written off Rickie Lambert in the past and been proved wrong. Expect him to do the same again now, writes Adam Leitch.

The talismanic striker has been linked with an unlikely move to Reading to join up with former boss Nigel Adkins.

But surely Lambert remains part of the future of Saints, not its past?

There has been a surprising amount of summer discussion between the club’s fans over whether Lambert should be gently phased out or not.

Despite being the club’s leading scorer last season, weighing in with 15 Premier League goals in his debut top flight campaign, and despite an obvious lack of alternatives, some seem far too tempted by the glitter of new signings that have yet to even arrive.

Exotic Interesting names from exotic countries seem so much more cosmopolitan and dazzling than Lambert, the scouser who toils as a target man – but, lest anybody forget the impact he has had, and can still have, for Saints to even consider selling him would be lunacy.

Let’s examine the arguments of Lambert’s detractors, those who believe he should be eased out of the picture, and see how they stack up to close scrutiny.

The central thrust of their reasoning appears to be based on several different arguments.

One is his age. He is 31-years-old and therefore, even given his remarkable record of steering clear of serious injuries, knocking on somewhat in terms of a striker.

Well, that has an element of truth within it, but there is a flip side.

Of course, Saints need to look to their long term future, and that might well mean recruiting a younger striker or two. If they pay big money for such a player, it could even mean genuine competition for Lambert in that he might not start every game.

Even given all that, which is very far from certain, with the best will in the world his sell-on value, given his age, is not going to be massive – probably £5m at absolute best.

With Saints awash with cash, why on earth would you part company with such a valuable player for such a modest amount of money?

What if you got in somebody else and they got injured, or you just realised that Lambert was a better option? For such little money, it would make no sense moving him on.

Another argument is that he doesn’t fit in with Mauricio Pochettino’s vision for the future of the club.

There is potentially some traction in this point.

The word that has emanated from the Saints after more than six months under the new boss is that the boss is a very hard task master.

Pochettino’s vision for Saints is his high tempo, all action, high pressing team.

That requires a good level of physical fitness from each and every player, and that is only built up through tough training regimes.

Lambert has traditionally not been a player that thrives on working himself to the bone during the week, because of the battering he takes as a target man when he plays.

Those who argue that he won’t thrive on Pochettino’s style of play point to the numbers as proof.

Lambert scored just five goals in 16 league appearances under Pochettino, having bagged ten in his previous 22 under Adkins.

As well as that, most fans who saw Lambert towards the end of the 2012/13 campaign would concede there were matches that he didn’t quite seem his brilliant self, and looked somewhat jaded.

He only scored one goal in his last seven games, and that against Stoke on the final day.

Following on from that, another argument goes that what Lambert has to offer won’t fit in with Pochettino’s style.

It is true that the old-fashioned English target man type striker has gone out of fashion.

There were hardly any playing in the Premier League last season, and with Grant Holt having been sold to Wigan by Norwich, there will be one less next time out.

Beyond Holt, Lambert, Andy Carroll and Christian Benteke, it’s hard to come up with many more first team regulars.

Many of the most successful teams in the division play the same formation as Saints, the in vogue 4-2-3-1.

But they nearly all lead the line with a quick and nippy striker who is aiming to get in behind.

That is not Lambert’s style, but he does open the doors for others at Saints to get beyond him with his superb hold up and link up play.

Which way Pochettino ultimately wants to go will be indicated by exactly which striker, or strikers, he signs this summer.

The other side to both of these arguments though needs to be made, and made very clearly.

The first is that Lambert has proven himself time and again, including in this formation in the Premier League. As such, to go to anything else would be a gamble.

And even if we assume for one moment Lambert is going to be moved aside, surely you want him there anyway. You wouldn’t wish to sell him.

Doubted Even if Pochettino got in an £18m striker who played on the shoulder of the last defender, what better man to have on the bench to hold the ball up when you are defending a lead than Lambert?

What better player to allow you to totally change your style of play?

Of course, the man himself might not be satisfied with a bit part role, and who would blame him given his brilliant time at St Mary’s.

However, that is another discussion altogether.

But whatever way you look at it, it makes no sense whatsoever for Lambert to be discarded at this stage.

And let’s not forget Saints have virtually no striking cover anyway with Jay Rodriguez playing in behind, Emmanuel Mayuka yet to prove himself and everyone else – Billy Sharp, Tadanari Lee, Lee Barnard, Jonathan Forte – out of the picture.

Before accusations of allowing heart to rule head over a top player who has done so much for the club are levelled, let us just recall once more that Lambert scored 15 Premier League goals last season. Only six players in the entire division bettered that.

He was doubted when Saints signed, doubted when they got promoted to the Championship, doubted when they made it to the Premier League, and there are doubts again now.

The small matter of 103 goals in four seasons should teach everybody to have a little faith.