Lambert 'desperate' for Albion goal

West Brom striker Rickie Lambert is 'desperate' to score his first competitive goal for the Baggies away at Norwich City on Saturday.

The 33-year-old scored twice on his debut in a pre-season friendly at Bristol Rovers immediately after his £3million move from Liverpool in the summer, but has failed to find the net in a first-team game.

And the Liverpudlian has fallen behind Salomon Rondon and Saido Berahino in the Albion pecking order.

It is now nine months since Lambert, who went to the World Cup in Brazil last year, last scored a first-team goal.

He said: "I'm more desperate than anyone else, it's what I get paid for. I'm just going to keep working hard and hope it comes this Saturday."

Lambert came on for Rondon in Saturday's victory over Sunderland with 20 minutes to go, but the former Southampton man looked off the pace.

He said: "I know there's more to this role under Tony Pulis than just scoring goals.

"You get asked to do a lot more defensively than I've had to in the past, but it's something you have to get used to and I'm trying to get as fit as I can."

[related_posts title="More on West Brom"]

Moving from Liverpool hoping for more football, Lambert has started just three league games this season and more often than not been used as a substitute.

Meanwhile, team-mate Gareth McAuley insists the Baggies are determined not to rest on their laurels after Saturday's victory over Sunderland.

McAuley, alluding to the Everton and Crystal Palace defeats, said: "Obviously we had two results and two performances we weren't very happy with.

"The result on Saturday kind of put that to bed and stopped that little rot that was starting there. It gives us a platform and we've certainly not rested on our laurels in the last two days.

""We're building again for a tough game away to Norwich at the weekend."

[interruptor]