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As penalty after penalty rifled into the Kop goal on Tuesday night, standing on the sidelines was the frustrated figure of Rickie Lambert.

Rather than demonstrating his renowned spot-kick prowess, the striker was left with his face pressed up against the glass as another opportunity to impress passed by.

Such has been the way for Lambert since arriving at Liverpool in the summer.

What started as a dream evening by leading out his boyhood club on his full debut in the Capital One Cup home tie against Middlesbrough ended in a familiar, nagging sensation of having failed to do himself justice.

Lambert may be back ‘home’ having made more than 600 senior career appearances elsewhere, but this season is proving new territory.

A regular at his previous clubs, the 32-year-old is adjusting to life as part of a squad player under Brendan Rodgers.

And Lambert believes fitness, as much as the danger of trying too hard to make his mark, is proving an issue – a shortcoming he is determined to address with extra work on the training pitch.

“I didn’t feel as sharp as I want to feel,” he says. “It’s just things, touches.

“That’s the main thing I want to look at going back into training.

“I want to get my match fitness up because obviously everyone knows I’m not playing every game so I have to adapt myself now.

“I think I’m going to have to do more so my fitness is up to the same level as everybody else.

“It’s not about getting used to be a Liverpool player. It’s my sharpness and my fitness which I need to get on the training pitch and start improving.

“We did have a few games at the beginning of the season, but it’s been game after game. I do work, push myself to the limit, but maybe I am going to have to go to the fitness coach tomorrow and see if I can do more."

Asked if he his eagerness to impress was having a detrimental effect, Lambert says: “Obviously that’s probably an aspect as well, which I’ve got to take into consideration and not let it affect me.

“But that’s just the way it is, and the situation I’m in.

“I’m more than confident I can get myself, and start contributing the way I know I can contribute.”

Lambert – still seeking his first goal in a Red shirt – has made five appearances so far this season, although the outing against Middlesbrough was his first start.

It earned the Kirkby-born forward the unusual accolade of being Liverpool captain on his full debut having been handed the armband by boss Rodgers.

“It was surprise,” admits Lambert. “The manager pulled me in and said ‘you’re going to be skipper’ so it was a great honour to lead the team.

“Was it dream stuff for a local lad? It was.

“But forgetting about that, it was a strange game. I’ve never seen a penalty shoot-out go on for so long.

“I’ve been close to it, but that surpassed it. We dug in. We gave away a bad set-piece goal again, which we are not happy with, but we dug in and we had to win on pens in the end.

“I kind of which I’d been out there for the pens, yes! But the lads were superb with the pens and so were Middlesbrough. Full credit, the quality of pens was superb.

“But I wasn’t happy with my own performance, so that overshadowed the honour of being captain a little bit.”

Involved in every matchday squad this campaign, Lambert is counting down the hours before the chance to tick off another achievement by appearing in a Merseyside derby, with Everton due at Anfield on Saturday.

“Hopefully we can get one over on them,” he says. “It’s always a special day against Everton and I can’t wait for it.

“It would be another dream to play in a derby. But I want to stay away from stuff like that now and focus on my performance and fitness.”