Lewis Dobbin will be looking to emulate this Southampton star in his prime | OneFootball

Lewis Dobbin has caught the eye in pre-season at Southampton, with hopes he can channel Adam Lallana's prime influence at St Mary's.

Sainstmarching.com notes that supporters have learned to be cautious. Paul Onuachu cost £20m and delivered four goals from 40 appearances.

Dobbin, a £9m signing, has three pre-season goals and will hope to start sharply in the Championship with Tonda Eckert's men. He produced 17 goal contributions for mid-table Preston North End last season.

He is being counted on to push Saints towards promotion, while aiming to emulate a club great in his pomp. Many also remember the EFL years after the drop to League One.

Even then there were standouts. Rickie Lambert scored 117 goals for Saints, 78 in the EFL, as they won two promotions, the 11-time England international leading the line.

Lallana, who played wide or as an attacking midfielder like Dobbin, posted 11 goals and 10 assists from 41 outings in 2011/12 to secure automatic promotion.

Automatic promotion is the target, as Flynn Downes has said, and Dobbin was four goal contributions short of Lallana's tally last term.

First comes proving himself in the second tier. If promotion follows, he could then look to establish top-flight calibre as Lallana did, the 38-year-old now back on the South Coast as a coach and a Premier League title winner with Liverpool.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

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