Aaron Lennon - Honest Opinions

PeeEyeEmPee said:

and how much of that contributes to actual goals? it isn't enough!

we are a team struggling for goals, yet we're happy to excuse one of our main attackers for contributing nothing in that regard. Soldado gets criticised for not working hard enough, Defoe gets criticised for being crap in that lone striker role, Townsend gets criticised for shooting too much, Sigurdsson gets criticised for not getting involved enough unless he's scoring, Lamela gets criticised for not yet being up to speed....but Lennon gets praised for "making space". where is the sense in that?

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TheSecretNonFootballer said:

Again, your perception of contributing nothing is based on nothing more than stats.

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PeeEyeEmPee said:

so the fact he is not contributing goals should just be ignored? are games won with space or with goals?

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TheSecretNonFootballer said:

Defoe offers nothing else if he's not scoring. Townsend so far has offered practically nothing if he isn't scoring (although he's getting better). Sigurdsson has chipped in with goals and works hard, I have no real problem with him. He's just too slow for a winger or inverted winger. No-one rational is criticising Lamela for not getting up to speed.

Lennon, if not offering anything attacking, is most definitely offering other things. That's the difference. I'm not saying it's the answer, but until one of the other players does better than him and can offer as much as him in all round play, then the position is rightfully his.

The amount of times that Lennon has lifted the crowd because he's busted his lungs to chase someone countering and win the ball back. This is all part of it.

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TheSecretNonFootballer said:

If he made space for the goalscorer or for the player who gets the assist, then yes.

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PeeEyeEmPee said:

can you provide any examples where this has been the case lately?

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PeeEyeEmPee said:

the biggest part of it is goals, like it or not.

you keep talking about other players not doing better than him, but how many of them are getting the chances he's getting?

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PeeEyeEmPee said:

I don't disagree with the fact that he's a good squad player, but he isn't doing anything to justify consistently starting. it's all well and good to say no-one else has yet pulled up any trees out there, but why is it right that they only get the odd game here and there while he walks into the starting lineup every week?

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TheSecretNonFootballer said:

Townsend has played more this season than Lennon.

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dagraham said:

Do you think its a coincidence that our attacking potency has improved in the last few weeks with Lennon in the team? I can tell you it most certainly isn't a coincidence.

He has plenty of faults and hasn't quite reached the potential he showed in his early days but he's the sort
of player you only realise the value of when he's not playing.

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PeeEyeEmPee said:

yes he has. he's also a kid in his first season with the first team. what's Lennon's excuse?

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PeeEyeEmPee said:

since he's come back from injury, he has played more than any of the others. he is getting more chances because, no matter what he does, he's still starting matches. this is not the case for any of the others

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PeeEyeEmPee said:

he also played in the games against City, Hull and Everton before that. where was our attacking potency then?

to put the slight improvement over the last couple of games down to him is absurd

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TheSecretNonFootballer said:

Because he's an established PL players and the other 2 are kids, like you said. Familiarity in the side is something we need at the moment.

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PeeEyeEmPee said:

you keep dancing around this goals issue. we need those more than we need space and familiarity

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ebzrascal said:

I don`t agree with this as I think Lennon and Walcott are different kind of players who play in the same position most of the time. In my view they are equally good but different...

Walcott is basically a striker who starts on the right and generally drifts in from the wide position. Admittedly he is a bigger goal threat and probably a bit better on assists also. However Lennon is a pure winger who stays wide and this helps with the balance of the team which give space to other attacking players. Bale was always more effective when Lennon played for example... Lennon also ties down opposition wingers and wing backs because of the threat of his pace and he also supports the team better defensively than Walcott. When Lennon is fit he has to play in my opinion...

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