- Sep 21, 2006
- 4,627
- 573
This has surely been pointed out before, but I haven't been too active in spurs chat recently, so apologies if it is going over old ground.
One thing that really frustrates me about Aaron Lennon, is the infrequency with which he runs at opposition full-backs without the ball; he very, very rarely opts to run at the full-back and give the player in possession a potential pass. Instead, he usually chooses to receive the ball from a standing position and then plays a return ball to the players he receives it from, or else plays it back to our full-back.
The issue is that he sits a little deep, with a man marking him, which has the effect of tightening things in midfield; if he just occasionally went on a run without the ball - offering the option of a ball over the top, or a precise pass along the ground - then he would open up a bit of space in midfield, which could potentially be utilised. It would also have the effect of giving the man who is marking him something to think about. If he makes runs off the ball, in behind his man or the full-back and shows his man just how quick he is, then the man who marks him will probably drop a little deeper next time to give himself a yard or two on Aaron - this would mean the he gets a bit more space when he does look for the ball to feet. Also, if the ball is played to meet the run, he could find himself in behind the full-back, bearing down on goal.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
One thing that really frustrates me about Aaron Lennon, is the infrequency with which he runs at opposition full-backs without the ball; he very, very rarely opts to run at the full-back and give the player in possession a potential pass. Instead, he usually chooses to receive the ball from a standing position and then plays a return ball to the players he receives it from, or else plays it back to our full-back.
The issue is that he sits a little deep, with a man marking him, which has the effect of tightening things in midfield; if he just occasionally went on a run without the ball - offering the option of a ball over the top, or a precise pass along the ground - then he would open up a bit of space in midfield, which could potentially be utilised. It would also have the effect of giving the man who is marking him something to think about. If he makes runs off the ball, in behind his man or the full-back and shows his man just how quick he is, then the man who marks him will probably drop a little deeper next time to give himself a yard or two on Aaron - this would mean the he gets a bit more space when he does look for the ball to feet. Also, if the ball is played to meet the run, he could find himself in behind the full-back, bearing down on goal.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this?