Aaron Lennon - Honest Opinions

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

do you agree though that very little of what you say he gives involves him being on the ball? is this acceptable for an attacking player?

It's acceptable for a team player. The alternatives haven't offered a vast amount in an attacking sense either. At least with Lennon you know he will do a professional job.

Not that I personally think that is enough, but I can understand why he continues to get picked.

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

I'm sorry, I don't really understand the relevance of this post

Comedy.

Tough thread.

 

[dontcallme]

It's acceptable for a team player. The alternatives haven't offered a vast amount in an attacking sense either. At least with Lennon you know he will do a professional job.

Not that I personally think that is enough, but I can understand why he continues to get picked.

It doesn't surprise me that we've struggled to create without Lennon in the team.

There's room for improvement and I don't think it's coming but how far some go with their criticism of him is frankly laughable.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

just checked. Navas has played 757 minutes to Lennon's 586. a difference of 171 minutes.

Meh, by the way, I don't actually think Lennon is better than Navas, I just thought at first glance your comparisons were a bit unfair considering Lennon's injury...

 

[beats1]

Half the player was

FYP

I just have to say he has never recovered from that hamstring injury that kept him out for half a season in 2010. I think he just hasnt recovered mentally as he has never always put the burners and attacked the fullbacks. I think because he got that hamstring he scared he may do it again and hence we only see him going at full pace a few times whereas before he used just attack as soon as he got the ball.

Watch the Carling cup final against United and he tore evra a new one for 120mins whereas now he has never kept that performance going for 90mins. He now has his moments. He also is more controlled with his attacking he doesnt make selfless runs as much other players, he stays too static.

I personally would get rid of him. I hate when people say oh he isnt a top 4 player and so and so isnt a top player because you have players shitter than some of the players in our squad in title challenging teams. However in this case, I dont think Lennon would want to be a squad option and the fact we have 2 very two good young players I think we cant let him go especially since he does go missing in games.

 

[ohtottenham!]

do you agree though that very little of what you say he gives involves him being on the ball? is this acceptable for an attacking player?

Very little of what

do you agree though that very little of what you say he gives involves him being on the ball? is this acceptable for an attacking player?

Bale, Ronaldo...two extreme examples of players that don't have to be on the ball, and most times not, to be a threat. Back to Lennon...Wingers do that! They keep defences stretched. Don't have to be on the ball, often just create the space for attacks elsewhere. Which, coincidentally, is just what we need! Wingers that create space!

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

It's acceptable for a team player. The alternatives haven't offered a vast amount in an attacking sense either. At least with Lennon you know he will do a professional job.

Not that I personally think that is enough, but I can understand why he continues to get picked.

none of the others have yet been given the opportunities he's been given. Chadli has 1 goal and 2 assists so far, Lamela has 1 goal and 3 assists, Gylfi has 3 goals and 1 assist, Eriksen has 1 goal and 2 assists, Townsend has 1 (admittedly fluke) goal and 1 assist....meanwhile Lennon the most senior and settled attacking player in the squad has 0 and 0. it's really not good enough

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

It doesn't surprise me that we've struggled to create without Lennon in the team.

There's room for improvement and I don't think it's coming but how far some go with their criticism of him is frankly laughable.

I think he's a bit like Daws in that he may not be good enough but his effort and attitude are unquestionable. No-one else on the right has given AVB any real reason to drop him. If he wasn't doing all of the work that he does and was also failing to deliver in the final third then I would totally understand people getting on his back.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

Very little of what

Bale, Ronaldo...two extreme examples of players that don't have to be on the ball, and most times not, to be a threat. Back to Lennon...Wingers do that! They keep defences stretched. Don't have to be on the ball, often just create the space for attacks elsewhere. Which, coincidentally, is just what we need! Wingers that create space!

would it not be preferable to have wingers that create goals? we've been struggling for goals all season, who is supposed to create them if not our wingers?

btw, the first things you think of when someone mentions Ronaldo, Bale or any other good player is what they do on the ball. if Ronaldo wasn't scoring all those goals, who would care how much space he was creating?

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

none of the others have yet been given the opportunities he's been given. Chadli has 1 goal and 2 assists so far, Lamela has 1 goal and 3 assists, Gylfi has 3 goals and 1 assist, Eriksen has 1 goal and 2 assists, Townsend has 1 (admittedly fluke) goal and 1 assist....meanwhile Lennon the most senior and settled attacking player in the squad has 0 and 0. it's really not good enough

Depends on how much you focus on the stats, I guess. I remember many people saying that Modric wasn't good because he had so few goals and assists. I'm not suggesting for a second that Lennon offers what Modric did, but there is a lot more going on in the 90 minutes than a goal or assist.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

Depends on how much you focus on the stats, I guess. I remember many people saying that Modric wasn't good because he had so few goals and assists. I'm not suggesting for a second that Lennon offers what Modric did, but there is a lot more going on in the 90 minutes than a goal or assist.

fair enough, but if I asked you to tell me what made Modric so good, I'll bet that your response would involve things he actually did on the ball, rather than vague and intangible things like creating space for others.

 

[dontcallme]

I think he's a bit like Daws in that he may not be good enough but his effort and attitude are unquestionable. No-one else on the right has given AVB any real reason to drop him. If he wasn't doing all of the work that he does and was also failing to deliver in the final third then I would totally understand people getting on his back.

I agree. I think he's an excellent squad player. But at the same time his performance is on par and possibly better than the other attacking mids right now. He is also a true winger and plays out wide giving us a different option to the others.

In the right situation and right setup he can start matches and it not be seen as a weakness.

If Townsend, Lamela and Eriksen reach their potential then he'll probably be on his way out but until they do he's a good option by the standard of player we have.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

I agree. I think he's an excellent squad player. But at the same time his performance is on par and possibly better than the other attacking mids right now. He is also a true winger and plays out wide giving us a different option to the others.

In the right situation and right setup he can start matches and it not be seen as a weakness.

If Townsend, Lamela and Eriksen reach their potential then he'll probably be on his way out but until they do he's a good option by the standard of player we have.

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?

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

fair enough, but if I asked you to tell me what made Modric so good, I'll bet that your response would involve things he actually did on the ball, rather than vague and intangible things like creating space for others.

But positioning and movement are a huge part of the game nowadays. It isn't glamorous but it is necessary. If you're not able to do it yourself, making space for people who can is very useful. Also Modric played CM so the requirements are totally different.

I completely understand that he doesn't do enough in the final third. More often than not, he will get into the right positions but the final ball isn't there.

We've looked like strangers a fair bit this season and I think he brings a bit of stability to the team.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

he's an attacking player, so he has to take some responsibility for scoring and creating goals. what if all our attackers just made space and got into the "right positions", where would the goals come from? for as long as he's not contributing, he's a passenger. and for a team like ours that is struggling for goals, that makes him a liability.

Walker is doing all the things Lennon is currently doing, and then some. should it not be the other way round?

 

[ohtottenham!]

would it not be preferable to have wingers that create goals? we've been struggling for goals all season, who is supposed to create them if not our wingers?

btw, the first things you think of when someone mentions Ronaldo, Bale or any other good player is what they do on the ball. if Ronaldo wasn't scoring all those goals, who would care how much space he was creating?

We've been struggling to score goals 'cause we haven't used real wingers! No space...just like a crowded tube train; Soldado couldn't even see his feet!

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

he's an attacking player, so he has to take some responsibility for scoring and creating goals. what if all our attackers just made space and got into the "right positions", where would the goals come from? for as long as he's not contributing, he's a passenger. and for a team like ours that is struggling for goals, that makes him a liability.

Walker is doing all the things Lennon is currently doing, and then some. should it not be the other way round?

But he is contributing. Every attack he breaks down by tracking back, each time he wins the ball back in their half so we keep possession he is contributing. Every spin off the full back he is moving into space which then opens the pitch up for other players.

You seem to think that there is this clear divide between being an attacking player and a defensive player. The keeper, up front and the back 2, yes. Everyone else has to do both.

It's no coincidence that suddenly Walker is doing the things that "Lennon is meant to" when Lennon is on the pitch. Walker overlaps with confidence when Lennon is there because they both understand each other and Walker knows Lennon will cover him if need be. He's said so himself.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

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?

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

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

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

 

[ohtottenham!]

Width does wonders...at least that's what I've been told!