Aaron Lennon - Honest Opinions

[PeeEyeEmPee]

Lennon will be the competition for Chadli

 

[mike_l]

Lennon will be the competition for Chadli

What I like most about this post is the wealth of facts that back it up...

FFS, he hasn't even had chance to start ahead of him in a pre-season friendly yet, let alone proven himself to be as capable in the PL as Lennon...

 

[HodisGawd]

My honest opinion about Lennon? He's a key player for us. There, simple.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

What I like most about this post is the wealth of facts that back it up...

FFS, he hasn't even had chance to start ahead of him in a pre-season friendly yet, let alone proven himself to be as capable in the PL as Lennon...

in what way can I use facts to back that up? would it have been better if I had said "IT IS MY BELIEF that Lennon will be the competition for Chadli" instead? If so, then I apologise.

either way, we'll see very soon

 

[mike_l]

in what way can I use facts to back that up? would it have been better if I had said "IT IS MY BELIEF that Lennon will be the competition for Chadli" instead? If so, then I apologise.

either way, we'll see very soon

You responded to someone's assertion that Lennon plays better with competition by implying that Chadli will be forst choice and Lennon will be his competition. If that's your belief then fair enough but I find it a bit daft to draw that conclusion before even seeing how they are both employed in a friendly.

Ultimately I'm more fed up with the general attitude of some on here towards Lennon, because he doesn't score 15+ goals per year he is useless it would seem. Same fans are probably crying themselves to sleep at the prospect of Bale not standing by us ironically.

It's amazing how quickly some have been willing to discard him based on signing a player on the cheap due to his contract running down. Chadli has an impressive scoring record in a second rate league, I'd wait to see if he ends up going the RVN route or the Alfonso Alves route before flogging Lennon to whichever pub side is daft enough to sign his useless arse...

 

[antti19]

I think that if he would be a top player....top teams would be interested about him?

But for us, great squad player.

 

[mpickard2087]

He is a player that infuriates me, I have to admit.

Previously we have missed him when he hasn't played, mainly because a) we never seem to have any other pacey player who can play on the right and b) he occupies defenders, because the opposition rather generously try to close out his potential threat, even though he is inconsistent and never really shows this said threat often enough.

I have said before, maybe even in this thread (cant be bothered to check back), that Lennon strikes me on first impressions as someone who is one of the least determined and unambitious players around. Like he has reached a level and is comfortable at it, rather than someone like Bale (ok, someone admittedly who has a better skillset in his game to start with) who strives to improve and add more things to make him a better player. Someone who thinks that a couple of dangerous runs a half is acceptable and then goes back into his shell, when we need 10 runs in a half from him etc.

Has he kicked on as a player since he broke into the team at 18? Nope, I don't think so. If anything I'd say as he takes on players less these days he's arguably less dangerous. Definitely less exciting to watch now, does he really get on the edge of your seat any more in anticipation of him going on a run and beating two or three men? It seems to be less and less these days. Whilst his defensive play and helping out his fullback has improved greatly and can be largely applauded, its going the other way where he is ultimately judged and with a switch to 4-3-3 there is an even greater need to improve certain areas of his game.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

You responded to someone's assertion that Lennon plays better with competition by implying that Chadli will be forst choice and Lennon will be his competition. If that's your belief then fair enough but I find it a bit daft to draw that conclusion before even seeing how they are both employed in a friendly.

Ultimately I'm more fed up with the general attitude of some on here towards Lennon, because he doesn't score 15+ goals per year he is useless it would seem. Same fans are probably crying themselves to sleep at the prospect of Bale not standing by us ironically.

It's amazing how quickly some have been willing to discard him based on signing a player on the cheap due to his contract running down. Chadli has an impressive scoring record in a second rate league, I'd wait to see if he ends up going the RVN route or the Alfonso Alves route before flogging Lennon to whichever pub side is daft enough to sign his useless arse...

where have I said anything about selling him?

I just don't understand how or why in the eyes of some of our fans, you can't say a single word against him, when the majority of criticisms against him are entirely valid IMO. no-one is saying he should score 15 a season or that he's useless, so that's a bit of a straw man

 

[Real_madyidd]

Personally I think he should be a squad player if we are as good as we think. He hasn't really come up to his potential, sadly.

He is better than Downing though...

 

[mike_l]

where have I said anything about selling him?

I just don't understand how or why in the eyes of some of our fans, you can't say a single word against him, when the majority of criticisms against him are entirely valid IMO. no-one is saying he should score 15 a season or that he's useless, so that's a bit of a straw man

I thought it was pretty clear that the second paragraph onwards wasn't directed at you but a group of fans in general, you know, given that I said "the general attitude of some on here towards Lennon", but maybe not I guess...

 

[mike_l]

Personally I think he should be a squad player if we are as good as we think. He hasn't really come up to his potential, sadly.

He is better than Downing though...

This is the grey area that so many are absolutely insistent on avoiding, it seems for many that he either has to be a Balon D'Or contender or he should be flogged to the first person to bid a pack of pork scratchings. Very few seem to see that he is a very capable player who can contribute a lot even if not a guaranteed starter...

Does my head in.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

This is the grey area that so many are absolutely insistent on avoiding, it seems for many that he either has to be a Balon D'Or contender or he should be flogged to the first person to bid a pack of pork scratchings. Very few seem to see that he is a very capable player who can contribute a lot even if not a guaranteed starter...

Does my head in.

on the contrary, it's those that bristle at anything other than the opinion that he is a key player, one of the first names on the team-sheet, and as good as or better than all the other names mentioned in here that need to address this grey area. somehow, valid criticisms like inconsistent end-product, poor delivery, lack of a goal-threat, frequent anonymity etc have been turned into straw-man arguments such as him not being Bale/a Ballon D'Or contender/etc, when that is not the case.

my biggest problem with Lennon (and it happens with A LOT of English wide players that are hyped from an early age) is that his game has always been reliant on blistering speed, and he consequently doesn't appear to have added a lot to his game since emerging. another example is Walker showed signs of that last season, but he's still young enough to (hopefully) be able to correct that. Lennon isn't, and it's hard to see him being able to improve from here on. what he can do though is be more consistent at his bet level, which is still obviously useful.

most can see he does have a lot to contribute, the argument is based around how much he actually does get round to contributing, and whether or not we can find someone to do better. earlier in this thread, it was suggested that it would cost far too much to improve on his position, and any other names that were suggested were dismissed as only being as good as him at best. yet we've now brought in someone for a measly £7m who looks to have all the tools required to do what Lennon doesn't do on a regular enough basis. citing examples of a player doing it for a team in one league then not replicating it in a team in another doesn't really make sense to me. Torres was a total world-beater at Liverpool, yet has looked a complete donkey at Chelsea. players sometimes fit into one team and don't fit into another, it happens all the time, and doesn't necessarily have to correlate to the perceived strength of an inferior league.

I fully expect Chadli to outperform him this season, and actually offer a consistent threat (rather than the threat of a threat that Lennon mostly provides), and not flatter to deceive anywhere near as much.

 

[parklane1]

My honest opinion about Lennon? He's a key player for us. There, simple.

Indeed, we are a far better team when he is playing.

 

[SpurSince57]

Lennon created almost as many chances as Bale last season (one every 47 minutes as opposed to one every 41 minutes). If he'd scored as many goals as Bale, Real might be in for him too. In fact, over the last two seasons Lennon has been our most clinical finisher, scoring every four shots—perhaps he should be encouraged to go for goal more often.

It seems to me that people are complaining that he hasn't developed into an absolutely world-class player, and ignoring the fact that he remains a very good one on whom it will be difficult (and very expensive) to improve.

 

[dontcallme]

Lennon created almost as many chances as Bale last season (one every 47 minutes as opposed to one every 41 minutes). If he'd scored as many goals as Bale, Real might be in for him too. In fact, over the last two seasons Lennon has been our most clinical finisher, scoring every four shots—perhaps he should be encouraged to go for goal more often.

It seems to me that people are complaining that he hasn't developed into an absolutely world-class player, and ignoring the fact that he remains a very good one on whom it will be difficult (and very expensive) to improve.

Good points. I think some here, myself partially included, are starting to think Lennon has already peaked and isn't going to get any better.

He seems to be a confidence player and he really needs to start taking more risks. He needs to run at the defence more in the final third and make the defenders commit tackle in dangerous areas. He has better close control than Bale and very quick feet.

Another issue is some don't think he suits a 433 that well. He is a good finisher but doesn't get into the positions enough to be a real goal threat. I appreciate his work for the team and hope he can be more prolific in a 433 but his history suggests he won't start scoring regularly.

It's not his fault that our strikers don't have intelligent movement in the box or are good at attacking crosses but people as a result start to question whether he is a right fit for us anymore.

I'm happy enough for him to start and want him to stay but I have my doubts as to whether he'll improve much between now and the time he retires.

 

[SpurSince57]

I agree that we're probably not going to see a significant improvement, unless he can be encouraged to go for goal more often, and that, of course, has a bearing on the 4-3-3 issue. On the other hand, when I see people saying he'll be second fiddle to Chadli, whose scoring record in the Eredivisie has been seriously ho-hum, I do start to wonder. But mostly, it's the undervaluing of Lennon that gets me. Again, if we want someone a level above, it's going to be difficult, and it's going to be seriously expensive.

 

[dontcallme]

I agree that we're probably not going to see a significant improvement, unless he can be encouraged to go for goal more often, and that, of course, has a bearing on the 4-3-3 issue. On the other hand, when I see people saying he'll be second fiddle to Chadli, whose scoring record in the Eredivisie has been seriously ho-hum, I do start to wonder. But mostly, it's the undervaluing of Lennon that gets me. Again, if we want someone a level above, it's going to be difficult, and it's going to be seriously expensive.

I agree.

I like Lennon, think he's a good player and he works very hard for the team.

Last season we bought Lloris, Vertonghen and Dembele who are all excellent players who fit in straight away.

If we found someone of similar ability to play in Lennon's position then I wouldn't be against Lennon becoming a squad player. We are aiming for a very high level right now so few players are safe in regards to holding onto their place in the team.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

ho-hum?

lol @ "if he'd scored as many goals as him...". if only I'd sold as many records as Jay-Z, maybe Beyonce would be MY wife now instead....

do you both genuinely believe Lennon delivers consistently enough?

 

[RichSpur58]

Sorry, got to laugh at the Lennon bashing.

Key player.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

for him to be a key player, would he not have to do important things on a regular basis?