Bentley

[ultimateloner]

DB has good technique and an accurate cross so he's bound to look good against weaker teams. He still doesn't track back at all and doesn't want to challenge at all - he's not going to excel against competitive teams. Still did well this game.

 

[mill]

DB's played well but Lennon's pace adds so much to our team he has to play when fit

 

[Wsussexspur]

Worth every penny. :grin:

Not at the moment is he worth every penny. However if he keeps this form up he might go someway to repaying some of that £15 million.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

The player that made Lennon up his game so much he became the established right winger for England.

Replicating this form regularly, Lennon shouldn't step back into the team. The midfield has never looked so balanced as it has with Bentley on the right - playing Kranjcar there left us looking predictable and easily negated.

When you're our best player, and the premiershpis second highest assister despite a long injury, you walk back into the team as soon as you're match fit. Lennon is as important to us as Fabregas is to Arsenal and Gerrard is to Liverpool. I'm delighted that Bentley is playing well and I want him to keep it up and make a career for himself here with performances like that, but Lennon's been our best player for the past 18 months and is pretty much the best winger in the premiership.

 

[louisg]

Lennon shouldnt walk back into the team, nor should any player if they have been out for a while. Everyone needs to earn there place. Its healthy for the team.

One good thing is Lennon wont be rushed back, he needs time to recover from his groin and hernia problems.

Louis

 

[bill]

Bentley was good today. Very good.

When you consider that in match situations DB is a relative stranger to the other players around him and his performance tonight shows there is more that can come from giving him a run in the team and allowing the players to understand each-others game. Training sessions can only do so much.

DB is not an Azza and the team do need to adapt our style when DB is in the team; as we have to with Crouchy or Luka. David linked very well with Defoe today. Hudd (clever player Hudd) was looking for DB on the right on many occasions. He played a simple game and didn't try anything too fancy [ok, just one or two tricks].

DB failed to track back a few times and did have a spell of strolling around but I will excuse this as he did put in a shift for 90% of the match.

DB was a threat and i'm glad Harry kept him on. He kept two Leeds players busy all night and this allowed the midfield more space. Great!

Those of you who have watched Bentley before will know that he has so much to offer. We have not seen the best of him yet and he could really shine for Spurs if he gets his head down, focus and hard work, earn the trust of HR and the coaches.

Lennon is out for at least 3 more weeks (we hear) and then we have a run of games against the heavyweights. Will HR risk playing Lennon - not match fit? We might see DB get a run of games if his form keeps good.

Azza and DB in the World Cup Squad. You never know, stranger things have happened.

.

 

[Stoof]

Great post, bill. I've always been a fan of Bentley. It really is only a good thing if him and Lennon are pushing each other for a place. That sort of competition only breeds success - and to his credit he's shown that he can perform on the right for us.

It really isn't a bad thing at all.

Well played DB. :clap:

 

[Kendall]

Bentley was playing with confidence and I think I speak for everyone when I say he has unbelievable tekkers on the ball.

Lennon has been so influential to the way we've played over the last 3 or 4 years in that Corluka knows his game and knows the runs he'll make, Huddlestone gets the ball and spreads it to an area he knows Lennon will run into and the strikers position themselves for the traditional Lennon cut back.

For me, he has to come back into the team as soon as he is fit. Though there is little requirement to rush him back really.

It's a shame for Bentley, but I think we've finally started to show that we can at least grind a few results out without the little man. The Modric on the right/Kranjcar on the left experiment did not work at all.

 

[$hoguN]

He has looked great in the last few matches and long may it continue. As has been said, the big difference in his game is the fact he has been putting in a 'shift'; helping out defensively yet still maintaining a threat. Lennon my find it hard to get back into the starting line-up

 

[Bobishism]

Lennon has been so influential to the way we've played over the last 3 or 4 years in that Corluka knows his game and knows the runs he'll make, Huddlestone gets the ball and spreads it to an area he knows Lennon will run into and the strikers position themselves for the traditional Lennon cut back.

Are you suggesting that Huddlestone and Corluka don't know where Bentley is or will be? These are professional, intelligent footballers who have been playing football for the majority of their lives. I don't think 30 odd games cohesion has that great an impact on players. It's not like Bentley skips training everyday like King does.

 

[Real_madyidd]

one of Bentley and Lennon will go in the summer- if we fail to get champions league then I think it will be Lennon.

 

[jamesc0le]

i don't mind if lennon leaves in search of CL footy to a madrid or barca, a team who can afford his true worth, i dont think a manure or chelsea will be willing or able to pay it , why should they get him cheap, if anything they should be 10 million premium more than a foreign team.

so whatever happens in the summer we may well keep lennon, and if we don't we should make sure it's the right deal for us.

bentley is a certain sell in the summer whatever happens, i don't think putting a shift in when it suits him sits well with redknapp..

 

[BorisTM]

i don't mind if lennon leaves in search of CL footy to a madrid or barca, a team who can afford his true worth, i dont think a manure or chelsea will be willing or able to pay it , why should they get him cheap, if anything they should be 10 million premium more than a foreign team.

so whatever happens in the summer we may well keep lennon, and if we don't we should make sure it's the right deal for us.

bentley is a certain sell in the summer whatever happens, i don't think putting a shift in when it suits him sits well with redknapp..

Another one with midtable mindset. We CAN afford Lennon's worth, ok? We are a top club, and Lennon should stay here so we can achieve things together. Or he goes away like Berbatov did and becomes another Mister "Nobody has ever heard from him again".

 

[jamesc0le]

i forgot to put the figure i had in my mind, lennon's true worth would be 40 million upwards, + the premium for a british side, i mean keep him at all costs but if a player want's to play at the highest level then do a foreign deal that suits spurs, but only after telling him the best place for him is here, which of course, it is

 

[kungfugrip]

Bentley had a very good game and I was very pleased to see it. He definitely has something to offer and may yet play a big role in the next four months. But, I couldn't believe the commentators last night. As soon as he crossed for Defoe's second goal they were suggesting him as a possible shout for the World Cup. League One opposition guys. Maybe Bentley will go to South Africa, stranger things have happened, but those commentators were a joke.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Fact is, for someone who has been a nailed on first teamer and been brilliant at his job for ages to lose his place, as some are suggesting should happen with Lennon, the guy who comes in for him has to actual perform not only as well as his competitor, but better, doing things that his competitor cannot do.

For instance, Huddlestone has replaced Jenas in midfield because he can dictate games and control the pace of things in ways that Jenas cannot, despite the fact that before Jenas got injured he was actually playing pretty well.

Crouch has replaced Keane as Defoe's strike partner despite the fact that we got to 4th in the table with Keane up front because Crouch can win things in the air and link with our main goalscorer, Defoe, in ways that Keane cannot.

Palacios put himself ahead of Zokora by winning the ball constantly in all areas of the pitch, allowing us to begin attacks quickly rather than having to play out of our own area, something Didier couldn't do.

Dawson has made himself first choice centre back because, while his performance on the pitch hasn't been any better than you'd expect from King or Woodgate, he has still played well and proven that he can stay fit most of the time, something that cannot be said of the other two. We also concede 3 times as many goals without him as we do with him.

Bale has come in for Ekotto, who was playing the ebst football he ever has, and not only shown that he can defend about as well as BAE, but that he is superb going forward and gets involved with attacks far more often, somethign that has contributed to a number of goals in a short space of time.

Lennon can still do what Bentley can't, no matter how well Bentley does, and that is not Bentley's fault, Lennon is a far quicker player with unbelievable close control while running at pace. Because of the improvement in Lennons crossing, it cannot even be said that Bentley's delivery gives him the edge, as shown by Lennon being the leagues 2nd highest assister despite suffering 2 big injuries (thank you refs for refusing to book thugs v Stoke and Spammers untill the final minutes where, knowing they could get away with it, they crocked Lennon).

Like I said earlier, if Bentley starts producing Messi style performances where he is perfect in everything he does in almost every game, he can take Lennons place. I personally don't see it happening.

I am delighted that Bentley is playing well, it gives us time to take care of Lennons injury properly and not rush him back, but Lennon was in blistering form pre injury, far beyond what Bentley is currently showing, and dropping him would not make sense to me.

 

[$hoguN]

Im sorry BBLG but that is the wrong attitude to take. Yes, Lennon is a fantastic player, with pace to burn aswell, but you set a bad example to the squad by immadiately bringing him back in.

While Bentley is putting in the effort and playing well we should let him play, leaving Lennon as an impact sub. If Lennon does more in his sub appearences than Bentley does, then he merits himself a starting place again. Alternatively if results begin to slide and we need a change than Lennon should replace Bentley, but no player should think he has a divine right to the shirt.

Success is achieved through squad competition i.e. Valencia isn't getting game time at Utd due to Nani's form

 

[BringBack_leGin]

The Valncia Nani example is not like to this example because Valencia has been nothing more than average since going to Utd. Bentley has done well enough to earn the right to play while Lennon is unavailable, but it's been three games (and yes, he has improved in each performance), not an entire half a season.

 

[Son_Of]

bentley had a triffic game yesterday and i was glad to see the crowd responded well (they'd never give someone like jenas that kind of response). he looked really pleased when he gave us a thumbs up after his 2nd half surge in off the wing and shot tipped over, then he went to take the corner and got a lot of "yiddo". huge change from when our fans have got on his back early for losing the ball. also he chased their possession well. good work rate

bentley and bale were providing quality crosses. bale can actually cross well even when running quite fast

 

[Son_Of]

for me lennon is still first choice. but maybe it should depend on who the oppo left back is and who we are plating up front