Disco Benny = Legend

[steventhfc]

We couldn't buy a better left back than Benny.

Amen brother.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

i assume cole and evra are two despite their obvious regression, who is the other?

Cliche

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I have noticed, with more than one player, that you seem to focus on errors - if that means I have pigeon-holed you, then I guess I must have :-|

I think it suits you to try and pigeon hole me in that way. I compliment and criticise most of our players, I've probably been more critical of Bale than Ekotto. I have given Ekotto plenty of credit for what he does well and criticism for what he doesn't. I could just as easily say that you have an almost child like ability to not see your favourite player has flaws.

This is what I said about him after the Liverpool game:

I don't think yesterday's game was average, I think it was better than that. You don't often see him attack as much as I saw him attack yesterday, and partly I'm sure that was helped by Liverpool being down two men, but to be fair to him, he was also instrumental in our domination and performance.

I actually think Ekotto has many redeeming qualities, he's always been very comfortable on the ball, he has a superb passing range and uses it. He can also play very incisive passes - and has done at least two or three times already this season, he is good in a tight space. Technically very good and has intelligence.

I think he occasionally lets himself down defensively by not concentrating and being tenacious enough. But I also think that the best lb's in the EPL also get forward more than he does.

Part of the problem is Bale, I accept that. He doesn't help Ekotto enough defensively, doesn't work hard enough for the team and this restricts Ekotto and exposes Ekotto at times. And I also think this should be addressed by the coaching staff, as we would be a hell of a lot better for it, as Ekotto invariably delivers quality balls in the final third.

I accept upgrading Ekotto would not be easy, and would mean very top drawer. I just don't think he's the best in the EPL by at least 3.

Really ?

 

[Marty]

Cliche

Not for me, he's been pretty poor for a couple of years now.

I'd only put A. Cole as definitely better than BAE. Evra's regressed too much last couple of years for me.

I'd also put Enrique around the same level as BAE, I've been really impressed with him at Newcastle and now Liverpool. Baines is pretty good too, but that might just be me thinking that because he wins me so many fantasy points with assists and the odd goal.

No other left backs in the league even come close.

 

[McFlash]

Cliche

I disagree with you on Cliche and I think Cole's best days have long gone.

I've really grown to admire our disco king. It may even be love! Eek

 

[StartingPrice]

Really ?

Yes.
Really.
I am capable of forming an opinion over several months/years.
I based my comment on having read your match assessments of BAE over the last few seasons - not based on that one single, solitary post.

But, I guess, if you imagine my attention span is limited to one single, solitary post, then maybe you are pigeon-holing me :-|

 

[Blake Griffin]

just ask arsenal fans what they thought of clichy, the left back that was born 2 yards behind everyone else.

 

[fortworthspur]

Benny to me is very good, and more importantly, very reliable. you plug him and he works.

 

[bubble07]

I love benny. Very underrated amongst fans other then our own

Ashley Cole and Patrice Evra are the only 2 that are better then him

 

[cusop]

The day he goes we will emerge a better team

 

[Mr Pink]

love wee benny :wink:

 

[chinaman]

I hope he enters politics when his playing career is over. He will make a difference as an honest politician, probably a socialist.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Yes.
Really.
I am capable of forming an opinion over several months/years.
I based my comment on having read your match assessments of BAE over the last few seasons - not based on that one single, solitary post.

But, I guess, if you imagine my attention span is limited to one single, solitary post, then maybe you are pigeon-holing me :-|

What I think you'll have seen if you'd genuinely assessed my posts on Ekotto are loads of standard "good game" comments, quite a few "very good game", the occasional "superb" and the odd one where I criticise what I think was a poor performance or errors made in an otherwise good performance. Pretty much a fair assessment of the player I would say.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

just ask arsenal fans what they thought of clichy, the left back that was born 2 yards behind everyone else.

And you think they all think Ekotto is the business ? Or that those same fans wouldn't have plenty to grumble about if they'd been watching Ekotto for the last 4 years ?

 

[StartingPrice]

What I think you'll have seen if you'd genuinely assessed my posts on Ekotto are loads of standard "good game" comments, quite a few "very good game", the occasional "superb" and the odd one where I criticise what I think was a poor performance or errors made in an otherwise good performance. Pretty much a fair assessment of the player I would say.

Not what stuck.
What stuck was that you seem often to be unduly harsh on him - IMHO.
Maybe that is because I have always rated him.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

The fact that there is no left back in the league who you could claim to be undeniably better than Benny is a good sign. He is arguably the best of the lot.

When thinking of competitors, the ones who come to mind are Cole, Enrique and Baines. For me, claims that Clichy is better are laughable, while Evra has fallen to a level where he would not look out of place playing for Blackburn, Norwich or Swansea. Incredible when you consider how good he was just 2 or 3 years ago.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

The fact that there is no left back in the league who you could claim to be undeniably better than Benny is a good sign. He is arguably the best of the lot.

When thinking of competitors, the ones who come to mind are Cole, Enrique and Baines. For me, claims that Clichy is better are laughable, while Evra has fallen to a level where he would not look out of place playing for Blackburn, Norwich or Swansea. Incredible when you consider how good he was just 2 or 3 years ago.

Are there any better left backs in the world ?

Do we think that ManC will be coming in for Ekotto in January with a 25m/Clichy part-ex offer ?

 

[McFlash]

Are there any better left backs in the world ?

Do we think that ManC will be coming in for Ekotto in January with a 25m/Clichy part-ex offer ?

Man C don't count - they're just idiots, thinking that they can do whatever they want!
No-one know what they'll do next!
All that money...and Barry plays a lot? Mad, I tells thee.

 

[Ionman34]

And you think they all think Ekotto is the business ? Or that those same fans wouldn't have plenty to grumble about if they'd been watching Ekotto for the last 4 years ?

Had this debate occured 2 seasons ago, I don't think anyone could refute your assessment of PL Left backs BC. Cashley was definitely top of the tree, Evra up there in second and Clichy proving to be a more than able replacement for Cole. At that time, Disco was error prone at times and complacent too. However, he'd only recently come back from an 18 month lay off that occured whilst he was 'developing' into the role at WHL.

Now is a different kettle of fish. Whilst he still has the odd lapse, they stand out because of their rarity. The fact that he inspires so much confidence in Spurs fans, and let's face it, as defenders go only King could ever claim that ability previously, speaks absolute volumes for his ability and development. We Spurs fans have always been a nervous lot when it comes to our defenders.

Now, when we look at his peers, there are none, IMHO, who anyone could state, with any degree of certainty, are significantly better that Disco. He has closed the gap over the last 2 years to the point where 'the best LB in the PL' is a fiercely debated point.
IMO, he is top 2 and has supplanted Evra. Cole maybe edges it but, as much as I detest the stain, I rate him as the best in the World in his position. He is the only LB out there though that I see as better than Disco, and even then not by much. This then puts Disco, in my eyes, as a truly World Class fullback. His errors are cited as reasons for him to be 'derated' (if there is such a word) but then you rarely see a true comparison with his peers, citing their errors as a true comparison. They all make them only his are FAR more apparent to us, and recalled so much more easily, due to the emotional impact they have on us as individuals. I've seen Cole drop some monumental rickets but can't cite the games as, in all honesty, I didn't give a shit ............ It wasn't for THFC.

Clichy I have seen make far more fundamental mistakes over the past 2 seasons. Constantly caught out of position, weak in the tackle and weak when challenging on the run. One of his greatest strengths was going forward and, in this, he fast became a nonentity under Wenger. Whether this will remain the case remains to be seen. I don't believe it will as I think Mancini will improve his defensive capabilities. Will he be better than Benny? I don't believe so but only time will tell there.

Evra? Has stagnated IMO and is showing signs of being a weak link at Utd. I don't have the stats to back this, but it seems to me that the Utd left flank has been targetted as a position to exploit quite successfully.

In a nutshell, I'm with the general consensus on here, that Disco Benny is one of the top players in the PL and massively underrated. He is a WC player with a WC attitude and long may he remain our first choice LB.

It will be a sad day when he no longer pulls on the Lillywhite.

 

[steventhfc]

The day he goes we will emerge a better team