Does carl still think wipey is world class ?

[dannythomas]

I am afraid that Lee is looking no better than an adequate ( at best ) cover for Bale. His lack of strength and total inability to cross the ball stand out more than ever. I remember a few months ago Carl was posting tributes to Wipey as amongst the top 3 LB's in the world adding that we would be mad to start the untried Bale ahead of him. I wonder whether you still feel that Carl ? With the signing of Gunter, Lee will be no 3 LB at the Lane never mind in the world. Mind you I hope that Gunter as a RB will not be as one footed as Wipey.

 

[Flatters]

Still? What, you mean after one game he could be considered not world class? A game in which he just played fine. He can't cross that well, but he's the best left back I've ever seen us have and certainly the best full back at the club at the moment, defensively at least, and after all, that is the main thing they're there for.

 

[Lanh]

Flatters said it...defensively he remains one of the top 3 left backs in the world.

Didn't you see him stop cross after cross from hitting the area? Didn't you see him linking up play and keeping possession? Didn't you see him perfectly positioned time and time again? Didn't you see him making interceptions? Didn't you see him do all that without giving away a free kick?

I suppose you thought that Chimbonda's defending for their goal was world class don't you?

 

[Flatters]

But Carl, he can't cross the ball so he's rubbish. That's a left back's main priority isn't it? It doesn't matter how good you are defensively, but as long as you can cross the ball you can make it as a left back. Apparently.

 

[jj87]

You're having a laugh if you think Bale isnt a vast improvement.

 

[JamesTheYiddo]

...defensively he remains one of the top 3 left backs in the world.

mg:

:rofl:

:stupid:

Top 3 LB in the world!!!! :duh:

 

[bomberH]

Why does it have to be one versus the other?

Firstly, unless you actually are Danny Thomas, then it's hard to take your opinion seriously. We've won several games recently, all of which he's played. He's not been in the same kind of form as he was for the last year or two but he's still our best LB we've had for absolute donkey's years. Ok, he isn't a good crosser of the ball, but who fucking cares. As long as he can defend, which he can, very fucking well, then i'm happy. Time and time again, opposition managers see him as our weak link and try everything down the left... and time and time again, they fail pretty miserably. He isn't one of the top 3 LB's in the world but he's a top, top player for us defensively. Bale gives us more options but that shouldn't take away from what YPL has done for this club.

And as for Chimbonda, he's the best RB we've had in donkey's years too. He's concentrating more on his defensive duties since Ramos has taken charge and he's still a threat going forward and especially in the air from set pieces. He has possibly the best leap in the premiership, mainly because he's the cat from Red Dwarf, and he's excelled when covering as a centre half. There's obviously room for improvement from his too, but he's been a great player for Spurs so far and will get even better under Ramos.

Leave them both alone. We've started to concede less and less goals recently but some people are never happy....

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Lee's much better defensively that Bale. Bale is better ging forward. We have a great LB and LM there. What's the fucking issue ?

 

[Flatters]

Lee's much better defensively that Bale. Bale is better ging forward. We have a great LB and LM there. What's the fucking issue ?

Zackly.

 

[AW?]

We still need to buy a left sided player, a midfielder who can cross a ball. I'd loved Lee and Bale from what i've seen, the little they've played together so far. They overlap well and could cause problems for any opposition. They need more games though, it's a shame Bale's such a sicknote really. So we need the cover i'd say. Shame.

 

[alfiespurs]

Would we consider Matty Taylor .. or put in a silly bid for Gareth Barry .... Both Spurs Supporting guys ..

 

[bomberH]

Why would we buy either of the above though? We have YPL, Bale, Gunter, Malbranque, Lennon. O'Hara - all these players can play either LM, LB or both. If we put in a bid for a superstar LM, then fine, but is there any real point in buying squad cover for a position we're more than covered in.

Ramos may go for an experienced central defender in January, as well as a CM and a striker if one of ours leaves. I can't see much more than that happening, especially in January. I don't even think we need to do much, we always had a great squad over the last 2 or 3 years, now we have a manager who seems to be able to get the best out of them.

I'd be very surprised if we went for a squad player like Taylor. Barry's a very good player but not world class. Would he offer more than Malbranque has this season? Personally, i don't think so.

 

[dannythomas]

Flatters said it...defensively he remains one of the top 3 left backs in the world.

Didn't you see him stop cross after cross from hitting the area? Didn't you see him linking up play and keeping possession? Didn't you see him perfectly positioned time and time again? Didn't you see him making interceptions? Didn't you see him do all that without giving away a free kick?

I suppose you thought that Chimbonda's defending for their goal was world class don't you?

In fact this is a thread about Lee not Chimbonda. Lee would have been ok in a Jacques Santini team where the full backs are not allowed to cross the halfway line. My impression of Ramos is that he will expect more offensively than that from his full backs and unfortunately YP has nothing to offer in the opposing half. Cutting back on to his right foot is what the opposition expect every time. So they force him on to his left foot and it comes to nothing. With those limitations he cannot be a world no 3 full back.

 

[bas]

Bomber H "doesn't care if Lee can't cross the ball !! Well I do!! if we hope to challenge for trophies. The days are gone when full backs were only expected to defend. They are now expected to attack as well, for some years now!! I lost count of the number of times our attacks broke down on the left v Arsenal, through Lee checking back onto his right foot and passing square or back. Our forwards have to stop to remain onside and a flowing attack comes to nothing, again and again. I have sent numerous postings on this subject and I am sure that Ramos will see the weakness we have on the left and will replace Lee (is Gunter left footed?) so that 50% of our attacks don't break down through a fundamental error. World class ? I don't think so !!

 

[batigol]

Lee's crossing is really bad. Whether from left side or right with his left or right foot, its equally bad. That's the only thing holding him back from being a world class fullback (Maybe some pace too).

His defensive work is the most solid amongst our fullback so he is clearly a good player to have in our fragile backline but he will never be a top 3 full back with his ability at crossing because like it or not, it's an essential quality for a modern day fullback.

Must state though that I think we should keep him as as he is a great player to have in the squad. A defender's most important quality is his defending and I have no qualms at all with Lee's defending.

 

[Legacy]

I don't get why people are getting in such a bother over a defender's crossing. Why is it so important anyway? How often do Spurs even score from crosses? Even with corners and free kicks, when we have a good crosser of the ball taking the set piece, how often do they lead to goals? As far as I can tell, Berbatov is our only targetman in the air, and how many goals does he score with his head?

Our team isn't equipped to be great at getting on the end of crosses. We're better at passing our way into the box and opening up space to score with quick passes and good movement.

Lee's crossing isn't fantastic, but neither is Lennon's. Now considering Lennon is an attacking winger, it's a bigger issue for him than it is for Lee. We just need Ramos to tell Lee to not constantly try to whip crosses in to the area and, instead, try playing his way into the box by keeping the ball on the ground and passing it and playing one-twos with the LM.

Concentrate on his strengths and positives he brings to the team, not his one negative.

 

[Yiddo1982]

How can I, a 16 stone, 20-a-day, 25 going on 40-year-old, have better crossing ability, than say, one of the three best left backs . . . . on the planet (6 billion people)?

Think on, bloomin' eck.

Lee is alright. Nothing more. Nothing Less.

 

[nidge]

How can I, a 16 stone, 20-a-day, 25 going on 40-year-old, have better crossing ability, than say, one of the three best left backs . . . . on the planet (6 billion people)?

Think on, bloomin' eck.

Lee is alright. Nothing more. Nothing Less.

Really so you have played against premiership quality defenders have you and at premiership pace. Something tells me that anyone can cross to a reasonable standard in practice or sunday league standard but, it's a massive difference to doing in the prem.

 

[Kendall]

Funny really, I don't remember maybe more than once where he was even remotely poor defensively...

OH, you mean people are giving him shit for his crossing again? oh yea, silly me, because that's his primary job after all...

Have any of you watched Bale defend? he's about Fulham level defensively at the moment, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Yiddo1982]

Really so you have played against premiership quality defenders have you and at premiership pace. Something tells me that anyone can cross to a reasonable standard in practice or sunday league standard but, it's a massive difference to doing in the prem.

I see your point Nidge, but there were a few occasions yeaterday, one in particular, where he was in acres, absolute acres, and still put the cross out for a goal kick.
I appreciate it looks easier on the television . . . but please don't say Lee is one of the three best left backs in the world. I would love him to be, and I like him as a player, but he is not world-class.

Lee is better defensively than me, but I'm a more complete player! :wink: :grin: