How good is Benoit Assou-Ekotto?

[mattdefoe]

Who does stuff like this? Benny does, that's who!

I love Benny and cannot fathom why people would want to get rid of him. I'd say he's behind Real Madrids Marcelo, and perhaps Ashley Cole.. But Cole turns 32 this year.. I would actually rather have Benny than Cole, not just because Benny is obviously 10 times cooler, but he is also 4 years younger.

How do I save this GIF mate so I can post it to a Facebook page?

 

[Kendall]

He's the best full back in the squad by a distance.

 

[HotspurFC1950]

Benny ? Very good but just doesn't have the 100%concentration for 94 minutes.

 

[RJ1882]

His performances vary regularly from 8 or 9 out of 10, to 1 or 2 out of ten. In Redknapps time at Spurs there were at least 4 or 5 occasions when Benny was hauled off at half time for being absolutely atrocious. I still think he is more capable of making costly mistakes than any other of our defenders, and I question his positioning and awareness more than any of our other defenders. But he is the coolest player on the pitch, so composed in possession, and when he is one his game a match for any winger in the league.
He's good, but I do think if we were to win the league its one area we could improve on.

 

[Paq]

I think BAE is very good player and compliments the back four well. He has good pace, strength and seems to better understand his role these days and the balance he needs to strike between defending and attacking. Also (and I'd love to see some stats on this), he sees so much of the ball - he's a really useful outlet for the likes of Parker, Modric and Bale because he is technically very good.

As others have said, his concentration can lapse at times but I think those times are becoming fewer over a season. He is definitely, in my view, one of our most consistent performers considering he pretty much plays every game and is so involved. The area I'd like him to most improve on is in the air as a number of teams recognise his deficiency in this area and exploit it with balls over the top and into his space of the pitch. That said, for a guy who isn't the tallest, he at least competes.

I know this isn't a thread about his coolness (which is a given), but he is also pretty cool and recently posed with me for a photo in Bar Kick. Top bloke.

 

[ohh_when_the_spurs]

I love him, scares the shit out of me at times but not quite on a timmy toubs cryuff turn in our own box kinda way

 

[Krafty]

I think criticism of BAE is a case of the grass is always greener. If we brought someone else in, once we had seen him for 90 minutes for half a dozen games, we would soon dissect his game and realise just how good Benny is.

I think he can offer a little more offensively, with Bale moving inside at times (note GB - at times!) Benny should be aiming to hit the byline and whip in crosses with that very good left foot. Defensively he has improved, he can be a little lax at times and needs to sharpen that side of his game up if he wants to be a top draw left back, but he fits in very well with the passing style we all want Spurs to play.

He's not going to make a World XI, but if people think he is the weak link in our team then I'm happy as we must have a very, very strong team!

 

[Maske2g]

BAE was our most consistent player over the whole of last season. The one that lasted 9 months, not the 4 month one that Parker played in.......

 

[OmarsComing]

The best left back in the world is Ashley Cole. The best right back in the world is Philipp Lahm.

Behind Cole who is there?

Benny has his faults, but who could replace him?

 

[Fergus]

He's good but could do better. Having someone better than Danny Rose breathing down his neck could concentrate his mind wonderfully.

 

[striebs]

Benni is a very good player and refreshingly honest cult type figure .

However , he is too easy going and doesn't have that desire to win .

Leighton Baines is close on the same defensively , better going forward , a leader of men and has that desire to win .

I could see Man Utd going for Baines but I couldn't see them going for Benni .

If we are serious about competing then I'd say splash the cash on Baines even though he is coming up to 28 years of age .

We need to get some leaders in our team who desperately want to win if we are serious about competing .

 

[RichieS]

His performances vary regularly from 8 or 9 out of 10, to 1 or 2 out of ten. In Redknapps time at Spurs there were at least 4 or 5 occasions when Benny was hauled off at half time for being absolutely atrocious. I still think he is more capable of making costly mistakes than any other of our defenders, and I question his positioning and awareness more than any of our other defenders. But he is the coolest player on the pitch, so composed in possession, and when he is one his game a match for any winger in the league.
He's good, but I do think if we were to win the league its one area we could improve on.

As others have already asked, with who? Whether it's because Benny is very good (which I believe) or that there are very few top notch left backs around these days, he's the best we can get. I said many times last season that I love the fact that our left back is a better footballer than most teams' central midfielders. He's Tottenham Hotspur in player form for me!

 

[OmarsComing]

Benni is a very good player and refreshingly honest cult type figure .

However , he is too easy going and doesn't have that desire to win .

Leighton Baines is close on the same defensively , better going forward , a leader of men and has that desire to win .

I could see Man Utd going for Baines but I couldn't see them going for Benni .

If we are serious about competing then I'd say splash the cash on Baines even though he is coming up to 28 years of age .

We need to get some leaders in our team who desperately want to win if we are serious about competing .

 

[Bingy]

I trust him so much I'd even let him book my gym classes using the shit online booking system they use.

And I don't just let anyone book my classes...

Benny is 'The Biz' in the current 'set-up' and there are not many better, in the EPL, right now.....so he is a 'MUST' for our progress....COYS!

 

[Timberwolf]

Better than a meatball marinara sub, but not as good as a KFC bargain bucket.

 

[Annabel]

Benni is a very good player and refreshingly honest cult type figure .

However , he is too easy going and doesn't have that desire to win .

Leighton Baines is close on the same defensively , better going forward , a leader of men and has that desire to win .

I could see Man Utd going for Baines but I couldn't see them going for Benni ... .

I literally just hit myself in the mouth with my diet coke bottle, not having taken the cap off, I was that surprised by your opinion!

I don't disagree that the ol' red nosed one wouldn't buy Benni, but I think that's because he isn't Sir Alex 's type of player.
I rate BAE far more than Baines, but fair dos, maybe that's because I've seen lots more of Benni play & Baines just doesn't impose himself.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Literally the best LB we could hope to have (realistically). If it sould cost you upwards of £15m to improve on your full back, it's just not worth it.

 

[sbrustad]

How do I save this GIF mate so I can post it to a Facebook page?

I don't know if it's like that for all browsers, but in chrome just right-click on the image and press "save as". Then find the picture where you saved it on your harddrive and upload it to Facebook.

 

[chinaman]

People are dwelling on the fact that he makes the occasional mistake; but tell me which world class defender doesn't make mistakes? Theorectically, if players don't make mistakes, there should be no goal in a match. But what is important is to ask how many goals we've conceded can be pinned down to Benny and Benny alone?

 

[mpickard2087]

Benni is a very good player and refreshingly honest cult type figure .

However , he is too easy going and doesn't have that desire to win .

Leighton Baines is close on the same defensively , better going forward , a leader of men and has that desire to win .

I could see Man Utd going for Baines but I couldn't see them going for Benni .

If we are serious about competing then I'd say splash the cash on Baines even though he is coming up to 28 years of age .

We need to get some leaders in our team who desperately want to win if we are serious about competing .

This bit in particular... really not sure if serious.