Is Lennon Playing It Safe?

[playboypaul]

I have been mulling over the last few gmes that we have played and something that I noticed, or at least I think I did, was that Lennon has been attacking the full-back less and less. He always seems to just recieve the ball, look down the line, think, "Nah", and then pass it back inside or back to Walker.

Am I the only one who has been seeing this or am I imagining things? His defensive side has improved recently and so that has made me think, is it one or the other with him? Either an attacking winger who gets down the line causing defenders to panic and creating opportunities or someone who is to scared to gamble and plays it safe all game there-by negating his own most potent attribute?

He hasn't been offering much of an attacking threat recently from what I have been watching and that makes me wonder.

Are AVB's tactics shackling Lennon?

AVB has been praising him recently and so thats what makes me think that Lennon is following AVB's plans exactly.

So, thats it in a nutshell, are AVB's tactics shackling Lennon?

 

[parklane1]

No.

 

[idontgetit]

I have been mulling over the last few gmes that we have played and something that I noticed, or at least I think I did, was that Lennon has been attacking the full-back less and less. He always seems to just recieve the ball, look down the line, think, "Nah", and then pass it back inside or back to Walker.

Am I the only one who has been seeing this or am I imagining things? His defensive side has improved recently and so that has made me think, is it one or the other with him? Either an attacking winger who gets down the line causing defenders to panic and creating opportunities or someone who is to scared to gamble and plays it safe all game there-by negating his own most potent attribute?

He hasn't been offering much of an attacking threat recently from what I have been watching and that makes me wonder.

Are AVB's tactics shackling Lennon?

AVB has been praising him recently and so thats what makes me think that Lennon is following AVB's plans exactly.

So, thats it in a nutshell, are AVB's tactics shackling Lennon?

Lennon's is an out and out confidence player. You watch him after he scores a goal, he'll be all over the pitch picking up the ball and running at players. When he's out of form he won't cut inside and will hide next to the fullback.

 

[Black]

Look guys as long as he is running his heart out it doesn't matter

He is a legend, definitely top 10 spurs players of all time

How dare you make a thread criticising him, don't you see how much his single digit goals and assists bring to the team each season

 

[playboypaul]

Look guys as long as he is running his heart out it doesn't matter

He is a legend, definitely top 10 spurs players of all time

How dare you make a thread criticising him, don't you see how much his single digit goals and assists bring to the team each season

Criticise? Eh. Show me where I have done that.

I haven't criticised him at all. I am asking wether AVB's tactics are the reason he hasn't been as attacking recently. Nothing more then that.

Or is your post tongue in cheek? I'm not sure.

 

[DIEHARD]

I love Lennon adn want his nuts and his babies. I personally think the reason he isnt attacking as much is because his remit has changed a fair bit since AVB realised that Walker is very suspect defensively (which he is lets be honest) Lennon has run his little heart out and has defended so much more this season than any other season I can remember (particularly when Charlie was here).

I think this is why AVB singled him out because he realised that whilst Lennon would be judged on his attacking productivity his remit has changed to defend hence the suffering in the attacking department.

Thats my take on it and I am right.

 

[dontcallme]

I think he has added a lot to his game. When started out at Spurs he was a very raw talent. His acceleration, close control and willingness to run at full-backs was very exciting but his lack of final product meant a lot of our attacking play resulted in nothing.

Jol played him on the left and got him to start cutting in more. This led to better stats with regards to holding onto the ball but a less effective attacking threat.

He covers the right side well and protects Walker much more than Bale does the left back.

I think at times he is a safety player and doesn't run at the full-back when he gets the opportunity as much as he should. A bitmore willingness to run at the defence and get them to commit tackles would add a lot of goals and assists to his game and free kicks and pens for the team.

Happy that he's added to his game but I don't blame AVB forany changes to his attaxking play. It's been in motion over a long period of time.

 

[playboypaul]

I think at times he is a safety player and doesn't run at the full-back when he gets the opportunity as much as he should. A bitmore willingness to run at the defence and get them to commit tackles would add a lot of goals and assists to his game and free kicks and pens for the team.

Nail. Head.

 

[double0]

Yes I believe his playing it safe, Lennon to me is out of form but in fairness to him he work bloody hard for the team

 

[Bus-Conductor]

He's already one goal and two assists behind last season's tally and one goal behind and an assist ahead of the season before.

I think this is Lennon at his very best. Just his best has never been that productive has it ?

 

[Mattspur]

Lennon always has patches like this in the season. Ore are the patches the times when he plays well?

For me, if Lennon isn't running at the opposition almost every time he's on the ball then he may as well not be on the pitch. But I don't think it's got anything to do with AVB's tactics as he's played like that for every manager he's played under. I can only put it down to confidence and I think he's his own worst enemy and his confidence probably goes in stages as follows:

1. runs at fullback regularly; puts in poor delivery.
2. begins to lack confidence due to consistent poor delivery; does not attack the full back so much.
3. does not attack full back; does not deliver so much.
4. thinks he hasn't put in poor delivery for a while; runs at full back more regularly.
5. repeat.

He's had some good patches and has the ability to be excellent, and sometimes is, but far to often he disappoints.

 

[DIEHARD]

Lennon always has patches like this in the season. Ore are the patches the times when he plays well?

For me, if Lennon isn't running at the opposition almost every time he's on the ball then he may as well not be on the pitch. But I don't think it's got anything to do with AVB's tactics as he's played like that for every manager he's played under. I can only put it down to confidence and I think he's his own worst enemy and his confidence probably goes in stages as follows:

1. runs at fullback regularly; puts in poor delivery.
2. begins to lack confidence due to consistent poor delivery; does not attack the full back so much.
3. does not attack full back; does not deliver so much.
4. thinks he hasn't put in poor delivery for a while; runs at full back more regularly.
5. repeat.

He's had some good patches and has the ability to be excellent, and sometimes is, but far to often he disappoints.

I dont think that is right and actually doesnt do Lennon much justice - his defensive work keeps on going unnoticed. Oh and the fact that the guy could be standing there in the corner not doing anything for 90 mins yet the opposition are still worried about him by default they wont attack as much which means players like Walker can bomb forward more.

 

[Jimmypearce7]

I agree but don't see it as AVB effecting him. He was being more positive and dangerous but has gone back to the style of play where he plays the cautious ball unless he has a free run at a defender who has no cover.

I would like to see him go for it more and take more risks. Of course that means he will lose the ball sometimes and perhaps it does't help when we want him to take risks and then when he does and it doesn't come off, a huge sigh of exasperation goes up...

 

[faze_coys]

i blame defoe.

nothing worse than beating a man then looking up for your striker to be in no mans land. The majority of the time Aaron will look up and we will maybe have one person in the box.

 

[Spurger King]

i blame defoe.

nothing worse than beating a man then looking up for your striker to be in no mans land. The majority of the time Aaron will look up and we will maybe have one person in the box.

He's had a fairly good season so far (by his standards), and I agree that it doesn't help when the attackers aren't in the right positions to finish the chances. One thing I've noticed a lot this season is his habit of getting to the line and knocking the ball off of a defender for a corner. I've lost count of the number of corners we've had as a result of Lennon doing that. I find it difficult to imagine that they are all the result of there not being any better options.

However I'm still glad we have him. I'm pretty sure any realistic alternative that might be available isn't going to offer much more than Lennon does already.

 

[ClintEastwould]

Well i think its the same reason we haven't seen Bale running at his full back as often as he used to. We have Defoe upfront. We cut the cross back almost every time now. Suprised it's worked so many times this season lol

 

[aRTy]

Sure, he could run at their full back abit more and i find myself atleast once or twice a game wishing him to do so, but i think he's improved alot this year. Is it because of Avb's training methods? To me it seems like he's improved defensively and that includes tracking back and afew times i've noticed that it's him who starts the closing down. He also seems to be better at the short 1-2 passes and link up play and his vision seems abit better too.

Just needs to run forward alittle more

 

[chinaman]

Look guys as long as he is running his heart out it doesn't matter

He is a legend, definitely top 10 spurs players of all time

How dare you make a thread criticising him, don't you see how much his single digit goals and assists bring to the team each season

He's good but not top 10 of all time. not even top 30.

 

[BPR_U16]

Thing I've noticed this season is that Walker doesn't overlap as much, so not creating space for Lennon. as result playing it back has been more noticeable.

However, when he plays well so do spurs.

Defoe's goal against Panathanikos was after a great run by Lennon and just want to see him do this more often.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

He's become a defensive winger.