Lamela

[bobbof]

He needs to play today, IMO. His flair is just magnificent, as seen in the video posted. He's the only player in our team who can take the ball forward through the center of the pitch, and create chances on the counter.

Well, Dembele as well, but as soon as he has passed the midfield he hasn't got a clue what to do...

He will become a key player, sooner than many will guess! Really looking forward to him playing game after game with Eriksen.

 

[nferno]

I was hoping the activity in this thread meant there was some itk that he's start tonight .

 

[absolute bobbins]

I was hoping the activity in this thread meant there was some itk that he's start tonight .

Alas no but here are some individual highlights from Fulham while I have a nose on COYS


edit
Just saw that this video had already been posted and to compound that bad news there is no early team sheet on COYS

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

We wont know till he tries it.

AVB sees him in training everyday, we don't. I'm pretty sure if AVB thinks he will help the team in that position he will try it. He is under pressure after all, and wants to keep his job, so I doubt he will ignore something that could potentially improve results.

 

[Flashspur]

sorry if already posted...

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/dec/07/andre-villas-boas-erik-lamela-tottenham

André Villas-Boas: Erik Lamela found Tottenham move a 'culture shock'
• Spurs' £30m signing still adjusting says André Villas-Boas
• Erik Lamela facing 'massive change of social life'

André Villas-Boas has spoken of the culture shock from which Erik Lamela is suffering and stressed the need for continued patience with the Tottenham Hotspur record signing. Lamela has struggled sorely since his £30m arrival from Roma in August, and Villas-Boas has started him in only two Premier League matches.

The Argentina winger's lack of English has been one of his problems; the tempo and physicality of the English game another. His confidence has been affected as he has been kept in reserve for the big fixtures and his frustration has built.

But there is support for him from Villas-Boas and the dressing-room, where there is the desire to see him overcome his difficulties. Roberto Soldado, the Spain striker, has been acting as his unofficial interpreter and Lamela's efforts to, at least, attempt to speak English and attend off-the-field get-togethers have been well received. His family also came over to London at the end of October.

"We need to be patient with him," Villas-Boas, the manager, said. "Not speaking the language is very difficult but not only that – coming from very different social backgrounds as well, from Argentina and Rome to Tottenham. It has been a difficult step for him. We need to give him the chances to break into the team and, eventually, when a game goes fully to his way for 90 minutes, we can have him back to the levels he was at before.

"We are willing to be patient which is why, from not being selected [in the squad] against Manchester United last Sunday, he came straight into the team against Fulham on Wednesday. We gave him that chance. It is a question of nurturing the player until he finds his way back."

Villas-Boas explained what he meant by social differences and, to him, it is partly down to how a player feels the contact with fans. For Lamela, Villas-Boas suggested, it was more intense as a Roma player living in Rome. He was at pains to say that the experiences were neither better nor worse than each other, merely different.

"What I am saying is that it is completely different, that there is a massive change of social life," Villas-Boas said. "I am not saying the fans are decisive in this process that Lamela is taking but it is a complete opposite reality to the one he had before [in Rome] and, probably, that is taking a little bit more time to react."

Lamela made his full Premier League debut in the 6-0 defeat at Manchester City, when he played on the left, rather than the right flank that he favoured at Roma. He started on the right at Fulham but, after struggling, Villas-Boas switched him to the left and he showed one or two flickers.

The manager has stronger options on the right, with Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend, and he has suggested that Lamela might see a clearer route to regular football on the left, where he would be in competition with Nacer Chadli, among others. It is unclear whether Lamela will start at Sunderland on Saturday.

"At Roma, he started on the left, then had a wonderful season on the right," Villas-Boas said. "At the moment, on the right is not going well for him so we have shifted him back to the left and that is where it is working better."

Lamela, who followed the sporting director, Franco Baldini, from Roma to Tottenham, has enjoyed positive moments in the Europa League for the club and he set up Paulinho's last-gasp winner at Cardiff City in the league. It is clear that he is blessed with touch and balance, and Villas-Boas also offered a reminder that he is only 21.

"It is going to take time," Villas-Boas said. "But he has all the technical abilities that we see of a great player so we have great belief in him. Now, he is together with his family and Christmas time is going to be a totally different experience for him as well. This will be a key moment to his life.

"We have been very careful with him and given him full support. It is a heavy price tag but one he deserved for what he did in Rome. I think we can nurture his full potential."

 

[Blake Griffin]

Villas-Boas said. "At the moment, on the right is not going well for him so we have shifted him back to the left and that is where it is working better."

really? hmmm.

for me his best position is central > right > left.

 

[thinktank]

Alas no but here are some individual highlights from Fulham while I have a nose on COYS


edit
Just saw that this video had already been posted and to compound that bad news there is no early team sheet on COYS

He's our most gifted player and I love 'im.

Will be first name on the sheet once he settles properly.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

really? hmmm.

for me his best position is central > right > left.

And his MOTM came in the Europa League when started on the right so I'm not quite sure why AVB is saying it's not working out for him there. It also seems that AVB won't be starting him centre any time soon which is a massive shame. I agree that left is his weakest position.

 

[chrissivad]

And his MOTM came in the Europa League when started on the right so I'm not quite sure why AVB is saying it's not working out for him there. It also seems that AVB won't be starting him centre any time soon which is a massive shame. I agree that left is his weakest position.

quotes came from the Fulham match, so guessing it was about them swapping over during the game?

 

[CrazyHeart]

really? hmmm.

for me his best position is central > right > left.

Maybe Lamela himself told AVB that he's more comfortable playing on the left with this current outfit?

 

[CrazyHeart]

Looks like Lamela's perfectly fine in a quieter role on the left...

 

[CrazyHeart]

In all seriousness though - I think Lamela's our most skilled player personally and can't wait to see more game time with this kid! The Fulham highlights demonstrated that he's calibrating his pace and touch to the English game. He'll be fine!

 

[Actonspur_FromCOYS]

I want to see this behind the striker

Lennon --- lamela --- andros

-------------striker------------

Give this a few games starting against pool IMO.

 

[chrissivad]

Erik Manuel Lamela ‏@Coco_Lamela14m
Cena de equipo ! A pasarla bien con los compañeros! pic.twitter.com/d4RQPdo8Gz

Team dinner! A hang out with mates!

 

[hughy]

Erik Manuel Lamela ‏@Coco_Lamela14m
Cena de equipo ! A pasarla bien con los compañeros! pic.twitter.com/d4RQPdo8Gz

Team dinner! A hang out with mates!

Very good to see.

 

[PrettyColors]

Erik Manuel Lamela ‏@Coco_Lamela14m
Cena de equipo ! A pasarla bien con los compañeros! pic.twitter.com/d4RQPdo8Gz

Team dinner! A hang out with mates!

Sandro makes me laugh.

Vlad, on the other hand, has a crazed expression on his face.. His eyes are watching you.

Lamela's shirt is.. questionable.

They all look happy, though (well, happy for Vlad I suppose) and it's great to see!

 

[murichej]

oh what the hell is Sandro wearing

 

[karennina]

Sandro makes me laugh.

Vlad, on the other hand, has a crazed expression on his face.. His eyes are watching you.

Lamela's shirt is.. questionable.

They all look happy, though (well, happy for Vlad I suppose) and it's great to see!

He makes the shirt work like a beaver moving lodge though, very impressive.

 

[Higginz]

Looks like some sort of boy band.

 

[XSuicideBunnyX]

Erik Manuel Lamela ‏@Coco_Lamela14m
Cena de equipo ! A pasarla bien con los compañeros! pic.twitter.com/d4RQPdo8Gz

Team dinner! A hang out with mates!

I'm pretty sure if you saw these guys going about North London dressed like this, you'd probably just assume they were just another gang. What with:
- cheeky chappy hoodsterr Defoe, who's been playing this game for years now, and has built a national reputation, but everyone locally knows he's just another cheap con artist
- Vlad 'the Impaler' with what I hope isn't a suede jacket, is probably already well versed in running his own smaller mafia business, what with being Eastern European and all, and is now moving up to the big leagues. He's unorthodox, but also efficient.
- Lamela who is the young foreign boy who's only just joined, everyone knows he's got potential and have heard stories of what he's done, but the game's different over here, so it'll take a bit of time for him to settle down and really start hustling
- Sandro (the ringleader of course), who just looks so... metrosexual eccentric, it's got to be for a reason. Maybe it's for laughs. Maybe it's so someone questions his outfit and he gets to punch them for it. Maybe it's a Brazil thing. All we know is, he's called the Beast. I bet he's secretly got his guitar with him too.

Anyway, stuff like this is yet another reason why Spurs are a top club with top lads.