Lennon v Bentley

[joey55]

But Joey, he is at his peak age.

He was pretty shit hot 4 years ago though aswell.

 

[Rackybear]

Peak age is 26-29 imo..

This might just justify why Berbatov and Keane have been so good in the past 2 years, and it also may play a role in Pavlyuchenko filling their boots - lets hope so.

 

[joey55]

Peak age is 26-29 imo..

This might just justify why Berbatov and Keane have been so good in the past 2 years, and it also may play a role in Pavlyuchenko filling their boots - lets hope so.

Ronaldo and Messi are going to frightenlingly good in a few years time then! In truth I think it depends more on what type of player you are. For example, a more cultured player, whose game is focused around technique and reading of the game, is probably going to peak at a later age. But a player who relies more on physical attributes, is probably going to peak younger, as that is when physically they are at their best. Injuries tend to take there toll on physical players more than technical players. For example, if Teddy Sheringham got injured a lot and lost a bit of pace, it really isn't going to effect him in the way it would say David Odonkor.

 

[Rackybear]

Ronaldo and Messi are going to frightenlingly good in a few years time then! In truth I think it depends more on what type of player you are. For example, a more cultured player, whose game is focused around technique and reading of the game, is probably going to peak at a later age. But a player who relies more on physical attributes, is probably going to peak younger, as that is when physically they are at their best. Injuries tend to take there toll on physical players more than technical players. For example, if Teddy Sheringham got injured a lot and lost a bit of pace, it really isn't going to effect him in the way it would say David Odonkor.

Yeah very good point, its probably why players like pires, berbatov, arshavin and juninho (of lyon) burst onto the scene at the latter end of their careers (all technical players) - not many people knew or heard of them when they were in their early 20's.

In relation to this topic, it can only be good for david bentley as he is a technical player and will get better as he matures. Lennon however relies 90% upon his pace - without it, he would be a pretty useless player as he cant do much else. Bentley imo is definetly the future for Spurs and England at RM though!

 

[Coyboy]

He was pretty shit hot 4 years ago though aswell.

As was Lennon up until last season. No player goes through linear development in their career like a line graph but by and large in most positions, except perhaps in goal, they are best in their mid twenties. SWP no doubt learnt from his experience at Chelsea and playing under one of the world's best coaches and is now playing well (albeit for a short spell right now). He has better technique than Lennon, especially at shooting, but Lennon is quicker with his feet and has a better first touch.

I don't understand the ' Lennon poor techinque' argument. He is never going to whip the ball in as well as Bentley can (although he is not incapable of this), he is never going to score as many free kicks as Bentley. But to make out he is just a Speedy Gonzales (not you maybe) is a diservice to say the very least. What about his goal against Chelsea, his assist for Berba at Pompey and Wigan last year, his assist for Keane against Arsenal, his goal against Wigan at home last year or his assist to Defoe at Eastlands?

And that was all in his worst season.

 

[joey55]

As was Lennon up until last season. No player goes through linear development in their career like a line graph but by and large in most positions, except perhaps in goal, they are best in their mid twenties. SWP no doubt learnt from his experience at Chelsea and playing under one of the world's best coaches and is now playing well (albeit for a short spell right now). He has better technique than Lennon, especially at shooting, but Lennon is quicker with his feet and has a better first touch.

I don't understand the ' Lennon poor techinque' argument. He is never going to whip the ball in as well as Bentley can (although he is not incapable of this), he is never going to score as many free kicks as Bentley. But to make out he is just a Speedy Gonzales (not you maybe) is a diservice to say the very least. What about his goal against Chelsea, his assist for Berba at Pompey and Wigan last year, his assist for Keane against Arsenal, his goal against Wigan at home last year or his assist to Defoe at Eastlands?

And that was all in his worst season.

I'm not criticising Lennon. I was just saying SWP is playing really well.

 

[ShelfSide18]

As was Lennon up until last season. No player goes through linear development in their career like a line graph but by and large in most positions, except perhaps in goal, they are best in their mid twenties. SWP no doubt learnt from his experience at Chelsea and playing under one of the world's best coaches and is now playing well (albeit for a short spell right now). He has better technique than Lennon, especially at shooting, but Lennon is quicker with his feet and has a better first touch.

I don't understand the ' Lennon poor techinque' argument. He is never going to whip the ball in as well as Bentley can (although he is not incapable of this), he is never going to score as many free kicks as Bentley. But to make out he is just a Speedy Gonzales (not you maybe) is a diservice to say the very least. What about his goal against Chelsea, his assist for Berba at Pompey and Wigan last year, his assist for Keane against Arsenal, his goal against Wigan at home last year or his assist to Defoe at Eastlands?

And that was all in his worst season.

Excellent post Coyboy. My thoughts exactly.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

No, I think the irony is that even though Lennon's crossing isn't great, and everyone obviously slates him for it, Bentley's has still been worse, and that's what Bentley's meant to be best at!

Lennon will always give something to the team, even if it's not much and just really a case of giving the team some pace and threatening the opponent.

If Lennon's final ball is still poor, he'll still at the very least endanger the opponent. If Bentley's final ball is poor, he got nothing.[/quote]

Cant argue with that.

What puzzles me is a month ago at home to Sunderland his delivery was as good as anything i've ever seen at WHL

 

[JollyHappy]

On current form, there's no decision - Lennon can create chances and Bentley can't kick his way out of a paper bag.

What's strange is why Bentley has sudenly lost form so quickly? Injury?

 

[bubble07]

As I said previously - Bentley was absolutely shocking against Wigan - He looked so fresh in pre season but then again so did dazza

 

[mike_l]

Bentley on the right and Lennon on the left has potential, Bentley on the left makes no sense though, whereas Lennon can't really cross with either foot, so it doesn't affect him as much.

For me Lennon has been our best player this season, if only for effort and commitment to the cause.

 

[Rackybear]

The thing is, even Bentley's terrible crossing will cause problems for the opposition because he gives them something to deal with, and that can lead to problems as you saw with the huth OG vs boro.

The problem with bentley at the moment is that he is not playing like himself. He is trying too hard and is desperate to impress the spurs fans so much that everytime he gets the ball, he crosses it in the hope someone will get on the end of it...score, and then recieve the praise himself for living up to his expectation of being a great deliverer of the ball. This is not the bentley I saw at blackburn - he was very much someone who would recieve the ball and make things happen with a clever pass around the corner, a cheeky 1-2 with lots of energy or a dribble that would open the opposition up. Right now he is not playing with confidence and so we are not seeing all of his game.

 

[General Levy]

I always said we should have bought SWP.


When a £1million player turns into a £16million in 3 seasons you have to wonder why?

When a £27million player turns into a £9million player in 3 season you have to wonder why?

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Balague, who as a journalist is keen to protect his relationship with the likes of Benitez and Ramos, posted this after the Villa debacle:

---------------------------------

A couple of readers have referred to the example of David Bentley as a player they feel should have started against Villa. However, his absence kind of proves the point I am trying to make about making decisions based on all of the information available: because while it may seem obvious to the fans that he should have started, how many of you would know that the report on David Bentley from the Capello England camp - where Bentley had been all week - was that he is slightly out of shape, physically slow and a little heavy. He missed out on Juande's pre-season physical training and Marco Alvarez, the fitness coach, currently has Bentley on a programme to get him back to peak form. Factors, like that, are all taken in to account when selecting the team: factors that the fans do not see.
http://www.guillembalague.com/blog_desp.php?id=76

--------------------------

I hope Balague is right. I'm sure that, like all players, Bentley is better when he's feeling confident. But his Spurs performances have generally been dire to date. So, I actually hope he is lacking peak fitness and sharpness. Because otherwise...

Interesting find Yanno.
I don't think fitness or pace persay has ever been one of Bentley's strengths to be honest, it's one of the reasons I said before we signed him that I thought he was over rated and over priced. Wenger and Ferguson are rarely interested in playes in any position that don't possess some sort of pace. I do accept that pace and ability are right up there on the price scale too though and sometimes the rest of us must compromise a little and go for the odd snail(no not as far as Andy Reid or Michael Dawson). Hence I understand the signing of Bentley, if not the price. And the one thing he does offer is a bit of teamwork. He will get up and down and put the odd tackle in.

I think it's great we have both Bentley and Lennon. At the time when we were linked with Bentley and people thought we might be selling Lennon as a result, I thought we'd keep them both, as they offer such contrasting problems for the opposition defenders. They are the perfect replacemtn for each other. Why have two wide players that offer the same thing? Being so different to each other is a real plus for our squad. Anyone who thinks what we've seen so far from David bentley is anywhere near representative of what he's really like, needn't worry. The guy is top class. He'll be a fantastic signing for us, but he hasn't been at all helped by the way he was played initially by Ramos and now he is playing in his preffered position, the team in general are playing poorly. I think overall Lennon is a great player, but Bentley is a class above him. However, at the moment, Lennon is clearly showing the better form and should maybe be our first choice.

If you take the price tag out of the equation then I kind of agree that Bentley and Lennon offer good alternative options. As ever, if we could amalgamate the pair of them we'd have the perfect right winger.

 

[C0YS]

No, I think the irony is that even though Lennon's crossing isn't great, and everyone obviously slates him for it, Bentley's has still been worse, and that's what Bentley's meant to be best at!

Lennon will always give something to the team, even if it's not much and just really a case of giving the team some pace and threatening the opponent.

If Lennon's final ball is still poor, he'll still at the very least endanger the opponent. If Bentley's final ball is poor, he got nothing.[/quote]

Cant argue with that.

What puzzles me is a month ago at home to Sunderland his delivery was as good as anything i've ever seen at WHL

Im pritty sure against Sunderland he ws playing second striker, I dont recall him doing many crossess!?

 

[Rackybear]

If you take the price tag out of the equation then I kind of agree that Bentley and Lennon offer good alternative options. As ever, if we could amalgamate the pair of them we'd have the perfect right winger.

Bentley + Lennon = Ashley Young

By no means 'perfect' but he has pace in abundance and can very much deliver a great ball.

Most assists in the league last season, and he has already got his toll of goals and assists rolling this season...

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Im pritty sure against Sunderland he ws playing second striker, I dont recall him doing many crossess!?

His delivery from corners, free-kicks & crosses which were many v Sunderland, were top draw

 

[General Levy]

Bentley + Lennon = Ashley Young

By no means 'perfect' but he has pace in abundance and can very much deliver a great ball.

Most assists in the league last season, and he has already got his toll of goals and assists rolling this season...

Along with SWP, Ashley Young was a player that we let get "away".

 

[SpurSince57]

Levy wasn't prepared to get into a bidding war with Villa for Young. At the time, no-one on SC thought he was wrong. Several thought Young wasn't worth half of our top bid.

 

[joey55]

Levy wasn't prepared to get into a bidding war with Villa for Young. At the time, no-one on SC thought he was wrong. Several thought Young wasn't worth half of our top bid.

I'm not so sure about that. Losely speaking you are right and he wasn't a popular choice. But I wanted and I know others did also. When i was a member of COYS I got into a big argument with a few posters when saying we should pay the money for Young. I seem to remember DC Boy saying the same here at SC, along with a couple of others. I think the main issue was he played for Watford and not many would have seen him play. He was one of those players that it wasn't a tough decision once you saw him play. He just had everything you'd want in a wide player.