Player Watch: Erik Lamela

[jezz]

I don't think asking itks questions is how it works....

Hercs has been openly talking about this subject as his post suggests.

 

[jezz]

Extension Claude gives him another -2 months to pull up trees, and if not, you know what will happen.

That's how I interrupted your hints thanks.

 

[coyspurs18]

That's how I interrupted your hints thanks.

Stop interrupting then and pay attention...

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

I know I’m going to get lots of neg rep again for saying this but we really need to move him on if we aspire to progress. He has had one decent period in 5 years at the club. Lovely guy but just not good enough for what we should be aspiring to.

 

[ralvy]

I know I’m going to get lots of neg rep again for saying this but we really need to move him on if we aspire to progress. He has had one decent period in 5 years at the club. Lovely guy but just not good enough for what we should be aspiring to.

We really need to move him on if we aspire to progress? Are you serious? Look, with the exception of Jan and maybe Sanchez, all of our players have been showing alarming rates of inconsistency through out the season... removing Lamela out of the equation won't help Pochetino find a solution for that.

If anything, Lamela is part of a solution, just take a look at those three games in which we were without Kane... all of our main offensive players raised their game, and Lamela was one of them. In that little period, we showed more consistency and punch than in most of the second part of the season. And yet, Pochetino felt the need to rush Kane back from his injury, even though we were doing pretty good wtihout him.

You know what I feel is standing more in the way of our progress than having Erik Lamela in the team? Pochetino's refusal to give bench time to players named Kane, Dele and Eriksen when their levels drop significantly. Or how our whole team's attitude and morale always goes down for do or die games against top opposition.

But sure, let's go and kick Lamela out of the team, I'm sure that will magically cure our losers mentality and Pochetino's shortcommings. Do you think it will also mean Pochetino will stop undermining the domestic cups and it will make Daniel Levy buy Salllah and Sane?

 

[dontcallme]

I know I’m going to get lots of neg rep again for saying this but we really need to move him on if we aspire to progress. He has had one decent period in 5 years at the club. Lovely guy but just not good enough for what we should be aspiring to.

I don't think Lamela is the player we need to move on in order to progress.

We haven't dominated the midfield battle to the same level and consistency this season. So bringing in a new central mid is the way we need to progress.

If Fulham don't get promoted this makes signing Sessegnon more likely. In which case we would need to sell one of our attacking mids to give him time to play.

Out of our current crop I think Lamela is the most likely to be moved on.

 

[McArchibald]

The key to progress is in identifying players who have reached their ceiling and try to upgrade on them. In that light, Lamela is definitely a player whose position should be up for review.
He just hasn't progressed enough since his arrival 5 years ago. There may be a number of reasons for that, but that doesn't alter the fact that he is a squad player at best, in a position where we need to strengthen.

 

[SirNiNyHotspur]

It's got to the point when we have a goal scoring opportunity I'm hoping it falls to anyone but him, he's great on the rest of the pitch byt where it matters most he flakes.

 

[phaser]

It's got to the point when we have a goal scoring opportunity I'm hoping it falls to anyone but him, he's great on the rest of the pitch byt where it matters most he flakes.

I agree with most of that but disagree on one thing. ‘He is average on the rest of the pitch’ I forgot how many times he overran the ball yesterday, he has a sloppy, often-clumsy & heavy touch on the ball. His incessant chasing back is often a result of his cumbersomeness in possession. I find it difficult to see the point of him, I don’t see a presence or authority when he is on the pitch. He needs to be sold indeed he should have been sold already. Very average player and not close to being good enough for a top four team.

 

[Donki]

I have honestly never seen a Spurs that devides opinion as much as Lamela. I don’t mind him as a squad player and am in no real hurry to see the back of him but if he was from Scotland and called Eric lamb who moved to us from Rangers I very much doubt he would have as big a fan club.

 

[coy-spurs1882]

personally don't think his recent performance can convince the club to offer him a new contract, but mocking wilshere and kicking fabregas were good memories

 

[piedpiper]

Its such a tricky situation. Ive seen Lamela impose himself on games and ive seen him being so abject. Im tempted to say give him a chance now that he is injury free or sell him to raise funds and improve on him.

His clumsy style of play/ dithering on the ball drives me crazy. Then he has a game far and few between where he bosses it. But if we were to get a offer i would sell him.

 

[allatsea]

Was rubbish on Saturday. He works hard but largely ineffectively. I have never seen in him what someone must have seen to be happy to spend 30 million or so on him. Time for him to have a fresh start elsewhere.

 

[piedpiper]

Was rubbish on Saturday. He works hard but largely ineffectively. I have never seen in him what someone must have seen to be happy to spend 30 million or so on him. Time for him to have a fresh start elsewhere.

That was my feeling from his first game... Wasn't impressed. He has a cult like following on here though which I've never understood.

 

[Gilzeanking]

Average to good doesn’t cut it, Lamela has been here for 5 years purchased for big money and to give us an edge he is rarely good enough to provide. I would sell him along with Llorente & Jansen for one attacker of calibre who would eradicate a host of varying deficiencies.

You're joking right ? 26 million pounds (30 mill euros) . Coutinho 130 mill ,Pogba ? Bale?, even Walker 50 mill .

Great presser and is two footed (but hates using his right) That chance vs WBA , instead of taking it first time with his right from point-blank range , he would want to bring the ball down , shift it back onto his left foot and shoot . Been like this 5 years, we all hoped he'd grow out of it/be coached out of it , but no .

I'm surprised he hasn't improved , looked a good prospect .

 

[TheVoiceofReason]

Let’s not forget he was out for an entire year, no preseason.

I’m not going to defend Lamelas last couple of performances, as they haven’t been great. But the team is out of form, and it is not Lamela’s fault. He is a team player, and plays best when the players around him are reflecting his work rate.

Of all the players to get rid of in our squad, Lamela is pretty far down that list for me. Although I am convinced he would benefit from a move elsewhere.

 

[FreddieYid]

Great presser and is two footed (but hates using his right) That chance vs WBA , instead of taking it first time with his right from point-blank range , he would want to bring the ball down , shift it back onto his left foot and shoot . Been like this 5 years.

Lamela really isn’t two footed... and in fact you’ve just countered your own point, by saying that he is two footed, but never uses his right foot.

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

Lamela really isn’t two footed... and in fact you’ve just countered your own point, by saying that he is two footed, but never uses his right foot.

He's probably the most one footed player I have ever seen.

 

[dimiSpur]

Lots of techincal ability, great work ethic and work rate, wants to get on the ball, all excellent traits.

Unfortunately what he doesn't have is a fast footballing brain. He dwells on the ball and usually makes the wrong decision or the right decision too late. He will usually roll his foot over the ball contemplating the best option and in those nanoseconds the right pass or shot that was on is usually gone. Obviously this is a big flaw to an attacking midfielder's game, especially an attacking midfielder's game which isn't based on scoring (like Dele) or having any pace to run in behind and stretch teams or run at the opposition.

I wouldn't mind him staying if he was a squad player, coming on to close games out when we're winning, but I never ever feel like bringing him on when we're losing or in need of a goal will help the team in any meaningful way. That is not to say he doesn't have his moments but moments are not enough at the stage we're at.

And he was big money when we signed him. We paid £26m+ for him at a time just before the transfer market descended into madness.

 

[Shadydan]

People still talking about his transfer fee as a negative, it was 5 years ago ffs