Player Watch: Erik Lamela

[tiger666]

It’s not exactly rocket science. We need more players who can score. We are completely reliant on 4 players for all our goals. We have scored 7 goals in the league and 1 in the champions league outside our four top scorers. We need more goals from our squad players, both when they start and from the bench. Right now we get nothing. That’s why it’s a problem when players is out of form, because we don’t have anyone to replace them with. We don’t have unlimited money and we don’t have unlimited room for players, so if we want new ones we have to sell someone. It’s one of the reasons why United is number 2, even though they don’t have a better starting 11 than us. But they have depth and players that can score from the bench.

Try and google and see how many goals we have scored from squad players and subs under Poch. It’s depressingly low.

Not really the point I was making. If we were so good when he was out for the best part of a season and wasn't missed, I fail to see why replacing him is our number one priority. He's a decent squad player, I don't mind at all if he's replaced but we have far more important concerns in the squad and upgrading a squad attacking midfielder is pretty low on the agenda imo and not the reason we'll be "left behind by our rivals again". Our central midfield and full backs are of much greater concern.

 

[Bobbins]

Ask yourself this, would Lamela make the starting 11 for any of our rivals?

How many of our players would start for any of our rivals?

A handful - Kane, Eriksen, Alli, Vertonghen, Toby, Lloris. And not all of them would start for all our rivals either.

So effectively are you saying it's a priority to sell every single player at the club who isn't on the above list because the only criteria for making the 25 man squad at Spurs is that you're good enough to start for any club in the league?

That's an expensive summer you're hoping for.

 

[blackburn]

After 5 years he hasn't nailed down a starting place, OK he's had his injuries but time for him to move on.

 

[DJS]

I still feel Lamela would be more suited to playing centrally either in a 3-4-2-1 or in the middle of an attacking three in a 4-2-3-1.

Not too keen on him on right side as don't feel brings the best out of him.

 

[Hercules]

More suited to NOT starting tomorrow!

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

 

[dtxspurs]

Not really the point I was making. If we were so good when he was out for the best part of a season and wasn't missed, I fail to see why replacing him is our number one priority. He's a decent squad player, I don't mind at all if he's replaced but we have far more important concerns in the squad and upgrading a squad attacking midfielder is pretty low on the agenda imo and not the reason we'll be "left behind by our rivals again". Our central midfield and full backs are of much greater concern.

I agree, I think our offensive wide players are sufficient.

 

[SlotBadger]

Anyone got a gif of his nutmeg on Yedlin?

 

[dagraham]

Anyone got a gif of his nutmeg on Yedlin?

Other than the goal, that was the highlight of the match. That and the last 5 minutes where we stopped playing football and just fucked about.

 

[Ossie85]

Anyone got a gif of his nutmeg on Yedlin?

 

[Shadydan]

Nice little cameo yesterday.

 

[yankspurs]

That spell was hysterical. After getting megged, yedlin juat wasted so much time. It was brilliant. Fouled Lamela then the next sequence, threw the ball away from Dele

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Still wouldn't sell him. Give him one more season with a proper pre. Then if he hasn't developed i would understand wanting to move him on.

 

[Bobbins]

I’ve said it many times about Lamela - whilst he may not be the player some hoped he would be or thought we were buying, and whilst his injuries have meant we’ve really only seen him at his best for one season (when he scored 11 goals and got 15 assists across all comps) - the underlying point is that he offers a completely different skill set to anyone else in our squad.

I’m way beyond getting irritated by the usual suspects who write absolute bullshit about how “he’s totally one-footed” (despite scoring several with his right foot), or “he’s a walking red card” (despite never having been sent off in his career), or “he constantly loses possession” (despite having far better ball-retention stats than most of our squad) etc - this thread and those responses are simply the default fall-back for a number of people every time we get a bad result. Blaming “Lamela’s incompetence which set the tone for our CL exit” is so far the ultimate absolute wank comment I’ve seen (apart from all the “I hate him because he looks bent” stuff we used to get) but given that it was posted by a member who seems to have created an account purely to abuse Erik with every post it’s like water off a duck’s back these days.

Suffice to say that until we bring in someone who can offer that same ability on the ball in tight areas, the same ability to play clever through-balls between the defence, who makes clever late runs into the box, who can find teammates best places to score, who can genuinely offer cover for Eriksen at 10, who can hound and tackle and win possession with the same regularity, with the same engine and committment, and the same obvious love of the club - and pointedly, someone who can do all those things better than Lamela - then there is absolutely no point selling him as we will simply be weakening a key area of our squad and losing a skill set which no-one else we have is capable of replicating.

 

[iddebu52]

He is a great squad player, end of.

 

[ralvy]

He is a great squad player, end of.

Fixed that for you

 

[worcestersauce]

Other than the goal, that was the highlight of the match. That and the last 5 minutes where we stopped playing football and just fucked about.

I thought we fucked about with style though and Lamela was the most stylish of all, he properly took the piss.

 

[Ossie85]

It’s not exactly rocket science. We need more players who can score. We are completely reliant on 4 players for all our goals. We have scored 7 goals in the league and 1 in the champions league outside our four top scorers. We need more goals from our squad players, both when they start and from the bench. Right now we get nothing. That’s why it’s a problem when players is out of form, because we don’t have anyone to replace them with. We don’t have unlimited money and we don’t have unlimited room for players, so if we want new ones we have to sell someone. It’s one of the reasons why United is number 2, even though they don’t have a better starting 11 than us. But they have depth and players that can score from the bench.

Try and google and see how many goals we have scored from squad players and subs under Poch. It’s depressingly low.

Liverpool's goalscorers
Salah 31
Firmino 15
Mane 10
Ox 3

They rely on 3 players, and they are not doing so bad
We rely on the 4 attacking players who start 90% of the games. What a shock!

 

[phaser]

Still wouldn't sell him. Give him one more season with a proper pre. Then if he hasn't developed i would understand wanting to move him on.

Isn't 5 years without cementing his place not long enough for you to understand he's not good enough. He is a bang average squad player.

 

[gavspur]

His form of two years ago was fantastic, he then started the next season the same way, only for bad injury to hit him. Yes he’s been back a while now, and played quite a few minutes (which is testament to him, as those who don’t get a pre-season generally are over looked by Poch), but he’s still not 100% there in terms of match fitness/sharpness. This pre-season is key for him, he has proved he can do more, it’s up to him to actually go out there and do it. I hope he does, cos I like his fire, determination, and skill.