With that hair. He would be appreciated
Player Watch: Erik Lamela
- Thread starter Ossie85
- Start date
With that hair. He would be appreciated
PeeEyeEmPee
Well-Known Member
- Aug 31, 2012
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This is demonstrably false. There are several non-scoring players that get appreciated nowadays. Iniesta, to name just one example, never scored or assisted that many, yet he's rightly regarded as one of the finest midfielders to ever play. Modric's numbers have never been particularly eye-catching, and most of us would take him back in an instant over anything we have in central midfield right now.
Lamela's just not very good.
emiley heskey
Well-Known Member
- Jul 3, 2020
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I think lamela could be a good number 8 given his tackling and pressing ability ... Also he has a good passer of the ball given he can recycle it in the central of the midfield ...
Klinsmannic
Well-Known Member
- Jun 22, 2011
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I love the guy but his decision making is dodgy. He hangs on to the ball too much.
If it makes him happy to leave the club to play regularly I'd be happy for him. Enjoyed watching him play for us all these years- he has ability and commitment.
PeeEyeEmPee
Well-Known Member
- Aug 31, 2012
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Is there anything in particular about the business Juve have done over the last God-knows-how-long that makes you think they might consider that to be a good deal?
Glengoyne
Member
- Jan 27, 2011
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To be fair Juve's transfer policy can only be described as unknown as I don't really think they have a policy, that being said would they be interested in Lamela? Honestly I do not know but he has a good rep in Italy since his time in Roma, Lamela would prefer to go back to Italy and Juve are looking to sell Dybala. Why Pirlo does not want to keep Dybala is a mystery to me but here is me hoping Pirlo is a Lamela fan.
Mr Pink
SC Supporter
- Aug 25, 2010
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I actually think he's bulked a little. Another 5kg sort of thing. I thought he looked in better shape now as well.
He was too slim previously.
C0YS
Just another member
- Jul 9, 2007
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I mean, comparing Central Midfielders with attacking players is not really going to work. Attacking midfielders numbers are always mentioned, and players who are clearly, clearly wonderful players, like, say, Traore and Zaha in the past get dismissed even though, a bit like Nedved, they win games, often single handedly, with great consistency for their clubs.
Lamela is not on that level. But, as I mentioned, his figures aren't even bad, but my point isn't that he isn't great. It's just that these figures are now used as a metric to judge ability in an incredibly short-sighted way.
Let me make my position clear. If we can find someone who can offer more, or sell in a deal that will be a benefit to the club. I have no issues with selling him. But he has been a very decent player for us, and he still is and can still contribute.
His work by some people is under appreciated. I think often they are focusing on what he doesn't do rather than what he does, because it doesn't really take much effort to see what he contributes and how useful that is. He is one of those few players you can bring on in almost any circumstance, if trying to hold onto a game he brings combativity and shithousery and if chasing a game, he can be very good at using the space that opens up as defences tire, both with sacrificial runs and through more typical attacking qualities. Some people just wish he was more fashionable or compare him to some ideal of what an attacking player should look like.
RikkiRocket
Well-Known Member
- Jul 21, 2015
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he’s too slow/fussy on the ball.
yido_number1
He'll always be magic
- Jun 8, 2004
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Fact is we'll never be able to rely on Lamela being fit for more than 50% of the season. Time to move him on to Italy. Not the end of the world if he stays but Mourinho is going to need players he can rely on.
C0YS
Just another member
- Jul 9, 2007
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I agree, not a position that suits him at all. He is an attacking midfielder quite clearly. Similarly, not disciplined enough to play as a wingback either.
mr ashley
Well-Known Member
- Jan 27, 2011
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No, my frustrations with Lamela are that despite all of his efforts in pressing, he is still ineffective on the ball.
It doesn’t take much effort to see what he can do. it doesn’t take a high level of skill to do it either (in comparison to scoring and creating goals, which is what we signed him to do IIRC).
Every time I watch Lamela play, I sit there and get frustrated watching him take endless touches, or not release the pass that is blindingly obvious. When he scored away to City this season, I wasn’t expecting it -because all too often when he gets in these positions he blows it.
So I don’t understand why some people think he’s great. Both he and Sissoko are praised for their contributions off the ball, when they should both be able to contribute much more with the ball at their feet.
This comparison to an ideal attacking midfielder- ones who can create and score goals- they do exist in real life you know!
Has no vision though yea he is good at times but really should be upgraded especially given his injury record
C0YS
Just another member
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You are focusing on what h doesn't do more than he does.
Firstly, he s fustrating, but is more effective on the ball than you suggest, and again you are judgng him on what we signed him to do, rather than what he can contribute and if it is a net plus.
I don't think Lamela is great, I just think we are a better squad with him in it at the moment.
The thing I'm trying to say is there are very very few players who create and score a number of goals which is now expected by many fans. Thats kind of the point. I posted this ages ago, but when you actually break down Lamela's contribution in terms of the raw numbers it's more or less the same as Willian season on season.
At the moment Lamela scores or assists once every 166 minutes.
Berjwijn 175
Lo Celso 215
Kane 117
Lucas 261
Son 106
Dele 185
So Lamela is third in terms of goals or assists per minute. So, this was I mean that the numbers that Lamela posts are good, right, they are very solid. People then argue, ohh but it's easier as a sub. Which might be true, but then the point is he produces a lot as a sub.
But even this is reductive. You say the stuff Lamela does is easy, then why do other players not seem to be able to match his intensity or ability to kind of grind games down? I also would advise you too look at highlights, and see how often Lamela is actually involved in goals. Because he often is key, Kanes goal at west ham for example? All Lamela, wins the ball, creates the space through clever interchange, and then Son plays the ball into Kane. And you will see many goals like this.
He does have weaknesses, he spends too long on the ball, being the main one. But he is still actually effective on the ball. He's just not that elite level, but the point is very few players are, and very few players we would get in will be, and this is the thing. That's what I mean by 'ideal attacking midfielders' they do exist but they cost you 40 million minimum. Apart from that you can buy potential or you can buy flawed players like Lamela, who might not even settle. Very few attacking midfielders exist that can replicate what Son does, what Eriksen did or even what Dele can do at his best.
Is Lamela expendable? Yes. Is he top class? No. Is he a darn good player who is useful to the team? Yes.
The same with Sissoko, you might want him to be better on the ball, but he is actually still useful. Should he start in a top 4 chasing team? Probably no. Should we be willing to sacrifice him if there is a deal which makes sense? Yes. Is he still useful for the squad? Absolutely yes.
P.S. Lamela always seems to play well against Man City, so I don't know why the goal surprised you.
oskathegobshite
#Spursy
- Jan 20, 2004
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I'd keep him. As an impact sub a player like him is hard to come by. He is not at all what we thought we were getting when we bought him but look at the amount of games we will hopefully play next year
If someone comes in with really good money it's a different story but which club that has the money to do so is going to be after Lamela?
If someone comes in with really good money it's a different story but which club that has the money to do so is going to be after Lamela?
mr ashley
Well-Known Member
- Jan 27, 2011
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Yes, I remember now that you brought a load of stats out to show how Lamela compares to Willian. It did show that Willian scores and creates twice as many goals , season on season. And whilst, minute per minute they are comparable, you could just as easily use those stats to build an argument as to why Lamela doesn’t start very often, because of how wasteful he is.
My gripe with Lamela is his failure to improve. He never reached his potential because of the gap between his ears. He doesn’t learn, and as a result holds us back. He could be one of the top level players you talk of. He gets in the right positions consistently, then fluffs it. Again and again.
Praising them for something else they offer is a bit of a strange one for me. Would we praise a striker who consistently missed chances, yet took a great long throw? I doubt it.
You can see past it, fair enough.
I can’t. And it frustrates me equally when I see Sissoko hide from the ball. I just don’t see us winning things with these flawed players.
But we all have fans favourites. I loved Huddlestone despite his heft and lack of aggression.
To avoid going back and forth, I think we’re in ‘agree to disagree’ territory now. That’s fine
