Player Watch: Erik Lamela

[southlondonyiddo]

Motm for us today, no question. His and Walkers positivity and energy were needed more all over the park

Probably the most somber lap of honour after our best ever season possibly since 1963. Amazing really

 

[Bobbins]

What's he on for goals and assists in the league?

4 goals 9 assists in the league this season.

Last year he got 2 and 7, so improvement, but probably should be getting 5-10 goals and 10+ assists given his ability. Doesn't help that he doesn't shoot much and misses out on lots of chances due to Kane rarely setting other players up.

 

[TH1239]

4 goals 9 assists in the league this season.

Last year he got 2 and 7, so improvement, but probably should be getting 5-10 goals and 10+ assists given his ability. Doesn't help that he doesn't shoot much and misses out on lots of chances due to Kane rarely setting other players up.

I've documented this a lot, but he actually has created a series of golden chances for Kane the last two years that weren't finished. This season, he threaded perfect through balls against Stoke, Leicester and Villa, which Kane missed.

He's one of the more creative players in the league, one of the best tacklers for an attacking player (5 tackles today against Southampton), and his pressing is excellent.

I think the goals will come next season. He's a top player and we are lucky to have them.

 

[E17yid]

4 goals 9 assists in the league this season.

Last year he got 2 and 7, so improvement, but probably should be getting 5-10 goals and 10+ assists given his ability. Doesn't help that he doesn't shoot much and misses out on lots of chances due to Kane rarely setting other players up.

Does that include yesterday's assist for son's goal?

 

[dagraham]

Improved massively this season and his contribution with the ball is becoming more substantial.

Still needs to be more of a goal threat (seems reluctant to shoot with either foot ).

 

[Hazelton]

I still believe that if he was English and homegrown, he'd be an absolute fan favourite the same way Harry is.

 

[HildoSpur]

He is one of the first players on the team sheet now and rightly so. Really pleased for him - he still doesn't get nearly enough credit from certain quarters. One of the few players that if he is taken off during a match you can really notice a change (for the worse) in how the team plays.

 

[King of Otters]

He's been quality the past few weeks. Definitely the most improved player. Hopefully more improvement to follow next season.

 

[Wahood]

He earned fan's love and respect this season with his performance and fighting spirit, my MOTM of yesterday's game. We could have had a win seeing off home games this season if our defenders had spirit like his yesterday.

 

[Makkaveli101]

I've documented this a lot, but he actually has created a series of golden chances for Kane the last two years that weren't finished. This season, he threaded perfect through balls against Stoke, Leicester and Villa, which Kane missed.

He's one of the more creative players in the league, one of the best tacklers for an attacking player (5 tackles today against Southampton), and his pressing is excellent.

I think the goals will come next season. He's a top player and we are lucky to have them.

He's class. Think he'll step up again next season and we'll see a stellar season from him. He's going to be a very, very, very good player by the time he peaks at 25-29. I feel he'll naturally fill out more in that time too. He looks like a late developer. I love his intelligence/football brain already for picking out the pass - and that's just going to get better. I feel more goals are to come as well, which excites me. He's a great finisher, and can place a ball - and get into those positions. I would also echo other posters in saying he would have more goals this season if Kane had supplied instead of shot on several occasions.

I don't feel it would be a shot in the dark, to say in five years time (wherever he may be) he would be Argentina's David Silva and at that level. Some of those through balls have been Silva-esque, and as we all know - passing just gets better and better with age. Love his will to win (see Kyle Walker interview), winner's mentality is so important.

I still believe that if he was English and homegrown, he'd be an absolute fan favourite the same way Harry is.

WIthout a doubt. If his name was George Stevens, a seriously talented Rabona scoring kid from North London - it would all be different.

 

[dirtydave]

There were moments on sunday where I saw some very high level understanding between Lamela and Eriksen. Both hugely gifted players who might be the best two at close control in the squad. I really hope they continue to work on their combined link-up play next year. When Son relaxes he too could benefit from this collecting the through balls or perhaps working as the decoy whilst they dissect their way into a shooting position. I love watching this well knit team doing their magic. What a season!

 

[Eric_s]

He's class. Think he'll step up again next season and we'll see a stellar season from him. He's going to be a very, very, very good player by the time he peaks at 25-29. I feel he'll naturally fill out more in that time too. He looks like a late developer. I love his intelligence/football brain already for picking out the pass - and that's just going to get better. I feel more goals are to come as well, which excites me. He's a great finisher, and can place a ball - and get into those positions. I would also echo other posters in saying he would have more goals this season if Kane had supplied instead of shot on several occasions.

I don't feel it would be a shot in the dark, to say in five years time (wherever he may be) he would be Argentina's David Silva and at that level. Some of those through balls have been Silva-esque, and as we all know - passing just gets better and better with age. Love his will to win (see Kyle Walker interview), winner's mentality is so important.



WIthout a doubt. If his name was George Stevens, a seriously talented Rabona scoring kid from North London - it would all be different.

According to a truther, any English sunday league player cando a robona. its not worth a mention.

 

[tobi]

Does that include yesterday's assist for son's goal?

I think it's a bit of a stretch to credit him with an assist yesterday, Son had a lot to do after.

Lamela should play centrally more often, preferably with two players with genuine attacking instincts (Kane and Son, Kane and Lacazette etc).

Yesterday he held on to the ball for too long because he was waiting for others to move but no one did, it was very annoying.

 

[Gbspurs]

I think I'm on my own here but considering how much of the ball he saw yesterday I thought his influence on the game was pretty poor. I was finding him a bit frustrating as the old running directly into the defender trick only resulted in him stumbling through a few times.

The good news that if the expectation on him is going up then that must be because he is improving and becoming a more important player for us.

Needs a better goal return next season though.

 

[dagraham]

I think it's a bit of a stretch to credit him with an assist yesterday, Son had a lot to do after.

Lamela should play centrally more often, preferably with two players with genuine attacking instincts (Kane and Son, Kane and Lacazette etc).

Yesterday he held on to the ball for too long because he was waiting for others to move but no one did, it was very annoying.

Yeah agree the movement was severely lacking, particularly when they took the lead and just defended deep. Which is ironic, as that is the time when we need off the ball movement even more. Playing one-two's, using the width effectively are the main ways to break down a stubborn defence, but we did neither.

Helps if you have a special player to pull something out of nothing or a player who can run at speed to disrupt two banks of four. We don't have that though, so as you say we need to move more, rather than give it to the full backs and hope they deliver a perfect cross ( which the rarely do).

 

[Bobbins]

Does that include yesterday's assist for son's goal?

Yep I believe so, I remember him being 4 and 7 a couple of games ago.

 

[E17yid]

I think it's a bit of a stretch to credit him with an assist yesterday, Son had a lot to do after.

Lamela should play centrally more often, preferably with two players with genuine attacking instincts (Kane and Son, Kane and Lacazette etc).

Yesterday he held on to the ball for too long because he was waiting for others to move but no one did, it was very annoying.

An assist is a assist at the end of the day, regardless of how much Son had to do

 

[talkshowhost86]

He was incredibly frustrating yesterday.

In some ways he was our best player as he was the only one seeming to try and drive forwards, and he had a couple of very promising runs, but his end product was woeful...and often non-existent as he got caught in possession before he could do anything. Let's be honest the assist was practically accidental as well so that doesn't really offer any mitigation.

I love the way he seems to be able to create space from nowhere, and his tenacity is great to see. But it just feels like there's so much more to come from him, and I wonder if he'll ever hit the heights he did at Roma.

Still...he's had a good season that's for sure. If his upward trajectory continues maybe next season will be the big one.

 

[bubble07]

He has improved so much this season. Really impressed me

He creates enough chances but does need to score more goals

He gets in very good positions to score just needs to score half a dozen more

He should be targeting and getting 10 league goals

 

[yankspurs]

4 goals 9 assists in the league this season.

Last year he got 2 and 7, so improvement, but probably should be getting 5-10 goals and 10+ assists given his ability. Doesn't help that he doesn't shoot much and misses out on lots of chances due to Kane rarely setting other players up.

He had 2 easy goals yesterday but Kane would rather shoot from ridiculous angles all because of the golden boot and that 1 wonder goal vs Arsenal.