Aaron Lennon

[Sandman]

i dont understand why you guys wont accept that someone llike lennon needs to be fed in the right place at the right time

i can tell you now that a lot of united fans want him as opposed to valencia if they had a choice

see that clip....he was isolated against his marker....can anyone tell me one defender that can keep with lennon one v one (aside from richards and enrique)

Yes he needs to be fed so that he can take on a full back. But he needs wide open spaces to beat a man as he mainly utilises his pace and not any form of real trickery. The way the league is set up at the moment and teams are often coming to WHL to sit back and defend that space to really utilize his pace is limited. When that happens players have to use the space inside or work angles from the wide positions to get quality crosses into the box. Lennon is not adept at using his left foot when coming inside, prefers not to shoot unless he really has to and also his ability to really pick out a man with a high cross is limited.

He excels in space where he can get in behind a full back and then often he is very succesful with the flat pull back or hard cross across the 6 yard box. But as we have improved as a team over the years more and more sides are sitting deep on us and in that kind of limited space, Lennon himself is very limited.

This is where Lamela could excel as he has the tricks and the pace and also and eye for a goal. But he has yet to prove that to anyone yet. I would like to see Lamela get in the side and just play until the end of the season no matter what. We seem to be doing this with Soldado so I think Lamela when fit deserves this also.

 

[Sandman]

Yep again contributing diddly squat in terms of general play. Totally invisible, making it doubly difficult for Benteleb.

he is a lot like Lampard. But with only 1 man behind him his contribution does look very limited. I do think with a three man midfield he could run wild and would be more of an overall force joining up with the front man and run at defenders near their box.

 

[Raziel]

Not sure how anyone could complain about Lennon on Saturday without complaining about team tactics.

Lennon is typically the most disciplined of our wide players (he may switch sides, but usually stays wide), he was all over the field Saturday, I would absolutely put that down to orders, if you don't feel it worked, not a "Lennon problem"

 

[diego_maradona]

When has Lennon enjoyed his best periods with spurs? When he first came into the team we had Carrick to feed him the ball. Then Huddlestone and Modric. Now? Well it's known that our CM's are not great at getting the ball out wide early where Lennon can thrive. If I was Sherwood my objective would be get Lennon the ball in a one on one situation in the attacking third.

More often than not with that pace it will cause that defender a big problem.

Yes Lennon might be limited but it's about making the most of his tools for the benefit of the team. He is pretty selfless and I would imagine a great player to work with to get your team to adopt a style of play

 

[Mumorn]

When has Lennon enjoyed his best periods with spurs? When he first came into the team we had Carrick to feed him the ball. Then Huddlestone and Modric. Now? Well it's known that our CM's are not great at getting the ball out wide early where Lennon can thrive. If I was Sherwood my objective would be get Lennon the ball in a one on one situation in the attacking third.

More often than not with that pace it will cause that defender a big problem.

Yes Lennon might be limited but it's about making the most of his tools for the benefit of the team. He is pretty selfless and I would imagine a great player to work with to get your team to adopt a style of play

this.

when Lennon started hitting that bit of form was when Sherwood was our manager and started playing Eriksen on the left. It reminded me of the way Redknapp played early on and had Modric come in from the left, cause havoc and play in Lennon.

 

[shaney]

I find it amazing that after nearly ten years he still struggles to put a decent cross in on a regular basis, and cant even strike a football properly without it usually being a scuffed pea roller. He's a professional footballer.

 

[Pirate55]

i hear you bro , and over the last two games he hasnt been at his best, but think of lennon like this, as the sharp penetrating end of a sword with a steady hilt. Lennon cannot function without supply...his is that type of player...in essence his contribution is DIRECTLY linked to the contribution of those that can supply him the ball......and supply him the ball in an early and timely fashion...in order to isolate him with his opposing full back

lennon is not a play making winger, at least he hasnt shown that part of his game enough so that one can claim he is...he is a penetrative winger.....and quite simply one of the deadliest if not the deadliest one in the league when in a one v one situation.

you say we needed lennon to get through hulls defense? i agree.

but think it through, in your mind...play by play. how does he do this? Is it him picking it up from lloris and going through the whole team ?(exaggerating to prove a point) or is it him being supplied the ball in order to beat his man or get in behind him via a pass through the inside channels?

did you expect Lennon to be feeding through balls to trailing runners...ala mata, hazard, willian, giggs, suarez on the flanks , silva etc etc? Unfortunately then in that regard you are almost always doomed for disappointment because that isnt his natural game...he can do it but he doesnt do it...if you get my meaning

it isnt a surpise that lennons best years came when he and thudd were regular starters.....and carrick too. quick efficient supply to lennon directly correlates to us being threatening on his side

one thing though that i didnt think would be in dispute is lennons work rate on the defensive end , i have to say i am surprised that this is being questioned. for a winger...a pure out and out winger , who now has an end product in delivery....he is a premier defender from the flanks..and adequarely substitutes for walker when walker is exposed on the flank without lennon coming infield to promote walkers runs...
IF lennon was to come infield and space for walker was created...it isnt primarily lennons job to cover...its which ever midfield , centre mid, thats on lennons side..they are the ones to cover the flank...this is something that sandro is an expert in and something that we miss baldy

i think if we want to peg everton back then they need to fear us...and fear us with something sinister. i vote for lennon and walker....and quite frankly....neither of pienaar or baines can handle either of those two

one more thing..i think walker and lennons relationship can be better, but it isnt dire, i know thats not what you are saying , and i think that if anyone is to get with the program it should be walker more so than lennon...i feel lennon should be promoting walkers choices more ..cause right now it feels like its the other way around

Again, we are going to have to differ on Lennon. Your description of him above was definitely true once but hasn't been for quite a while, with the very rare odd exceptions IMO (Arsnl at home last season for example was a rare exception).

I don't think you can blame it all on supply. I have watched him play a lot in the last couple of seasons where he just doesn't make himself available for the pass. He neither finds space out wide or runs in behind defenses. He has more to him than the Ox at Arsnl, but look at his two goals yesterday, he was constantly giving and going and looking for space in behind the opponents. Aaron just doesn't do this often enough. Look at his goal and assist stats, they tell the story. An attacker in a top 4/5 team really should be contributing more.

And when he does get the chance to take a man on one v one, more often than not he will opt the simple pass sideways or backwards. I used to think it was AVB who was neutering Lennon like this, but am coming to believe that we have a Mk2 Lennon on our hands, far different from the original version who used to thrill me whenever he got the ball. Shame, but time moves on and I don't think he has. In fact, I think he has gone backwards.

I would take Townsends rapier like thrusts every time at the moment.

 

[Raziel]

I find it amazing that after nearly ten years he still struggles to put a decent cross in on a regular basis, and cant even strike a football properly without it usually being a scuffed pea roller. He's a professional footballer.

I suggest you actually watch him play, Lennon puts decent crosses in every game, he has a decent variety to his crossing including floated to back post, cut back, strait across the goal, etc.

The myth of Lennon's end product is absolute BS, go look at wingers who play for top 4 sides and see how many times they put it in row Z (something you almost never see from Lennon) or over hit it badly. Wingers with 100% cross delivery is like the BS myth that there is this player who scores from every 2-3 set pieces (it's more like every 10-15 for the best).

Re his shot, I agree, he has no power, but then, neither does Modric.

To make Lennon work is really simple - have someone else on the other side of the pitch that offers a threat and keeps the width (so opposition cannot compress and double/triple up on him), get the ball to him early (don't **** around with sideways passing), have him go wide and attack opposition FB, get players in the box to support his run and attack the cross.

 

[Pirate55]

I suggest you actually watch him play, Lennon puts decent crosses in every game, he has a decent variety to his crossing including floated to back post, cut back, strait across the goal, etc.

The myth of Lennon's end product is absolute BS, go look at wingers who play for top 4 sides and see how many times they put it in row Z (something you almost never see from Lennon) or over hit it badly. Wingers with 100% cross delivery is like the BS myth that there is this player who scores from every 2-3 set pieces (it's more like every 10-15 for the best).

Re his shot, I agree, he has no power, but then, neither does Modric.

To make Lennon work is really simple - have someone else on the other side of the pitch that offers a threat and keeps the width (so opposition cannot compress and double/triple up on him), get the ball to him early (don't **** around with sideways passing), have him go wide and attack opposition FB, get players in the box to support his run and attack the cross.

What are his goal and assist stats?

 

[Raziel]

Again, we are going to have to differ on Lennon. Your description of him above was definitely true once but hasn't been for quite a while, with the very rare odd exceptions IMO (Arsnl at home last season for example was a rare exception).

I don't think you can blame it all on supply. I have watched him play a lot in the last couple of seasons where he just doesn't make himself available for the pass. He neither finds space out wide or runs in behind defenses. He has more to him than the Ox at Arsnl, but look at his two goals yesterday, he was constantly giving and going and looking for space in behind the opponents. Aaron just doesn't do this often enough. Look at his goal and assist stats, they tell the story. An attacker in a top 4/5 team really should be contributing more.

And when he does get the chance to take a man on one v one, more often than not he will opt the simple pass sideways or backwards. I used to think it was AVB who was neutering Lennon like this, but am coming to believe that we have a Mk2 Lennon on our hands, far different from the original version who used to thrill me whenever he got the ball. Shame, but time moves on and I don't think he has. In fact, I think he has gone backwards.

I would take Townsends rapier like thrusts every time at the moment.

Watch my previous post

- AVB did not suit Lennon (or any attacking player) as the midfield spent far too long with the ball (Lennon needs early release) and opposition had time to set up to prevent him getting at isolated players or behind their line.
- Sherwood team doesn't seem to have the discipline to spread the pitch, keep width and release Lennon, first couple of games were ok, Saturday's was schoolboy like.

Amazing that people still think Townsend is anywhere close to Lennon at this point .. and I wouldn't call his style rapier like, more like 10 useless pot shots from distance a game, even when 3 players in front of you are in better position.

 

[Mumorn]

What are his goal and assist stats?

What were Modric's?

Or is his end product ****?

 

[Raziel]

What are his goal and assist stats?

Did you read my point?

- He should score more goals, I completely agree
- Re his assists, my point was -> you can put in decent crosses game after game, if no one attacks the box, how is it going to lead to a goal?

For some reason, Spurs has not had a midfielder (or even front line) that consistently attacks the box in recent memory, maybe only VDV, and from this squad, Eriksen & Paulinho seems to be the only ones with potential. Ade/Soldado are often too deep or wide and most of our other midfielders just don't support the attack (in a few of Sherwood's first games it was better, but has fallen off again).

Look at some of Bale's crosses last season, beats the player, gets wide, puts the ball between CBs & keeper = no one there.

 

[Sandman]

What were Modric's?

Or is his end product ****?

Modric was not often the man who supplies the actual assist. More the player that releases the man that does. Also you can say that a winger can get cross after cross in and knowone gets on the end of it and that is one thing. But Lennon constantly gets crosses in that are over hit or under hit. He is not even getting it in the right area for it to be attacked.

 

[Mumorn]

Did you read my point?

- He should score more goals, I completely agree
- Re his assists, my point was -> you can put in decent crosses game after game, if no one attacks the box, how is it going to lead to a goal?

For some reason, Spurs has not had a midfielder (or even front line) that consistently attacks the box in recent memory, maybe only VDV, and from this squad, Eriksen & Paulinho seems to be the only ones with potential. Ade/Soldado are often too deep or wide and most of our other midfielders just don't support the attack (in a few of Sherwood's first games it was better, but has fallen off again).

Look at some of Bale's crosses last season, beats the player, gets wide, puts the ball between CBs & keeper = no one there.

What has this got to do with your post?

 

[Mumorn]

Modric was not often the man who supplies the actual assist. More the player that releases the man that does. Also you can say that a winger can get cross after cross in and knowone gets on the end of it and that is one thing. But Lennon constantly gets crosses in that are over hit or under hit. He is not even getting it in the right area for it to be attacked.

I don't agree with your post. On numerous occasions I have seen Lennon put a great ball into the box and no one is there. Who's fault is that? Lennon putting in a great ball? or the movement of our strikers (which has been awful for years). I remember Bale having something like 0 assists one year (yet we all know how good he is at crossing a ball).

 

[indianspur]

I suggest you actually watch him play, Lennon puts decent crosses in every game, he has a decent variety to his crossing including floated to back post, cut back, strait across the goal, etc.

The myth of Lennon's end product is absolute BS, go look at wingers who play for top 4 sides and see how many times they put it in row Z (something you almost never see from Lennon) or over hit it badly. Wingers with 100% cross delivery is like the BS myth that there is this player who scores from every 2-3 set pieces (it's more like every 10-15 for the best).

Re his shot, I agree, he has no power, but then, neither does Modric.

To make Lennon work is really simple - have someone else on the other side of the pitch that offers a threat and keeps the width (so opposition cannot compress and double/triple up on him), get the ball to him early (don't **** around with sideways passing), have him go wide and attack opposition FB, get players in the box to support his run and attack the cross.

i might be wrong, but the general impression i get is that he chooses the wrong option a lot of the time, like floating to the back post when he should have played it low across the face of the goal, or cutting it back when a floater to the back post would have better found a teammate etc.....

 

[Mumorn]

i might be wrong, but the general impression i get is that he chooses the wrong option a lot of the time, like floating to the back post when he should have played it low across the face of the goal, or cutting it back when a floater to the back post would have better found a teammate etc.....

I agree with this.

I don't think this means his end product is poor though. I just think his awareness isn't the best. Many times for example he could also attack a full back with space behind but he chooses to pass back to Walker, or cut inside on to his weaker left foot.

 

[indianspur]

I agree with this.

I don't think this means his end product is poor though. I just think his awareness isn't the best. Many times for example he could also attack a full back with space behind but he chooses to pass back to Walker, or cut inside on to his weaker left foot.

exactly, absolutely does my head in when these happen....yes, his awareness is the problem

 

[metalgear]

it comes down to training doesn't it. i mean if you look at man u under fergie, beckham knew where to put it and it took forever to reach wherever it was going, but there was always a man u player there to receive it.

we've had so many changes up front too, I thought lennon and defoe had the best understanding...then it was soldado and suddenly adebayor and now timmeh decides that lennon should go central... lennons form will improve once we decide on a system of play and stick with it.

 

[Pirate55]

What were Modric's?

Or is his end product ****?

Modric wasn't a winger so the comparison is meaningless.