Aaron Lennon

[milo]

3 months would take him into november right?

he has been AWFUL for that long?

After Ade, I thought that he was our best player through Christmas and New Year.

 

[Millsy_Yiddo]

There were quite a few times yesterday where a lot of space opened up for Walker down that right hand side. However it is Lennon was moving it did seem to do at least that part of what you want.

Yeh he does that part quite well. Although he's not really given credit I do think Lennon is quite an intelligent player who makes some good runs. I'd be fine with him coming inside with the ball if he was driving at the heart of the opposition defence. His problem is that 9 times out of 10 he cuts inside and runs across the pitch.

 

[Rorschach]

that's been a feature of our season and everyone is guilty, we need to move the ball quicker, it's ponderous

This is so true. Dembele gets criticised for it a fair bit, and probably rightly so, but the criticism could be leveled at almost everyone on the team. Always an extra touch or more when a quick ball is on. This is possibly a hangover from the AVB style.

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

This is so true. Dembele gets criticised for it a fair bit, and probably rightly so, but the criticism could be leveled at almost everyone on the team. Always an extra touch or more when a quick ball is on. This is possibly a hangover from the AVB style.

I agree that's our main problem everyone wants too long on the ball, we are not moving it quickly enough

 

[Libero]

I agree that's our main problem everyone wants too long on the ball, we are not moving it quickly enough

Agreed. Most players at Spurs aren't good or strong enough to want a bit more time then they are being given on the ball. Only Dembele and Sandro for me are able to withstand direct engagement well enough from an opponent facing them up.

And from that, Dembele is the only one who can muscle and beat a player and I think we need him to be slightly more advanced so that we can reap the benefit of him gaining a yard but then need him to release the ball in between defenders faster than he does but I also feel the movement and wanting that ball needs to be better from other players.

 

[Pirate55]

First and foremost footballers are in our side to win us points. That's all players, including Lennon.

If they're attacking or defending players their overall contribution is what counts. If a winger prevents a goal by excellent tracking back and work rate isn't that just as valuable as if a full back does it? And similarly isn't an assist from a full back just as valuable as an assist from a winger?

I really don't get this "defenders should defend, attackers should attack" attitude at all. Look no further than Chelsea against City and how the attacking 4 for Chelsea defended brilliantly and the contribution to that game, look to Barca or Dortmund and their pressing.

My post was in direct response to a poster claiming that Lennon spent his time 20 yards away from Baines whenever they had possession. Yet Baines had a very quiet game going forward, a player we know is capable of causing havoc if given space and time. Either Walker is superman or there was something a bit off with that observation I think.

Like I said in my previous post, this was far from his best game. I don't think he played in any good crosses, but I thought he contributed decently in our passing overall and he was a real threat on the break. If players had spotted his runs or if Dembele's through ball had been slightly more accurate I think he would have gotten into some really dangerous situations.

To me, if a player's poor performance is a performance like this in a big-ish game then that's a decent compliment. Look at how Ferguson included Park in his big games over and over, did Park always deliver magic in the final third? No, but he worked his socks off for the team, made United hard to play against and hard to beat. And he was capable of doing something special from time to time or if put in the right situation.

I am afraid I don't agree with you on this BE. With three defensively orientated CMs in midfield, the primary job of Lennon is to provide an attacking contribution. With him on one side and Eriksen on the other of a FRONT three, he really needs to be contributing more in an attacking sense. Given that he is unlikely to score goals, his principal role in this formation is to supply others. On this, he failed miserably - as he has done for the last few games.

We agreed that his recent displays have not warranted a starting place. I really hope that Townsend plays on the right against Saudi Sportswashing Machine. Lennon needs to earn his place back by showing real intent as an impact sub.

 

[Pirate55]

Lennon needs service. Who exactly worked the ball wide to him?

He made a few decent runs yesterday ( more than in many previous games) but his problem is still that he doesn't make himself easy to find. He too often isn't in a wide position in space, isn't running in behind his marker and all too often just stands statically next to his marker infield, thus congesting the central area and not allowing a simple out ball to the wing. He really is sooo frustrating. I am convinced that it is his lack of positional play that makes others seem worse passers than they otherwise are.

 

[ringo]

When Lennon was playing under Redknapp I often used to see him hugging the touchline in space, hand in the air, wanting the ball. it was very obvious at the actual game. But more often than not he never got the ball, and certainly not into the space in front of him to run onto. Maybe he got tired of waiting out there.

Unfortunately, though, Lennon is not a natural finisher and doesn't look comfortable in the opposition's area in the way that someone like Robbens does, for example -or even at a lower level Sterling or Johnson. It is a shame, because he certainly has pace to beat a man outside, especially from standing start, and he puts a defensive shift in too.

 

[Luda2013]

He's not being used properly but is it just me or has Azza lost some pace?

 

[clevelandspur]

can we please get rid. Not sure he was ever good enough for us but now he has digressed further. Offers nothing going forward at all at this point let's play Siggy, Chadli, Townsend, Lamela, Kane whoever for rest of season and ship off in the summer.

 

[Baleforce]

ever good enough for us?

he was our best player for quite a while IMO

 

[GrimsbyYid]

What a ridiculous post. He's been a great player for us and he's still only 26. Can we improve on him, yeah probably, but it don't think there's much better than him on the right in the current squad. He doesn't produce enough in the final third, but he is a great team player, works hard, defends extremely well, and his directness can be very effective.

 

[Raziel]

What a ridiculous post. He's been a great player for us and he's still only 26. Can we improve on him, yeah probably, but it don't think there's much better than him on the right in the current squad. He doesn't produce enough in the final third, but he is a great team player, works hard, defends extremely well, and his directness can be very effective.

Exactly

- I'd buy 2 FB's, a creative midfielder, a left winger, a reserve keeper, a striker and possibly a CB for cover before I got to needing to replace Lennon
- Hopefully Lamela will eventually settle and give Lennon competition for his place, or give us the option of using him on other side

If the question is, is the current team setup/tactic working for Lennon = no, but same could be said for a lot of or players, many of whom are much more expensive than Lennon.

 

[Cal_Yido]

People are still saying hes fantastic etc because he works hard defensively? He's a winger. He is supposed to be good going forward. His final ball and finishing has always been very poor, but his blistering pace and runs at full backs were always a threat. For whatever reason he doesn't seem to use that now. Games are just passing him by. Over the past few years he has seen Bale come in and go miles past him, and now Townsend (who is no world beater either) is almost up to his level if not passed it in terms of getting international call ups.

The penny has to drop for him very soon IMO otherwise I would ship him out and get someone else in

 

[Alaric]

What a ridiculous post. He's been a great player for us and he's still only 26. Can we improve on him, yeah probably, but it don't think there's much better than him on the right in the current squad. He doesn't produce enough in the final third, but he is a great team player, works hard, defends extremely well, and his directness can be very effective.

I would agree with this. Even if someone replaces him as a starter, I would still want to keep him. A good player to have to bring on to protect a lead and hit teams on the break when they are chasing the game.

 

[Nigeyman]

the problem is easy...not enough assists and not enough goals.

Used to be my favourite player but he has been putting in poor peformances for a while now.

being good defensivley and working hard is secondary to me...its goals and assists we need and he is part of the reason our goal difference is so bad, would really not mind if he left now, him and Dawson, the old guard as it were,no point in being sentimental its been clear for a while that neither are going to improve and neither are top 4 quality.

 

[braineclipse]

I would agree with this. Even if someone replaces him as a starter, I would still want to keep him. A good player to have to bring on to protect a lead and hit teams on the break when they are chasing the game.

Agreed, excellent squad player and imo a very good option to have in a squad as he offers something different to our other attacking players.

That being said I hope Lamela gets the nod ahead of him when/if he returns for the run in games after Liverpool. I would really like to see an attacking trio of Lamela, Eriksen and Chadli behind a striker.

 

[dan2912]

All of the dare has gone out of his game, he looks so functional and predictable now it is a shame because he's prob my favourite player at the club but maybe its because of all the injuries and niggles he's had but looks so hesitant to take his full back on..

 

[Spaceman]

ever good enough for us?

he was our best player for quite a while IMO

Lennon has never been our best player.

at 18 we were saying give him time he will improve his delivery and get more goals and assists. 8 years later he hasn't improved at all and we are saying the same thing. remember when walcott came through and they used to get compared, rightly so but now Theo has improved his game, expanded his game to become a better player and has left Lennon behind

 

[clevelandspur]

What a ridiculous post. He's been a great player for us and he's still only 26. Can we improve on him, yeah probably, but it don't think there's much better than him on the right in the current squad. He doesn't produce enough in the final third, but he is a great team player, works hard, defends extremely well, and his directness can be very effective.

Really? Ok maybe I was a bit harsh as Lennon has been a good servant to the club but over the past few seasons he has offered virtually no threat going forward. Yes he works hard but he is an attacking winger not a right back. I think if we are serious of cracking top 4 next year he should not be near our starting 11.