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I liked Erik Lamela before it was cool

Jurgen the German said:
That’s a very good point. We have so little of the ball that we have to make it count when we do get it in the final third. It’s not only Lamela who is wasteful, Moura gives the ball away too cheaply and Bergwijn offers virtually nothing in the final third. In addition to 1/2 CB’s and a DM, we need another option next to Son and Kane as Bale hasn’t worked out and the three aforementioned players aren’t starter quality.
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The DM chat seems a new, recent thing - are you thinking Hojbjerg needs replacing? Or we need a DM alongside Hojbjerg, with Ndombele and Lo Celso (when fit) playing higher up?

Personally I don’t see DM as a priority - I’d be happy with Hojbjerg and Skipp there next season.
 
thfcsteff said:
Plus he is so so one-footed he is easy to corral on a break. Just push him onto his right and he will double back to get to his left. He ruined three strong breakaway chances on Saturday simply because the opposition knows he will not use his right peg more than one in 20...
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Yep. He is poor on the break, always has been. Reasonably useful in games where you have the opposition camped back though. He is basically an alright bench option.
 
Finney Is Back said:
Yep. He is poor on the break, always has been. Reasonably useful in games where you have the opposition camped back though. He is basically an alright bench option.
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The quintessential "run about a bit" player who gives energy isn't he, but yes, a bench player. The amount of times he just flubbed it yesterday was so poor.
 
Guy who hasn't played a regular run in forever gets run into ground with 4 games in a row, has an "alright" game against best team in country (part of reason City didn't overrun our midfield), lets throw him under the bus ..

Our most progressive playing recently has been with Ndombele, Lamela, PEH in midfield, I'd love to have Gio in that role but for now, Lamela owns that position
 
Raziel said:
Guy who hasn't played a regular run in forever gets run into ground with 4 games in a row, has an "alright" game against best team in country (part of reason City didn't overrun our midfield), lets throw him under the bus ..

Our most progressive playing recently has been with Ndombele, Lamela, PEH in midfield, I'd love to have Gio in that role but for now, Lamela owns that position
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:D:D:D

Do you believe he was OK against City? Do you believe his touch/one-footedness didn't see him easily marked by City into non-threatening areas throughout the match?
No-one's doubting his endeavor and no-one's "throwing him under the bus."
It was criticism. Not "boo-boying"...there is a difference.
And if he starts against West Ham and produces, I will be the first to praise him.
But he was poor against City.
 
Many incidents where he gets criticised for not releasing the ball early enough it’s because the right run hasn’t been made or a large enough pocket of space found imo.

Separation needs to come from the receiver first.
 
thfcsteff said:
:D:D:D

Do you believe he was OK against City? Do you believe his touch/one-footedness didn't see him easily marked by City into non-threatening areas throughout the match?
No-one's doubting his endeavor and no-one's "throwing him under the bus."
It was criticism. Not "boo-boying"...there is a difference.
And if he starts against West Ham and produces, I will be the first to praise him.
But he was poor against City.
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Saying a player is bench player only/squad at best in his first "off game" in a run of decent performances qualifies as a little more than criticism.

He had an ok game, to your point City managed to limit his offensive side of game, but they also were not able to dominate the midfield (which they normally do, especially in their current form), and that comes down in large part to that trio of PEH, Ndombele, Lamela works a lot better than a lot of the other variations we have tried in recent times.

Don't get me wrong, I fully expect a fit Gio to replace Lamela as a starter when available, but he's shown up Dele, Winks, Sissoko by a long way in his current run, and of all the players who had a tough game against City, he wouldn't be in my top 5.
 
Raziel said:
Saying a player is bench player only/squad at best in his first "off game" in a run of decent performances qualifies as a little more than criticism.

He had an ok game, to your point City managed to limit his offensive side of game, but they also were not able to dominate the midfield (which they normally do, especially in their current form), and that comes down in large part to that trio of PEH, Ndombele, Lamela works a lot better than a lot of the other variations we have tried in recent times.

Don't get me wrong, I fully expect a fit Gio to replace Lamela as a starter when available, but he's shown up Dele, Winks, Sissoko by a long way in his current run, and of all the players who had a tough game against City, he wouldn't be in my top 5.
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Sorry, are you saying City didn't dominate the midfield?
What did our midfield do that I missed?
Laugh at me for going "statto" here, but our xg was 0.43!!!!

As for Lamela, yup, a squad player for me. And he was poor on Saturday.
Still, opinions and all that mate :)
 
Baleforce said:
Many incidents where he gets criticised for not releasing the ball early enough it’s because the right run hasn’t been made or a large enough pocket of space found imo.

Separation needs to come from the receiver first.
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He’s always been like that though mate. Holds on to the ball for too long, even under Poch when we played free-flowing football and actually had an attacking game plan and had brick hot players in every position.

I just wish he’d use his right foot, partly because he’s so easy to defend against. Force him on his right foot and he’s not going to hurt you, he’ll contrive to get the ball back on to his left even when completely surrounded and when it makes no sense.
 
Robbo said:
Going for the Lamela Look?
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my-left-foot-poster.jpg
 
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