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I liked Erik Lamela before it was cool

milo said:
He's better than the players that have replaced him in the squad and our best attacking player at pressing. We will be stronger with him in the squad, which is why I think that people are keen to get him back.
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How can you say that given the goals Son has scored so far and the poor return from Lamela?
 
Gilzeantoscore said:
How can you say that given the goals Son has scored so far and the poor return from Lamela?
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yet despite his goals he hasn't really nailed down his position in the starting XI with Poch even changing our attacking shape in certain games rather than rely on either Sissoko or Son - if Lamela had been available id wager we'd have gone in to the Chelsea game with our usual setup and him in the team as it's a much stronger attacking unit, even if individually Son scores more.
 
billyiddo said:
yet despite his goals he hasn't really nailed down his position in the starting XI with Poch even changing our attacking shape in certain games rather than rely on either Sissoko or Son - if Lamela had been available id wager we'd have gone in to the Chelsea game with our usual setup and him in the team as it's a much stronger attacking unit, even if individually Son scores more.
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Too many people have made way too many excuses for lamela early on and have continued to talk up his importance to us 'our best player, our most important player, best attacking player.' It's just not true.

I turned around on him and think he's a great player to have, but in no shape or form is he as important to us as people like to make out. In the same way people are keen to criticise son, they go the other way with Lamela. He has not consistently produced top notch performances for us and whilst I think he can be a great player for us, if he left or is on the bench then i wouldn't shed a tear.

As for the opinion that he is part of our best attacking team I think that this is an opinion and not a fact like many make out. I am not saying he isn't but for me when we play erisken him and alli i behind we lack pace and whilst he is frustrating, there can be an argument to be made that son or sissoko can be a better fit in certain systems/games etc
 
LCLC said:
Too many people have made way too many excuses for lamela early on and have continued to talk up his importance to us 'our best player, our most important player, best attacking player.' It's just not true.
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i could say something similar for those who wrote him off emphatically early on and are now quick to dismiss his importance having had to begrudgingly give him some credit last season when it became apparent he wasn't the waster they all had him down as...

LCLC said:
I turned around on him and think he's a great player to have, but in no shape or form is he as important to us as people like to make out. In the same way people are keen to criticise son, they go the other way with Lamela. He has not consistently produced top notch performances for us and whilst I think he can be a great player for us, if he left or is on the bench then i wouldn't shed a tear.

As for the opinion that he is part of our best attacking team I think that this is an opinion and not a fact like many make out. I am not saying he isn't but for me when we play erisken him and alli i behind we lack pace and whilst he is frustrating, there can be an argument to be made that son or sissoko can be a better fit in certain systems/games etc
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of course its opinion and it's mine that once he's back from injury and up to match fitness he'll work his way back in to the starting XI - where he has been an ever present under Pochettino. Since his injury the manager hasn't played anyone in place of him as consistently as him and has in several instances chosen to adapt our tactics rather than rely on either replacement - something i doubt we'd have seen should he be match fit.
 
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milo said:
I think that Son is a bit hot and cold and does not contribute as much to the team as Lamela.
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Lamela is the etipomy of the " hot and cold player " IMO. It is all opinion I know, but I would take Son over Lamela in most circumstances.His goals have been crucial in maintaining our ambitions this season, particularly in the absence of Kane and Alli's poor early season form.
 
Pirate55 said:
Lamela is the etipomy of the " hot and cold player " IMO. It is all opinion I know, but I would take Son over Lamela in most circumstances.His goals have been crucial in maintaining our ambitions this season, particularly in the absence of Kane and Alli's poor early season form.
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I don't agree on Lamela. His work rate and closing down is very consistent, he rarely has an anonymous game. Son on form is a great player but when he is off form, he can be lightweight and not involved.

I agree with @billyiddo and expect Lamela to earn his starting place back when he regains fitness, unless the move to three at the back becomes permanent.
 
milo said:
I don't agree on Lamela. His work rate and closing down is very consistent, he rarely has an anonymous game. Son on form is a great player but when he is off form, he can be lightweight and not involved.

I agree with @billyiddo and expect Lamela to earn his starting place back when he regains fitness, unless the move to three at the back becomes permanent.
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Unfortunately "work rate and closing down" are not the most important criteria in players playing in the three behind the lone striker. Goals, goal threats ( i.e. Running at pace in behind the defences) and assists in this important position are much more valuable IMO and Son beats Lamela hands down in these areas.
 
Pirate55 said:
Unfortunately "work rate and closing down" are not the most important criteria in players playing in the three behind the lone striker. Goals, goal threats ( i.e. Running at pace in behind the defences) and assists in this important position are much more valuable IMO and Son beats Lamela hands down in these areas.
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We'll see what Poch thinks when Lamela is back.
 
Pirate55 said:
Unfortunately "work rate and closing down" are not the most important criteria in players playing in the three behind the lone striker. Goals, goal threats ( i.e. Running at pace in behind the defences) and assists in this important position are much more valuable IMO and Son beats Lamela hands down in these areas.
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I disagree, I think that's the most important role of the entire front four. That's what causes the opposition to make mistakes and that's where goals come from.
 
Pirate55 said:
Unfortunately "work rate and closing down" are not the most important criteria in players playing in the three behind the lone striker. Goals, goal threats ( i.e. Running at pace in behind the defences) and assists in this important position are much more valuable IMO and Son beats Lamela hands down in these areas.
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Well the manager doesn't seem to agree as Lamela has been chosen in front of him consistently when available and when not Son still hasn't managed to nail down a place in the team.

I like Son as a player and don't want to see this become a one v the other thing but Son for me when not scoring generally doesn't offer a great deal to our play and often fudges a lot of build up play with his selfishness - he can work with one of Eriksen and Alli but I don't think all three together work as a unit.

In short his goals mask his overall contribution and it often feels like we are carrying a player with him on the pitch and I think this is why he has never nailed down a starting place in the team.
 
galeforce said:
I disagree, I think that's the most important role of the entire front four. That's what causes the opposition to make mistakes and that's where goals come from.
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If you really think that "closing down is the most important role of the entire four" then I despair for you.
 
Pirate55 said:
If you really think that "closing down is the most important role of the entire four" then I despair for you.
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It's about having the right blend across the attacking unit and Lamela provides attributes which others either don't have in their locker or arent as good as him at - without him in the side we lose more in that regard than when Son isn't available as Alli/Eriksen/Kane cover his goal threat - take Lamela out and who is covering his work rate drive and pressing? He's creative too course but Eriksen/Son cover that so we don't miss that as much as the other attributes.
 
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billyiddo said:
Well the manager doesn't seem to agree as Lamela has been chosen in front of him consistently when available and when not Son still hasn't managed to nail down a place in the team.

I like Son as a player and don't want to see this become a one v the other thing but Son for me when not scoring generally doesn't offer a great deal to our play and often fudges a lot of build up play with his selfishness - he can work with one of Eriksen and Alli but I don't think all three together work as a unit.

In short his goals mask his overall contribution and it often feels like we are carrying a player with him on the pitch and I think this is why he has never nailed down a starting place in the team.
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I like Son too but it is disappointing that he hasn't taken advantage of Lamela's absence. I think that he is in danger of falling behind Sissoko in the pecking order.
 
milo said:
I like Son too but it is disappointing that he hasn't taken advantage of Lamela's absence. I think that he is in danger of falling behind Sissoko in the pecking order.
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Yeah that is a shame as I have nothing against the idea of someome coming in ahead of Lamela as it would mean we have improved the team, which is what we all want. Son has had a golden opportunity to stake his claim with Lamela being out injured for so long now and for me hasn't done enough - yet
 
billyiddo said:
Yeah that is a shame as I have nothing against the idea of someome coming in ahead of Lamela as it would mean we have improved the team, which is what we all want. Son has had a golden opportunity to stake his claim with Lamela being out injured for so long now and for me hasn't done enough - yet
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I agree. Given what you were saying about the balance of the attacking quartet, maybe it would be better to think of him as an understudy for Alli rather than Lamela.
 
milo said:
I agree. Given what you were saying about the balance of the attacking quartet, maybe it would be better to think of him as an understudy for Alli rather than Lamela.
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Definitely - I wonder, with that in mind, whether Sissoko was intended to cover the pressing attributes of Lamela but just hasn't adapted quick enough to put pressure on the starting XI
 
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