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Lennon's back baby!

Gazza Dazzla said:
Didn't want to log on tonight, but that is an awful article! What is London24? I've never heard of it, is it someone's blog? Saying Lennon currently plays in the same position as Walcott and then brings up stats from the last 4 years when he hasn't played the same position !! Also lazy stereotyping about crossing as well, stats prove he's actually quite a productive crosser. I could go on but don't think it deserves much further analysis to be honest.
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You obviously havent looked at the stats provided above. Whether or not the Walcott comparison is valid, Lennon is certainly not as productive as he should be - either goalwise or assistwise. If our right side functioned as well as our left side, we would indeed be a team to watch.
 
Sigh.... Football is not all about stats though is it? Having pace on both flanks creates problems for the opposition. You cannot double up on two quick wingers because you will leave your midfield short. The option teams seem to favour against us is to sit very deep, cutting out the space behind, this leaves them short in attack and can backfire if they go one down.
Lennon is a very dangerous player, a difficult player to play against and the notion that he cannot cross is two years out of date. A better winger than Walcott - certainly. Walcott is a better striker though.
 
Pirate55 said:
You obviously havent looked at the stats provided above. Whether or not the Walcott comparison is valid, Lennon is certainly not as productive as he should be - either goalwise or assistwise. If our right side functioned as well as our left side, we would indeed be a team to watch.
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Stats only go so far, (to draw on an old Modric excuse) to be fair to Lennon quite a few times he seems to get the assist to the assist. That said he definitely should more.

I think playing in front of BAE or Verts on the left is a better foundation for attacking play than playing in front of Walker on the right, there's just often too much hesitation from Kyle and a lack of nous in attacking play, that's hardly Lennon's fault. I imagine if you look at his stats when Charlie was on form and behind him he created a lot more goal scoring opportunities because he had the service which played to his strengths as a player.
 
I think another issue is that with the threat out wide in Bale and Lennon (plus the attacking FBs behind them) we should really be stretching play and creating more space and chances for those players in the Dempsey/Gylfi role.. something I don't think has been happening enough yet this season.
 
jpp said:
Sigh.... Football is not all about stats though is it? Having pace on both flanks creates problems for the opposition. You cannot double up on two quick wingers because you will leave your midfield short. The option teams seem to favour against us is to sit very deep, cutting out the space behind, this leaves them short in attack and can backfire if they go one down.
Lennon is a very dangerous player, a difficult player to play against and the notion that he cannot cross is two years out of date. A better winger than Walcott - certainly. Walcott is a better striker though.
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That is what I am saying. He IS a dangerous player, CAN cross the ball, and IS a tricky winger. But and this is the big BUT, he often does not make good runs off the ball, stands on his opponent when we have the ball and doesnt make space so he can be passed to. Look at the first half against Villa. He was a statue. Look at him in future games and how he doesnt make himself available for a pass.

My beef with Lennon is that, given all his qualities, he should be assisting and scoring more. The reason imv that he doesnt is threefold:

1. He doesnt run off the ball nearly enough and find space for himself to be found. He should be doing this more like the run and cross for Defoes goal against Swansea. The only period he excelled at this was the start of the 2009/10 season, when I credited HR with turning him into a top qualitiy winger (having been one himself). His off the ball work in attack needs working on.

2. When Bale crosses from the left, he takes up a poor position to close to the centre of the goal. If he hung back a bit, more towards the corner of the penalty area, he would be able to move onto the cross and surely score more goals.

3. He shouldnt be asked to come back and defend corners and freekicks. He would be much more of a counter attacking threat if he stayed further up the field. His use in our own penalty area is deminimus at best.
 
spurspinter1 said:
Stats only go so far, (to draw on an old Modric excuse) to be fair to Lennon quite a few times he seems to get the assist to the assist. That said he definitely should more.

I think playing in front of BAE or Verts on the left is a better foundation for attacking play than playing in front of Walker on the right, there's just often too much hesitation from Kyle and a lack of nous in attacking play, that's hardly Lennon's fault. I imagine if you look at his stats when Charlie was on form and behind him he created a lot more goal scoring opportunities because he had the service which played to his strengths as a player.
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But it IS Lennons fault. He often doesnt give Walker the chance of an easy ball because of his positioning.
 
Pirate55 said:
But it IS Lennons fault. He often doesnt give Walker the chance of an easy ball because of his positioning.
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With these ones it's almost better to not bother and agree to disagree, if you don't think that Charlie was a lot better at spotting the runs and playing him in than Walker then we may as well not go on. Walker has an element of hesitation in his attacking play and often holds on to the ball for too long allowing defenses to settle and get a strong position, and also just doesn't have the technical ability at times.

I think he'll be able to improve these things in time as he's young and eager to learn, but I do think playing in front of a more cultured FB like Charlie, Benny or Verts would improve Lennon's output statswise.
 
spurspinter1 said:
With these ones it's almost better to not bother and agree to disagree, if you don't think that Charlie was a lot better at spotting the runs and playing him in than Walker then we may as well not go on. Walker has an element of hesitation in his attacking play and often holds on to the ball for too long allowing defenses to settle and get a strong position, and also just doesn't have the technical ability at times.

I think he'll be able to improve these things in time as he's young and eager to learn, but I do think playing in front of a more cultured FB like Charlie, Benny or Verts would improve Lennon's output statswise.
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Charlie and Lennon was better I agree and had one fantastic half season. But Lennon has failed to gel with Chimbonda, Hutton, Walker, Kaboul (when he played RB) and Johnson (for England). I detect a pattern.

My main point is that a player with his talent should be contributing even more. Too often we function down the left but not down the right. Villa game was a case in point. In the first half - nothing from the right at all. In the second, we attacked down both flanks and were a lot more fluid.
 
Pirate55 said:
Charlie and Lennon was better I agree and had one fantastic half season. But Lennon has failed to gel with Chimbonda, Hutton, Walker, Kaboul (when he played RB) and Johnson (for England). I detect a pattern.

My main point is that a player with his talent should be contributing even more. Too often we function down the left but not down the right. Villa game was a case in point. In the first half - nothing from the right at all. In the second, we attacked down both flanks and were a lot more fluid.
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At RB I really don't rate any of those players bar Walker, most would be suited to playing behind someone like Kuyt who'd invite the fullback overlapping, you can't really use not gelling with Hutton in your case, he was/is dogbrick. Kaboul just isn't a RB and if it wasn't for setting up Crouch's goal I think a lot fewer would hold that opinion. Again with England, he just doesn't get played to his strengths surprisingly.

I do agree that he should be contributing more, such an exciting player but can be frustrating as hell. With Walker's form as it is, it will restrict Lennon severely, there's only so much you can do without the service as you're always a step behind.
 
markysimmo said:
Quality again today, he mugged off Cole almost everytime he had the ball...
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People go on about Terry having shockers at the lane, Cole has been outplayed by Lennon quite a few times now. Lennon is in great form. I just worry about his fitness, he hasn't got a great track record.
 
Jurgen the German said:
People go on about Terry having shockers at the lane, Cole has been outplayed by Lennon quite a few times now. Lennon is in great form. I just worry about his fitness, he hasn't got a great track record.
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Everytime he plays against him just like Evra Lennon ruins then, only one team he dont do that well against is Gibbs / Clichy from Arsenal
 
markysimmo said:
Quality again today, he mugged off Cole almost everytime he had the ball.
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I agree he was our best player today. However because he did not score or assist a goal some smart arse will add this game to his current stats to show how ineffective he was....another game no goal and no assist
 
What's the reasoning behind him being nominated captain in the EL games ? Long serving player, give him a chance ? Is he really AVB's man on the pitch ?? Just baffles me, he doesn't seem like a talker or a shouter, does he have the other players respect ?
 
Attitudes towards captaincy varies between countries. Over here we seem to like the shouty pointy man who gives it his all, whereas in other countries it's more about who they think represents the club well(on and off the pitch). Giving it to Lennon is just AVB's way of showing his appreciation for the work Lennon has done for the club over the years and other than Dawson he's our longest serving player. Besides, just because he has the arm band doesn't mean the other players do any more or any less than they usually would.
 
I can't read this thread title without imagining Aaron with a Quaid like foetus growing out of his back like in Total Recall.
 
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