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I liked Erik Lamela before it was cool

AdamB said:
Whether it's Lamela or someone else dropping out, I agree that to move on to the next level we need a genuinely top class player in the 3 behind Kane. Our current options are decent but we don't have a Hazard, Silva, Sanchez, Willian etc
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You are going to be waiting a long time if you want us to sign a player who is already at that level. Our model is based on signing potential and developing it. Lamela has as much chance as anyone else in the squad as being the player who pushes on to those levels.
 
glasgowspur said:
Felt today he was caught between two positions again. Wasn't going as far forward as he has been recently and that nullified him. Can only assume Poch had asked to be a bit more defensive.
Thought the booking was very harsh, the Everton player was pulling him back, was it Coleman? Wasn't he on a booking already? If so by letter of the law he is off and I think the ref bottled that and gave the easy decision against Lamella
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He spent most of the game on the left today. That is unusual for him, so I am assuming that it was on instruction. I think that this needs to be considered when assessing his performance this afternoon.
 
milo said:
He spent most of the game on the left today. That is unusual for him, so I am assuming that it was on instruction. I think that this needs to be considered when assessing his performance this afternoon.
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He did so against Watford too.

He was poor today but at least now he looks like a proper footballer having a bad game rather than a rabbit in headlights who relied on a few flicks or passes a game for people to argue his case. He has been very consistent for a good few months and is an important cog in our team. If he does need a rest or reverts back then Chadli and Son are more than capable to step in (Pritchard too in a few months)
 
His decision making was a bit off today and he held onto it a few times too long

He also got stuck in when maybe he shouldn't have

But his work rate and effort combine with clear ability me as we're seeing the player we need

He was our best attacking threat against Watford but nothing clicked for him today
 
LCLC said:
He did so against Watford too.

He was poor today but at least now he looks like a proper footballer having a bad game rather than a rabbit in headlights who relied on a few flicks or passes a game for people to argue his case. He has been very consistent for a good few months and is an important cog in our team. If he does need a rest or reverts back then Chadli and Son are more than capable to step in (Pritchard too in a few months)
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Agreed. Completely different player to last season when he was poor for the most part. Even his "bad games" this season he is far more effective than his bad games last season. Best player against Norwich and Watford.
 
Lugash said:
I don't see an excellent footballer there. Good athlete, good attitude, but doesn't seem to have a clue of what to do with the ball. He likes a clip over the top of the defence, which has worked relatively well, but I think it's more a product of desperation/no other options, than anything else.

I don't especially wish to sell him, but his value is still going to be good in the summer. £15M could be put towards a better option, like Mahrez, who carries real threat and is used to pressing, or perhaps even Sissoko, who's interesting, if not outstanding either.
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To sell him would make me sad. To sell him for £15m would be ridiculous. To do that to replace him with Sissoko would be outright horrible.

He's 23... He's had about a season and half worth of games to adjust to the PL and this season he's delivering end product at a decent rate along with everything else he brings. And this is the time for you to run out of patience?

AdamB said:
Whether it's Lamela or someone else dropping out, I agree that to move on to the next level we need a genuinely top class player in the 3 behind Kane. Our current options are decent but we don't have a Hazard, Silva, Sanchez, Willian etc
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Lamela and Eriksen are 23, Alli is 19. We also have Son who is 23 and hasn't had time to settle in yet.

Willian was older than that when signed by Chelsea and took time to get to his current level. Sanchez was older than that when signed for Arsenal, though has been pretty much an immediate hit. Silva was older than that when signed for City, also pretty much an immediate hit. Hazard is the only player out of those you mentioned to actually be signed around the age Lamela and Eriksen are now. Alli is just in a completely different age bracket.

We cannot compete with richer clubs if our aim is to just sign the best players out there on current ability. We can develop players ourselves though...
 
I'd say he's shown enough this season to make him a keeper*, albeit that he's a way to go before 'justifying' his price-tag (if that's what you're looking for). I reckon he will progress and improve further, just perhaps not at Balesque rates.


* Not suggesting he should be wearing a green jersey.
 
AdamB said:
Whether it's Lamela or someone else dropping out, I agree that to move on to the next level we need a genuinely top class player in the 3 behind Kane. Our current options are decent but we don't have a Hazard, Silva, Sanchez, Willian etc
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Funny that you mention Hazard, Silva and Willian, as they were all rumoured as near-signings over the last four years or so, but apparently chose not to come. Consequently, we don't have the level of players who choose not to sign for us! And therein lies the rub....
 
Up until recently I've been one of Lamela's harshest critics but I thought he was fine yesterday. Not one of his best matches for us, but not awful either. I also thought that his pressing and work rate was a huge part in us completely dominating the first half.
 
No one mentioned how well he played yesterday, yet?

Thought, apart from missing two good opportunities, that he was very good. He's got such fight in him, never gave up, and that pass to release Kane was sublime. Much better set pieces than Eriksen too. Wish he had taken that free kick in the second half.
 
He was our best player IMO but ran out of steam in the end

He p,as now more like an English player with the running and tackling but showed the passing he can do. It was exactly the kind of game that I said earlier he had to show his ability in. One where he was not given time and space and I thought he was very good
 
I was disappointed in him last night. Not because he was terrible, but because i really felt that he was moving up and up through the gears and i thought that in a tight game the stage was set for him to really step out of the crowd and be the match winner.

I'm not going to chastise him for missing good opportunities; but i was really disappointed by the way he snatched at his chances and didn't even get his body in the correct shape to score. Getting his foot on the end of an excellent cross and casually guiding it 15 feet over the bar isn't good enough.

He's better than that. We really need one of our forwards to make the step to the next level. For me, that level is scoring on a consistent basis and winning us points and matches. Its the last step in front of Lamela. I have no idea where this casualness or lack of belief in front of goal came from last night but it was really disappointing. He's been getting in better and better positions and has become more of a goal threat recently, but last night he went backwards when the stage was there for him to really announce himself as a key player in the first team. He didn't take the chance and it was a real shame.

We desperateyl need one of the three to step up in this regard; Lamela was certainly my tip, but he really, i'd argue. let himself down last night. Poch was showing obvious signs of consternation on the side lines last night, particulalrly after Lamela put Davies cut back high over the bar. If he can't start converting then we are going to struggle to push on to where we want to get to in the second half of the season.

We all believe in him, does he believe in himself? Come on Erik, we really need you to deliver!
 
Erik was tireless last night he and few others though just look anxious/rushed in that final ball.
We lacked composure in the shot/finishing.
Ali though was composure itself and had so much more time on the ball.
 
Armchair Expert said:
I was disappointed in him last night. Not because he was terrible, but because i really felt that he was moving up and up through the gears and i thought that in a tight game the stage was set for him to really step out of the crowd and be the match winner.

I'm not going to chastise him for missing good opportunities; but i was really disappointed by the way he snatched at his chances and didn't even get his body in the correct shape to score. Getting his foot on the end of an excellent cross and casually guiding it 15 feet over the bar isn't good enough.

He's better than that. We really need one of our forwards to make the step to the next level. For me, that level is scoring on a consistent basis and winning us points and matches. Its the last step in front of Lamela. I have no idea where this casualness or lack of belief in front of goal came from last night but it was really disappointing. He's been getting in better and better positions and has become more of a goal threat recently, but last night he went backwards when the stage was there for him to really announce himself as a key player in the first team. He didn't take the chance and it was a real shame.

We desperateyl need one of the three to step up in this regard; Lamela was certainly my tip, but he really, i'd argue. let himself down last night. Poch was showing obvious signs of consternation on the side lines last night, particulalrly after Lamela put Davies cut back high over the bar. If he can't start converting then we are going to struggle to push on to where we want to get to in the second half of the season.

We all believe in him, does he believe in himself? Come on Erik, we really need you to deliver!
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Very valid comments

I thought he was great and almost got his assist

Ive also highlighted previously his goal stats are good but there mainly Europa

But we need either him or eriksen to step up goal wise really
 
Robbo said:
No one mentioned how well he played yesterday, yet?

Thought, apart from missing two good opportunities, that he was very good. He's got such fight in him, never gave up, and that pass to release Kane was sublime. Much better set pieces than Eriksen too. Wish he had taken that free kick in the second half.
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No doubt that Lamela is our most creative player and best passer of the ball. He would have had many assists this season if Kane and others had scored from all his passes. Remember, he also created the goal for Mason against Sunderland. But not sure why he cannot improve on his goal scoring. Maybe he works too hard all over the field that he can't concentrate when it comes to scoring goals.
 
He tinkled me off a little today, he tries to play the pretty one touch stuff and either gave it away or played it backwards rather than taking a touch and playing it to the person in space outwide. Ruined a few chances to get the ball forward by trying to make it look pretty.
 
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