I liked Erik Lamela before it was cool

[glasgowspur]

Lamela does lots of huffing and puffing, good lad I like see a player close opponents down. However, he is not in the side just for that. He is meant to be an attacking mid fielder. Where is the attacking threat? Three goals is not a good enough return.

Who was first to the corner that led to Toby's goal? Lamella. Who was the only one bursting his Arse to get into box when Harry shot for his goal looking for a spill from the keeper? Lamella. Who's run took 4 Arsenal players leaving walker a shot a goal? Lamella.
Lamellas does better attacking than he is given credit for, in much the same way that recently Eriksen is getting the credit due for his defensive work.

 

[diego_maradona]

I think he's so important to us right now. Embodies Pochettinos philosophy. Wasn't it Guardiola who said Pochs team comes looking for you. Yep that's Lamela

 

[metalgear]

i feel he puts a lot more players through on goal than eriksen these days...

 

[braineclipse]

Lamela was excellent and had he stayed on, I am convinced we'd have won. I think Poch got suckered into making the change by both the occasion and (more significantly) Sanchez trying to get him a second yellow/sent off. It would've continued. So I think this is one Poch will learn from too with regards to subs.

I thought the sub was fine. Lamela was walking the line quite well, but it makes him quite a bit less effective in his pressing compared to when he doesn't have to walk the line like that.

I think he's so important to us right now. Embodies Pochettinos philosophy. Wasn't it Guardiola who said Pochs team comes looking for you. Yep that's Lamela

Been very good recently and deservedly in the team ahead of Son and Chadli for me.

Still more coming from Lamela I feel in terms of end product.

 

[parklane1]

He was one of our better players yesterday and we do miss him when he is not there.

 

[Gilzeantoscore]

He's our second highest goalscorer in all competitions.

I'm clearly talking about the league. Why does every body respond with this when his league scoring form is brought up. Scoring goals in the groups against Locomotiv Partizan do not count.

 

[glasgowspur]

Scoring goals in the groups against Locomotiv Partizan do not count.

That must be why we aren't playing against Dortmund on Thursday.

 

[iggyfog]

He was one of our better players yesterday and we do miss him when he is not there.

We lost our rhythm a bit when he went off.

 

[afsoc4life]

He has a never say die spirit.

 

[milo]

I'm clearly talking about the league. Why does every body respond with this when his league scoring form is brought up. Scoring goals in the groups against Locomotiv Partizan do not count.

But goals against Villa would?

His goals this season have come against:

FC Qarabag
Emirates Marketing Project
Bournemouth
Monaco
Watford
Fiorentina

There's some decent sides in there. People may be dismissive of Qarabag but I'd rate them as one of the toughest opponents that we've faced this season.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

But goals against Villa would?

His goals this season have come against:

FC Qarabag
Emirates Marketing Project
Bournemouth
Monaco
Watford
Fiorentina

There's some decent sides in there. People may be dismissive of Qarabag but I'd rate them as one of the toughest opponents that we've faced this season.

Nah you can't count them as other than bournemouth there all sides full of foreigners

 

[Whiffler]

Nah you can't count them as other than bournemouth there all sides full of foreigners

As opposed to Lamela from the Chalfont St Buenes Aires.

 

[tynesidespur]

I'm clearly talking about the league. Why does every body respond with this when his league scoring form is brought up. Scoring goals in the groups against Locomotiv Partizan do not count.

He needs to score more in the league I don't think there's any doubt about that. 3 league goals is a poor return. The thing with Lamela is that every time a question mark is raised against him he seems to step up and improve. League goals really are the last piece of the jigsaw for him in my opinion. I think its about developing a killer instinct and possibly a bit more confidence when striking a ball in a league game. He never seems to have the same confidence in the league in front of goal as opposed to in cup competitions.

 

[milo]

He needs to score more in the league I don't think there's any doubt about that. 3 league goals is a poor return. The thing with Lamela is that every time a question mark is raised against him he seems to step up and improve. League goals really are the last piece of the jigsaw for him in my opinion. I think its about developing a killer instinct and possibly a bit more confidence when striking a ball in a league game. He never seems to have the same confidence in the league in front of goal as opposed to in cup competitions.

The difference between what he has scored in the league and what people think he should have scored is so small that it could easily be explained by natural variance. This is why I think that it is better to look at goals scored in all competitions because of the larger sample size.

 

[AdamB]

Still doesn't look like a £30m player however does look a lot better than his first two years and also looks like he still has more potential to develop.

I really do think that if we want to be top 4 regulars we need more quality in the 3 behind Kane - none of our options there are currently in the same bracket as Alexis Sanchez, an on-form Ozil, David Silva, De Bruyne, Willian, Hazard, (potentially) Martial...without more quality there we're reliant us matching/beating the other teams as a result of us being more of a team than a collection of individuals. Great if we can rely on that (and to an extent it is happening this year) but would be nice to have someone who can open up defences more

 

[braineclipse]

Still doesn't look like a £30m player however does look a lot better than his first two years and also looks like he still has more potential to develop.

I really do think that if we want to be top 4 regulars we need more quality in the 3 behind Kane - none of our options there are currently in the same bracket as Alexis Sanchez, an on-form Ozil, David Silva, De Bruyne, Willian, Hazard, (potentially) Martial...without more quality there we're reliant us matching/beating the other teams as a result of us being more of a team than a collection of individuals. Great if we can rely on that (and to an extent it is happening this year) but would be nice to have someone who can open up defences more

Several of the players you mentioned weren't in that bracket when they were the same age as Lamela, Eriksen and Son. None of them were in that bracket when they were the same age as Alli.

We develop players, it's what we do. Can one of these players step it up another level next season and either join or get closer to being in the bracket you describe? I think so...

 

[Gilzeantoscore]

They weren't 30,000,000 quid players then either.

 

[glasgowspur]

He never has looked like a £30m player and as long as he is asked to play the role he is playing I doubt he ever will.
Some of that though is because of the expectations we have of him as a£30m flair player. If his combination of ball winning and flair helps propel us to CL or the league then there is an argument he is worth £30m to us.

 

[milo]

£30m is about the going rate for a young, promising, attacking midfielder and if Lamela was sold now, I don't think that he'd go for a lot less than that. If he improves as much next season, as he has this, he could easily be worth more.

 

[braineclipse]

He never has looked like a £30m player and as long as he is asked to play the role he is playing I doubt he ever will.
Some of that though is because of the expectations we have of him as a£30m flair player. If his combination of ball winning and flair helps propel us to CL or the league then there is an argument he is worth £30m to us.

As a matter of curiosity...

What is the standard of comparison here? Who is the template/sterotypical/exemplar £30m player in today's market? (One bought at a young age in part because of his talent and potential, not your average Milner/Barry good player in their prime, never going to be great type signings).