The White Hart Lane Faithful has been blessed throughout the years with some of the best wingers to grace the British and world game.
Since I’ve been a fan, we’ve had the likes of Chris Waddle, David Ginola and Darren Anderton hogging the touchline, dropping a shoulder and producing a moment of brilliance or a cross which has brightened a dull winter evening.
With such a strong history of playing wide expansive football, under the tutelage of Harry Redknapp tutelage we have been able to produce two wingers in Bale and Lennon who would compare favourably to their illustrious ancestors.
The wingers role has changed over the years. In the past a winger would be all about skill, close control, producing crosses and going on solo runs with a hope of an end product. It was an individual role in a team environment. They were seen as mavericks, with a duty to entertain.
Nowadays the winger is intertwined into the team’s fabric, not seen as a winger, but a right/left-sided midfielder, with more responsibility in the defensive side of the game, working the length of the pitch.
Lennon is seen as the modern day wide man, speed being the main asset required, he has it in abundance, the defensive side of his game has improved, striving to track back and help his full back.
His work in the attacking third can be erratic, sometimes sublime. His assist to Teemu Tanio in the famous 4-3 win doesn’t get the credit it deserves. It was world class. If Messi or Carlos Kickaball had done it, we’d all be purring, but there are times when Lennon’s final ball leaves a lot to be left desired.
To be fair the former Leeds player’s distribution has improved in the six years he’s been at the club, but I feel over the last couple of seasons he’s hit a wall and the potential his ability had promised has failed to materialise.
Lennon has the ability to be anything he wants to be. He has the pace and skills to be one of the best wide players in Europe, yet his brain doesn’t seem to work at the same speed as his little legs and prevents him being able to slow things down, see the bigger picture and distribute the right ball.
I really expected him to be a very special player, up there with the best players in the league, but he is yet to reach these heights. I’m starting to feel that he never will.
Rubbish.I don’t see the point of this article at all.
The great Cliff Jones used to run up blind alleys in his first year at Spurs, but the difference is he learnt, and became one of the most feared wingers in the world.
Lennon is still all about potential and that’s not good enough for Spurs
I think he’s trying to say that Lennon hasn’t matured into the player he could/can be.
This season is massive for him, if he could improve on his end product he’d be a superstar.
Lennon – weak link, flatters to deceive; no end product, legs faster than brain; blinkered
All of these are his plus points!
Can we try to stay calm and remain positive with our team!!
we have played 1 game and already there are endless negative blogs about our players, managers etc.
lets just get behind the team and talk about their good points!!
I like Lennon. I think that he frightens full backs and excites the crowd, which in turn helps the team. He doesnt seem like a big time charlie either. I think that he might look more complete if we could get more midfielders into the box for when a cross comes in. I cant really remember Thud, Modders, Jenas, sandro, Wilson or anyone elsescoring from a cross inside the box. Should they get there more often I think Jermaine might find it easier to lose his marker. He obviously needs to improve his ability to cross, especially the deeper cross which puts the centre half in a world of trouble…..but he does get to the byline, and he can pull it back nicely. These are the postions we need to get in…but I stress I think the centre mids and even Bale could get onto the end of more of his crosses
Good point well put but I hope he does start showing a bit moe than just the pace he posesses. He has wonderful ability and can be amazing at times, but i would really love him to take the game to our opponents.
He doesn’t do it enough for me.
How can other players get onto the end of his crosses when he justabout always puts the ball where ever the player isn”t.
Lennon is also getting me worried. He needs to change his attitude in the game. He must get committed . If the balls are being short in supply get back and fetch it. Don’t stand with your hand s on your hip. If lennon picks up his work rate and concentration we will be very dangerous in attack. We must buy a experienced central defender of King’s quality. Dawson cannot lead the line in defensive. He is clueless. We must get someone who can command. We must start playing Tom and Sandro that will help our defence. For GOD sake why will Harry wants to buy a player like Joe Cole. He is past his sell by date. If he was good Liverpool will play him. He did not want to sign for us a year back. He loves money and not the game.
We all know Lennon could produce more, but you need to acknowledge that with Van Der Vaart in our team: a) we play one up front, so there is less to aim for in the box. b) Vdv never maintains position. When you have a player in a free role like that, the others around him have to work more DEFENSIVELY. Lennon did not play particularly well on Monday BUT he was vital in giving us a chance in the match for 60 mins by restricting the attacking of BOTH Young and Evra. Lennon’s threat meant that Evra could not attack as much as he normally does. Lennon’s pace has been invaluable in mopping up when the oppositon get passed our midfield. Without Lennon’s pace on Monday, we would have been hammered by half time. But yes Lennon was guilty of being incredibly blinkered when he somehow did not spot VDV for that cut back. Hopefully that was just 1st game rust.
He is the most frustrating player at WHL, I think its all based down to confidence with him, when he is on form he is amazing until he gets injured, he returns and it takes him 9 months to get into the swing of things
As he has got older his confidence to take on a man has gone, he hasnt got amazing technical ability, he was just very agile with the ability to change direction at speed, when he loses his speed I feel he may turn into one of the poorest footballers in the game and will have to retire, this is why I would cash in on him now
The chance at Old Trafford was unforgivable, many will argue not many players would of ended up in that position but its irrelevant because he FFFed it up anyway.
I would do everything in my power to sign Marko Marin and play him right side with the ability to cut in and sell this guy to whoever for some reason he is still very attractive to teams like Liverpool and Man City, I could also see Inter or AC Milan going in for him.
I like Harry too….he is just a little “jobs for the boys” at times.
“Famous 4-3 win”…………………. who was that against?
I think he’s referring to West Ham Utd , when we scored two late goals after the Hammers had taken a two nil lead.
I can’t think of too many goals that Tanio scored, especially in 4-3 wins to us.
I’m sure that was Paul Stalteri!! I want to know what game he means now! Had a look on youtube and cant find anything!!
I thought it was Salteri as well, and Berbatov put the ball through against West Ham, but it’s also typical that a player who can get many backsides off seats with adrenalin and pace, is now subject to be criticized for a manager’s poor tactics!
Salteri scored the winner, but Tanio scored one of the earlier goals from a back heeled volley from Lennon.
At the time I just thought WOW!!
time has come to put some real pressure on his place, we thought Bentley would do this but thats another story! 🙁 we should play Hudd and Sandro in CM and try modders out wide on the right, in the same manner Benitez used Gerrard (when they re all fit!) use lennon as impact sub against tired legs
Completely overrated. If he can’t cross after all these seasons, he never will. Very poor shot too.
Oh, it’s Lennon’s turn now. The guy on form is unstoppable, can deliver and we have no better alternative anyway. Of course he’s frustrating, and those of us who recall Chris Waddle, should also remember that he was booed by our fans for the best part of two seasons before finally winning them over? I’d sooner have the real threat of pace on our side, than a plodding, deliberate style of play that we’d have without the likes of Lennon or Bale in the side, both of which were poor on Monday, but that was Monday wasn’t it?
Was Lennon playing against Manure, I thought we only had 10 men.
He wanted Kyle Walker to overlap, when clearly his role is to commit defenders, he only had one man against him, as Manc double marked Gareth Bale, he seemed content to get rid of the ball and then poorly.
No tactical appreciation, he didnt even try switching wings, his crossing is poor, I felt he was apalling.
He does’nt look for space, he can be exciting, but personally I now prefer young Townsend.
He must improve or be sold, sorry.
So, you’d prefer a unproven, untried or tested player in Townsend!..based on what exactly?
Give Lennon a better target than Crouch and he would have a pile of assists. Someone who could put the ball away please.
Watching Young for Man Utd vs lennon was depressing. Yes a lot has to do with tactics and the overall team – but Lennon did not look fit to lick his boots. He has unfortunately not improved and I would have preferred nZogbia to him
Although i don’t agree with this,
Lennon could be a little better.. and will be.
Harry Redknapp, the team and i have faith in him.
He’ll be a key player this season for us, and i’m sure him and Jermaine Defoe will provide the pace up front needed.
Lennon problem is…
He is unsure what to do after beating his man…
There’s no point crossing it to either VDV, Defoe or Crouch because they are all weak in the air. (Crouch can’t head, he just let’s the ball hit cranium)…
He then dribbles closer and because he can’t shoot with his left or play a killer pass on the ball when in the box, he ends up doing nothing…
He needs to beat his man and then cut in towards goal, instead of carrying along the by-line, so he has a better angle to shoot, like he did at Liverpool last season or pass, like he did against Milan.
Ultimately his lack of end result is due to the poor tactical coaching because I’m no professional and even I can see the problem.