Player Watch: Erik Lamela

[GutBucket]

£22m for Barisic would be an incredibly poor bit of business, imo. He’s not £22m worth of player and, at 27, he’s not likely going to be.

Agree, never buy Croatian left backs. Wouldn't mind any of the midfielders in NT, but stay clear of left backs.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

When you have to look for all the "underrated" things a player brings to because no sort of argument whatsoever can be made for him being any good at his actual day job and the primary function he was originally bought for....yeah, it's an absolute no-brainer he needs to be gone.

He's not good (enough), and I really hope we can get rid.

 

[USAYID]

I know Ill get shit for this but I think he is the most over-rated Spurs player since I got satellite TV and starting watching the games again 15 years ago. I like him fine but he just never panned out.

Really? More than David Bentley or Darren Bent?

 

[fortworthspur]

Really? More than David Bentley or Darren Bent?

yup. Bent actually scored some goals for us. But the difference is both of those guys were generally viewed as disappointments. Lamela has maintained a loyal following around here that Ive never understood.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Really? More than David Bentley or Darren Bent?

Nobody particularly rated them. They were obviously much worse for us than Lamela.

I also don’t think Lamela is so much overrated as he’s just plain liked. I think most of us recognise his limitations but applaud his virtues.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

yup. Bent actually scored some goals for us. But the difference is both of those guys were generally viewed as disappointments. Lamela has maintained a loyal following around here that Ive never understood.

There’s far bigger examples of players who’ve had his cult like loyalty without having really contributed. Freund is revered as some kind of cult hero, the guy made Sissoko look like Xavi. I keep seeing posts that think Sean Davis made some tangible impact on us. He didn’t. He played 3 decent games, got injured, and came back looking like a fat drunk on roller skates after we’d been spoiled by 9 months of Carrick. There’s also several posters who seem to remember Stalteri as somehow resembling a footballer. He didn’t. He was awful.

Lamela has been a useful professional squad option, he’s given us some very memorable moments but he’s also frustrated as there’s always been a feeling that he could blossom into a complete number 10 but he’s just never added that ruthless, decisive ability to create. Overrated however he isn’t, he’s just appreciated for what he does do and criticised for what he doesn’t.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

leGin in the motherflipping house last night

 

[daryl hannah]

When you have to look for all the "underrated" things a player brings to because no sort of argument whatsoever can be made for him being any good at his actual day job and the primary function he was originally bought for....yeah, it's an absolute no-brainer he needs to be gone.

He's not good (enough), and I really hope we can get rid.

I quite enjoy these small essays on why Lamela is a useful squad player - you wouldn't get a small essay with say, Hoddle, or Gascoigne, for example - just superlatives. The mark of a great player.

 

[wrd]

I quite enjoy these small essays on why Lamela is a useful squad player - you wouldn't get a small essay with say, Hoddle, or Gascoigne, for example - just superlatives. The mark of a great player.

You're comparing a squad player with 2 of our greatest players of all time, that's probably why.

 

[spursfan77]

Keep refreshing the squad. Thank him for his service and move him on.

I cant imagine many of the top teams keeping a player like him on as long as we have.

 

[daryl hannah]

You're comparing a squad player with 2 of our greatest players of all time, that's probably why.

He was bought to replace Bale, no?

*Record signing

 

[wrd]

He was bought to replace Bale, no?

Not really. 7 people were brought in to replace Bale. He just happened to be the player who played in a similar position. Anybody that expected a single 30 million pound signing to replace the 90 million pound player going out was deluded and frankly terrible at basic maths.

 

[Trotter]

Probably should have been sold every season for the last 4 or 5, and I think we have always been open to offers, but either injury or nobody else valuing him anywhere near what we wanted for him has kept him clinging on here.
Been massive disappointment since his arrival, but cannot fault his effort when he crossed the white line, but effort alone does not cut it.

 

[thecook]

Keep refreshing the squad. Thank him for his service and move him on.

I cant imagine many of the top teams keeping a player like him on as long as we have.

This thread will carry on for years after he has actually left too

 

[daryl hannah]

Not really. 7 people were brought in to replace Bale. He just happened to be the player who played in a similar position. Anybody that expected a single 30 million pound signing to replace the 90 million pound player going out was deluded and frankly terrible at basic maths.

Yes... good ol' hindsight

 

[wrd]

Yes... good ol' hindsight

Explain how that is hindsight. We sold Bale and signed 7 people with the money. That's a fact. Lamela cost I think 26-30 mill. If you were expecting him to replace a player who was the most in-form player in the world when we sold him and probably top3 overall at the time that's not me saying this in hindsight, that's you having wholly unrealistic expectations.

 

[PeeEyeEmPee]

He had scored 15 goals the previous season before he arrived. To claim we weren't hoping for him to develop into some sort of Bale replacement is revisionism of the highest order.

 

[Havre]

Explain how that is hindsight. We sold Bale and signed 7 people with the money. That's a fact. Lamela cost I think 26-30 mill. If you were expecting him to replace a player who was the most in-form player in the world when we sold him and probably top3 overall at the time that's not me saying this in hindsight, that's you having wholly unrealistic expectations.

Based on math he should be 1/3 the player Bale was then?

My passing accuracy is about 1/3 of Bale's. I can run about 1/3 of the distance Bale covers in the same amount of time etc.

Lamela was supposed to be better than he has been. Some even thought he was going to become better than Bale. And obviously that wasn't impossible even if it was unlikely.

Vertonghen clearly wasn't able to play for us any longer, but I wouldn't have been upset if he had been given one more year. I don't think Sissoko is good enough to be a regular starter for us, but I got noting but respect for the way he has handled himself and gone from atrocious to being very good at times. Lamela never lived up to his hype, but I can't fault him for anything in terms of trying. A bit of a trend among quite a few players. Was easier when we had sulking Keane etc. - you just wanted them gone.

 

[C0YS]

He was bought to replace Bale, no?

*Record signing

We shouldn't be judging players for what we bought them to be, but for what they offer us now. Lamela is now a squad player, in one of our most successful seasons, he wasn't a squad player. He actually started pretty much every match he was fit for. Son only came into the squad through injury to Lamela. Lamela had limitations then, but was a major contributor to our success too, and people are quick to forget that.

I said this before, with no explanation, but I'll say it again. End product is overrated Lamela's isn't that bad (averages to around 15-20 goals and assists per minute played, which is like Willian and much better than the vast majority of players linked in to replace him, like Cantwell, who hasn't registered a single goal or assists since, like, January).

But even if it was bad. End product is a modern obsession, which sees x player needs x goals or they arent good. But by this metric.

Maradona, mediocre, never scored more than 16 goals in the league a season, Okay I guess.

Zidane, shit, never scored more than 10 goals in a league season, he didn't even register that many assists. I mean he scored 24 goals and 15 assists in 151 games for Juve. Complete turd.

Nedved, my god, how did he win a ballon dor? 11 goals was his top haul in the league, and that was in serie B. 51 goals in 247 games, mate what a joke. Assists would be better right? Well he got 1 in serie B, 43 all in all. How on earth is he a club legend?

Bergkamp. OMG, the guy averaged a goal every 4 games, what a fraud

David Ginola, wow. most overrated rated player ever. 103 games for 14 goals and 7 assists. Ouch, what a waste of space.

I could go on and on and on. I know the game has changed, but it's just reached absurd levels, were production is everything some people, ignoring what players do as a team as a whole. I'm not saying Lamela is at those levels. He isn't, but I don't care how many goals he scores or sets up. I care about is he able to help us win, and the answer to that is yes. Lamela has helped us win on countless occasions, on closing games out on changing the games when he comes on.

Since the break, I advise you to look at our goals post break, and just notice how many times Lamela shows up. He doesn't, ever make the final pass in this time, but he was involved in so many goals during that time. Lamela makes a clear contribution when he comes on, often noticeable, but people care way too much about 'goals and assists rather than contributions to winning games.

I'm just sick of it to be honest. Lamela isn't a key player for us, and certainly not any more. But he's still useful and has contributed so much to this club. People think Madrid are ungrateful because they are judging Bale unfairly thanks to an inflated fee, but we do the same. Ignoring the fact he has clearly already proved worth his value. The fact he wasn't the player you expected is completely irrelevant in how you judge him as a player.

 

[King of Otters]

He had scored 15 goals the previous season before he arrived. To claim we weren't hoping for him to develop into some sort of Bale replacement is revisionism of the highest order.

I guess whether or not we expected him to emulate Bale is up for debate, but I think it's fair to assume that we expected him to develop into something other than the hardworking but ineffective attacking midfielder he eventually became.

Yes, he's a trier, but his Spurs career has been a massive disappointment for me.