Soldado and Lamela, the elephant in the room.

[Geyzer Soze]

He has been injured a lot this year and has still bagged a fair few goals not to mention setting a few up and being a general nuisance, even if he doesnt have a great game he causes problems unlike Soldado, who does absolutely nothing

Beneteke offers so much more than Soldado in every way imaginable, not to mention the fact he is a lot younger

Im not sure if you are insinuating that I slagged Adebayor off but I can assure you that I most definitely did not, have not, and never will

If Soldado ends up being a hit for us then id be more than happy to eat humble pie, of course

But I can bet any money with anyone who has the minerals for it that he will never, ever, be a good player for us and is, and will continue to be, our biggest flop of all time

Postiga and Rebrov were better than him

I had no particular person or people in mind on the Adebayor slagging comment. It was just a general theme for much of last season through till early Jan this year ... It wasn't aimed at you at all

 

[JamieDaCosta]

I had no particular person or people in mind on the Adebayor slagging comment. It was just a general theme for much of last season through till early Jan this year ... It wasn't aimed at you at all

Fair enough, obviously you can understand why I might have thought so considering my thoughts on Soldado (as you compared the 2 schools of thought to a certain extent)

As for Soldado, I genuinely genuinely genuinely would like him to succeed, of course I would

But I also genuinely do not believe he will, we have badly blown a lot of money on 2 players when we could have bought others more suited to our team/league and for a lot less

It defies belief really but oh well, shit happens

 

[TH1239]

Lamela had plenty of opportunities against dynamo dollop, and he didn't exactly set the world alight.

I think we need to see him play for an extended period before we can describe him the way you do, and I have been saying this since the day he signed. We just don't know how good he is yet. Playing against poor teams in Italy is no yardstick for the premier league.

If Serie A is so poor, how come Arsenal didn't humiliate Napoli when they played them two months ago? I mean, it was a must win game for Arsenal, and they just got utterly smashed in Naples. If an average footballer like Lamela could provide two assists (in a major upset for Roma last May) against a Napoli side that included Cavani and Hamsik, surely the top footballing club in England should've crushed a weakened Napoli in such a vital contest? Can you explain that to me, please?

It's ludicrous the amount of doubt people have in Lamela. Anyone who has tracked him knows his immense talent. He's the of the only players in the entire squad to have no started consecutive games for us. Just let that sink in. Yet, we continue to deploy wingers who have provided little to no end product. Scoring 15 goals and providing 4 assists in Serie A is an outstanding return, especially in a team that was as dysfunctional as Roma last season. I guarantee you that if Lennon or Townsed were given two seasons in Serie A, they wouldn't produce at that level. Hell, Coutinho, who is a guaranteed starter at Liverpool, hardly produced anything of note while at Inter (and surely no one will argue that he is physically stronger and more adaptable to the Prem than Lamela).

If Tim wants to keep his job, he'll need to introduce Lamela as soon as he is fit. We won't finish top 4 without him. People can laugh at that all they want, but we've seen from ample game time that Lennon, Townsend, and Sigurdsson just aren't going to provide enough goals or assists to allow us get to the potential 75 points we need to beat out Liverpool and United.

 

[JamieDaCosta]

If Tim wants to keep his job, he'll need to introduce Lamela as soon as he is fit. We won't finish top 4 without him.

We won't finish in the top 4 without Lamela....are you messing around or are you actually being serious????

 

[JamieDaCosta]

We won't finish in the top 4 without Lamela....are you messing around or are you actually being serious????

@indianspurs - What exactly are you disagreeing with or are you just trying to wind me up

 

[beats1]

He has been injured a lot this year and has still bagged a fair few goals not to mention setting a few up and being a general nuisance, even if he doesnt have a great game he causes problems unlike Soldado, who does absolutely nothing

Beneteke offers so much more than Soldado in every way imaginable, not to mention the fact he is a lot younger

Im not sure if you are insinuating that I slagged Adebayor off but I can assure you that I most definitely did not, have not, and never will

If Soldado ends up being a hit for us then id be more than happy to eat humble pie, of course

But I can bet any money with anyone who has the minerals for it that he will never, ever, be a good player for us and is, and will continue to be, our biggest flop of all time

Postiga and Rebrov were better than him

Other than create more chances than any other new striker according to Opta, in a team until AVB left didn't create many chances

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

Lamela had plenty of opportunities against dynamo dollop, and he didn't exactly set the world alight.

I think we need to see him play for an extended period before we can describe him the way you do, and I have been saying this since the day he signed. We just don't know how good he is yet. Playing against poor teams in Italy is no yardstick for the premier league.

Does that even count as an extended opportunity? If it does then my grasp of the English language is obvioulsy different to yours.

 

[mrlilywhite]

I'd say the problem is we've spent over £50m on two players who we've then done our very best to avoid playing and isolate as much as possible.

The club's a joke. I don't think any other club could fuck up signing two of Europe's brightest talents like we have.

This is the absolute truth! I have spoke too many spurs fans this season and they all are of the opinion that both Lamela and Soldado have been poor and accept that their game time should be limited until they prove themselves , And I am like wtf? Most have been calling for Defoe to return over Soldado!! These types of fans though are often found drooling over the words of Durham on talkshite or sit glued reading the current bun, It is these types of fans that really need a slap round the head with the tail of a wet fish, You know the kind that are always spouting that we should play player x or y cause talksport say's so!

I can see that they are both exceptional talents and if I am honest, They deserve to be at a club that would appreciate them. Anyone that spouts crap about Soldado being pony really knows fuck all about the game. There is of course a ? mark over Lamela, Though only due to his lack of game time. We need to make him feel that his home is here and give him the bloody backing the kid needs. So many people were spouting the same shit about Modric when he first came, Two seasons later and they were all crying in their pillows because he went to Madrid. People who know fuck all often try and compensate by jumping the gun and try being the ones to say "I told ya so", Just so they can show everyone they know something, Unfortunately they seem to be more in the majority nowadays.

 

[jezz]

Lets have a pop at the players who didnt even play last night.
Wow we really are sinking to new depths here.

 

[nightgoat]

Just a couple of things....

First, would you SERIOUSLY rather have Soldado than Benteke, if you seriously think that then we might as well just call it a day there....

Second, stats do not tell the full story and anyone can quote stats, if you think those stats provide an argument that Soldado is a better player then we might as well just call it a day there....

Have you seen Benteke this season? If you have, you'll know he's been turd. If you haven't, he's been turd.

 

[JamieDaCosta]

Other than create more chances than any other new striker according to Opta, in a team until AVB left didn't create many chances

Oh god, here we go again, more stats, where exactly did you get this from and if you believe it to be so impressive then im assuming that means you'd also rather have him than any other striker in our league....oh yes, Soldado is definitely better than Suarez, Aguero, Rooney, Adebayor, Van Persie, Berbatov etc etc etc....why? Oh because according to opta, he has created more chances than any other striker, or new striker, same thing

You know people are really scraping the bucket when they have to use certain stats

Did you know that Mark Noble is the best midfielder in the LEAGUE in terms of helping his team keep a clean sheet......according to Opta

 

[kaz Hirai]

Have you seen Benteke this season? If you have, you'll know he's been turd. If you haven't, he's been turd.

Bit harsh, he has still scored more than soldado in the league having played slightly less

Still I think soldado is quite a clever forward and I hope he will show more next season under the new manager

 

[nightgoat]

Wish I could believe that

It is puzzling how the OS has had regular updates on the fitness of Vertonghen, Kaboul, Sandro, Paulinho and Townsend as they return from injury, but zero regarding Lamela.

He played in a training ground friendly a few weeks ago which would indicate he's injury free, if not totally match fit, and there's been no mention of him picking up any further injury. But then he wasn't involved in the West Ham friendly which Vertonghen, Kaboul, Sandro and Paulinho played in, and you'd think if he still needed match fitness he'd have been involved somehow.

 

[JamieDaCosta]

Have you seen Benteke this season? If you have, you'll know he's been turd. If you haven't, he's been turd.

And yet he's still better than Soldado

Although yes I have seen him and id say he has been far from turd, we must be watching a different player then I reckon

If you really do think that then god knows what you must think of Soldado.....

That pretty much closes that debate then

 

[nightgoat]

Other than create more chances than any other new striker according to Opta, in a team until AVB left didn't create many chances

What a nothing cross.

 

[nightgoat]

Bit harsh, he has still scored more than soldado in the league having played slightly less

Still I think soldado is quite a clever forward and I hope he will show more next season under the new manager

Yeah, maybe a bit harsh. Certainly compared with last season he's been nowhere near as good.

But like you say, Soldado is a clever player. His link up play at times is exceptional. You don't play a pass like his for Lennon at Man Utd without being a clever player.

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

What a nothing cross.

Closed eyed toepunt, clearly.

 

[beats1]

Oh god, here we go again, more stats, where exactly did you get this from and if you believe it to be so impressive then im assuming that means you'd also rather have him than any other striker in our league....oh yes, Soldado is definitely better than Suarez, Aguero, Rooney, Adebayor, Van Persie, Berbatov etc etc etc....why? Oh because according to opta, he has created more chances than any other striker, or new striker, same thing

You know people are really scraping the bucket when they have to use certain stats

Did you know that Mark Noble is the best midfielder in the LEAGUE in terms of helping his team keep a clean sheet......according to Opta

See now you're just being a douche, I wasn't arguing his quality with you

You stated he does nothing yet he has created more chances than any new striker. So clearly he is doing something.

You don't rate soldado, fair enough thats your opinion but stating a player does nothing as fact when clearly statistics show he does, well it makes you look silly.

 

[mrlilywhite]

And yet he's still better than Soldado

Although yes I have seen him and id say he has been far from turd, we must be watching a different player then I reckon

If you really do think that then god knows what you must think of Soldado.....

That pretty much closes that debate then

This is what I don't get, You can't compare Benteke against Soldado, In terms of strikers they are polar opposites of each other. Benteke is your brawn and Soldado is your brains. What you think of Soldado is subjective and is determined by what you want him to bring to the team, If it is goals (He has missed some sitters, though I think you could put that down to him snatching at them a bit) then your supply to him needs to be to feet and inside the box, He is a poacher but he also has a lot of technical ability and as proven already can assist, But you have to ask questions about the other players that are in the team to assist him more than pose questions about his ability, Which he has already answered in La liga. Given time, He will be scoring a lot more but you have to realise that is dependant on the players in the supporting roles.

Benteke, on the other hand is limited in terms of technical ability and uses his strength and hold up play to be effective, He has great aerial ability at times and would, no doubt be a good addition to any squad. How good a player he would of been at Spur's over Soldado is largely debatable. Both players demand a certain way in which to fulfil their relative potential and that boils down to the club's that they play for. Do we accommodate Soldado in the way that would make full use of his ability? I don't think we do and I also don't think that we accommodate a lot of our players in their best positions or abilities. I would argue that you would be having the same thoughts on Benteke as you do Soldado if he were instead of him.

Just ask Dembele, Holtby, Sig, Chadli, Capoue, Vertonghen, Lamela and even Eriksen to some extent about positional play and see if they are happy. My thoughts regarding everything about our new signings are that our club has let them down. We don't have a defined system or formation that has been used that greatly exploits the strength of our team. Bad choices have been made time and time again this season and AVB appears that he is not the only one who does not have much of a clue when it comes to tactics. Until we get someone who understands what each player brings to the table and how to maximise them, Then we will continue to have the same debate about under performing players.

 

[sundanceyid10]

The fact is we've spent over £50m on two players who've barely made an impact. Unthinkable for a club of our limited spending power really. What a cock up.

Sad but true, to spend this much on them for so little return is poor