Is It Time For Spurs To Look Towards A Future Without Aaron Lennon?

SELL SELL SELL SELL

I wish I had two more thumbs, so I could give this four thumbs down!!!
Do not sell Lennon. Rather just make him a squad player if you bring in another right winger.
//Lennon is my favorite Spurs, so maybe I have blind bias.

I personally feel like Aaron Lennon has added an extra dimension to his game this season that we haven’t had enough of a chance to get a feel for. With the inverted wingers/double stuffed wingers that we were seeing in the fall, and with Adebayor’s innerchange and short passing with the wingers, Lennon had a couple of really great goals on the left side.

Obviously, Bale has added goals to his game and become much more multi-dimensional player and he is basically impossible to mark out of a game these days with his movement in and out and his threat crossing or shooting. It’s not the same at all with Lennon, who is certainly still a somewhat one-dimensional player, but I do feel like Lennon has done this to a lesser extent. I think there may come a time to sell him in the next year or so, but I’d like to see a little bit more of him on the field before deciding because I see some potential for development there with his movement to the left side and his ability to pass and move quickly closer to the goal.

Crossing is still bleh, of course.

I really like Lennon, but wingers to me are a bit like relief pitchers. There are guys who can do it everywhere. Sure, not like Bale but guys who can be in Lennon’s class are everywhere.

Interesting stats on chances created per minute. Since 2007, Lennon ranks 15th in the country, creating a scoring opportunity roughly every 45 minutes. (Top is Cesc at 33 minutes). He’s the highest ranked English player on the list.

I don’t think he’s as one dimensional as suggested. He’s lately demonstrated the ability to pop up on the left and link really really well with Bale, and come inside and shoot. He’s had trouble in the past being marked out of games, but since Bale’s come into the side that really hasn’t been as much of a problem. Usually the defense’s attention is focused on Bale and our left wing leaving Lennon in space to punish the other team. His defensive ability and workrate is outstanding for a winger, and Nick, I will argue with you about this forever if need be.

Yes, his decision-making can be poor at times, and sometimes his delivery isn’t the greatest. But compared to the service from Kyle Walker on the right that we’ve seen lately, Lennon is basically David Beckham. Also, we had a guy with great delivery recently. His name was David Bentley. That was not a good time.

I don’t know how important crossing is or should be to our style of play. I would much rather us play clever diagonals and incisive balls into the box than lumping balls at Adebayor’s head. Which Lennon is capable of doing.

I’m not saying he can’t be upgraded on, but there’s no reason to send him to the glue factory quite yet. And if Harry ever learns squad rotation, he can be a regular part of the first team with winger x and Bale, even if he doesn’t play every game.

tl;dnr

upgrading Lennon and extending Saha or upgrading at striker and bringing in a pacey back-up at RM. I would rather spend my money for the person up front.

There are really only three field positions Spurs can upgrade this summer. Center back, right midfield and striker. Outside of a handful of players IN THE WORLD (and more money/salary than we can afford), every other position cannot be improved upon. So we look at those three positions.

Spurs are already in the market for strikers. Hopefully that means someone at least up to Adebayor’s class (or Adebayor himself), but finding a player that is a significant upgrade over Adebayor will be difficult. Adebayor’s finishing has left us wanting this season, but his creativity, off-the-ball movement and work rate have been excellent. Adebayor isn’t perfect, but I think it’ll take someone bordering on World Class to significantly improve that position. Can Spurs sign that player? Man I hope so.

Center backs. Looking at the stats, Spurs are 5th in the league for average goals conceded:
Manchester City – 0.79
Liverpool – 0.88
Manchester United – 1.00
Sunderland – 1.00
Tottenham Hotspur – 1.04

Now, take into account that we allowed 8 goals in our first two games with an unsettled Luka, no Scott Parker (or any holding mids for that matter), and no Adebayor holding up play. If we take those two games out of the equation, Spurs allowed 17 goals in 22 games, for an average of 0.77 goals per game. That’s a goals allowed average BETTER THAN MANCHESTER CITY. Can Spurs get better in defense? Marginally. I might be in the minority, but I think Kaboul, Dawson and Caulker make excellent first choice center backs for next season. Any game King gets in is gravy. Spurs just need cover.

So, right midfield. Personally, I like Aaron Lennon. I think he’s an exciting albeit frustrating winger and his pace makes defenses have to adjust. The thing is, pacey right wingers seem to be a dime a dozen. We even have a Lennon clone in Andros Townsend waiting in the wings. If Spurs can get anything over £15m for Lennon they’d be crazy not to take it. And as long as Bale and VDV are in the side, I don’t see Spurs going back to a traditional 4-4-2 with touchline-hugging wingers sending in crosses. I think what serves Spurs better is a right winger with a better eye for goal and creativity, like a Juan Mata or Arjen Robben (or even Clint Dempsey for that matter). I’d like to see Spurs try to bring in Loic Remy or Lukas Podolski. Spurs can be getting better production out of that position, and having Aaron Lennon there, while serviceable, is sorta like having a first baseman that hits for average.