yeah. my fat thumb. the m & n are next to each other.
i do think he has a deranged look in his eyes.
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i do think he has a deranged look in his eyes.
Been quality so far this season, particularly as he was heavily linked away on deadline day. His attitude is superb, workrate second to none.
His performance against City was unbelievable, and actually I noticed quite often he gives the ball away simply because he thinks too quickly or is too creative compared to some of his teammates.
A definite starter at the moment for me.
His performance against City was unbelievable, and actually I noticed quite often he gives the ball away simply because he thinks too quickly or is too creative compared to some of his teammates.
A definite starter at the moment for me.
When is the last time you saw De Rossi? The General runs that midfield now.
Edit: Quite literally, a bald eagle.
Some dreams will never fade.
I have been drinking.
He was poor again against Liverpool. Surprised this thread wasn't bumped....
Although I will say at least he actually did a good job tracking back which he clearly didn't do against Swansea.
Although I will say at least he actually did a good job tracking back which he clearly didn't do against Swansea.
Think Poch deserves some credit for this. Seems like him "stopping" Lamela's supposed transfer has given him the confidence he needed to get over the little hump.
Erik showed some excellent footwork against Bournemouth when he was standing still inviting pressure
If he could somehow learn a bit of patience to await defenders commitment before he tries to run into them then maybe he could be onto something
If he could somehow learn a bit of patience to await defenders commitment before he tries to run into them then maybe he could be onto something
After last season I had finally given up, but he has looked massively improved this season. Between getting more out of Lamela, Dier + Alli looking class, Eriksen showing his best in the past few games, Kane maybe rediscovering his form, Alderweireld shoring up our defense. Wow, we have more going right for us right now than we have in years.
Yeah, but our home fans are terrible. Away fans the best. They don't give a fuck about all this. They GET BEHIND THE FUCKING TEAM. Thank god somebody does.
True. This place can be unbearable if we're not winning. I don't spend much time in match threads anymore unless it's to come in and make fun of early melters.
Yes, if you go to the match thread there are people calling you out for not posting in the match thread. It's come full circle now. We - the match goers - are the blind. I won't pretend that doesn't irritate me.
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Unsung hero of the Villa match. He came up big in the last 25 mins. Really took charge out there.
A few posters were spot on in the match thread. He isn't the player we thought we were buying, but he's still found a way to make himself a crucial part of the starting XI.
Let's hope this is just the tip of the iceberg.
A few posters were spot on in the match thread. He isn't the player we thought we were buying, but he's still found a way to make himself a crucial part of the starting XI.
Let's hope this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Erik Lamela in form for Tottenham: Argentine rewarding fans’ patience
A good point raised: Lamela is only two months older than Tom Carroll, and younger than Andros Townsend and Ryan Mason but isn't often considered in that "young" player bracket. His price tag really has been a noose round his neck with the supporters and the press imo and the expectations that we were getting a certain type of player ("where are all the rabonas and nutmegs?") for that money.
Still frustrating to watch him lose the ball or get caught in possession (which Alli has a habit of doing as well) but it's happening less and less and i'm confident that he will continue to grow into the player we hope he can be.
A good point raised: Lamela is only two months older than Tom Carroll, and younger than Andros Townsend and Ryan Mason but isn't often considered in that "young" player bracket. His price tag really has been a noose round his neck with the supporters and the press imo and the expectations that we were getting a certain type of player ("where are all the rabonas and nutmegs?") for that money.
Still frustrating to watch him lose the ball or get caught in possession (which Alli has a habit of doing as well) but it's happening less and less and i'm confident that he will continue to grow into the player we hope he can be.
That is an excellent point! Imagine if we'd paid €30m+ for Townsend or Carroll!!!!!
Erik Lamela in form for Tottenham: Argentine rewarding fans' patience
Erik Lamela in form for Tottenham: Argentine rewarding fans' patience
Tottenham's record signing has tested fans' patience, but Erik Lamela is finally finding his form. Adam Bate examines his improvement...
Roma's owner was still crowing about it in the summer. At a press conference in June, James Pallotta claimed to have met an unspecified member of Tottenham's hierarchy at a party in Sardinia who "still couldn't come to terms with the deal" that was done in paying over £25m for Erik Lamela.
Many Spurs supporters would have felt the same way and it was interesting to hear Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher argue last week that with every player he worked with at Liverpool, it was apparent within a matter of months whether or not they would be able to make the transition.
There was even speculation about a summer exit for Lamela well into August with his obvious potential seemingly unlikely to be fulfilled in a Spurs shirt. That would have been regrettable as there has been sympathy for the challenges the young Argentine has faced on and off the pitch.
"English football is much more physical while the game is more tactical in Italy," said Lamela back in his first season in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino has since agreed that the move from Italy to England can be tougher than other leagues such as France because of these differences.
The adjustment is cultural as well as tactical. Ex-Spurs boss Andre Villas Boas cited language difficulties as an issue for Lamela in those early months, while Kyle Walker admitted he'd struggled to settle after arriving from Sheffield let alone Buenos Aires via Rome.
But the patience couldn't last forever. A response was needed. "I think this is a key season for him," said Pochettino. "After two seasons at Tottenham, now is the moment for him. Not to put pressure, but it's true. It's a key moment for him to develop and to move on his game. It's important."
Lamela has delivered that improvement. There was the pass to Ryan Mason that carved open the Sunderland defence for Spurs' late winner at the Stadium of Light. There was the possession he won on the edge of his own area to spark the counter-attack for Son Heung-Min's winner against Crystal Palace.
Lamela provided the assist for Harry Kane's late goal against Aston Villa
He has scored twice too recently - against Manchester City and Bournemouth - to match his tally from his previous 47 Premier League games, and on Monday night against Aston Villa, it was his measured pass that provided the assist for Harry Kane's nerve-settling final goal.
The way Lamela finished that game, scrapping for the ball in the final third to relieve the pressure on his side, was particularly encouraging. He's now prepared to be the team's decisive player. The chance laid on for Kane was the 24th he has fashioned this season, only one behind Christian Eriksen.
That puts him among the top 10 most creative players in the Premier League and the trajectory is going in the right direction. In his first season at Spurs, Lamela created 1.6 openings per 90 minutes. Last season it was 2.3. Now he's up at 3.4 chances per game, a rate bettered by only a handful of players in the country.
He's done so by embracing Pochettino's approach. Lamela is no luxury. Against Villa, he covered more ground (12.55 kilometres) than any other player on the pitch and there is an intensity to his work too.
In the win over Palace, his total of 70 sprints was the most of any player. Against City, he upped that to 71. "He worked hard for the team up and down the pitch," said Kane of Lamela's efforts that day. "We had the higher press, we were relentless in our running and that's what we've been doing to teams this season."
Lamela's role in that pressing and the defensive contribution he makes shouldn't be overlooked. He makes more tackles and interceptions than any of his fellow attacking midfielders at the club. Pochettino is delighted. "It is good for him and good for us that he is starting to show his real talent and his real quality," he said last month.
Tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes for Spurs' attacking midfielders
"Right now in his mind he is ready to deliver and I think that we can only help him to give an opportunity to show. Lamela is still young, and sometimes you need to create a good dynamic in the team and around the training ground to help some players."
Pochettino has certainly done that and the reference to Lamela's age is a pointed one. The Spurs boss has been praised for the way in which he has brought through young talent at the club but given the Argentine's status as the club's record signing, he is rarely included in that group of players.
However, Lamela is younger than both Andros Townsend and Ryan Mason. In fact, he's only two months older than Tom Carroll. And so, despite the early promise at Roma, it's not unfathomable that Lamela is still learning and his best form is still to come.
Erik Lamela in form for Tottenham: Argentine rewarding fans' patience
Tottenham's record signing has tested fans' patience, but Erik Lamela is finally finding his form. Adam Bate examines his improvement...
Roma's owner was still crowing about it in the summer. At a press conference in June, James Pallotta claimed to have met an unspecified member of Tottenham's hierarchy at a party in Sardinia who "still couldn't come to terms with the deal" that was done in paying over £25m for Erik Lamela.
Many Spurs supporters would have felt the same way and it was interesting to hear Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher argue last week that with every player he worked with at Liverpool, it was apparent within a matter of months whether or not they would be able to make the transition.
There was even speculation about a summer exit for Lamela well into August with his obvious potential seemingly unlikely to be fulfilled in a Spurs shirt. That would have been regrettable as there has been sympathy for the challenges the young Argentine has faced on and off the pitch.
"English football is much more physical while the game is more tactical in Italy," said Lamela back in his first season in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino has since agreed that the move from Italy to England can be tougher than other leagues such as France because of these differences.
The adjustment is cultural as well as tactical. Ex-Spurs boss Andre Villas Boas cited language difficulties as an issue for Lamela in those early months, while Kyle Walker admitted he'd struggled to settle after arriving from Sheffield let alone Buenos Aires via Rome.
But the patience couldn't last forever. A response was needed. "I think this is a key season for him," said Pochettino. "After two seasons at Tottenham, now is the moment for him. Not to put pressure, but it's true. It's a key moment for him to develop and to move on his game. It's important."
Lamela has delivered that improvement. There was the pass to Ryan Mason that carved open the Sunderland defence for Spurs' late winner at the Stadium of Light. There was the possession he won on the edge of his own area to spark the counter-attack for Son Heung-Min's winner against Crystal Palace.
Lamela provided the assist for Harry Kane's late goal against Aston Villa
He has scored twice too recently - against Manchester City and Bournemouth - to match his tally from his previous 47 Premier League games, and on Monday night against Aston Villa, it was his measured pass that provided the assist for Harry Kane's nerve-settling final goal.
The way Lamela finished that game, scrapping for the ball in the final third to relieve the pressure on his side, was particularly encouraging. He's now prepared to be the team's decisive player. The chance laid on for Kane was the 24th he has fashioned this season, only one behind Christian Eriksen.
That puts him among the top 10 most creative players in the Premier League and the trajectory is going in the right direction. In his first season at Spurs, Lamela created 1.6 openings per 90 minutes. Last season it was 2.3. Now he's up at 3.4 chances per game, a rate bettered by only a handful of players in the country.
He's done so by embracing Pochettino's approach. Lamela is no luxury. Against Villa, he covered more ground (12.55 kilometres) than any other player on the pitch and there is an intensity to his work too.
In the win over Palace, his total of 70 sprints was the most of any player. Against City, he upped that to 71. "He worked hard for the team up and down the pitch," said Kane of Lamela's efforts that day. "We had the higher press, we were relentless in our running and that's what we've been doing to teams this season."
Lamela's role in that pressing and the defensive contribution he makes shouldn't be overlooked. He makes more tackles and interceptions than any of his fellow attacking midfielders at the club. Pochettino is delighted. "It is good for him and good for us that he is starting to show his real talent and his real quality," he said last month.
Tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes for Spurs' attacking midfielders
"Right now in his mind he is ready to deliver and I think that we can only help him to give an opportunity to show. Lamela is still young, and sometimes you need to create a good dynamic in the team and around the training ground to help some players."
Pochettino has certainly done that and the reference to Lamela's age is a pointed one. The Spurs boss has been praised for the way in which he has brought through young talent at the club but given the Argentine's status as the club's record signing, he is rarely included in that group of players.
However, Lamela is younger than both Andros Townsend and Ryan Mason. In fact, he's only two months older than Tom Carroll. And so, despite the early promise at Roma, it's not unfathomable that Lamela is still learning and his best form is still to come.
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Erik Lamela: Ossie Ardiles has helped me at Tottenham – now I must follow in his footsteps
By: Tom Collomosse
EXCLUSIVE
Some footballers can be overwhelmed by a derby, but the prospect of a match against Woolwich is unlikely to trouble Tottenham's Erik Lamela.
Tottenham’s £30 million record signing has played in two of the most intense cross-city rivalries in the world — for River Plate against Boca Juniors in the Buenos Aires ‘superclasico’ and for Roma against Lazio in Italy’s capital city showdown.
Lose one of those and you face the fury of your own supporters as well as the monotony of a week-long retreat at the training ground, away from your own home.
Compared with the feverish atmosphere of those matches, then, the north London derby is relatively sedate. “Here in England, there is less of a frenzy,” said Lamela. “There is more in Argentina or Italy, where maybe you lose a game and you won’t be able to leave the stadium in safety.
“That happened before in Argentina and perhaps at Roma when the team weren’t playing well. In Italy, after a few defeats, it’s quite common for the team to have to stay at the training ground for a few days, rather than go home.
“This isn’t the case in England. Fans in England want to win the derbies but people are more respectful. They are wonderful to play in and the 2-1 win over Woolwich last season will stay in my mind forever.”
Lamela also made his Spurs debut against the Gunners, playing 15 minutes as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat at Emirates Stadium in September 2013. He recalled: “That was difficult because I’d only just arrived, I was staying in a hotel and I hadn’t seen the place where I was supposed to live.
“I’d been in London only a couple of days; I didn’t know the way the team played or any of my team-mates. I arrived and barely spoke a word of English, so I didn’t understand anything. Luckily I’m now doing much better with the language and that is a great help.”
Lamela closes down Mesut Ozil last season Photo: Getty
On the pitch, Lamela is improving, too. The 23 year old still struggles to produce consistently the form he showed in his second season at Roma, when he scored 15 goals in 33 Serie A games. There have, however, been far more examples of the talent that persuaded former Spurs technical director Franco Baldini to recommend his signing.
After two disappointing campaigns, Tottenham were prepared to let Lamela go last summer and were in talks with Inter Milan and Marseille. But Lamela stayed and since re-establishing himself in the starting XI, has enjoyed his best spell at the club.
Lamela has scored four goals this season and registered three assists. According to official Premier League statistics, he creates more than three chances per game on average. His first two seasons were disappointing but must be placed in context.
Here was a 21-year-old — Lamela’s age when he joined — who lacked the trust of his managers, Andre Villas-Boas and then Tim Sherwood, and suffered a back injury during his first season that kept him out for five months.
Lamela was nearly 7,000 miles from friends and family in Argentina and struggling to communicate in a country whose culture and customs are different from those he knows. It was easier in Italy, where Spanish speakers pick up the language with far less effort; Lamela remains fluent in Italian despite spending only two years at Roma.
Lamela believes, too, that Mauricio Pochettino is the first Spurs coach to have faith in him.
“Mentally, it’s difficult and you have to be strong,” Lamela admitted. “Luckily, I have my girlfriend with me the majority of the time but my family are back in Argentina, although they visit now and then. I would be at home, outside my own country, maybe without my family and under those circumstances it was hard in the first season when I wasn’t playing.
“I didn’t play as much as I expected and then I had the injury, which lasted too long and wasn’t easy. I went to training but I couldn’t get fit and that was a painful experience. But I had no doubts I wanted to continue on this path. When I came back for the second season, my mindset changed.
“But you need a strong character. I could have stayed in Argentina but because I wanted to grow as a player, I went to Italy. I had the same idea in my mind when I came to Tottenham. As a youngster in South America, there is more chance to express your talent, without thinking too much about formations and tactics. Football over here is much more tactical, so when you come to Europe, you have to learn a lot about these aspects.”
Rick Villa (left) and Ossie Ardiles (right) with Keith Burkinshaw Photo: Keystone/Getty
Lamela is trying to follow in the footsteps of Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa, who joined Tottenham after the 1978 World Cup. Villa is remembered for his wonderful goal against Manchester City in the 1981 FA Cup Final replay. Ardiles went on to manage Spurs and is still remembered affectionately for his decade as a player at White Hart Lane. Ardiles, in particular, has been an important figure for Lamela. He revealed: “We’ve had dinner together, he’s a great guy who gave me a lot of advice and I’m grateful for what he told me.
“He helped me understand what Tottenham means and what the club represents. Whenever I see him at the training ground we say hello, stop and chat. He’s a player who everyone knows, both here and in Argentina, where he was part of the World Cup-winning squad in 1978. I know what he did here and it’s important for me to try to follow that.”
Lamela has some way to go to achieve Ardiles’s status but the winner at Emirates Stadium on Sunday would help him along the way.
Lamela: Ardiles helped me at Spurs and I must follow in his footsteps
By: Tom Collomosse
EXCLUSIVE
Some footballers can be overwhelmed by a derby, but the prospect of a match against Woolwich is unlikely to trouble Tottenham's Erik Lamela.
Tottenham’s £30 million record signing has played in two of the most intense cross-city rivalries in the world — for River Plate against Boca Juniors in the Buenos Aires ‘superclasico’ and for Roma against Lazio in Italy’s capital city showdown.
Lose one of those and you face the fury of your own supporters as well as the monotony of a week-long retreat at the training ground, away from your own home.
Compared with the feverish atmosphere of those matches, then, the north London derby is relatively sedate. “Here in England, there is less of a frenzy,” said Lamela. “There is more in Argentina or Italy, where maybe you lose a game and you won’t be able to leave the stadium in safety.
“That happened before in Argentina and perhaps at Roma when the team weren’t playing well. In Italy, after a few defeats, it’s quite common for the team to have to stay at the training ground for a few days, rather than go home.
“This isn’t the case in England. Fans in England want to win the derbies but people are more respectful. They are wonderful to play in and the 2-1 win over Woolwich last season will stay in my mind forever.”
Lamela also made his Spurs debut against the Gunners, playing 15 minutes as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat at Emirates Stadium in September 2013. He recalled: “That was difficult because I’d only just arrived, I was staying in a hotel and I hadn’t seen the place where I was supposed to live.
“I’d been in London only a couple of days; I didn’t know the way the team played or any of my team-mates. I arrived and barely spoke a word of English, so I didn’t understand anything. Luckily I’m now doing much better with the language and that is a great help.”
Lamela closes down Mesut Ozil last season Photo: Getty
On the pitch, Lamela is improving, too. The 23 year old still struggles to produce consistently the form he showed in his second season at Roma, when he scored 15 goals in 33 Serie A games. There have, however, been far more examples of the talent that persuaded former Spurs technical director Franco Baldini to recommend his signing.
After two disappointing campaigns, Tottenham were prepared to let Lamela go last summer and were in talks with Inter Milan and Marseille. But Lamela stayed and since re-establishing himself in the starting XI, has enjoyed his best spell at the club.
Lamela has scored four goals this season and registered three assists. According to official Premier League statistics, he creates more than three chances per game on average. His first two seasons were disappointing but must be placed in context.
Here was a 21-year-old — Lamela’s age when he joined — who lacked the trust of his managers, Andre Villas-Boas and then Tim Sherwood, and suffered a back injury during his first season that kept him out for five months.
Lamela was nearly 7,000 miles from friends and family in Argentina and struggling to communicate in a country whose culture and customs are different from those he knows. It was easier in Italy, where Spanish speakers pick up the language with far less effort; Lamela remains fluent in Italian despite spending only two years at Roma.
Lamela believes, too, that Mauricio Pochettino is the first Spurs coach to have faith in him.
“Mentally, it’s difficult and you have to be strong,” Lamela admitted. “Luckily, I have my girlfriend with me the majority of the time but my family are back in Argentina, although they visit now and then. I would be at home, outside my own country, maybe without my family and under those circumstances it was hard in the first season when I wasn’t playing.
“I didn’t play as much as I expected and then I had the injury, which lasted too long and wasn’t easy. I went to training but I couldn’t get fit and that was a painful experience. But I had no doubts I wanted to continue on this path. When I came back for the second season, my mindset changed.
“But you need a strong character. I could have stayed in Argentina but because I wanted to grow as a player, I went to Italy. I had the same idea in my mind when I came to Tottenham. As a youngster in South America, there is more chance to express your talent, without thinking too much about formations and tactics. Football over here is much more tactical, so when you come to Europe, you have to learn a lot about these aspects.”
Rick Villa (left) and Ossie Ardiles (right) with Keith Burkinshaw Photo: Keystone/Getty
Lamela is trying to follow in the footsteps of Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa, who joined Tottenham after the 1978 World Cup. Villa is remembered for his wonderful goal against Manchester City in the 1981 FA Cup Final replay. Ardiles went on to manage Spurs and is still remembered affectionately for his decade as a player at White Hart Lane. Ardiles, in particular, has been an important figure for Lamela. He revealed: “We’ve had dinner together, he’s a great guy who gave me a lot of advice and I’m grateful for what he told me.
“He helped me understand what Tottenham means and what the club represents. Whenever I see him at the training ground we say hello, stop and chat. He’s a player who everyone knows, both here and in Argentina, where he was part of the World Cup-winning squad in 1978. I know what he did here and it’s important for me to try to follow that.”
Lamela has some way to go to achieve Ardiles’s status but the winner at Emirates Stadium on Sunday would help him along the way.
Lamela: Ardiles helped me at Spurs and I must follow in his footsteps
What I love most about Erik is, no matter how bad he's been or how bad that teams been, he never hides, he always wants to receive the ball.
I think it was someone in the Kane thread who said "If you're walking through hell, keep going" that was especially true for Lamela, think he might be clear now
I think it was someone in the Kane thread who said "If you're walking through hell, keep going" that was especially true for Lamela, think he might be clear now