Comments on: A quick lesson about Neil Lennon..

By: Radgie

Radgie — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:00:38 +0000

Yes I get the Neil Lennon role, I just don’t think he’s doing it well enough. His positional play is excellent. His distribution is good if not always effective – doesn’t choose the best pass enough and often plays it to a man who’s marked rather than in space. His tackling is the area I’m dissapointed with. His role is to break up play, win the ball back and I just don’t see enough of that from him.

He needs to do what he does best – like he did at Leicester; win the ball and give it to Muzzy Izzet. Please do the same for the Reds – win the ball and give it to Commons/Cohen – not to Wilson/Morgan/Breckin.

I actually think Sammy would do better in this role than Lennon and now Davies is fit and Lennon is “injured”, maybe we’ll see this. Sammy has all the attributes to become League One’s Roy Keane.

By: latenightpsycho

latenightpsycho — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:40:52 +0000

John McGovern, bless him – ‘Hit him with your handbag’ tbbm used to shout every week without fail. And somehow it was always funny.

By: beestonred

beestonred — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:51:39 +0000

I totally agree Lennon is doing alright

By: SolRed

SolRed — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:17:03 +0000

Totally agree with nffc re holding player. Every good side [ever] has had one. Even the ‘total football’ Dutch sides of the 70s made sure someone was doing that job.

The key thing is that in great teams that player can do the mundane [break up attacks, put a foot in, cover defenders on runs etc] AND play 50 yard passes and weigh in with a goal or two.

Those players are rare. The aforementioned mr McGovern was a master. Doubt it? Who was it Clough took from Harlepool to Derby to Leeds to Forest – sir Brian knew the value of having a quality holding player.

Be thankful for what we’ve got and be certain that skilful holding players don’t exist in the third division.

By: Siggs

Siggs — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:02:53 +0000

whilst i cant deny that lennon does allow the other midfield players to get forward i also think he could occasionally look for a forward pass. The amount of wasted runs made by the front 3 on saturday was very high and he could av tried the odd through ball now and again. Also his decision to pull the ball back to a marked clingan rather than cross from the byline was somewhat disappointing. I am not doubtin lennon’s ability but i feel he could do more

By: FedUpRed

FedUpRed — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:04:00 +0000

I agree with pretty much all of that.

I just thought he slowed it down too much on Saturday which enabled them to get men back and regroup. Him failing to get up after being dumped on his arse in the corner was disappointing, though.

By: Forest Forest

Forest Forest — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 20:21:39 +0000

Absoluyely, nffc. Lennon is not about speed; his role is to be the midfield General, not the box-to-box dynamite. His role is pivotal, and he’s kind of a mobile wall – the opposition players don’t get past him, and ours can bounce balls off him. If you watch him, he stays in a square about 50′x50′, most of the time, moving enough to be available. He provides the stability for Clingan, Davies, Commons or Cohen to move beyond midfield.

It’s the same arguement as to why England can’t play 4-4-2 with Lampard and Gerrard in the center of the park. Both are marauders, and neither are best suited to holding, so you need to play one of them with a Scholes/Hargreaves/Barry type as the holding midfielder.

I think he’s been brilliant for us in the games so far this season.

By: nffc

nffc — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:22:51 +0000

Aye, I alas am not lucky enough to have witnessed John McG as a player – I have of course seen some highlights though.

I do think he was more mobile than Lennon though, you’re right – but anyone who saw Lennon play for Celtic or even Leicster shouldn’t be all that surprised about this

On paper I’d take Lockwood over Bennett any time, but having only seen Matt fleetingly in a Forest shirt it’s a hard call right now. Whilst he has his faults, Bennett has stepped up a level this season I think

By: EgorTheRed

EgorTheRed — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:19:18 +0000

Good article nffc…….. and yes, personally I do get Lennon’s role.

Being an “older” fan I saw a lot of John McGovern (aka Kermit) and I what I would say is I believe he had a lot more mobility than Lennon but maybe that just an age thing.

As for Bennett v Lockwood, whilst Bennett is undoubtedly a trier and 110% committed, give me Lockwood at left back anyday because he looks so much better going forward.