Lee Hendrie and his Role This Coming Season

[bickster]

OK now most people have an opinion on Ickle Lee but this summer on these boards we've hardly seen his name mentioned, so I was wondering what everyone's opinion on our ex England midfielder is right now

[Bumpa]

He's done OK under DOL...if his scoring run had continued he would have been a starter, but I see him as a decent squad player.

[BOF]

I was only talking to a ManUre supporting mate about him this morning (I do hang around with some filth don't I). I can't see a role for him. DOL seems to have Davis above him in the attacking midfield pecking order. Berson is being told he has a role. Djemba is the favourite to start if Davis doesn't, and I presume he didn't sign Berger to cut the oranges. I really can't see where and when Hendrie is going to play, short of an injury crisis or regular 30 minute slots here and there. I voted for 'wont feature much'. But I wouldn't argue against someone who thought he might be on the list by January - purely out of frustration of not playing.

[blandy]

There's no one else in the squad can do what Lee does, when he's playing well. I wouldn't expect him to play every game, but I think as long as he stays fit and in form he'll be a

Regular First teamer and confounding his critics.

[Jez]

No chance a bit player coming on in most games!

[Jon]

bench option for me, for most of the reasons that Bri has just written. might get the odd game on the right, but chances in the centre, i think, will be confined to coming off the bench.

[ozvillafan]

No surprises here....

... I side with Blandy.

Davis, Berger, Meh. Hendrie is still the best creative central midfielder we have. With a fit McCann or Gem doing the dirty work for him, he'll shine - as he did when McCann was in the team last season and he was banging them in for fun. No surprise, then, that his influence waned when McCann was injured.....

.....Nah. Must have been contract time. :roll:

[jt]

I can't see much of a role for him with DD x2 and Davies both being singled out as having vital roles to play this year.

[Richard]

Funny one this. He has shown that his link up play with JPA has the potential to really develop into something good for us.

But that seems to be all that Lee is, potential to develop.

Went for bench , coming on most games although wouldn't be surprised to see him off to somehwere like Fulham

[ahamaad]

He has the potential, and I really hope we can see some more of his spectacular goals this coming season. His best was against Fulham, knew it had gone in and started celebrating before he hit the back of the net.

DOL rates him and can't see him selling him.

[avfc1982]

In an ideal world we'd all want him to be a massive success wouldn't we??

In reality if he's still flattering to decieve by Xmas i'd sell him in January while we can still get a fee for him.

[Risso]

I'll think he'll mainly be used as back up to Solano on the right of midfield. He's a bit like Hitz really, scores a few goals but otherwise doesn't have enough of an impact on a game, especially when we're up against it.

[ianrobo1]

he's had potential now for 10 years and each time let himself, the manager, the team and the fans down.

so we give him yet another year/chance to fail, the same as we do with Ellis.

[avfcinwales]

Of all the players in the squad he's the one whose performance, long and short term, is solely down to his own mental attitude.

He's due a killer season, but as with everything Lee Hendrie, that probably means he's due a stinker.

Potential and probably, are two words that can easily be used with most of our players this season, but Lee Hendrie remains the biggest probable with the most potential of them all, perhaps Gareth Barry could run him close in the potential stakes.

As one of his biggest defenders here and elsewhere I happen to feel this could be his make or break season. Sadly, unlike Barry, I have real doubts about his ability to seize the moment.

[ChrisVillan]

Went for on the bench coming on most games. Just now we can't afford to entirely write him off, when he's on his game he undoubtedly makes us that little bit better. I do believe though that this season will be his last chance. If he does have a stinker he will IMO finally have officially failed to fulfil all that potential and it's time to send him to Coventry while our (several) other midfielders take over not only his starting place, but his place on the bench too.

[Trinity-Tom]

I think he will feature quite regularly to be honest. O\'Leary likes him and he is, on his day, unstoppable with some of his shots and step overs. I think he and Solano will be rotated a little to keep them both fresh.

I think he could be at his best and most dangerous coming off the bench with half an hour to go. He has great energy and an eye for goal. Not sure if he will be happy with that sort of role though.

[tonyh29]

I presume he didn't sign Berger to cut the oranges

Quite right , with berger's injury pronness he'd slice a finger off

Think DOL see's him as backup for Solano and CM ..whether or not LH is happy with that role remains to be seen .......

[theboyangel]

I also think Lee will be used mainly as a sub with the central pairing roles being taken mainly by McCann, DJx2, Davis and Berson (please!)

Hendrie will be stand-in for Solano, a role I personally don't think he fills properly.

He's a bit of an enigma really, he can go for 4-5 games playing some amazing football and then not a peep from him for a few months... His attitude (off the pitch) is also a liability and this may affect his selection chances.

One worrying thing for me is that's he's one of our senior players and highly influential on the youngsters in the club (and we have plenty).. maybe that's why DOL's bought in the likes of Phillips and Berger, old heads, good footballers and not at all prone to controversy on or off the pitch??

[bickster]

Personally I think Lee will be asking for a transfer by January unless we get a load of injuries

[ahamaad]

FWIW I think he loves the club and plays with a passion we don't see in other players. I think he is a clearing in the woods off and sometimes on the pitch, and he can be a headless chicken sometimes, but he is a vital player.