TJVillan Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 I have to say...so far I have seen nothing to suggest Joe Bennett is a premier league footballer. In fact I'm struggling to see how he made it at Middlesborough. I hope this is just nerves and playing through injury during the first few games because he's been a massive liability every time he's played. The problem is Lichaj has looked poor recently as well. I haven't seen much of Stevens but from what I've heard he's not ready yet. If I was picking it would probably be between Lichaj and Baker for me. Left back must be number 1 priority in January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 I'm not sure it'll offer us enough up-front Rigo. PL likes to play attacking football and I think that lines up a little too defensively for his tastes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepDish Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 I really hope Bennett can become a player, as I think Lichaj has looked dodgy. Have my doubts, but will give him time before starting the "get rid" messages on Villatalk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Has he even played half a dozen top flight games yet? I think its way too early to judge him. He has looked decent at times and not surprisingly a little naive at others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.V.F.C Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 He has had about 4/5 appearances, and a couple of them cut short by injury, cannot understand the level of animosity aimed at him. Admittedly, I don't think he's done well, but when McLeish went all the members on here who post on twitter were all banging about getting behind a new manager, they knew it was going to be tough but they were happy as long as we were giving it a go etc.....now you wonder whether they either just said those clique'd lines and didn't appreciate how tough it would be, or whether they are just full of shit, we obviously won't replace our summer signing in January, nor should we, kids finding his feet and he needs fans behind him not tweeting him loads of bollocks and ripping him to shreds. Lichaj is not a good left back, he does a job there cause he's such a hero but we all saw v Southampton that when the shit hits the fan down that wing he's not able to stop it. Warnock was a joke, an actual joke, so i'm going to afford the new left back a bit more than 4 odd league appearances. Obviously, I agree he needs to improve, but as I said I think it's abysmal to be dictating whether or not he is worthy of playing in this league at this stage. I think he'll come good, at which point it'll be funny hearing those that slagged him before he'd had a real chance start praising him. I remember this happening with Petrov as well, fans wanted rid, he had our player of the season not too much further forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swerbs Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 I thought he looked alright before he went off against Sunderland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciggiesnbeer Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Yeah I dont see the problem, I thought he played fine until injured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Some newbies seem to find there feet quicker than others. Just means the others will take a little longer to settle in. I am going to give the lad the season to prove himself first before judgement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I rate Lichaj as a full back but not as a wing back - he's very solid defensively but doesn't really have the skill set to attack well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-Reacho Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Of the new signings we made from the lower leagues this summer, that is Lowton, Westwood, Bowery, and Bennett - It was Bennett who had played football at the highest level, and from what I can recall there were Middlesborough fans/journalists who were tipping him to go on and play for England. So on that basis (flimsy though it might be), given the potential that Lowton and Westwood have shown, I reckon PL has spotted something similar that Bennett has to offer. Likewise Bowery; hopefully PL has spotted something in him similar to what he saw in Benteke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooh-Ah Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I remember this happening with Petrov as well, fans wanted rid, he had our player of the season not too much further forward. To be fair, Petrov was poor for a lot longer than four or five games. I think the problem there was that people felt as though MON was persevering with a player simply because HE signed him, when at the time he clearly wasn't up to it. As for Bennett, it's still early days. He looks okay on the ball but more than a bit suspect defensively. But it's far too early to judge him properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted November 5, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted November 5, 2012 Yeah I see no problems with playing Bennet. He's very raw, but that's what you get when you're inexperienced. I think he's got a big future ahead of him. Whenever we make signings I always try to reserve (negative) judgement til their second season. Takes time to settle in. Specially for kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodigan Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 like the lad and think he'll do fine if given time... also liked that he was livid at having to come off in the sunderland game... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 cannot understand the level of animosity aimed at him. Is there any animosity? Just a recognition that he isn't ready to play week in week out in the premier league. NOt sure if he is fit to be selected against Man U but I worry for him if he has to play against their rampant play down the right. What has so far gone unchallenged in this thread is the frequent and casual dismissal of Lichaj as a contender for a first team place. The criticism of him seems largely unjustified to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-Reacho Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Is there any animosity? Just a recognition that he isn't ready to play week in week out in the premier league. NOt sure if he is fit to be selected against Man U but I worry for him if he has to play against their rampant play down the right. What has so far gone unchallenged in this thread is the frequent and casual dismissal of Lichaj as a contender for a first team place. The criticism of him seems largely unjustified to me. Fair point - but he's less convincing at LB. It's odd that the first player PL brought in was Lowton when we had both Herd and Lichaj who were two or our best players from last season and are best suited to RB IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Copey11 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I think the potential of Bennet and Lowton as fullbacks that can get forward is why they were brought in despite the fact that Lichaj was playing fine defensively last season. In the game against Sunderland I thought it was unfortunate that Lichaj came in cold, and even more so that he picked up a ticky tack yellow so quickly. I think Lichaj is trusted as a backup where you don't lose much, if anything, defensively but you will sacrifice a bit going forward, at least on the left (his limited time on the right showed him going forward far more aggressively). One thing I really liked against Johnson was how physical Lichaj was against him. I felt the yellow was harsh, as well as a few other fouls he gave away, but he was tough against Johnson and I think it disrupted his game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folski Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Baines did'nt exactly set the world alight his first few games for Everton, we've bought all these lads from the lower leagues and instead of putting one in along side an experienced group of players, we've had pretty much no choice but to throw Lowton & Bennett in, but not only this, it's into a back line where the only player with a full season of top flight football in that back line is Vlaar. A good back four is always going to take time to gel and when you consider the amount of time they will have played competitively together it's madness to expect big performances from anyone in the backline, no matter how badly needed they are. I remember Evra having a nightmare in his first few games in The Premiership, yet he went on to be one of the best left backs in the world for a few years, and that was after four years of Ligue 1 with Monaco. Patience, while something we might not be able to afford, is needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I don't think there can be a serious comparison between Evra and Bennett. Evra was a very accomplished player who took a bit of time to adapt to the Premier League. Bennett is having to step up a grade or two and isn't looking comfortable at present. Ferguson's strategy with Evra was to pick which matches to play him in and put him on the bench for others. We maybe don't have the luxury for that. We need a proper left back who can play in the big matches while Bennett is learning his trade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folski Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Does that not hammer home my point even further though? If someone with the obvious talent and physicality of Evra can initially strugle in a back line that at the time contained Rio in his prime, is it not completely unfair to jump on the back of a young lad who's come from Boro who's only played a couple of minutes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I don't think there can be a serious comparison between Evra and Bennett. Evra was a very accomplished player who took a bit of time to adapt to the Premier League. Bennett is having to step up a grade or two and isn't looking comfortable at present. Ferguson's strategy with Evra was to pick which matches to play him in and put him on the bench for others. We maybe don't have the luxury for that. We need a proper left back who can play in the big matches while Bennett is learning his trade. chose that well when an over the hill mighty Trevor Sinclair ripped him apart on his debut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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