(15-01-2020, 03:20 PM)Alf Wrote: I like Benny and think that, in an industrial Lamouchi side, he would have helped us haul more points than we have currently.
That said, I think SA makes some good points too. Letting Benny go? Fine. But we've not bought in anyone who gives the side what he gives either (graft + consistency + busyness + versatility + a bit of creativity too).
In fact I think he's a better creative option in this system than Carvalho tbh.
Not gutted we lost him, disappointed though that we haven't replaced him. Hopefully Jan will rectify that. No point us selling such players if those we are spending the money on are as fruitless as Soudani + Jenks for around the same price
I think in this side, we'd have hauled some more points with Ben O' in it. We 'replaced' him with Silva who took a while to get going in this league. The two wingers we have are better but defensively, perhaps not.
ie. To be fair to Jack Robinson... I think Os' would have protected Jack Robinson (who appeared better last season with Ben' ahead of him?) better. He's seen a down turn since Ben left.
Maybe there are question marks over Ameobi and (when he played), Adomah tracking back. Our left side has definitely been targeted. I do feel, with Ben' ahead of the left fullback we were more robust in that particular regard last year.
Also, his busy link up play seemed to prise the best out of Car' last year too. There were moments of brilliance in the interplay. Again, Car' has seen a significant downturn since Ben' left.
Perhaps even Lolley fed off Ben O's busy industry. Another player who hasn't been the same this year.
Ben was a bit of a water carrier in an attacking sense, a good all rounder. For where we're going we need better. I understand why we took the £3 mil' for him. However, losing him has a detrimental effect on about 3 players and we haven't, adequately, replaced him. Whilst having players like Muric, Mir who've been utterly non-starters and mediocre. Whilst a good servant like Ben took a bit of 'the last' at times. I think Ben would have done better than Car', Jack and Silva this season. At the worst he'd have made them look better at the expense of himself. He was, in my eyes, an ACM that played on the left...he brought out the potential in others in the team. This can go under appreciated and uncredited.
He was under appreciated. What he did wasn't sexy. 'Water carriers' rarely are. But we are missing that 'industry' he brought to the side.
But it's old rope now, of course.
SA.
