The Lundstram Myth...

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Worst OP since the one that suggested Nigel Adkins as a “great choice as a new manager” a few years back?
 
He frustrates me sometimes ,but I don't know why ,he has been brilliant ,and we have actually been stronger down the right than the left in the last couple of games. We don't have a weak link in the team ,if anyone it was Moose yesterday but that's only through looking for one. We/I also have to accept that we are going to give the ball away at times ,all 3 midfielders do and its a shame they get remembered for that instead of the 90% passes they do make during a game.
 
Beans said:
Not to shout down debate, but this seems a strange thing to argue.

I really think he's been one of our best players this season. Not only is he our top-scoring midfielder and second top-scoring player overall, he's had more shots than any player bar McGoldrick from getting into the box at the right time (15 out of 24 shots inside the box so it's not like he's shooting from anywhere). I know some people hate the advanced stats but he has the highest expected goals of any player on our team bar McGoldrick, to go with the highest expected assists



Out of 50 passes attempted yesterday, 23 were forward, 17 were in attacking third (only Fleck had more), he created 2 chances (joint most with McGoldrick) including the 1 "big chance" of the game that McGoldrick put over - which came off a 60-yard sprint with the ball and then a perfect pass.

Honestly if that's our weak link then it's no wonder we're 9th in the table.
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Find it quite amusing that you can reel off all these detailed stats, yet not know our league position ;)
 
This is an ultra-critical post of the team.

I honestly don't think you can pick any of them out as being 'weak' consistently over the season. They aren't world class players so won't be able to maintain their levels every week but in general the performances are far above average for a newly promoted team and that's more than we need.

There's a fine balance between starting to look to the next level and destroying what we have so far, at the moment the only way I'd be replacing players is if someone buys them.

None of our players are perfect but none of them deserve singling out for any criticism this season (I include the subs in this as well).
 
SwissBlade said:
I completely disagree with everything you say here.

I'd say that the only game he's faded was against Wolves as he looked knackered.

He puts a hell of a lot of work in, gets forward, supports the wing backs (as he did yesterday by laying the ball on for Baldock to cross for Enda's goal).

He has an excellent passing range, but is intelligent with his passing and keeps things simple where possible.

A huge part of why we've done so well this season is down to Lunny.

To date its between Lunny, Egan and McG for best player so far this season.
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Lunny McG? No mentions of Stevens. Jesus
 
Caseh said:
I don't think Lundstram is as good as Norwood or Fleck technically, but the amount of work he get's through means he isn't a weak link - He's just a different cog to the machine that is our team. It all works because they all compliment each other so well.
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He can use both feet for a start, and i think his passing is excellent. Technically not lacking for me :)
 
What I find odd is that we’re so prone to focusing on the perceived weak link in our team at a time they’re all doing astonishingly well, without exception.

It’s true we should always look to improve, and I’m sure the management are. But as fans, why are we looking for someone to criticise, and essentially ignoring facts in order to do so?
 
Blade for Sale said:
The OP is getting some uncalled for pelters here. It's a well reasoned and thought out post with a great deal of analysis behind it. They also go out of their way to pre-emptively respond to (correctly) predicted negative feedback.

Logically in any team of 11, or matchday 18, or squad of 24, however you want to analyse it, there will, even in the best teams such as Liverpool, be areas for improvement and players inferior to others.

Lunny has indeed improved, almost beyond all recognition, this season and has made extremely valuable contributions, and the OP acknowleged this. But that does not make him (or anyone) irreplaceable, and if all criticism is immediately shouted down then we get nowhere, especially when the criticism is so well thought out and presented.

My personal thoughts are that the guy has made such a massive improvement in such a short space of time, maybe the odd step back is inevitable, and he's still worth his place in the team by some distance. But you rest on your laurels at your peril, and well thought out criticism is a very good way of avoiding that.
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Sorry, I may be misreading but are you saying that criticism on here will help Lunny avoid resting on his laurels?
 
JohnDenver said:
What I find odd is that we’re so prone to focusing on the perceived weak link in our team at a time they’re all doing astonishingly well, without exception.

It’s true we should always look to improve, and I’m sure the management are. But as fans, why are we looking for someone to criticise, and essentially ignoring facts in order to do so?
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I have some theories.
 
Why on earth would we replace our most technically accomplished player, and arguably our best performer this season? Competition is needed, and it has proved a hole in the squad that has stopped us rotating and shutting down games when players tire. The gambles on Morrison and Besic haven't really borne much fruit (yesterday aside). Arguably this has cost is points, but Ii'm sure it'll be rectified in the fullness of time.
Hourihane is a Championship quality player with the odd eye catching goal. Wilder never plays players on the wrong side so his competition would be Fleck and Freeman. Good luck with that one.
 

Hourihane's left footed, our gaffer likes balance you should know that by now. The suggestion to sign him compounds your ridiculous argument and proves you lack sufficient knowledge.
 
Large Mendonca said:
He can use both feet for a start, and i think his passing is excellent. Technically not lacking for me :)
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I can't see where I said he's technically lacking? Could you point it out for me please?
 
Beans said:
Not to shout down debate, but this seems a strange thing to argue.

I really think he's been one of our best players this season. Not only is he our top-scoring midfielder and second top-scoring player overall, he's had more shots than any player bar McGoldrick from getting into the box at the right time (15 out of 24 shots inside the box so it's not like he's shooting from anywhere). I know some people hate the advanced stats but he has the highest expected goals of any player on our team bar McGoldrick, to go with the highest expected assists



Out of 50 passes attempted yesterday, 23 were forward, 17 were in attacking third (only Fleck had more), he created 2 chances (joint most with McGoldrick) including the 1 "big chance" of the game that McGoldrick put over - which came off a 60-yard sprint with the ball and then a perfect pass.

Honestly if that's our weak link then it's no wonder we're 9th in the table.
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Must watch a different game in Pittsburgh Lunnie has been sensational.
As for cover he was the cover but has played his way into the 1st team and merits his place.Adds physicality and height to midfield he,s been great so far ,long may it continue.
He will get better with experience
 
true99blade said:
Fans notice players losing the ball more when they intend to look for it. There’s still some that can’t get over the fact they were wrong about him.
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"Tend to look for it" - or tend to ignore it when you don't want to see it, he's doing it often and its painful that fans think that its not happening.
Stevo said:
What's Leroy fer up to?
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Playing for Feyenoord.

Iceybabey said:
Hourihane's left footed, our gaffer likes balance you should know that by now. The suggestion to sign him compounds your ridiculous argument and proves you lack sufficient knowledge.
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Yet you can't offer debate or disagreement points just simply "lack sufficient knowledge". I've given basis and reasoning for my criticism yet you still can't provide anything to support what you're saying nor can you say where I'm wrong. Just that I am wrong.

I want us to push on and take a foothold in this division and i'm not saying he doesn't deserve to be playing but if were going to get better which I hope we are then he's the first player I'd replace. We're not just going to keep getting better year after year without signing new players.
 
Iceybabey said:
Hourihane's left footed, our gaffer likes balance you should know that by now. The suggestion to sign him compounds your ridiculous argument and proves you lack sufficient knowledge.
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Why does everyone who's left footed HAVE to play on the left. A talented player can play anywhere and two left footed midfielders with a right are no different to two right footed midfielders and a left.
 
PittsburghBlade said:
Firstly I'll say he has massively improved and his conditioning over the summer was nothing short of a remarkable turnaround and has himself turned into a much better player.

Lundstram is still our clear weakest link at the minute and we have to be looking for direct competition/replacement for the January transfer window. Don't believe me? Who else is it? Because its not Deano, Enda, Baldock, Bash, Egan, O'Connell, Norwood (maybe lately), Fleck, Didzy or Mouss.

We are a very good team and play a very efficient and creative system and style of play in which he has found a home in the right of a three as a mobile and efficient midfielder.

Ok, I've got my tin hat on..BUT..

- He kicks the ball out of play under NO pressure at least 3-5 times a game...disagree? Watch every single game back from this year and count. Just outside the 18 yard box yesterday from a throw-in for a goal kick comes to mind. It's unnecessary and wasteful and when we play regular prem games we have to stop doing this our defence isn't always going to bail us out.

- He switches the ball to Enda under no pressure at least twice a game who has to either head it forward or get out of trouble with some remarkable touch or turn...disagree? Watch every single game back he literally does it every single game. Twice yesterday and once not even to Enda.

- He passes "problems" on - where he might be under pressure or even under no pressure and plays a bad ball to a teammate who is forced to either give it away or just clear the ball...disagree? His pass to George Baldock yesterday what left him facing his own goal and managed to clear it despite being outnumbered.

- His passing isn't incisive or postive at the minute and is going increasingly backward.

- For his physical size and presence he doesn't win that many aerial duels in either box or in the middle of the pitch..disagree? He got pushed off the ball by Max Aarons yesterday who took a header off him.

He's the only player we don't have direct competition for and Besic, Morrison, Freeman aren't it so I'm not having that either. I'm not saying he's terrible, or hasn't improved massively but put somebody in there better and watch us really flourish. He's looked decent in a very very good team.

Yesterday he pressed the full back without discipline of what was around him and allowed himself to get taken out of the game 2/3 times easily and its not ALWAYS GOOD to press without discipline it can leave us vulnerable and exposed.

I'd go for Connor Hourihane when Villa go down, pricey but if we can stay up we can afford him, gets around the pitch well and is a genuine goal threat who might push Lundstram to greater heights or just onto the bench..would give us a similar and better goal threat and would join our large Irish contingent who are currently recruiting players for us at every camp. I expect Randolph to join us soon too.
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Amazing some of the responses on here. Not one person has been able to disagree with me based on my reasoning yet I'm completely out of order for criticizing him its baffling and typical of this fashion of fans just going with what's popular to say on twitter or clueless Facebook blayaards
 
Caseh said:
I can't see where I said he's technically lacking? Could you point it out for me please?
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Yeah you didn't actually use the words "technically lacking" but i don't think he's technically inferior to Norwood or Fleck either. All about opinions i suppose - i think he's at least on their level in that area.
 
Villa aren't going to go down, apart from anything else.

Being ultra-cold about it, I'd be looking at upgrading Basham, McGoldrick, and possibly Norwood first, although none of those are pressing concerns and a McGoldrick who can score would probably be out of our price range.
 

It's so sad that even when we're doing so well, people have to pick holes and find fault.

I think Lundstram has been great. He's brought an added dimension to the team and he'll probably improve more still as well.

Love his energy and love his tackling too (which isn't always mentioned).

The only fault I can find is he needs to make his feet invisible to VAR
 
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