Although I could only listen to the match tonight, it sounds as if Lee had a woeful outing. The commentators were pretty damning of him and said he made zero contribution to the game and couldn't see what he would be able to offer in the Prem. There has been a lot of talk around his return from fans; "he will be like a new signing" etc. Found out already, or just ring rusty?
Hopefully the latter, looked class in the few games he had last season. We do have a lot of forwards though, he's probably on the fringes at best right now.
Lee has played out wide for international games, so its not asking the world of him to play there for us. I dont see much in him to be honest. Last season in his short time, he ran around like a headless chicken but managed to score 1 screamer in the process. Not good enough, people cut him a break because he was new, and they focused more attention on berating Guly. Put Mayuka in from the start against the Baggies and we have a chance. But Lee should be nowhere near our first team.
Lee is a striker, not a LW and I don't see how he can make an impact out there If he's a striker, he should be playing as a striker - I'm fed up of Adkins playing players out of position
Is Nigel an idiot? Serious question. He doesn't ever seem to learn from mistakes. He's tried to force Rodriguez to go left wing, now Lee. It doesn't work. Don't play players out of position.
Lee plays on the left with no problem, he has been out for 6 months or so with 2 different injuries and the service yesterday was not there so I would give him time. It was however last chance saloon for de Ridder, Chaplow, Butters, Seabourne and maybe even Guly who not really showing much this season. Need to get rid or loan out excess players and bring in a few new faces. The acadamy players can cover every position except CB for a few games if a first teamer gets injured. NA has been let down badly by these squad players and they will feel his wrath. Kelvin will be spared the culling as I believe he will be incorperated into the training side
Guly has come on as a sub most matches, and has usually done a solid job. I can't see us loaning him out.
What you are really saying is, that on top of our need for a CB (with pace) a new left back (that can defend), we need a genuine left winger (that can get to the by-line and cross) don't want much do you?
A left winger we do not need, we have Lallana on the left who can swap with Mayuka (please play him), pumping crosses in does not suit 433 as the lone striker(please play Rickie) will have the keeper and two CB to contend with.
Rodriguez and Lee should both be able to play on the wings. The idea is that the width is provided by the fullback and the winger has the freedom to run at defenders. Rodriguez went over to the left when we went 433 against Spurs and did well. If Rodriguez is actually stuck on the left, it's the team we should ask questions of for not allowing him the freedom to get at people.
Lee only made a very few appearances for us last season and scored one pretty decent goal. However i think we are too keen to 'big up' a player before he has proven himself over a period of time on the pitch. He may be a good striker or a good winger or both, but i wouldnt know as i havnt seen enough of him yet. Lets hope that last night was down to just coming back from injury and an all-round abject team performance. Mayuka has looked ok the couple of times that we have seen him - certainly made a difference on Sunday - but lets see if he can really make the grade and knock in a few goals before we think that he is superman.
I agree with dman that we tend to big up any player who signs because we want them to be great and we want to love them. We cannot judge Lee yet...completely unfair as he is coming back from 2 injuries. I wish we had signed players early in the off season (as Nigel wanted) because we shouldn't be experimenting this far into the season. We seem to have various players with no idea where to play them and positions to fill with no one suitable.
I completely agree , I see no merit in playing players out if position or experimenting to see if they can do a job in another position , that seems like square peg in round hole to me .
