The Forgotten Men

[The Great Mass Debater]

Add in Elliot Bennet, the Murphys and Hoolahan back from injury, and that certainly gives us options.

Would be interesting to see if Bassong could be tempted back into the fold too.

I think Bassong could re-appear very quickly in our line-up were Adams to go

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

You haven't been watching him closely enough if you don't think he's ever done anything to suggest he's going to be a special player. Good in the air and on the ball, can pick a pass and doesn't panic. He's what we need at CB.

I have never really understood the perception that Bennett is going to develop into anything. He's never established himself here. Decision making seems average at best. Shows a lack of conviction sometimes. Dont understand the statement that he can pick a pass - the number of times he would play a hopeless ball forward from centreback last year that just went out or gave away possession. His distribution is as poor as Leon Barnett's was imo. I havent really seen much from him that suggests he'll ever be more than a one dimensional player of championship standard. I respect that a large number of fans think he is the next big thing, but I've never really seen anything myself that makes me believe that. He's no better than Shackell was and dont think he'll get much better. Elliott Ward had very good distribution in contrast (a ball-playing CB to use a Football Manager term) but had weaknesses in other areas. Bennett is more of a stopper and the natural successor to Turner - but even Turner as good as he is is a very limited player. Bassong when performing properly is a special player - its only his lack of consistency which has stopped him being better than he is. If he could play every game like he played in his first season with us he would genuinely be the player Tottenham thought they were getting

 

[GJP]

You haven't been watching him closely enough if you don't think he's ever done anything to suggest he's going to be a special player. Good in the air and on the ball, can pick a pass and doesn't panic. He's what we need at CB.

Since he's been here he's never established himself as first choice CB. How is that if he's such a talent? You can probably count the times he's played better than Turner or Bassong alongside him on one hand - if that.

He'll be alright in the Champs but if people think Ryan Bennett is an exciting type of "prospect" then football isn't what it used to be.

 

[Canaryboy]

I'm looking forward to seeing Ryan Bennett back in the team, and have always liked that Bennett-Turner partnership. I also think that Bennett was criminally underused by Hughton. 

I don't think we could call him a "prospect" anymore though, he is almost 25 years old, halfway through his career. He'd probably get a bit more consistent with a regular starting spot but he isn't going to turn into John Terry. 

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

I'm looking forward to seeing Ryan Bennett back in the team, and have always liked that Bennett-Turner partnership. I also think that Bennett was criminally underused by Hughton. 

I don't think we could call him a "prospect" anymore though, he is almost 25 years old, halfway through his career. He'd probably get a bit more consistent with a regular starting spot but he isn't going to turn into John Terry. 

Perhpas at Championship level, but I really dont think Bennett and Turner should be in the same side, they're practically the same type of player. Bassong and Turner worked so well first season because they complemented each other. Turner was your battering ram - brave and strong. Bassong was composed, read the game well, had the pace to clear up and was comfortable on the ball. Essentially they had different roles and covered for the weaknesses in each others game, working well as a unit.

Its like genetics. You have two copies of every gene (ignore sex chromosomes). If one gene is a bit weak, there is an effective back up to cover for the gap. You get genetic defects when the genes are too similar and the gaps are mirrored/duplicated on both sides.

Varied gene-pool and you get a balanced organism. If both copies have the same faults, you get a problem. This is why you dont sleep with your sister!

Point Im trying to make is you dont play two players with the same weaknesses, because then the unit expresses those same weaknesses and its easy to expolit. 

Turner and Bennett are too similar and not well rounded enough to play together and not offer the opposition easy weaknesses to exploit in my opinion. Too often in the last few years our team hasnt been balanced enough in most areas or our players well-rounded enough.

With regards to defence, I don think it should be under-estimated the importance of sides. We need a left footer and a right footer in the centre-back team. Having two right footers means one is uncomfortable, less effective and easily turned. Turner has never looked good playing on the wrong side of defence