Steven Lenhart, asset or liability?

so far the guy has not impressed me, despite the flashy billboards around town.

just seems like a head case, far too into histrionics, light on talent.

utterly useless in our loss to Houston, always seems like he's about to take a red.

about as likely to score as Ryan Johnson or Cam Weaver.

or am I being too harsh?

There's always something to complain about....

Assets- good hold up play, tireless runner, gets into our opponents heads. IMO we play better with him in the lineup.

Liability- picks up totally stupid yellows which will hurt us when he gets his accumulation suspension.

Yes, you are to harsh.

He's fine. He stays. Stop looking at the billboards if they have an adverse effect on you.

I don't think he's been an asset this year, but it's clear from his play last year that he could be. I think he's been played out of a starting slot for the time being, but he could get back in if Stephenson and Gordon don't do well for a while.

I think he is one of the best hold up players in the league. He is better with the ball at his feet then gordon, though may not be as good of a finisher. Just the fact that opposing fans, players, and coaches cry about him should tell you he is doing his job. The more eyes and commotion around him the less there is on Wondo and then the knife goes in.

As a forward he's a liability, he doesn't score often*, if ever, and he doesn't directly assist on goals but all this goes hand in hand with his assets and where his assets lie are in being a professional pest, a shit disturber, a major distraction for the opposition with his on-field antics. While other teams are focusing on his shenanigans we're going for goal and if it throws them off their game, so much the better.


*Yes, granted six last year, three of which came in one game.

This.

100% asset. My 10 year old daughter affectionately call Steven "our mischievous forward" (she is a bit mischievous herself, so some type of kindred spirit thing going on there) and after Wondo, Lenhart is her 2nd favorite player.

He brings a great work-rate to the forward position and I like him always harassing the other teams defenders. Too many forwards just stand around "waiting" for someone to feed them the perfect pass. They are just waiting for something to happen.

Lenhart is out there constantly trying "make" something happen. When he is there Wondo suddenly has more space as defenders get tied up more with him. No doubt he is a asset to this team. He earns the nickname "Lion heart" IMHO.

Exactly.

I dunno -- his whole "Spicolli" act is getting a bit old, and frankly his style of play doesn't, IMO, mesh well with the sort of fluid, attacking style we seem to be able to bring to the game this season.

I don't mind him being a pest but he has to lose the theatrics.

He also seemed to have more upside last year than this season.

I'd like to see him looking a little more threatening around goal, and a game or two where his skill on the ball was (more consistently) on display instead of theatrics, leave those alone for awhile.

he's well known for antics and refs are quick to go for the card...

...just a matter of time before he get's us in a man down situation.

I hope I'm wrong, but score a goal dammit.

the "major distraction" factor can easily cut both ways...

...if that's his main asset, I'd rather have a guy in there who can score occasionally, take some of the pressure off Wondo.

This is an inane thread.

Lenhart has effectively won us two games this season against top level competition, first in Seattle by drawing a PK in a 1-0 victory, and then this past Saturday by creating the play which put RSL down two men while the game was still tied. That's 40 percent of our wins thus far.

Last season, the Quakes had a winning record in June following Lenhart's hat trick (one of only four Quakes players EVER to accomplish the feat), and the team's weeks-long winless streak (recall the burial ceremony) coincided with Lenhart's leave of absence. Had he remained on the squad, extrapolating from the team's play beforehand, the Quakes would have finished with a winning record and a playoff berth.

Lenhart's not just an asset, he's a key piece of the puzzle.

The other three are Landon Donovan, Dwayne DeRosario and Wondo (twice). That's pretty darned rarified company.

inane, lol.

I see your points Don, and the calls have gone our way but that stuff can quickly backfire. thats my point. the guy seems to get carded every game, he seems like a hothead, and I don't think he's come close to scoring, this season, despite ample playing time.

I'd like to see a game where he scores and doesn't draw a card.

One of the dumbest threads I've ever read. Of course Lenny is a major asset. Duh. As Don pointed out, Lenny is single-handedly responsible for 40% of our wins so far this season.

We were in a playoff spot until week 19 last year - the same time Lenny had to take his personal leave. In week 13 we were 6th in the overall table. We went tumbling down the standings without Lenny up there for us.

Not only is Lenny a major asset, but the draft day trade to acquire him is one of the more lopsided trades in MLS over the past 5 years (not as lopsided as Weaver-Wondo but definitely up there). Props to John Doyle for that tidy piece of transfer business.

Lenny also has one of the better touches for a target striker... remember him playing small ball with Simon in DC last year?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXpYhb8XK6A&feature=relmfu"]Simon Dawkins Scores Game Winner vs. DC United - YouTube[/ame]

When has Lenny ever distracted our team? Never. He gets a couple too many yellows (so what?) but he has never gotten a red while playing for us. Especially now that we have Gordon and Khari available to sub in for him in the Target role if he gets a yellow in order to prevent a second yellow, there is no downside.

It's a contact sport and Lenny has mastered where the line is of how much contact is allowed. He is a huge handfull for opposing defenses to deal with and they all talk in the press about how they do not look forward to having to mark him.

I'd rather he just get on with playing the game and chip in with a goal or two.

we'll see how things play out, I could be wrong about the guy, I hope so.

I agree with everything you had to say, but, he will miss a game (or games) from yellow card accumulation. Those missed game(s) could cost us points, and that is a downside.

didn't Lenny miss like 1/2 the season last year via personal leave of absence?

therefore, please do not dismiss this thread i.e., it is valid concern.

I'm not a Lenny hater but I think he needs to be careful with his antics, especially, whenever he brings his arms to a players neck &/or head areas (when he is flopping around like a fish)

Steven Lenhart, asset or liability?

he is an asset ! thread close !

When Lenhart played for Columbus he used to make me nervous when he came into the games against the Quakes. A big fast guy, running all over the place like a madman, good in the air, not bad with his feet, very good at winning and chasing down long balls. Glad to have him on the team. Needs to pick up his scoring, but that will come. No need to panic.

"Most people think Steve is crazy. He just had the rotten luck of being born in the wrong century. He'd be right at home on some ancient battlefield swinging an axe into somebody's face. Or in a Roman arena, taking his sword to other gladiators like him. They would've tossed him girls like Nimby back then."

But seriously , Lenhart is a very huge asset. There is no one that has played the target position as well as him since Ching back in the day. Khari is no target forward, and Gordon, while he may score does not even compare with Lenhart's passing and footwork.

wouldn't a target forward be measured by his finishing, like say Crouch?