Player Watch: Moussa Sissoko
- Thread starter Hoops
- Start date
SUIYHA
Well-Known Member
- Jan 15, 2017
- 1,738
- 8,636
If you said to me at the start of the season that we'd be going through a period where Dembele, Dier and Wanyama were all out injured before a tricky run of games I'd have laughed at the idea that we'd be getting results as good as we have done.
Amazing turnaround for him and well deserved for someone who appears to be quite humble.
Some of the abuse he's been given since signing has been shameful. People on here calling him Sh*tsokko, sissy etc should hang their heads in shame.
Up until the last couple of months, I didn't really rate him as a player but he's changed my opinion of him. Probably our most important central midfielder even with everyone fit (excluding Eriksen).
Some of the abuse he's been given since signing has been shameful. People on here calling him Sh*tsokko, sissy etc should hang their heads in shame.
Up until the last couple of months, I didn't really rate him as a player but he's changed my opinion of him. Probably our most important central midfielder even with everyone fit (excluding Eriksen).
Matthew Wyatt
Call me Boris
- Aug 3, 2007
- 2,224
- 1,988
Does anyone know what his injury record is like? He seems indestructible but obviously he isn’t.
Everlasting Seconds
Well-Known Member
- Jan 9, 2014
- 14,914
- 26,616
The last pages of this thread is one big hyperbolic feast. Sissoko is a player who simply just carries out his tasks in perfect harmony of average mundaneness. Inherently there is a big improvement there because he didn't perform to an average standard earlier, far from it. But now he does and it is great. Mind you, I don't mind highly average players. In fact I embrace them fully. Not every single player can be outstanding, it is not possible. Having consistently mundane players who largely stay out of trouble and are hardly injured is incredibly valuable. Titles are won with such players in the squad. But let's not kid ourselves or each other. He isn't better than what he is, he isn't more impressive than what he is and he isn't crazy good. He is simply consistent enough at not being bad, that he is actually pulling his weight for once. And I think that's wonderful. But he isn't and won't be anything more than that.
and his pace and strength frightens opposition defences.
Everlasting Seconds
Well-Known Member
- Jan 9, 2014
- 14,914
- 26,616
Is probably true, but it is the sheer volume of extremely celebratory fiction I question. To a certain degree I understand. Nobody logs on the internet to write up a levelheaded post about how perfectly average a player is and how comforting it is to have somebody simply meeting the basic work requirements week in week out. It is something irrational about spending time pointing to the forgettable land of absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.
Hence, I'll take this chance to break the mould. Sissoko, I salute you for doing few and sometimes no mistakes, putting in a highly acceptable shift, staying fit and delivering more or less the same performance every week. In short, thank you for working yourself up to a level in which you largely are meeting expectations and nothing more. We need guys like you.
punkisback
Well-Known Member
- Apr 10, 2004
- 4,415
- 7,281
I agree, have said it before. Because his average performances were so poor previously; a performance of reasonable quality and even having the effort to put a tackle in will make him look like an awesome player. When Kane or Alli are off their game and still get assists or goals they still get criticism.
Such players are the heart of any successful team. They never let you down.
Shadydan
Well-Known Member
- Jul 7, 2012
- 38,247
- 104,143
Nonsense talk, there's been games where he's been our best player on the pitch, that's not because he's been judged by his previous low standards it's because it's true.
If you still can't see it by now you never will.
When we have had Dier basically pointing and jogging around the pitch for 12 months and Winks largely getting praise for passing sideways and keeping the ball, I find it a bit ridiculous that people like you on here seem quite blind to Sissokos impact on the team.
He is actually tackling and winning the ball defensively, a lot more regularly than what Dier was doing, but he is also creating goals for the side too. His powerful bursting runs forward with the ball playing one twos is actually directing contributing to goals we have scored. He just isn’t putting in average performances which is what you are saying so sorry, you are wrong.
Shadydan
Well-Known Member
- Jul 7, 2012
- 38,247
- 104,143
You realise you can praise one of our players without putting others down you know.
Hazelton
Unknown Member
- Jul 11, 2011
- 5,600
- 19,554
I doubt it'll happen but I honestly don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that Sissoko has a genuine shot at winning Player of the Season if he maintains his current form and we keep winning.
Few players have been as consistent and he has the added benefit of being unexpected and the underdog. The media are starting to pick up on it and he'll get more credit for playing well than the likes of Hazard and Aguero will.
Few players have been as consistent and he has the added benefit of being unexpected and the underdog. The media are starting to pick up on it and he'll get more credit for playing well than the likes of Hazard and Aguero will.
Luka Van der Bale
Well-Known Member
- Jan 29, 2011
- 6,041
- 13,611
Reading this, I presumed you meant Spurs' player of the season, and I agreed. But he's no hope of winning the PFA award. Van Dijk is nailed on for that one imo.
Of course, I’m not putting them down though. Just pointing out that Dier has been in general poor form compared to his usual standard but people gloss over it and say he is Poch’s leuitenant on the pitch. Winks gets praise for keeping the ball moving, granted he is improving and getting better week by week but still, that’s ok.
Sissoko is making huge visible impacts both ends of the pitch but apparently that’s just average. What my point is, is if Sissoko has been just average, then the rest of our CM has been abject because hes been the standout CM this season. Without him, Winks would be on his own in there and we’d be playing Skipp, and if people think we’d be 2nd with those two in there, no chance. Sissoko has been that good this season. He has the experience and leadership too. That can’t be underestimated. It’s a huge disservice to say he’s just been average. He has literally been our CM.
Without Winks Sissoko would be on his own
it's a two way street.
He was poor and now is much better.
He still retains his faults
shooting
range of passing
turning on the ball
but has stepped up
in a time of injury need.
With an open road ahead of him
he is a strong force and works hard.
Winks and Sissoko compliment each other.
I am delighted for him
and us.
I fully expect to see Winks and Skipp starting
before long.
Shadydan
Well-Known Member
- Jul 7, 2012
- 38,247
- 104,143
Dier has been okay but picked up his form before he got injured. He deserved a hell of a lot more respect than being labelled a finger pointer seeing as he was involved with England in the World Cup, there's bound to be some mental and physical fatigue.
Winks does more than move the ball sideways ala Tom Carroll, Poch knows the sort of potential he has if he didn't he would have moved him on like he did with Carroll.
It just really annoys me that our own fans criticise our players unjustly and don't show any appreciation for them, we had it with Dembele the other day. Just because another player is playing well in that position it doesn't render those who were playing before useless.
