Player Watch: Victor Wanyama

[Deleted member 29446]

"WANYAMA GAMBLE

Sky Bet have seen strong support this morning for Southampton's Victor Wanyama to join Tottenham, with his price chopped from 5/6 to 1/4 in the last couple of hours. He's now 5/2 to stay at St Mary's."

 

[Bus-Conductor]

The role of the deeper cm, dropping in to the back 3. I appreciate there are better ball players out there that can fill that remit but I doubt there's many that fit our budget, are available and want to come.

I know you'd prefer to use players we already have rather than buy but I don't think any of our other midfielders fit that role

I think this answer from above covers my feelings on it:

Like @THOWIG, I'm not sure exactly what you mean? Do you mean who would we rather have as a pure DM who wouldn't be expected to dictate play? Or just who would we rather have?

Personally I don't really want us to spend money on a one dimensional DM. Especially for the type of money quoted for Wanyama.

I would rather we looked for a player who is defensively diligent and dynamic but can also move the ball with a bit of alacrity. Someone like Tolisso or Witsel maybe? Or I'd be equally happy with Poch just working with people like Mason and Onomah to develop their defensive game as he did with Schniederlin.

Failing that, if we are going to just look for a busy ****, I would genuinely rather we gave Lesniak a chance. Playing novices like Kane, Mason, Bentaleb, Dier & Alli has proved to be no hindrance to success over the last couple of years, so I would hope we've learnt that lesson now and can stop assuming that the best option is always at the end of a chequered book.

Ideally I'd still like us to use 433 sometimes as well

 

[SpartanSpur]

Interesting that JJ has backed up reports that Rode turned us down. I think Wanyama is one we are keeping in our back pocket in case other plans don't work out.

 

[danielneeds]

Little bit of stat comparison on this idea that Wanyama is "one dimensional" and screams like a little girl when asked to pass the ball. Compared with Coquelin, Kante and Kouyate, as three guys who do a similar job for their teams at the right end of the table.

His passing compares favourably to the others, both in forward passing, average length of pass and completion. It's actually his defensive stats which aren't as impressive this season, although as some have said, this could be skewed by a lacklustre start to the season after being disappointed that SCBC blocked a move to us last summer.

 

[Nigel Spinal]

Interesting that JJ has backed up reports that Rode turned us down. I think Wanyama is one we are keeping in our back pocket in case other plans don't work out.

Definitely.

I think we'll try for Kante too before falling back to Wanyama

 

[SpartanSpur]

Definitely.

I think we'll try for Kante too before falling back to Wanyama

No way we compete with Chelsea and PSG. Best case scenario for us is if he goes to PSG rather than rival PL teams.

 

[1971 Spur]

Little bit of stat comparison on this idea that Wanyama is "one dimensional" and screams like a little girl when asked to pass the ball. Compared with Coquelin, Kante and Kouyate, as three guys who do a similar job for their teams at the right end of the table.
View attachment 23548
His passing compares favourably to the others, both in forward passing, average length of pass and completion. It's actually his defensive stats which aren't as impressive this season, although as some have said, this could be skewed by a lacklustre start to the season after being disappointed that SCBC blocked a move to us last summer.

Add in his take on % stats into that. He's up there with Mousa on those.

 

[danielneeds]

Add in his take on % stats into that. He's up there with Mousa on those.

Yeah, I think some have just judged him on his size and slightly ungainly style. Indeed when he was on Celtic, I saw them play and didn't come away rating him, but the numbers suggest he's very effective.

 

[voxy28]

I actually rate him above Mason, Bentelab in the DMC role.... So sign him!

 

[Hazelton]

Poch worked with him closely. If he rates and trusts him, that's all that matters.

 

[Berbatonghen]

I want this signing to happen!!

I trust poch without a doubt and I'm sure he knows more then anyone what Wanyama can bring to the squad. He seems like a player that will cover every inch of grass for his team mates.

I watched him play against arsenal and til this day his performance still stands out and I remember how he literally outmuscled outplayed and outran every arsenal player that came close to him.

And at his age 24 we must remember he has plenty of time to develop and under Poch and our talented squad I'm sure he will.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

"WANYAMA GAMBLE

Sky Bet have seen strong support this morning for Southampton's Victor Wanyama to join Tottenham, with his price chopped from 5/6 to 1/4 in the last couple of hours. He's now 5/2 to stay at St Mary's."

I don't do gambling, but what exactly does this mean? Couldn't it just be a case of the bookie massaging the odds in good of enticing more bets?

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

Looks like a Glastonbury home economics lesson

 

[Deleted member 29446]

I don't do gambling, but what exactly does this mean? Couldn't it just be a case of the bookie massaging the odds in good of enticing more bets?

Maybe or maybe not - im not to sure myself.
But anyways it can't be a bad thing right!

 

[luRRka]

I don't do gambling, but what exactly does this mean? Couldn't it just be a case of the bookie massaging the odds in good of enticing more bets?

The opposite, it means a few people have put bets on him moving to spurs and the bookies have lowered the odds (so they give less money to winners of subsequent bets if he does move to Tottenham) basically they think someone may have inside info hence the flurry of bets on him joining spurs so they cut the odds and the chance of them losing a load of money decreases

 

[spurs9]

Like @THOWIG, I'm not sure exactly what you mean? Do you mean who would we rather have as a pure DM who wouldn't be expected to dictate play? Or just who would we rather have?

Personally I don't really want us to spend money on a one dimensional DM. Especially for the type of money quoted for Wanyama.

I would rather we looked for a player who is defensively diligent and dynamic but can also move the ball with a bit of alacrity. Someone like Tolisso or Witsel maybe? Or I'd be equally happy with Poch just working with people like Mason and Onomah to develop their defensive game as he did with Schniederlin.

Failing that, if we are going to just look for a busy ****, I would genuinely rather we gave Lesniak a chance. Playing novices like Kane, Mason, Bentaleb, Dier & Alli has proved to be no hindrance to success over the last couple of years, so I would hope we've learnt that lesson now and can stop assuming that the best option is always at the end of a chequered book.

Witsel??? Average as f@ck. Witsel only created 0.13 chances per 90 more than Wanyama playing a more attacking position in an inferior league. Also, whilst Poch improved Schniederlin, he has always been a DM, Mason doesn't have the defensive instincts to play that role and I don't think he ever will have the positioning or be able to track runners as required. That being said, I don't believe we need a DM in every game but we have no questions that Witsel is the answer to. Tolisso could be a good signing though IMO.

 

[Lou3000]

No offense, but those Sqwauka Comparisons really do very little to paint a picture. I think ultimately those comparisons just show that statistically, most premier players are competent. Some are better, some are worse.

But I could look at this and think, Jack Colback isn't that bad, and Idrissa Gueye is a superstar.

His passing compares favourably to the others, both in forward passing, average length of pass and completion. It's actually his defensive stats which aren't as impressive this season, although as some have said, this could be skewed by a lacklustre start to the season after being disappointed that SCBC blocked a move to us last summer.

 

[danielneeds]

No offense, but those Sqwauka Comparisons really do very little to paint a picture. I think ultimately those comparisons just show that statistically, most premier players are competent. Some are better, some are worse.

But I could look at this and think, Jack Colback isn't that bad, and Idrissa Gueye is a superstar.

There have been a few advocating Gueye as a Kante-lite signing on here. Ultimately the squawka stats don't prove anything, true enough, but I was just looking for some evidence that Wanyama isn't this crab-like passer who doesn't do anything with the ball.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Witsel??? Average as f@ck. Witsel only created 0.13 chances per 90 more than Wanyama playing a more attacking position in an inferior league. Also, whilst Poch improved Schniederlin, he has always been a DM, Mason doesn't have the defensive instincts to play that role and I don't think he ever will have the positioning or be able to track runners as required. That being said, I don't believe we need a DM in every game but we have no questions that Witsel is the answer to. Tolisso could be a good signing though IMO.

What about other stats like Passes, forward passes key passes ? I can't find them in the usual stat places but I've watched Witsel and you are not going tell me he's an inferior "footballer" with the ball to Wanyama, but he also works hard without it and I'd rather make a small defensive compromise for a bit more zip with the ball.

Tolisso would be my first choice too, I've seen a lot more of him.

And that has been my point all season, we don't always need a DM, every minute of every game.

 

[spurs9]

What about other stats like Passes, forward passes key passes ? I can't find them in the usual stat places but I've watched Witsel and you are not going tell me he's an inferior "footballer" with the ball to Wanyama, but he also works hard without it and I'd rather make a small defensive compromise for a bit more zip with the ball.

Tolisso would be my first choice too, I've seen a lot more of him.

And that has been my point all season, we don't always need a DM, every minute of every game.

Here you go. I've watched Witsel too and when I have he has been very conservative with sideways passing (all the things most fans hated about Dembele 14/15 season, with non of the positives IMO).

Witsel
Passes*: 49.22
% of Passes Fwd: 73%
% Success Rate: 88%
Ave Pass length*: 15.86m
Key Passes*: 0.74

Wanyama
Passes*: 47.78
% of Passes Fwd: 70%
% Success Rate: 84%
Ave Pass length*: 17.56m
Key Passes*: 0.57

*per 90 mins
All stats are from 14/15 season ans these are the most recent available for Witsel in the league.