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Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,385
Dele can play in a midfield three though. I remember in his first season, he sometimes was dropped back along side Dier, and did very well.. He is also good at ghosting in from the wide left, so could potentially play up there in the forward three.

In all honesty, if Dele is going to improve, he needs to be flexible in the way he was when he came to us. Not be fixated with one position.

My memory of him playing in midfield consists mainly of him trying tricks and flicks in totally inappropriate places and coughing up possession. That's maybe a bit harsh on him but if he's going to play there he'd have to be more reliable with possession IMO.
 

C0YS

Just another member
Jul 9, 2007
12,780
13,817
You are talking about it as if he hasn't played in central midfield in years. The guy has been playing deeper regularly in the last few seasons.

It's the same with this midfield three being talked about as if it wasn't something we have tried regularly at the start of this season and a lot of last season. Both a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-1-2 have been tried regularly and, as of yet, has never worked.

I'm all for trying again with players who work better in the system, but am far from eager too, because we tend to play our best in a 4-2-3-1.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,385
You are talking about it as if he hasn't played in central midfield in years. The guy has been playing deeper regularly in the last few seasons.

It's the same with this midfield three being talked about as if it wasn't something we have tried regularly at the start of this season and a lot of last season. Both a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-1-2 have been tried regularly and, as of yet, has never worked.

I'm all for trying again with players who work better in the system, but am far from eager too, because we tend to play our best in a 4-2-3-1.

IMO there have been numerous occasions where we've struggled with 4231 against some very average teams because we have 2 in midfield v their 3, and as a direct result we have little service to the front 4 who can't get into the game at all.
 

C0YS

Just another member
Jul 9, 2007
12,780
13,817
IMO there have been numerous occasions where we've struggled with 4231 against some very average teams because we have 2 in midfield v their 3, and as a direct result we have little service to the front 4 who can't get into the game at all.
Then someone needs to drop in. Functionally the two formations are very similar. For what it's worth very few teams in the league play with a 4-3-3 and only Liverpool and Sheffield united truly play with a three man midfield, in the sense that they don't have someone who plays between the lines. Formations are really flexible things. Player roles is more important.
 

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
11,234
46,574
This guy is a journo at FootMercato, I don't think they're too bad? Edit: I think they're not great actually



Info: Tottenham is working on the track leading to midfielder Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg (Southampton). Discussions between Spurs and its representative, Pini Zahavi, have already started.

Pini Zahavi was influential in both the Lo Celso & Ndombele deals last summer.
 

ardiles

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2006
13,228
40,308
This guy is a journo at FootMercato, I don't think they're too bad? Edit: I think they're not great actually



Info: Tottenham is working on the track leading to midfielder Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg (Southampton). Discussions between Spurs and its representative, Pini Zahavi, have already started.


but our stadium doesn’t have a track. Could they be negotiating the transfer with Westham?
 

THFCSPURS19

The Speaker of the Transfer Rumours Forum
Jan 6, 2013
37,886
130,485
Article:

Tottenham confident of signing Southampton's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer

But Jose Mourinho must raise the transfer fee through sales from his existing squad

Tottenham Hotspur are confident they will sign Southampton Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer, as long as the club can raise the transfer fee through sales.

And the move for Hojbjerg will place another question mark against the future of Tottenham’s record signing Tanguy Ndombele.

Hojbjerg is near the top of head coach Jose Mourinho’s wanted list to strengthen his options in the middle of the pitch for Spurs.

The 24-year-old midfielder has one year remaining on his contract and is understood to favour a move to Tottenham over other current options.

Spurs are, therefore, optimistic they will be able to land Hojbjerg, but Mourinho is likely to have to raise money to do so through sales.

One way of doing that would be trying to negotiate a deal in which right-back Kyle Walker-Peters makes his loan move to Southampton permanent, with Hojbjerg moving in the opposite direction.

It is believed that Southampton value Hojbjerg at around £35million, but Spurs will hope to get that figure down.

Tottenham have been badly impacted by the coronavirus crisis and Mourinho is limited to free transfers, loans and signings he can finance through sales.

That will no doubt raise the prospect of whether or not Tottenham could be tempted to cash in on Ndombele, just a year after spending £55.45m on him.

Chairman Daniel Levy has so far insisted Ndombele is not for sale, but that stance has already been tested since the restart with the 23-year-old yet to even feature off the substitutes’ bench.

Other players Spurs could look to sell to help finance moves in the transfer market are defenders Juan Foyth and Danny Rose, who extended his loan at Newcastle United until the end of the delayed season.
 

Univarn

Lost. Probably Not Worth Finding.
Jul 20, 2017
2,864
15,279
Article:

Tottenham confident of signing Southampton's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer

But Jose Mourinho must raise the transfer fee through sales from his existing squad

Tottenham Hotspur are confident they will sign Southampton Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer, as long as the club can raise the transfer fee through sales.

And the move for Hojbjerg will place another question mark against the future of Tottenham’s record signing Tanguy Ndombele.

Hojbjerg is near the top of head coach Jose Mourinho’s wanted list to strengthen his options in the middle of the pitch for Spurs.

The 24-year-old midfielder has one year remaining on his contract and is understood to favour a move to Tottenham over other current options.

Spurs are, therefore, optimistic they will be able to land Hojbjerg, but Mourinho is likely to have to raise money to do so through sales.

One way of doing that would be trying to negotiate a deal in which right-back Kyle Walker-Peters makes his loan move to Southampton permanent, with Hojbjerg moving in the opposite direction.

It is believed that Southampton value Hojbjerg at around £35million, but Spurs will hope to get that figure down.

Tottenham have been badly impacted by the coronavirus crisis and Mourinho is limited to free transfers, loans and signings he can finance through sales.

That will no doubt raise the prospect of whether or not Tottenham could be tempted to cash in on Ndombele, just a year after spending £55.45m on him.

Chairman Daniel Levy has so far insisted Ndombele is not for sale, but that stance has already been tested since the restart with the 23-year-old yet to even feature off the substitutes’ bench.

Other players Spurs could look to sell to help finance moves in the transfer market are defenders Juan Foyth and Danny Rose, who extended his loan at Newcastle United until the end of the delayed season.
Was confident this deal would go through until Matt Law piped up now I'm convinced it's a doomed effort.
 

HedgieSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2020
1,470
4,971
I don't think PEH is of the requisite quality (and I haven't seen the undercut pass or whatever it was) but given our chairman, I think these types of low cost options are going to be the norm for the foreseeable.
 

Montalbano

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2018
3,917
18,685
If we pay anywhere near a 35m valuation (with or without KWP) we’re getting fleeced. That’s Hakimi money....

PEH is MEH!
 

0-Tibsy-0

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2012
11,201
43,789
He looked really poor in the last couple of games i've seen him play.

Really not sure on the need for this signing, especially if it is anywhere near the £35 million.
 

SargeantMeatCurtains

Your least favourite poster
Jan 5, 2013
11,764
61,758
We aren’t going to pay anywhere close to £35m. Saints are hardly going to brief the media on what his actual worth to them is. What do they stand to gain from that? It weakens their hand in negotiations.

Besides, Levy would be fully justified in saying he values KWP at £35m too. Young England U21 international, homegrown status, experience of playing at the very top level of European football, plenty of time left on his contract, etc.

I’d honestly be shocked if this deal wasn’t done for, at the very most, £5m plus KWP.
 
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SargeantMeatCurtains

Your least favourite poster
Jan 5, 2013
11,764
61,758
He looked really poor in the last couple of games i've seen him play.

Really not sure on the need for this signing, especially if it is anywhere near the £35 million.
Think it’s harsh to judge him on his performances since the restart. He’s been stripped of the captaincy and knows full well he won’t be at the club come next season. Allegedly Eriksen told Poch in that meeting they had in Copenhagen 2 years ago that he wanted to leave. From that point on he was utter dog shit. No clubs would’ve taken Eriksen based on what he did over the last 2 years.
 

kendoddsdadsdogsdead

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2011
2,140
3,574
That would be depressing. Getting rid of a very talented and potentially great player for a very limited footballer. Ok, we don’t know how much of it is on Ndombele but Mourinho’s paid a lot of money to make it work. He’s got to coax it out of him. Anyone can be managed, especially if you made it all the way to professional football, you just have to find the angle. We’re not Man City we can’t just toss away that level of ability.
 

SargeantMeatCurtains

Your least favourite poster
Jan 5, 2013
11,764
61,758
That would be depressing. Getting rid of a very talented and potentially great player for a very limited footballer. Ok, we don’t know how much of it is on Ndombele but Mourinho’s paid a lot of money to make it work. He’s got to coax it out of him. Anyone can be managed, especially if you made it all the way to professional football, you just have to find the angle. We’re not Man City we can’t just toss away that level of ability.
The club has pushed through to the media many times that Ndombele is not up for sale and will not be leaving the club in the summer.

If anything, I’ll be more confident that Ndombele will stay if we sign Hojbjerg. He’s literally the player we need to enable GLC and Ndombele to fit into the midfield together.
 

wiggo24

Well-Known Member
Jan 5, 2013
5,091
36,808
He might be better than what we currently have, but he's worse than every other DM in the other 7 teams in the top 8 (if we include Ndidi and Neves).

Granted we need someone to allow GLC/Ndombele freedom but if we actually want to be pushing for trophies I think we have to do better. Has to be the priority.
 

TEESSIDE1

Married, new job and Spurs on the up!
Jul 3, 2006
15,089
18,780
He might be better than what we currently have, but he's worse than every other DM in the other 7 teams in the top 8 (if we include Ndidi and Neves).

Granted we need someone to allow GLC/Ndombele freedom but if we actually want to be pushing for trophies I think we have to do better. Has to be the priority.

if you look at the players we’ve been linked with the last few weeks it reflects our reported reduced transfer budget.

Pre Lockdown:

Rubens Dias, Aarons, Gerson, Soumare, Eze, Osimhen

Now:

Gabriel, Koch, Min-Jae, Castagne, Hojbjerg, Vazquez, Milik

They’re all still decent players barring may be Min-Jae due to only playing at an inferior level all his career.

Both the Hojbjerg and Milik fees can be reduced by offering the reported part ex players of KW-Peters and Moura.
 
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