Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[cliff jones]

Brozovic is a good player but unfortunately nothing to do with whether the Dane succeeds or flops- and neither is Tanguy.

yes, we need balance in the midsand we know that will mean Winks, the Dane and GLC- in pretty much every match next season. Perhaps with a mild dose of Sissoko thrown in.

Roll on two years time

 

[yankspurs]

Levy signed sissoko when he was 29 and that too for 30m

He also gave Sissoko a new contract. But a pandemic has happened since then that shut down the sport for 3 months. We’ve taken a £200m hit and our debt spiraled due to it. The global economy which still hadnt fully recovered from 2008 took another massive downturn. Couple that with the fact we have an aging squad now and have to get younger, we have to go for younger players with re sale value.

 

[spursfan77]

Agree with that final paragraph. Much as I’d like to see NDombele succeed as he’s the type of player you pay to watch, a Brozovic - Hojbjerg axis would return us to the type of great all round partnership we had in 16/17. Two very well rounded players who offer great strength, energy and aggression but also are more than comfortable enough on the ball, with Brozovic offering a bit more passing and invention while Hojbjerg offers a bit more tackling and power. Then Lo Celso will have more freedom to knit our play together and link defence to the attackers.

We really should be aiming for two new central midfielders the more I think about it. I don’t think one is enough as it means we will still have to play Sissoko or winks a lot of the time. Even typing that has made me more adamant that we need two. I doubt it will be brozovic though, he’s linked with PL clubs every summer by his agent and they never happen. Links to him are just a continuation of that.

 

[RichieS]

Good to hear. I wonder if Levy blinked first or the Saints did money wise. Intrigued as it’s happened with speed

Levy has no eyelids, so...

 

[SecretLemonadeDrinker]

He also gave Sissoko a new contract. But a pandemic has happened since then that shut down the sport for 3 months. We’ve taken a £200m hit and our debt spiraled due to it. The global economy which still hadnt fully recovered from 2008 took another massive downturn. Couple that with the fact

we have an aging squad

now and have to get younger, we have to go for younger players with re sale value.

Well, yes........technically, we do have an ageing squad. That is the mortal condition.

But we most certainly don’t have an old squad. The current average age is 24.4. And that’s having omitted the likes of KWP, Brandon Austin, Alfie Whiteman, Luke Amos and CCV - all listed, all younger than the average, but all unlikely to play much of a part (if any) or even still be at the club.

24.4 years is very far from old - even in terms of professional football. We therefore have plenty of scope to bring in an older player or two. Not to mention that 28 is hardly ancient!

 

[spurs mental]

Well, yes........technically, we do have an ageing squad. That is the mortal condition.

But we most certainly don’t have an old squad. The current average age is 24.4. And that’s having omitted the likes of KWP, Brandon Austin, Alfie Whiteman, Luke Amos and CCV - all listed, all younger than the average, but all unlikely to play much of a part (if any) or even still be at the club.

24.4 years is very far from old - even in terms of professional football. We therefore have plenty of scope to bring in an older player or two. Not to mention that 28 is hardly ancient!

Hes 28 until hes 29

 

[glacierSpurs]

Only just saw his YouTube compilations. Wow. When was the last time we have someone like him so powerful bulldozing through those tackles and strides forward in attack.

Really hope we can get him done soon.

 

[tiger666]

Hes 28 until hes 29

he walks like pelican

 

[Neon_Knight_]

IMO, if you put 2 creative players in a CM3 you create way more than twice the problems for your opponents. A lot of our opponents knew that if they could stop Eriksen they could stop us, but it's a whole different ball game trying to contain 2 players like GLC and Ndombele. It's how City play at their best with deBruyne and Silva, or Barca did with Xavi and Iniesta. You might stifle one of them but not both.

Yet most people fail to notice that our league results went downhill the moment Dembele left. Pre-Mourinho, most people seemed to blame it on Eriksen (not creating enough / not trying hard enough) and/or the lack of a CDM who can shield the defensive and create simultaneously (Wanyama injured and Dier not passing well enough). Add Dembele back into our midfield and suddenly Dier only needs to play a safe pass and opposition can't kill our attacks before they start by simply marking Eriksen out of the game.

Under Redknapp:
Parker (or Sandro)
Modric
Lennon, VDV, Bale (or Kranjčar)
Adebayour (or Crouch / Defoe)

Under Poch:
Wanyama (or Dier)
Dembele
Eriksen, Alli, Son (or Lamella)
Kane

Alli and VDV were both playing in a role that was a hybrid of an old fashioned no.10 and a modern no.10 (second striker / AM), when they were at their most effective. Teams had to adjust to them constantly switching between sitting upfront alongside the CF and dropping into midfield, and struggled to cope with both limiting the play-maker's space and tracking Alli / VDV's runs from deep.

After Modric and VDV left, we became very reliant on Bale to produce goals from nothing, and our midfield didn't look balanced again until Poch rebuilt the team. No one was too excited by Benteleb & Mason, but it was an improvement, despite them arguably being weaker individually than the CMs they replaced. Playing Dier at CDM was controversial, but allowed Dembele to finally do what he did best. When Dembele was injured at the start of the following season and we resorted to Dier + Wanyama, we lacked balance and struggled to create. As soon as Dembele was fit again, playing alongside Wanyama (Dier as back-up), we completely dominated the opposition nearly every game.

 

[nedley]

Only just saw his YouTube compilations. Wow. When was the last time we have someone like him so powerful bulldozing through those tackles and strides forward in attack.

Really hope we can get him done soon.

Who?

 

[SecretLemonadeDrinker]

Who?

Some guy that we really ought to have a thread for..........to complement this midfield tactics thread.

 

[Japhet]

Yet most people fail to notice that our league results went downhill the moment Dembele left. Pre-Mourinho, most people seemed to blame it on Eriksen (not creating enough / not trying hard enough) and/or the lack of a CDM who can shield the defensive and create simultaneously (Wanyama injured and Dier not passing well enough). Add Dembele back into our midfield and suddenly Dier only needs to play a safe pass and opposition can't kill our attacks before they start by simply marking Eriksen out of the game.

Under Redknapp:
Parker (or Sandro)
Modric
Lennon, VDV, Bale (or Kranjčar)
Adebayour (or Crouch / Defoe)

Under Poch:
Wanyama (or Dier)
Dembele
Eriksen, Alli, Son (or Lamella)
Kane

Alli and VDV were both playing in a role that was a hybrid of an old fashioned no.10 and a modern no.10 (second striker / AM), when they were at their most effective. Teams had to adjust to them constantly switching between sitting upfront alongside the CF and dropping into midfield, and struggled to cope with both limiting the play-maker's space and tracking Alli / VDV's runs from deep.

After Modric and VDV left, we became very reliant on Bale to produce goals from nothing, and our midfield didn't look balanced again until Poch rebuilt the team. No one was too excited by Benteleb & Mason, but it was an improvement, despite them arguably being weaker individually than the CMs they replaced. Playing Dier at CDM was controversial, but allowed Dembele to finally do what he did best. When Dembele was injured at the start of the following season and we resorted to Dier + Wanyama, we lacked balance and struggled to create. As soon as Dembele was fit again, playing alongside Wanyama (Dier as back-up), we completely dominated the opposition nearly every game.

I think it's fair to say that to have 2 in CM they both have to be exceptional players with an all round skill set. We very obviously haven't had this for a very long time and I'm rather surprised that Poch never worked it out and it took Mourinho a long while before the penny dropped. Our performances imroved greatly once we had enough bodies in midfield to compete, but even then I put a lot of that down to Dele being unavailable through suspension and the extra CM space that provided. I don't think Hojbjerg will be great in a CM2 either but do think he could be decent at the base of a 3. Even Winks would have faired a lot better in the DM role with 2 others in midfield.

 

[emiley heskey]

I think it's fair to say that to have 2 in CM they both have to be exceptional players with an all round skill set. We very obviously haven't had this for a very long time and I'm rather surprised that Poch never worked it out and it took Mourinho a long while before the penny dropped. Our performances imroved greatly once we had enough bodies in midfield to compete, but even then I put a lot of that down to Dele being unavailable through suspension and the extra CM space that provided. I don't think Hojbjerg will be great in a CM2 either but do think he could be decent at the base of a 3. Even Winks would have faired a lot better in the DM role with 2 others in midfield.

I think hojberg will be perfect player for CM 2 .. He is actually Pure Central Midfielder than both winks and sissoko who are not suited to cm 2 role rather they are suited to cm 3

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

With Højbjerg seemingly close to done, I’d like to see a 433, with GLC and another both playing box to box roles. Two technical engines anchored by Hojbjerg would potentially make us a very effective counterattacking side. Mourinho likes his wingers to defend from deep and break at speed, but the extra engines in midfield, probably playing a double pivot (where one goes and the other stays a little deeper) could create quick overloads without leaving us vulnerable if things break down in attack

 

[ToDarrenIsToDo]

With Højbjerg seemingly close to done, I’d like to see a 433, with GLC and another both playing box to box roles. Two technical engines anchored by Hojbjerg would potentially make us a very effective counterattacking side. Mourinho likes his wingers to defend from deep and break at speed, but the extra engines in midfield, probably playing a double pivot (where one goes and the other stays a little deeper) could create quick overloads without leaving us vulnerable if things break down in attack

A midfield 3 of Hojbjerg alongside Lo Celso and an up for it Ndombele would be fantastic if possible. Stick a really reliable RB into the mix and our teams depth would start taking decent shape.

 

[C0YS]

I think hojberg will be perfect player for CM 2 .. He will actually Pure Central Midfielder than both winks and sissoko who are not suited to cm 2 role rather they are suited to cm 3

This chat is pointless, as its not going to happen. But..

Before 2018 Brozovic was considered a box to box complete player. Inter fans didn't like him, they found him very inconsistent and erratic, and while capable of a good pass he wasn't consistent with his passing. He was booed off the pitch on numerous occasions

The world cup came, Croatia played him as an outright holding midfielder, he impressed. Last season, he went from a box to box to a principally defensive midfielder, he still makes play from deep. Because actually being deeper helps his passing, it gives him more of the pitch to look at. My point is, he does sometimes play different roles, but Bozovic is one of the best defensive midfielders in the game right now, he's a pretty average box to box midfielder.

Last season he played as the holding midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 and this season he has played as the deepest midfielder in a 3-5-2. He is normally paired with two hard running box box to box midfielders with a more attacking emphasis (Vecino, Barrella, Gagliardini) while he focuses on keeping defensive shape and passing from the back.

I think pairing him with PEH would make us very immobile, unless we plan to use Brozovic as a more box to box player (or PEH for that matter) but to me, if we plan to do that there are better players out there. I mean if we are going to swap with inter they have better players who can do that kind of role.

If you get both, apart from maybe big games, or if we really want to go with a very defensive double pivot, I would think that they would be competing for the same position. Which might not be a bad thing because currently its Winks (who is classically a n8) who is likely to be competing with PEH for the number 6 spot. But I would be surprised if they played together.

 

[Goobers]

Thanks for that. Very interesting. It does seem like the club mouthpieces are being told one thing and denying all reports of Tanguy leaving whilst in Italy it seems the talk of a transfer is very active ...

 

[synththfc]

Thanks for that. Very interesting. It does seem like the club mouthpieces are being told one thing and denying all reports of Tanguy leaving whilst in Italy it seems the talk of a transfer is very active ...

All very familiar, and pretty intelligent by the club. Make the player seem like the bad guy forcing a move in order to gain support for selling a -player the fans want to keep but the manager doesn't.

Common tactic but almost always effective.

 

[Tottenhamboys]

Also, Winks is worried about this signing and what it means for his position. It’s a possibility he will be leaving

 

[dtxspurs]

Also, Winks is worried about this signing and what it means for his position. It’s a possibility he will be leaving

Won’t be bummed if someone (likely) would overpay.