Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[DFF]

PEH? MEH more like.

Just kidding, I’ve no idea if he’s right or not. I just wanted to coin his eventual nickname after 6 months of playing for us.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

He's an ideal signing.

 

[hughy]

I actually fail to see any negatives to signing him. Good age, affordable, and much better than what we have. I don't think there's a chance in hell we can sign a world class CDM in the summer, and let's face it we desperately need someone to fill what I'd consider to be the biggest void in the squad.

Get it done.

 

[Snarfalicious]

--------------- Hojbjerg ---------------
-- Ndombele ----------- Lo Celso ----
--- Bergwijn --- Kane ----- Son ------

That's a really formidable group of players.

 

[Montalbano]

PEH? MEH more like.

Just kidding, I’ve no idea if he’s right or not. I just wanted to coin his eventual nickname after 6 months of playing for us.

He really is so meh though... If he starts for Southampton for the remainder of the season I encourage everyone singing his praises to watch him in game and see how bang average he is. I really think we’re grasping at straws thinking he's going to transform our midfield.

This is one of those classic pre-2016 “we’re skint and this is bargain” signings that will not improve us, then Levy will try to sell him for the same fee we paid for him and he'll ultimately become deadwood for us. Then we'll hear about how we can't sign a good DM because we need to offload PEH before we buy a new one.

He's overhyped from some Statbomb and Twitter statistician reports. Winks is as good as him and is one of our own. Skipp, if given a run of games, has shown glimpses of performing at a high level as well.

 

[Dirtysanchez6]

--------------- Hojbjerg ---------------
-- Ndombele ----------- Lo Celso ----
--- Bergwijn --- Kane ----- Son ------

That's a really formidable group of players.

How could this line up not excite you 2 good full backs and we are good to go

 

[DogsOfWar]

It's critical we get a DM in who also play a bit.
If you get an out and out DM and play against opposition who sit back it's like only having 10 men on the pitch.

Klopp has nailed it at Liverpool with various midfielders who can get around the pitch but play as well.

I believe Skipp has it in his locker long term but we still need another one whilst he learns.

 

[mr ashley]

He really is so meh though... If he starts for Southampton for the remainder of the season I encourage everyone singing his praises to watch him in game and see how bang average he is. I really think we’re grasping at straws thinking he's going to transform our midfield.

This is one of those classic pre-2016 “we’re skint and this is bargain” signings that will not improve us, then Levy will try to sell him for the same fee we paid for him and he'll ultimately become deadwood for us. Then we'll hear about how we can't sign a good DM because we need to offload PEH before we buy a new one.

He's overhyped from some Statbomb and Twitter statistician reports. Winks is as good as him and is one of our own. Skipp, if given a run of games, has shown glimpses of performing at a high level as well.

Ok but three hours into to the restart and I think it’s fair to say that judging any player in the next nine games will do players an injustice.
Also, let’s be honest about Winks. He’s not a 6. He’s an 8 ( at least in his head), but managers try to play him as a 6. He’s doesn’t read play or block passing lanes like a cdm should. He may be learning but he’s competing with Sissoko right now (if we bring in Hojbjerg)
Skipp is the only cdm in our squad right now.

But this “seen it all before/ it’ll never happen gumph....Bore off!

 

[dtxspurs]

What I read from seemingly level-headed Saints fans they say he's great at winning the ball but not good after he gets it. Thats all we need. Someone to win the ball and give it to Tanguy & Gio.

 

[Montalbano]

He’s not a 6. He’s an 8 ( at least in his head), but managers try to play him as a 6. He’s doesn’t read play or block passing lanes like a cdm should.

Exact same is said about Hojbjerg, FYI. Seems like a waste of funds when we already have Winks to perform the exact same role.

 

[mr ashley]

Exact same can be said about Hojbjerg, FYI.

Yes I’ve never said otherwise. In fact, it’s worth highlighting that for the majority of the season, Romeu plays deepest in the Southampton midfield 3. You could always make the same argument for Gundogan at city though, but he manages it against the lesser teams (inc Arsenal right now )

However, if people can understand which stats relate to specific functions of a midfielder, and add that to certain other attributes that can’t be measured, it’s possible to see how he could improve our midfield. Of course, playing for a top team isn’t the same as playing for a team at the bottom.
Let’s just all be honest about this link. No- one is expecting him to win the Ballon d’Or. But if he adds some nous and competition for places without taking up all of our budget, we’ll be happy.

Finally, please don’t take it personally about the ‘seen it all before’ comment. I just find that response to any transfer-based discussion to be pointlessly negative. It’s not as if we don’t all know what Levy is capable of.

 

[JamieSpursCommunityUser]

Highlights of his every touch in our 1-1 Cup tie at St Mary's back in January.

Interestingly they lined up in a 442 with Hojbjerg and Ward-Prowse in a double pivot.



My impression is seems to have the qualities we lack. In this he reads the game and takes up good defensive positions, and also shows a good range of passes, released early and fluidly.

I was thinking about Hoddle's recent comments about us not having a passer, and I think he's right. Without Eriksen, we don't have a passer in midfield.

Our 8's can play neat / clever through balls, but not those raking passes to move the opposition around or release our wide men early.

So I think that's now a very valuable, if not essential, quality for us to balance our XI.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I think it's nonsense to say we don't have a passer in the side given we have Ndombele, Lo Celso and Kane....and Eriksen was rubbish for ages

That said, i think this guy is a good player in a position we desperately need to strengthen. I'm all for this

 

[wirE]

So Hojberg being stripped of armband is a dead giveaway that he's on his way out. Question is; is he coming to us?

 

[Gbspurs]

What I read from seemingly level-headed Saints fans they say he's great at winning the ball but not good after he gets it. Thats all we need. Someone to win the ball and give it to Tanguy & Gio.

Spot on. Not every player in the team needs to be worldies. Win the ball and lay it off to Ndombele or Lo Celso or fast over the top to Kane, Son, Bergwijn. Perfect.

 

[Wsussexspur]

So Hojberg being stripped of armband is a dead giveaway that he's on his way out. Question is; is he coming to us?

Wouldn't hold you breath.. Sure Levy will find some excuse to make this transfer not happen..

 

[Timberwolf]

Ok but three hours into to the restart and I think it’s fair to say that judging any player in the next nine games will do players an injustice.
Also, let’s be honest about Winks. He’s not a 6. He’s an 8 ( at least in his head), but managers try to play him as a 6. He’s doesn’t read play or block passing lanes like a cdm should. He may be learning but he’s competing with Sissoko right now (if we bring in Hojbjerg)
Skipp is the only cdm in our squad right now.

But this “seen it all before/ it’ll never happen gumph....Bore off!

This is so true. When you watch us with Sissoko or Winks as a 6 they just don't have that natural ability to block passing lanes or read danger. They run around a lot and make the odd interception, but they're far too easy to play through.

To compound matters neither of them are great passers. Winks is fine at the simple stuff but is utterly risk averse, while Sissoko's passing is erratic and inconsistent (though bizarrely Sissoko's actually looked a lot better than Winks at pinging long balls in our last few matches).

Even if Hojbjerg isn't a pure 6 he's a darnsight better there than most of our current options.

 

[Japhet]

Exact same is said about Hojbjerg, FYI. Seems like a waste of funds when we already have Winks to perform the exact same role.

I think the relevant question is how would Hojbjerg and Winks compare in a CM2 and also a CM3. I think Hojbjerg works pretty well in a 3, as would Winks, but I think they would struggle equally in a 2 like Winks obviosly has. People seem to think that bringing Hojbjerg in would result in a switch to a CM3, but if were going to do that I think it would solve a lot of problems for Winks as well (or Skipp for that matter). I'm not against signing him but think we'd all have accept that it wouldn't propel us to new heights. It could repair a bit of the damage that's been done in the last couple of seasons though. I'd also have to wonder where Gedson fits in, but then I never understood why we signed him in the first place other than emergency cover.

 

[ackie]

A lot stuck up their nose and didn't want Grealish and may now regret it.
I think the same will be said of this fellow.

 

[TEESSIDE1]

What I read from seemingly level-headed Saints fans they say he's great at winning the ball but not good after he gets it. Thats all we need. Someone to win the ball and give it to Tanguy & Gio.

Not good with the ball? There’s loads of highlights of him playing pin point defence splitting passes and deep crosses. Even against us earlier this season he cut us open several times with his passing.