Harry Winks - Leicester City

[McFlash]

For Winks hasn’t been the same since his ankle issues he had

seems to have lost something and also think teams have figured out if you press him when on the ball then he’s quite easy to nullify especially in a team like ours

I think it's more down to the position he's been forced to play. I don't honestly think his ankle injury had any long-term impact on his fitness, or his game.

 

[WiganSpur]

I basically agree with @BringBack_leGin here. Our CM is a bit of a mess so I would maybe lean towards keeping him around just as a "known quantity". But 40mil is a massive figure for a player who offers little to nothing in terms of offensive or defensive output. His only redeeming quality is that "he's tidy on ball and HG". If he weren't a youth product no one on this forum would rate him.

So I'll be fine either way.

Had it not been for our HG problem, surely £40m would be a fair and tempting offer for a player that's good but very far from world class. Maybe it's one we could revisit in October if we've managed to sort the problem before then.

 

[glacierSpurs]

I think it's more down to the position he's been forced to play. I don't honestly think his ankle injury had any long-term impact on his fitness, or his game.

But actually where currently has he been forced to play?

 

[McFlash]

But actually where currently has he been forced to play?

As a kind of defensive midfielder, trying to provide a shield for the back four.
Have you not watched this season?!

 

[JayB]

But actually where currently has he been forced to play?

He was asked to line up as a DM multiple times this season. He's woefully unsuited to it, his positional sense and tackling ability are miles away from being able to perform in that role. He'll be much better partnered with Hojbjerg IMO.

 

[spids]

But if he's in a 3 with Højbjerg and Gio, with Son, Kane and Lucas, or Bergwijn in front of him, his shooting shouldn't be too much of an issue.
We'd need to be looking at assists, and assisting the assists, which I think he's pretty good at.
Modric used to have all the power of a small child when he used to take a shot (when he was with us) but he was important in so many other ways.

And yet he still scored multiple screamers from outside the box. I get what you say about assisting the assist though.

Winks is Spurs thru and thru, and despite being a rubbish DCM, deserves a chance playing further forward (or at least alongside a proper DCM). Would rather sell Sissoko, Gedson or Lamela ahead of Winks.

 

[Wizzy77]

I cant think of any player apart from Siss, who gave such an unlethal shot in him. Winks seriously need to work on his shooting.

 

[emiley heskey]

Winks has played one game as an 8 in his senior career. One.

And then this happened.



Don't knock the defending, appreciate the run and finish. If he was allowed by Jose to do more of this with Højbjerg as the defensive screen I think we could see a lot more of this. We'd be mental to sell him.

He also score debut goal against west ham , goal against fulham - late runs into the box ans finish ...

 

[glacierSpurs]

As a kind of defensive midfielder, trying to provide a shield for the back four.
Have you not watched this season?!

Did he though? Because he literally did such a bad job at shielding the back four he really wasn't seem to be playing as a DM. And hence my question. Saying being forced to play is almost like saying he's a no.10 but he couldn't create but instead play further back hampering his abilities. There are so many excuses and narratives heaped onto him when in reality he's really only slightly better than average.

He played with Sissoko in the middle of the park in an old fashion pair of CM and there was no DM per se in the play. If you tell me Sissoko was the DM, he seemed more likely because he did more dirty jobs than Winks.

And PEH abilities are gonna be higher than Winks. He may be a DM in view next season, but he won't be sitting so far back when he has the power to burst forward better than either Winks or Sissoko. So I'm really not as optimistic as many who think PEH will relief Winks of so much that he can finally blossom into a player he was seemingly restricted of because he played beside Sissoko this season. Granted he may improve with PEH, but the fact is the roles will not differ much from this season as they will still be more of a pair in the middle of the park.

If Mourinho is really playing a very definitive DM setup, Winks is all the more not the right person to play in front of PEH.

 

[McFlash]

Did he though? Because he literally did such a bad job at shielding the back four he really wasn't seem to be playing as a DM. And hence my question. Saying being forced to play is almost like saying he's a no.10 but he couldn't create but instead play further back hampering his abilities. There are so many excuses and narratives heaped onto him when in reality he's really only slightly better than average.

He played with Sissoko in the middle of the park in an old fashion pair of CM and there was no DM per se in the play. If you tell me Sissoko was the DM, he seemed more likely because he did more dirty jobs than Winks.

And PEH abilities are gonna be higher than Winks. He may be a DM in view next season, but he won't be sitting so far back when he has the power to burst forward better than either Winks or Sissoko. So I'm really not as optimistic as many who think PEH will relief Winks of so much that he can finally blossom into a player he was seemingly restricted of because he played beside Sissoko this season. Granted he may improve with PEH, but the fact is the roles will not differ much from this season as they will still be more of a pair in the middle of the park.

If Mourinho is really playing a very definitive DM setup, Winks is all the more not the right person to play in front of PEH.

Winks and Sissoko, as a pair, offer next to no protection to the defence and with Sissoko also having to cover Aurier, it often left Winks running round in circles on his own. As we have seen so often this past season.
Much of the rest is down to opinion and/or supposition

 

[Sweech]

For Winks hasn’t been the same since his ankle issues he had

seems to have lost something and also think teams have figured out if you press him when on the ball then he’s quite easy to nullify especially in a team like ours

I think the pressing thing is just a function of playing alongside Sissoko who actively hides from the ball and just points to pass to the FB or CB.

With a CM partner that actually wants the ball and can make some interchanges I think you’d see Winks do much better.

 

[Sweech]

Also find it funny that the people who don’t rate Winks don’t put 2 and 2 together to wonder why Pep Guardiola would want him and Man City would value him at 40 mil...

 

[dtxspurs]

Also find it funny that the people who don’t rate Winks don’t put 2 and 2 together to wonder why Pep Guardiola would want him and Man City would value him at 40 mil...

Because Conte bought Drinkwater for 35mil does that make him a good player?

 

[Japhet]

Because Conte bought Drinkwater for 35mil does that make him a good player?

Drinkwater did a very good job at Leicester. He pretty much flushed his career away going to Chelsea and I could see a similar outcome if Winks went to MC. Winks will be so much better playing in a CM3 with Hojbjerg and GLC/Ndombele. He was left to do far too much in a CM2 with Sissoko often babysitting Aurier and it took Mourinho (and Poch) far too long to work it out. Once Mourinho did we were much more solid and results got much better. Part of the problem was trying to get Dele on the pitch, but his suspension for being a knob dropped the solution in Mourinho's lap.

 

[Sweech]

Because Conte bought Drinkwater for 35mil does that make him a good player?

He was a good player at Leicester yes.

 

[Jonboy]

Winks is one of our own and homegrown, which is important
There is a long list of players I’d sell before Harry

 

[coysjod]

If Mourinho can get him play like this we should never sell him:

 

[Gbspurs]

Winks is one of our own and homegrown, which is important
There is a long list of players I’d sell before Harry

Agree but unfortunately the list of players worth decent money isn't quite as long.

I think Winks deserves another chance. Last season was a mess for all concerned but let's see if the additon of Hojbjerg makes a difference (like we hope it does).

Mourinho seems to trust winks which is important and he can at least find a pass.

 

[Finchyid]

Also find it funny that the people who don’t rate Winks don’t put 2 and 2 together to wonder why Pep Guardiola would want him and Man City would value him at 40 mil...

They would just say Pep is a shit manager

 

[Finchyid]

Selling winks is absolute madness, imo. When he came into the side our results got better.