Player Watch Player Watch: Oliver Skipp

[JCRD]

There was a moment that perfectly demonstrated this against Norwich.

It was when the game was still at 0-0 and Lloris saved from Pukki's shot. The ball fizzed out into the 6 yard box and Pukki was primed for a shot on the rebound, when Skipp dipped in, shielded Pukki from the ball and turned him, before calmly laying the ball off under pressure for another player to clear.

It's exactly the type of thing you rarely ever saw Winks or Sissoko do in that position as they lacked that defensive awareness. A bit like how you can't teach finishing, I don't think you can really teach a midfielder to have that awareness that Skipp has, and it's something that often goes unnoticed.

As Conte says, he can still improve an awful lot, especially on the ball, but he's a really vital player for us going forward and we're lucky to have him.

This is the stuff that Winks used to do - against the likes of Real at Wembley. So we cant revisit the past and say he didnt do that because he did.

 

[PLTuck]

This is the stuff that Winks used to do - against the likes of Real at Wembley. So we cant revisit the past and say he didnt do that because he did.

Winks has never done it on a consistent basis though. Skipp has done something similar to this in pretty much every game he plays.

 

[JCRD]

Winks has never done it on a consistent basis though. Skipp has done something similar to this in pretty much every game he plays.

In the past he did but he kinda nosedived in the last couple of years.

Anyways I like Skipp and think he could be like our own Declan Rice (who i didnt rate in the past but he is pretty damn good) and thats a great thing. I wanna see how he fairs against the likes of Liverpool.

 

[Montalbano]

He’s the English Frenkie de Jong.

 

[Timberwolf]

This is the stuff that Winks used to do - against the likes of Real at Wembley. So we cant revisit the past and say he didnt do that because he did.

Tbf I did say rarely. Watching Winks in the first team for years, his defensive awareness and ability constantly let him down as he failed to anticipate danger or get stuck in. Do you honestly think that's a strength of his?

Sure, Winks had his fair share of good individual defensive moments, as any professional footballer will given enough minutes, but a broken clock is right twice a day and he's never been consistently good defensively.

I'd wager Skipp has been voted MOTM in the post match threads more this season alone than Winks has in his entire Spurs career and that's largely off the back of his defensive contribution.

 

[punkisback]

Amazing week for Skipp and so nice to have a real fan favourite that, almost, the entire fan base is fully behind.

He's proven to be a standout player against lower Prem opposition, need him to put in a couple of notable performances against the bigger boys now.

Excited to see how much further he can progress his ball playing ability.

It was a mistake not to play him against arsenal.

 

[Yiddo100]

He’s the English Frenkie de Jong.

You mean de jong is the Dutch skipp

 

[JCRD]

Tbf I did say rarely. Watching Winks in the first team for years, his defensive awareness and ability constantly let him down as he failed to anticipate danger or get stuck in. Do you honestly think that's a strength of his?

Sure, Winks had his fair share of good individual defensive moments, as any professional footballer will given enough minutes, but a broken clock is right twice a day and he's never been consistently good defensively.

I'd wager Skipp has been voted MOTM in the post match threads more this season alone than Winks has in his entire Spurs career and that's largely off the back of his defensive contribution.

Youre right it was a rarity and I do think Skipp is the better player of the two. So im not at all debating that Winks is better but more suggesting that im not going to jump ahead of myself about him. He has the potential to be very very good for us and it isnt a question of who partners PEH but more - who should partner Skipp

I would sell WInks but not because I think he is shit but because i just want to move on from several players and just revamp the entire squad but do think Winks has been asked in the last two years or so to play a role that isnt him... he is not a true defensive player but someone who can bring the ball out and take it on in a transition... some may say he hasnt shown that either but under Jose we only ever had one or two attacking/transitioning - now there are options.

 

[spids]

This is the stuff that Winks used to do - against the likes of Real at Wembley. So we cant revisit the past and say he didnt do that because he did.

Winks never did that against RM. He did play very well in terms of orchestrating play in CM, but he never showed defensive awareness.

 

[Aphex]

This is the stuff that Winks used to do - against the likes of Real at Wembley. So we cant revisit the past and say he didnt do that because he did.

Skipps is already vastly out performing the best of what Winks could serve up.

For example, Winks has never once won a MOM award in a PL game in his whole career.

Skipp has already done that in his first season and in fact I can bet there will be many more this season to come.

I don't think Winks has put in a decent PL performance in his whole career, that Real Madrid game was a complete one off.

Skipp is already running our midfield at such a young age, he is everything people thought and wanted Winks to be but he never was.

We do need to be cautious and not get ahead of ourselves, but promising signs.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

We do need to be cautious and not get ahead of ourselves, but promising signs.

This

 

[JCRD]

Skipps is already vastly out performing the best of what Winks could serve up.

For example, Winks has never once won a MOM award in a PL game in his whole career.

Skipp has already done that in his first season and in fact I can bet there will be many more this season to come.

I don't think Winks has put in a decent PL performance in his whole career, that Real Madrid game was a complete one off.

Skipp is already running our midfield at such a young age, he is everything people thought and wanted Winks to be but he never was.

We do need to be cautious and not get ahead of ourselves, but promising signs.

I cant really argue with a lot of that to be honest and do think Skipp has a higher ceiling than Winks. But like you say, promising signs and i think lets wait and see how Skipp performs over the next month in particular but the rest of this season. Doing well so far though and good to watch actually

 

[ralphs bald spot]

Tbf I did say rarely. Watching Winks in the first team for years, his defensive awareness and ability constantly let him down as he failed to anticipate danger or get stuck in. Do you honestly think that's a strength of his?

Sure, Winks had his fair share of good individual defensive moments, as any professional footballer will given enough minutes, but a broken clock is right twice a day and he's never been consistently good defensively.

I'd wager Skipp has been voted MOTM in the post match threads more this season alone than Winks has in his entire Spurs career and that's largely off the back of his defensive contribution.

Winks has never been and never will be a defensive midfield player his decline as a player is almost directly linked to the attempt to shoe horn him into the role that Dembele vacated and Spurs have struggled to replace since - he is really a continuity player whose main asset has always been to recycle the ball - players are to often asked to do improve things that they are not very good at instead of concentrating on the positives

Skipp is a different player and I think the role of the so called defensive midfield player is changing in football they are becoming more of a screening role than an actual ball winner - with managers and Conte is one of those where he wants to set traps and pressurise the ball in key positions usually out wide when you can cut down the player on the balls options whilst almost conceding the ball elsewhere especially in central midfield where its about shape nicking and retaining the ball

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

He’s the English Frenkie de Jong.

I don't get the comparison. De Jong is much more of a tempo setter. De Jong's skillset is more comparable to someone like Winks.

I personally think Skipp's qualities are closer to someone like Kante. He's not a tempo setter but has a good engine, strong in the tackle, can drive forward with the ball, and is a constant menace to the opposition.

Either way I think he's got the quality and mentality to be one of the best defensive midifielders in europe if he keeps progressing.

 

[h2005]

He’s been excellent, I wonder how faraway he is from a senior international call up.

 

[Timberwolf]

I don't get the comparison. De Jong is much more of a tempo setter. De Jong's skillset is much more comparable to Winks.

I personally think Skipp's qualities are closer to someone like Kante. He's not a tempo setter but has a good engine, strong in the tackle, can drive forward with the ball, and is a constant menace to the opposition.

Either way I think he's got the quality and mentality to be one of the best defensive midifielders in europe if keeps progressing.

Yeah, I've always thought of Skipp as more of Kante-type player but resisted saying it as Kante sets such a ridiculously high bar in that position. It's a bit like when you compare someone's general play-style to Modric or, as an extreme example, Messi, they instantly look worse by association.

Anyway, that's the type of player he should really be looking to emulate, I think.

 

[gilzeantheking]

 

[Spurs_Bear]

For example, Winks has never once won a MOM award in a PL game in his whole career.

Incorrect. 20/01/2019 he was awarded the MOTM award away at Fulham.

I know that off the top of my head and didn't look it up

 

[synththfc]

think that, while i appreciate his technique, his tenacity and desire is what impresses me most. he never stops, he’s always in the ball carrier’s face, and he covers SO much ground during the match

 

[Aphex]

Incorrect. 20/01/2019 he was awarded the MOTM award away at Fulham.

I know that off the top of my head and didn't look it up

Oh yeah, that dire game when he got the last minute winner. He wasn't even good in that game but he got the MOM because he scored.

So one MOM in 100 odd apps. Terrible really lol.