Moussa Sissoko

[Mick Cooper]

If you like Jose as a coach and you think he can make the difference against other teams and their managers, you need to value what Sissoko offers for the team - and for Jose. He is one of the players that allows Mourinho to work his magic.

Now, we went from a team that couldn´t defend against anybody to a team that kept two consecutive clean sheets against two of the best attacks in the league (and in Europe), and yet people still think Sissoko is just a donkey who ideally wouldn´t be playing in our first team.

Sissoko has nothing to do with our defensive organization? I mean, really?

Once again, Sissoko did his job extremely well yesterday, protecting the space between Aurier and Rodon - Werner´s attacking zone. There are simply not many midfielders who could do it.

COYS

Sissoko is extremely good defensively, a very athletic player who is a nightmare to get past, the problem is when he is in possession, you never have any idea what will happen next as his distribution is so poor and his pass selection is random and often nonsense.

The point people are making is that they would just like him to be better at the things he is poor at. I'd like Harry kane to be as fast as Traore and have deBruyne's engine, but he doesn't, it doesn't mean I can't admire him for what he does well.

Basically Sissoko is half a Kante, I'd just like him to follow Jose's advice and be a complete Kante

 

[Bazali]

Of course - they all had their roles to play.

But that doesn't mean that

A) They are good footballers
B) Can't be upgraded

Surely, that's what most of us think of Sissoko?

He has his role. And can perform that role to the best of his ability. But we also agree that he isn't the best footballer and can be upgraded.

But couldn’t you say that about virtually anyone?

 

[daveyboy88]

Sissoko is extremely good defensively, a very athletic player who is a nightmare to get past, the problem is when he is in possession, you never have any idea what will happen next as his distribution is so poor and his pass selection is random and often nonsense.

The point people are making is that they would just like him to be better at the things he is poor at. I'd like Harry kane to be as fast as Traore and have deBruyne's engine, but he doesn't, it doesn't mean I can't admire him for what he does well.

Basically Sissoko is half a Kante, I'd just like him to follow Jose's advice and be a complete Kante

if sissoko was quality on the ball he wouldnt be with us. hes a weapon for us in certain big games.

 

[Airfixx]

if sissoko was quality on the ball he wouldnt be with us. hes a weapon for us in certain big games.

Lets face it, if Sissoko was really good on the ball he'd be better than Ya Ya Toure was.

 

[Totti]

But couldn’t you say that about virtually anyone?

Within reason.

Reguilon isn't the best LB in the world for example but I wouldn't want us to upgrade him because he's great for us, young and can improve.

Sissoko however is 32 next year, isn't particularly good on the ball, not the greatest defensively. But he works hard and can play a certain role. As simple as it may be. He's the sort of player we'd all be laughing at if he was starting for the likes of Man Utd and Woolwich.

That's a recipe for being upgradeable. Not just his age. But there are players out there who can listen to a manager, do what he's told but also actually be useful on the ball too when they have it.

Sissoko is a good squad player - always said he was. Even when 95% of the Spurs population shit on him during his first 2 seasons.

 

[bus-conductor]

Perhaps that was part of Jose’s plan
To play large chunks of the game in our own half and hit them on the counter

It worked

That’s the point though Baz, it only half worked because we had very few counters, and one shot on target (from outside the box). And we didn’t have many against city either. And I said last week, we won’t get as lucky as scoring through the keepers legs twice, once from outside the box with our only two shots on target. And we didn’t.

Chelsea managed to have twice as much of the ball and territory and still limited us to even less attacking threat than we did them.

I get that we did good bus parks, but it doesn’t take a quantum upgrade to make that bus park a bit more productive.

 

[Matt1882]

United won more titles than anyone else with bang average players that have gone on to go to lower half clubs.

Wes Brown has 5 league titles, 2 FA Cups, 2 CL's and 2 league cups.
John O'Shea 5 titles, 1 FA Cup, 4 League Cups, a Champions League, a World Club Cup...

There's many more where they come from.

 

[Airfixx]

That’s the point though Baz, it only half worked because we had very few counters, and one shot on target (from outside the box). And we didn’t have many against city either. And I said last week, we won’t get as lucky as scoring through the keepers legs twice, once from outside the box with our only two shots on target. And we didn’t.

Chelsea managed to have twice as much of the ball and territory and still limited us to even less attacking threat than we did them.

I get that we did good bus parks, but it doesn’t take a quantum upgrade to make that bus park a bit more productive.

...Right; so despite our tactics, Kane & Sonny being kept quiet, Ndombele's influence fading not long into the 2nd half and there being another CM on the pitch (PEH) our lack of attacking impact was down to Sissoko???

Naughty, Blakey.

 

[Totti]

United won more titles than anyone else with bang average players that have gone on to go to lower half clubs.

Wes Brown has 5 league titles, 2 FA Cups, 2 CL's and 2 league cups.
John O'Shea 5 titles, 1 FA Cup, 4 League Cups, a Champions League, a World Club Cup...

There's many more where they come from.

Key words.

Won stuff.

Wes Brown was a great player too, when he wasn't plagued by injuries.

 

[Mick Cooper]

if sissoko was quality on the ball he wouldnt be with us. hes a weapon for us in certain big games.

I get that. I thought he was abysmal when he first started with us, I have come to accept where he fits in and where he shines. You just have to make sure that you compensate for what he lacks with the players that surround him, which both Jose and Mou do/did.

 

[HeroesAndVillains]

Yes, Sissoko has admirable traits and is well liked by both managers and dressing rooms. He does what he does and that's good.

But have a look at this and tell me you don't get a few "vietnam-flashbacks".

 

[daveyboy88]

I get that. I thought he was abysmal when he first started with us, I have come to accept where he fits in and where he shines. You just have to make sure that you compensate for what he lacks with the players that surround him, which both Jose and Mou do/did.

yea he was awful when he first came here. hes literally the bouncer for players that can play...and hes fucking good at that job hahahah

 

[MemphisWill]

Yes, Sissoko has admirable traits and is well liked by both managers and dressing rooms. He does what he does and that's good.

But have a look at this and tell me you don't get a few "vietnam-flashbacks".

So much of what Sissoko does for us is off the ball. He works his bollocks off, and greatly elevates Aurier - who has shown he has a blunder in him now and again. There were times yesterday where it seemed Sissoko was in the defencive line and Aurier in the midfield - and we looked threatening in those moments.

Sissoko isn't the attacker we thought we were getting. He's probably not ever going to live up to his price tag. But none of that matters - what does matter is that he's an incredibly valuable member of this squad whose role and abilities aren't really found in anyone else at Spurs currently.

Throwing him away because he isn't what we expected/wanted is silly. Poch saw that. Mourinho sees that.

 

[daveyboy88]

So much of what Sissoko does for us is off the ball. He works his bollocks off, and greatly elevates Aurier - who has shown he has a blunder in him now and again. There were times yesterday where it seemed Sissoko was in the defencive line and Aurier in the midfield - and we looked threatening in those moments.

Sissoko isn't the attacker we thought we were getting. He's probably not ever going to live up to his price tag. But none of that matters - what does matter is that he's an incredibly valuable member of this squad whose role and abilities aren't really found in anyone else at Spurs currently.

Throwing him away because he isn't what we expected/wanted is silly. Poch saw that. Mourinho sees that.

30 million or whatever? i think hes lived up to his price tag now in the current market.

 

[Deleted member 15314]

But couldn’t you say that about virtually anyone?

yes, but replacing a Harry Kane is much harder than replacing a Sissoko. For instance, Liverpool seem to manager quite alright with a relatively slow fabinho as as DM.

Leicester did so with Ndidi, Chelsea with Kante. City with Fernandinho etc etc. These are not athletic specimens, but their overall level of play is so much higher that they give more to their team than what Sissoko gives us.

 

[Deleted member 15314]

you compensate for what he lacks with the players that surround him, which both Jose and Mou do/did

But you can only have 11 players on the pitch. Having to cover for his weaknesses puts us in a worse position when we have the ball, as a result we tend to cough up possession at the slightest bit of pressure, and struggle to build play through the middle.

Son, Kane and Bergwijn do huge amounts of work defensive work, while also being expected to provide goals. Aurier and Regui are tasked with a lot of attacking responsibility cos Sissoko just sucks the life out of our attacks.

 

[MemphisWill]

30 million or whatever? i think hes lived up to his price tag now in the current market.

Well, in the market of 18 months ago of course...but in the market he was bought in £30M was a sum bigger than a hard working big lung squadie.

Still, I think a lot of the angst for Sissoko is caught up in the fact that he just doesn't have the role we thought he would have and the money we spent.

And that's not an uncommon fate for Spurs players. Before Dembele blossomed in the midfield he was being lambasted for not being the dynamic goal scoring Fat Frank clone we all thought we were getting when he came over from Fulham.

 

[MemphisWill]

But you can only have 11 players on the pitch. Having to cover for his weaknesses puts us in a worse position when we have the ball, as a result we tend to cough up possession at the slightest bit of pressure, and struggle to build play through the middle.

Son, Kane and Bergwijn do huge amounts of work defensive work, while also being expected to provide goals. Aurier and Regui are tasked with a lot of attacking responsibility cos Sissoko just sucks the life out of our attacks.

You've got it backwards - Sissoko is in the team and tasked with added defencive duties because Aurier isn't trusted not to fuck up when left un chaperoned.

Buy a more polished attacking RB and perhaps Sissoko becomes surplus. Of course Spurs best recent season was when Dier was playing a role similar to what Sissoko is doing now to cover for the attacking verve of Walker and Rose.

Maybe, just maybe, top drawer football managers know more than we do.

 

[Totti]

You've got it backwards - Sissoko is in the team and tasked with added defencive duties because Aurier isn't trusted not to fuck up when left un chaperoned.

Buy a more polished attacking RB and perhaps Sissoko becomes surplus. Of course Spurs best recent season was when Dier was playing a role similar to what Sissoko is doing now to cover for the attacking verve of Walker and Rose.

Maybe, just maybe, top drawer football managers know more than we do.

The job of the midfielder in this particular role is to cover his full backs.

Sissoko isn't doing it because Aurier can't be trusted. He's doing it because it's a simple part of the game.

Just like he done it when Doherty or Trippier played there. Just like Hojbjerg covers for Reguilon. Or Dembele did for Rose. Wanyama did for Walker etc. Etc.

 

[Airfixx]

But you can only have 11 players on the pitch. Having to cover for his weaknesses puts us in a worse position when we have the ball, as a result we tend to cough up possession at the slightest bit of pressure, and struggle to build play through the middle.

Son, Kane and Bergwijn do huge amounts of work defensive work, while also being expected to provide goals. Aurier and Regui are tasked with a lot of attacking responsibility cos Sissoko just sucks the life out of our attacks.

That's nonsense.

Our CMs cover our FBs to allow them the freedom to get up and down the wing.

It's the modern game; to say that our FBs attack because one of our deeper lying MFs can't, is ridiculous.

Do TAA & Robinson attack because Henderson & Fabhinio are shit?