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the other one was worse where he dummied him and put him on the floor. casemiro looked rather old in this game which is good.
We have got away with one here. Another season with Conte and he would have completely destroyed the player. Couldnt learn his tactics apparently. Maybe that's because your tactics were shit Antonio!
Normally at the front of the line to give players shit (and I've given Bissouma his fair share) but I think it's the best he's looked in about two season, really thought his bossing midfield days were over but clearly not by recent evidence. Fingers crossed he stays fit and consistent.
Ange Postecoglou can rejuvenate Yves Bissouma at Tottenham Hotspur
When Ange Postecoglou was starting to solve the jigsaw at Tottenham Hotspur, Yves Bissouma may not have seemed an obvious piece to put down as the deepest midfielder.The midfielder was snubbed for not being defensively disciplined enough for the former Spurs manager Antonio Conte, leaving him...
www.thetimes.co.uk
When Ange Postecoglou was starting to solve the jigsaw at Tottenham Hotspur, Yves Bissouma may not have seemed an obvious piece to put down as the deepest midfielder.
The midfielder was snubbed for not being defensively disciplined enough for the former Spurs manager Antonio Conte, leaving him demoralised and low in confidence.
Bissouma had a wretched year which began within weeks of being Conte’s first signing last summer. First, he missed out on the tactical work that was important for the Italian, having been put in isolation after testing positive for Covid when the squad landed in the Far East for their pre-season tour. He then missed two months in the spring with an ankle injury.
However, he has been a different person and player since Postecoglou arrived as the head coach. Bissouma got the nod as deepest midfielder above Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Oliver Skipp and Pape Sarr, all of whom might have seemed more disciplined and cautious for a role protecting the back line, especially with full backs asked to get forward.
Postecoglou wants something more creative, though, and less stodgy in that area of the pitch than was demanded by Conte and José Mourinho, and Bissouma often dropped between the centre backs to collect possession and bring the ball forward during pre-season.
Against Manchester United, using his energy, driving jinking runs and passing, he brought something that Tottenham had been missing in that area, where only Cristian Romero had more touches of the ball
Postecoglou has taken to him and the greater responsibility he asked of him was evident from some of his recovery tackles. He got back to dispossess Jadon Sancho when the winger looked like he had got away towards the end. Minutes before he wriggled and shimmied past players for one of his two efforts on goal, and his flick released Destiny Udogie for a move that gave Son Heung-min a sight of goal.
Postecoglou has taken to Bissouma, whose creativity is a key part of his midfield plans
ALEX MORTON/TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC/SHUTTERSTOCK
Early on he threaded through for Son, the ball was switched across to Sarr and Dejan Kulusevski’s shot was saved. A backheel released Udogie and the ball eventually fell to Son, whose close-range shot was blocked.
Tottenham conceded chances when United passed back and crossed first-time, which is an area they want to address. It would also have been an area for United to exploit but the visitors were sluggish and slow and were unable to force the mistakes that Brentford did last week. Nothing changed when Højbjerg came on and the Dane was slotted into the No 8 role.
Bissouma caught Tottenham’s eye as a Brighton & Hove Albion player during Spurs’ 3-1 win over the south coast club in an FA Cup tie in 2022. He scored from outside the area after winning a tackle with Son and running away from Harry Kane and Romero. There were other driving runs, which had also attracted the attention of Liverpool and Woolwich in recent seasons.
He had a year left on his contract last summer, and some wondered if he was applying himself properly in training. That let Tottenham jump in and they paid about £25 million.
Postecoglou has promised fun and entertainment and his first win typified what can be expected in matches. Udogie was a menace roaming from left back, but there are areas where there are nagging doubts, up front and in defence, and there were a combined 39 shots.
Richarlison worked hard to push back United’s defenders and was a willing target for a longer ball, but going forward he was short of sharpness around the penalty area. He created one opportunity, never had an effort on goal, and acknowledged that his goal return will be compared with the departed Kane even though their roles are not the same.
Richarlison cut a glum figure on the bench when he was taken off. “As a striker, I have to receive the ball, I have to be close to the goal and I didn’t receive any ball there, so I was more upset about that,” Richarlison said. “In training I’ve been doing well, scoring goals, it’s a matter of time for the goals to come out.
“The fans have to be a little patient, it’s not easy to replace an idol like Harry Kane, that time is normal. Like it or not, a match in which I don’t score, they’re going to miss him. That’s why Tottenham paid dearly for me. That’s why they put me here, now it’s up to me, I have to do the job, I know my responsibility. The coach hit my chest, I know he trusts me too.”
Embracing each other at full-time, the England midfielders James Maddison and Mason Mount know they have begun their careers at new clubs very differently. While Maddison has instantly brought creativity and invention that was lacking in Tottenham Hotspur’s midfield, Mount has struggled to get used to a deeper midfield role after his £60 million transfer to Manchester United.
Mount faded after a bright start in which his pressing caused Tottenham to turn over possession and led to Antony having a shot with which he might have done better. Mount went on to break up other attacks but never tracked the run of Pape Sarr, the midfielder who was first to a loose ball to put Tottenham in front. Mount had the fewest touches (27) of United’s starting XI except for Alejandro Garnacho, who played 20 minutes fewer. The signing of Mount was a surprise given United’s need for a defensive midfielder and the fact that the England player had enjoyed an advanced role at Chelsea where he scored 24 and made 25 goals in three seasons from 2019-20.
Erik ten Hag says it is a work in progress turning Mount into the player that Christian Eriksen was last season. The idea seems to be to utilise his talent for handling teams who press, and he is good at playing give-and-goes and the longer passing.
Mount started alongside Bruno Fernandes in a four-man midfield and then dropped alongside Casemiro as the game wore on. It was the same when Mount helped Casemiro in the 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.
“He did well, we dominated Spurs in the first half, especially in the midfield area, and that was in and out of possession, and Mason played an important part in that,” Ten Hag, the United manager, said.
In contrast Maddison has been played as a No 8 on the left since his £40 million move from Leicester City. He had the most touches of the Spurs attacking players and drove forward to start the move for the first goal, having registered two assists in the draw with Brentford last week. The sight of him leaving the ground on crutches would have sparked concern, then, though it is not thought to be a serious injury.
Ange Postecoglou, the Spurs head coach, has spoken about Maddison being crucial for his side becoming less reliant on the attacking trio to produce goals, one of them Dejan Kulusevski. “[The instructions] have changed a little bit because it’s more offensive,” Kulusevski said. “I don’t have to be more as a wingback when we’re defending, so I’m enjoying it.”
People have ludicrously short memories in football. Much better than Dembele? Give it a rest.
He’s great. Playing brilliantly. Why these hyperbolic statements are needed I don’t know.
yep, and the third man aint bad either! all 3 are well rounded footballers that can do a bit of everything, its powerful.
I didn’t get onboard the Dembele hype train personally - always thought he was overrated. Bissouma feels like he has more in his locker but agree we’ll wait and see. It’s just nice to be excited about players again after the disconnect of the last few years.
Ask almost any Spurs player in the last ten years and it would appear many would say Dembele is the best player they've played with.
For me he didn't score or assist enough, but the players would know, wouldn't they?
Yeah I get that. But I’m commenting on what I felt I saw week in week out. Always felt disappointed by him - particularly given what the players all said.
its because they couldnt get the ball off him in training. thats all well and good but there has to be some end product after, otherwise its just keeping the ball...
That wasn't his job though.
His job was to win the ball, break the press and then give it to others.
16 goals 17 assists in 600 games
Similarly Claude Makelele had the same job.
24 goals and 28 assists in 807 games.
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Dembele has been the best we have had, short memories lads!
Don’t want to derail the Bissouma thread but my initial comment was mostly about calling a player 2.0. Much prefer to judge them on their own strengths/weaknesses.
Presume you mean in that specific role though? O/w I raise you a Modric - the best midfielder I’ve been lucky enough to watch live regularly
He’s got a long way to go to even be mentioned in the same breath as Dembele. When he’s bossed every opponent for 3+ years in a row, maybe it will be a fair comparison.
Bissouma has many similar qualities and I have extremely high hopes for him but two games against Brentford and a pathetic United midfield are nowhere near enough evidence that he’s better than Dembele. When the games against Woolwich, Newcastle, City and Liverpool arrive, then we’ll see.
I wouldn't say Makelele had the same job. Dembele was an 8 not a 6, his main job was carrying the ball, for Makelele it was shielding the backline.
The biggest gift Dembele brought to that team was TIME & SPACE..... A platform to play.
Eriksen so often struggled without him.
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