Harry Winks

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He always takes the ball on the turn and looks to play it forward with purpose. Exactly what we've been lacking. I'm not surprised Poch started him, and I wouldn't be surprised if he starts next week either.
 
His passing ability is exceptional. He just has unique technique for it, I remember seeing yesterday even a long pass back to the goalkeeper that he did under no pressure, the way he hit the ball getting the perfect weight to it and accuracy was beautiful to watch. He just has amazing ability and I seems not to have the drawbacks you would expect for a player of his experience. I'm really excited to see what he can achieve.
 
What was equally heartening and depressing was how much urgency he had in his game compared to Eriksen.

I think with Eriksen there must be something mental, Eriksen has so much ability but is not a better player than when he first arrived at Spurs.

Might be a competition thing, Walker and Rose are so much better for having Trippier and Davies looking over their shoulder. Someone to offer genuine competition and take Eriksen out of his comfort zone will get him back on his feet.
 
Someone to offer genuine competition and take Eriksen out of his comfort zone will get him back on his feet.

I don't think Eriksen would be the sort of person to respond positively to that though. Far more likely to just think "Well, I'm better than this anyway, I want to join Barcelona, cya".

Can't see it motivating him. His mentality is very, very weak.
 
I don't think Eriksen would be the sort of person to respond positively to that though. Far more likely to just think "Well, I'm better than this anyway, I want to join Barcelona, cya".

Can't see it motivating him. His mentality is very, very weak.

Agreed.

And if that's his mentality, he won't be here much longer. I'd much rather see Lamela in his position, we RARELY see Lamela centrally in games on a consistent basis. It's time to get him involved when he's back.
 
Agreed.

And if that's his mentality, he won't be here much longer. I'd much rather see Lamela in his position, we RARELY see Lamela centrally in games on a consistent basis. It's time to get him involved when he's back.

I think if his performances carry on like this, he's as good as gone.

Difficult to talk about formations and positions because we don't even know what Poch is thinking or what formation we will use in future. (2 up top, Kane as 10, Kane up top alone, a front 3 etc). In a 4-2-3-1 formation though Son-Lamela-New EXPENSIVE Player, would be very dangerous though. Far more so than Lamela-Eriksen-Son, which puts everyone out of their natural position for no good reason.
 
I have to admit that when I heard that Tiddly was playing from the start, I did wonder if Poch was doing the right thing, as I thought that yesterday's game was for men, not boys. Shows how much I know! I only saw his reaction after the goal on MOTD, and it bought a lump to my throat, what a moving moment. Worth catching his post match interview on Spurs TV, what a lovely boy, his mum must be so proud.
 
Not surprised to see him compared to Eriksen. It's crazy how much more Winks gave to our game yesterday than Eriksen. He has been terrible for a few months now, his passing yesterday was catastrophic (69% pass accuracy).

It is very early to say this, but Poch dreams of putting up a home-grown/english only starting eleven one day. I don't we will achieve that, but we are getting closer and I believe Winks will be a part of that. We need players who are fully commited to the club - they make the difference. Most of the squad are, there are just a few players falling out, mainly the new ones like Sissoko or GKN, but that's because they haven't been here for a longer time.

It's not the case for Eriksen though, it is his fourth season with us. And while is he a very gifted footballer and is working harder than before Poch arrived, I have the feeling he doesn't care as much as the rest of the group does. I think he is intelligent, getting a new contract with us, because he gets to start every game with us and is now playing in the CL, so he is in the spotlight. Right now, which might not be the case later in the season, I wouldn't mind a bit seeing him go. I agree with his mentality - imo he is also conceited. These problems have also been addressed in his national side.

Anyway, back to Winks. I think he has the talent to play for us in no 10 role one day. His decision making is extremely good, he has that bit of pace and, just like Mason did, he isn't shy of passing the ball forwards. The difference to Mason is his tempo of play. He seems to know when to play which kind of pass. Very excited about him.

As a last point, to come back to the "commited and non-commited players": Beside Eriksen, I would also put Son in that bracket. I am writing about this, because, with Poch in charge, I'd rather take a commited player over a more talented one. For an example, I would rather give Onomah playing time before buying somebody like Isco. But those are only my thoughts.
 
I think with Eriksen there must be something mental, Eriksen has so much ability but is not a better player than when he first arrived at Spurs.

Might be a competition thing, Walker and Rose are so much better for having Trippier and Davies looking over their shoulder. Someone to offer genuine competition and take Eriksen out of his comfort zone will get him back on his feet.

...Siggy...
COYS
 
His passing ability is exceptional. He just has unique technique for it, I remember seeing yesterday even a long pass back to the goalkeeper that he did under no pressure, the way he hit the ball getting the perfect weight to it and accuracy was beautiful to watch. He just has amazing ability and I seems not to have the drawbacks you would expect for a player of his experience. I'm really excited to see what he can achieve.

Not surprised to see him compared to Eriksen. It's crazy how much more Winks gave to our game yesterday than Eriksen.
Poch dreams of putting up a home-grown starting eleven one day.... I believe Winks will be a part of that... I think he has the talent to play for us in no 10 role one day. His decision making is extremely good, he has that bit of pace and, just like Mason did, he isn't shy of passing the ball forwards. The difference to Mason is his tempo of play. He seems to know when to play which kind of pass. Very excited about him..


Reminds me of Iniesta. Not that he's anywhere near as good, just the way he plays.

I think he has a bit of the 'early Hoddle' about him...
We'll see how that pans out...
No pressure son!
 
Football’s Tender Touch – Featuring Harry Winks
Seb Stafford-Bloor.

Football's Tender Touch - Featuring Harry Winks

Forgive me a moment of self-indulgence and the occasional use of the first-person.

The modern supporter seeks assurance. He or she knows that football broke free of its social moorings many years ago, but still wants to believe in the texture of contemporary footballers. The fan can tolerate the opulence flaunted on social media and has grown to accept the income disparity, but still seeks tangible proof that players “get it” – that they understand what it means to be a professional and appreciate the responsibilities the privilege comes with.

We like “real”, or at least what we perceive to be real. Players who stay on the pitch to applaud the crowd after games are good, those who do not help to confirm our darkest suspicions. It’s quite simple: fans want to see shades of themselves on the pitch and recognise behaviours which, given the opportunity, they themselves would show.

“If I was a player, I would never…”

On Saturday, Harry Winks started his first Premier League game for Tottenham. Winks, a boyhood Spurs fan, tapped-in a 51st minute rebound to equalise against West Ham and, as White Hart Lane erupted, sprinted to Mauricio Pochettino, his manager.

It was one of several moments that afternoon which provided that elusive, aforementioned authenticity. To witness Winks’s reaction was to get a glimpse of football at its most pure and to see something which, regrettably, is growing ever rarer. Take the 40,000 fans away from that moment, remove the television cameras and strip away all the professional consequences – Winks’ reaction belonged on any football pitch in the world. Watch any match at any level and you will see that level of excitement and that set of expressions. Winning is winning and goals are goals – these are the universal principles of the game – but professionalism normalises many of the emotions attached to those states. Players get excited and often celebrate extravagantly, but rarely in entirely organic ways. The sport itself is to blame for that, it attracts so much scrutiny that it would be unrealistic to expect those players not to behave as if they were on show.

In time, Harry Winks will be the same. Next time he scores, his reaction will be tempered and, inevitably, it will lack the same wild energy. In years to come, perhaps he’ll even develop a familiar goal-scoring pose or celebratory trademark?

No matter, those are concerns for another day. But what a privilege to be at White Hart Lane this weekend. The game was relatively enjoyable and it ended in a dramatic way, but the lasting impression – on me at least – was left by Winks. He performed admirably and in a way which stood up to technical analysis, but those few seconds after his goal were unusually infectious and will be remembered by those who witnessed them for a very long time.

The Premier League is a largely sanitised world, for supporters, journalists and broadcasters alike. The pitches are perfect, the hospitality is often excellent and almost every aspect of it is stage-managed, and if not for the unscripted action, it could easily pass for an elaborate Broadway production. Though each individual match is different and brings with it unique moments, the actual experience has become highly formulaic; even the emotions – good and bad – are ever-so-slightly deadened by week-to-week familiarity.

Consequently, anything which breaks the conventional walls is special. Not just memorable or anecdotal, but novel in way which makes you feel differently to how you ordinarily would. Football is full of melodrama and definitive moments, but its capacity to draw a truly deep response has weakened. But this was that. Winks must have dreamt of his first Tottenham goal almost from the age of consciousness, so to be there and to witness the power it had over him was a precious experience. And, actually, one which was entirely unique: regardless of what he achieves in his career, he’ll never pulse with adrenaline in quite the same way again.

A confession: I had an enviable angle from which to watch Winks’ dash to Pochettino and was lucky enough to have an unobstructed view of his face from immediately after he’d scored. But there was such emotion to it and it was soreal that it ultimately transcended the value of the goal itself. It was the quintessential “what we would have looked like” moment, with all the right expressions and mania. It was wonderful.

Football tests our patience. It’s spoilt, greedy, and it often shows little regard for those who have helped to sustain it. Every once in a while, though, it gives something back, draws you in close, and reminds you exactly why you keep turning up to watch.
 
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