Moussa Sissoko

[Totti]

Would some one buy him to do that? Probably note (at least not now with VAR to catch him out)
Would some one who already has him in their squad and has limited ability to replace him, use him to his best and suit the team? 100%

And he deserved a call up to the England squad according to Redknapp.

Which shows you that you should probably take what Redknapp says with a pinch of salt.

He's got numerous caps with Jamaica and therefore could never receive a cap with England. And these guys work in football. Jesus christ.

Scary.

 

[Airfixx]

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.

I know you're moderate about him, T... Which is fair enough. I'm just further batting back the "he does nothing: narrative.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[MemphisWill]

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.

Yeah, I suppose that's a better way of putting it. I feel that the amount of focus Sissoko is asked to place on his defencive duties is related to a measure of caution to cover for Aurier, so maybe the proportion is adjusted more in this case than normal - but yes, its mostly down to they style in which we play.

 

[Bazali]

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.

I loved Dembele but he didn’t score many for us

 

[Bazali]

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.

Of course it is harder to improve on Harry but my point was that every player can be improved on not just Sissoko

 

[Deleted member 15314]

Just like Hojbjerg covers for Reguilon. Or Dembele did for Rose. Wanyama did for Walker etc. Etc.

Well what's the key difference between those guys and Sissoko? They had/have the ability to cover fullbacks, but also shield the central areas. They could put passes together, control the tempo of the game. Dier and Wanyama were strong weapons in set pieces. PEH is an excellent tackler, passer, and defensive organiser.

Multi faceted players.

Also, be honest, if Mou had a better option like a fit Matic, Kante, Dembele, Wanyama would Sissoko get in the team?

 

[Deleted member 15314]

Of course it is harder to improve on Harry but my point was that every player can be improved on not just Sissoko

By the same token should we not have attempted to upgrade on Davies, and Winks? After all, every player can be improved on.

 

[Bazali]

By the same token should we not have attempted to upgrade on Davies, and Winks? After all, every player can be improved on.

I didn’t say that we should I said that we could
Big difference

You’ll do well on here twisting peoples words

 

[Deleted member 15314]

I didn’t say that we should I said that we could
Big difference

You’ll do well on here twisting peoples words

Your statement "that could apply to anyone" is just a vacuous statement. It's not really an argument for or against anything really.

Clearly the fact that all players can be improved is a given, but then you say don't draw any conclusion from that premise. Your implication is that since all players are flawed, our focus on Sissoko is unwarranted, why bring Kane into the discussion at all if that wasn't your intention?

You know very well that Sissoko is one of our weaker players, and if we were to focus on improving our starting 11, he'd be one of the first targets for replacement.

 

[Deleted member 15314]

...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.

It's rarely a singular issue, but surely Sissoko is one of the biggest culprits.

 

[bus-conductor]

But that’s not luck with the shots going between the keepers legs
A lot of strikers aim just for that eventuality as most keepers leave themselves wide open

it doesn’t matter either the Chavs having most of the ball and territory

Hugo wasn’t busy during the game and they were terrified of us hitting them on the break

A good point earned and we’re top

Let’s enjoy it

No but it's luck when you score 2 with your only two shots and one of them was from outside the box and involved the keeper fucking up and both go through his legs.

And it's no surprise when we can't repeat that the next week when we only have one shot on target in 90 and that's from outside the box.

It doesn't matter them having more ball and territory if we are being smart and using that to make chances and win games. Matters when we are not, and yesterday we didn't make a single decent chance.

Extremely unambitious 90 minute bus parks against Chelsea are not exactly what I'd call "good points". It's kind of what the Burnley's of this world aspire to. I'd call it a pretty meh point ground out.

I'll take the point, can't really say I sucked too much enjoyment out of the "getting of it".

 

[Bazali]

Your statement "that could apply to anyone" is just a vacuous statement. It's not really an argument for or against anything really.

Clearly the fact that all players can be improved is a given, but then you say don't draw any conclusion from that premise. Your implication is that since all players are flawed, our focus on Sissoko is unwarranted, why bring Kane into the discussion at all if that wasn't your intention?

You know very well that Sissoko is one of our weaker players, and if we were to focus on improving our starting 11, he'd be one of the first targets for replacement.

But I wasn’t arguing

The point was made that Sissoko could be improved upon which I didn’t disagree with and all I said was that that criteria could apply to any of the team

We’re top and if Jose is happy to give him a role and play him regularly then that’s good enough for me!

 

[bus-conductor]

...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.

Stop with your naughty Blakey nonsense. I'm not saying everything wrong with us is Sissoko's doing, I've openly made my feeling known about plenty of others shortcomings, we're a team of varying degree compromises (most are), but in that team of compromises a CM who lacks any press resistance, doesn't excel defensively, and passes the ball forwards 4 fucking times in 94 minutes definitely in the "most compromised" and easiest to improve and upgrade pole position.

 

[Bazali]

People on here gloating about how fat frank was scared of our counter and played conservative, but the fact is that his side had by far the better chances, and crucially the conservative playstyle worked to neutralise our threat.

So what's the gloating about?

I'm glad to get out of that place with a point, but it's really not cause for quite the celebration I've seen from some.

So we don’t celebrate being top in your world then or taking points off our rivals with clean sheets

So yes I’ll fucking gloat all I want thanks

 

[Deleted member 15314]

Rubbish....

How we're set & the performance of the attacking players are far more pivotal.... Oh and the intent of the oppo; let's not forget that either.

You're deluded if you expect Sissoko to be some kind of attacking conduit, given what he's deployed to do.

Well it's a case of chicken or egg isn't it? Is he deployed as a pure human shield because that's all he's good for, or is that all he does because he's being told to do nothing else.

I tend to think it's the former. Mou is an adaptable manager, if Sissko had it in him to be more than this Mou would make use it.