He played more as an Ndombele replacement than an Ndombele compliment today.
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He played more as an Ndombele replacement than an Ndombele compliment today.
That’s my point, he hasn’t got the creativity to be an Ndombele replacement long term. I was hoping he would actually be a 6? For us but based off today he might not be?
My only worry today was his tendency to dive into challenges he had no chance of winning and being totally bypassed.
I get what you´re saying, but I disagree.
Jose used a Staggering pivot many times before. For example, playing alongside Matic (with four players ahead of them), Fabregas got the third best number of assists in Premier League´s History - 2014-15 season.
A Staggering pivot means the two midfield players do not occupy the same horizontal space. Lo Celso will play centrally, dictating the play against teams expected to sit deep. A good example was the game against West Ham, after the break - he was the best player on the pitch.
Against big teams, he will have the protection of two hard working midfielders behind him - and will play closer to the goal, as you said.
I think Lo Celso is going to be the center of the team - that´s how much I think Jose trusts him.
It's because he isn't a DM. He played in a double pivot with JWP. They both ran their asses off and PEH wasn't just sitting there.
It is going to be PEH and Sissoko I have a feeling.
If you watched any of SH he did this a lot. He is a risk taker with the tackle and the pass. He will fuck up and goals will come of it. I like the kid, but people should be familiar with some of his issues as well.
Right. But I don't think Lo Celso and Fabregas are the same sort of player. I don't think Lo Celso is a true middle-of-the-park guy, or at least he's not as special there as he is as a true attacking player. I'd rather have him in Oscar's role from that Chelsea team than Fabregas'.
(Remember Oscar? What the fuck happened to that guy?)
If anything, Lo Celso is much more disciplined for the role than Fabregas ever was.
But again, I understand what you´re saying; he should play closer to the goal. I think he will play closer to the goal in big games (as a number 10, only the striker ahead of him), and I think he won´t be far from the goal against teams expected to sit deep.
Oscar is part of a disgraceful generation of Brazilian football. He was the number 10 of the 7-1 defeat to Germany - even though he was playing out of position. What happened to his career was that he decided for the money. He was a Premier League champion, but when things got difficult he went to China. Very symbolic.
In terms of his playing style, I think he is more similar to Dele Alli than Lo Celso. His best position is/was behind the striker.
This is a fucking scary thought.
Never, ever assume
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Some nice early touches from the new signing as he kept things simple and looked to win the ball. Played his part in the second goal after winning it on the edge of the area and playing in Dele Alli. Good start to life in a Tottenham shirt.
Actually I remember now that he was the central figure in a Youtube documentary on the "emergence" of Chinese football I watched awhile ago, in which he was interviewed in his opulent apartment overlooking the smog-choked landscape of whatever city he was in, glumly mouthing platitudes about the development of the game there and looking as isolated and lonely as a person possibly could.
As a fun year or two of adventure when the top level of the game is no longer something you can be at the center of anymore, I can totally understand the appeal of heading to one of these far-flung leagues, I'm sure I would choose to do the same. But to play out your mid-20's as just a zoo exhibit trinket for the reward of yet more money your children and grandchildren will never need, it's fucking depressing.
I remember him in an interview stating he won't make that type of money anywhere else and he has a family to support in Brazil.
We wax poetic all the time about "the love of the game", "don't play for money", but we have to realize that some could care less about the job; they are in it for the paycheck. We hold football and other sports in this light where playing for the wrong reasons is wrong. But poll most of the world about their jobs as Doctor's, lawyers, janitors and so forth and they would say they are in it for the paycheck. So why is it bad if he just wants to stack cash? BAE said it out right and he fell out of favor for a lot of people cause he didn't love the game.
But, to bring it back to PEH. This kid clearly loves the game and wants to play it for the fans. Can't fault that mentality.
That's his job to interrupt the opposition with aggressive tackling and interceptions, he ranks highly in both categories and has done throughout his career, as pointed out Mourinho likes to play a double pivot midfield pair, when one goes forward the other drop back, it's seems clear PEH will fill one of those position but who will fill the other one? If we go 4-4 -2 then there is room for four midfield players, if we go 5-3-2 then obviously with two wing backs only three midfield players get a start ... not sure the concept of x-x-x is all that relevant if you have players stepping out of their position ... for example playing Dier in a back five might mean he spends most of his time as a extra defensive midfield player, and equally playing Lucas, Lamela, Ryan, Dele, Bergwijn, as wide men in a midfield four might see them playing either as an extra attacker, or an extra defender, depending who we are up against.
The one thing we can say for sure is that PEH adds a dimension to our midfield that since Dembele left we have sorely missed.
I've said before PEH is a traditional CM. He played with JWP and Romeu (DM) for Southampton.
Anyone thinking we are playing 433 is mistaken.
PEH is what I call a front foot player. He will press the ball higher up the pitch. You only have to see the 2nd goal yesterday as an example. This will however leave the second central midfielder by himself. There were a couple of phases yesterday where PEH tried to press the ball but got bypassed leaving Winks as the only holding player.
If we are to get the best out of PEH, we really need to be buying a proper holding midfielder.
I actually think PEH will be a Sissoko replacement. Not TN. I think Sissoko will be off on the next 2 seasons.
Anyone thinking we are playing 433 is mistaken.
PEH is what I call a front foot player. He will press the ball higher up the pitch. You only have to see the 2nd goal yesterday as an example. This will however leave the second central midfielder by himself. There were a couple of phases yesterday where PEH tried to press the ball but got bypassed leaving Winks as the only holding player.
If we are to get the best out of PEH, we really need to be buying a proper holding midfielder.
I actually think PEH will be a Sissoko replacement. Not TN. I think Sissoko will be off on the next 2 seasons.
I disagree respectfully...
I don't think that GLC has enough of this artist-like creativity to consistently come up with final defense splitting assists. Based on what I have seen up to now he seems better suited to be creative force from the deep.
Or to put this other way - I'd rather see him delivering ball from deeper position to Ndombele in good position and then Ndombele putting the ball on plate for Kane / Son to finish if off!
On that basis, are you saying you expect TN to stay and merely share a spot with GLC (as a CAM) whilst PEH & Winks pair up in a 4231 or leave them both out completely in a 442 or 343?
433 or 532 is the only likely way we're likely to see a 3 man CM of any kind.
Really wonder why we are dragging our feet in search of a holding midfielder, our need in that department is desperate and instead of scouring for a holding midfielder we’re picking up the likes of Hojbjerg.
Hojbjerg may be a good player but our team is crying out for a holding midfielder more than anything else.