Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[dustybin]

I like Bissouma alot. I think as a footballer, he's better than Hojbjerg. But he's got to prove that he's worthy of that central midfield spot over him. In this system, it's not about being the better footballer. It's about doing what Conte and the system he's implemented asks fo you. And you won't find many better than Hojbjerg who understand just that.

I think over the course of the season, Bissouma will work his way into this starting eleven. But until then, we've got Hojbjerg and Bentancur. Who have proved to be one of the best central midfield pairings in the league.

I think you’re right that’s how it will work out and It looks like it will be PEH and Bentancur starting for the foreseeable but don’t think Bissouma can prove much with 10-20-30 minutes cameos at the end, with the games more stretched or if he gets a first start away at West Ham which is not an easy game for anyone. I know it’s early still and football moves fast but sometimes it feels like we don’t give our new signings the best platform to start at the club going back to the back end of the Poch days.

I don’t see Hojbjerg doing anything special that Bissouma can’t replicate and better. He’s coming from the premier league. The positions he takes up on the pitch aren’t going to be alien to him imo

 

[Starks]

I think you’re right that’s how it will work out and It looks like it will be PEH and Bentancur starting for the foreseeable but don’t think Bissouma can prove much with 10-20-30 minutes cameos at the end, with the games more stretched or if he gets a first start away at West Ham which is not an easy game for anyone. I know it’s early still and football moves fast but sometimes it feels like we don’t give our new signings the best platform to start at the club going back to the back end of the Poch days.

I don’t see Hojbjerg doing anything special that Bissouma can’t replicate and better. He’s coming from the premier league. The positions he takes up on the pitch aren’t going to be alien to him imo

It all comes down to trust.

It's not really a surprise that out of all of our new signings, it's Perisic that has broke into the team after just three games. A man that Conte knows and trusts.

Bissouma has to earn that like everyone else. Conte came in and gave everyone a chance. Reguilon and Winks were both given a chance and they weren't trusted. Bissouma will get his chance. He arrived to us injured, then got COVID and it's probably no surprise to say he probably isn't 100% just yet (and if he is, he'll still have to earn to his place).

Ultimately, Bentancur and Hojbejrg haven't done much wrong to be dropped. Eventually, they'll have to be rotated. Bissouma will come in and that's where he earns that trust of Conte. Then it's a real headache and that's what we want.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

not really to do with system. Players in central midfield for Conte before don’t play exactly the same way Hojbjerg plays for us. Every footballer gives their own characteristics in a formation. I just believe we can get more from that area of the pitch. don’t hate Hojbjerg just feel Bissouma will offer us more. Time will tell I suppose

Conte's system is rigid as fuck. Everything is patterns based, my only frustration is you can read us like a book. Teams know what to expect and have deployed almost identical tactics to stop us. Conte has found tweaks to help the team (as per Chelsea last week and yesterday he had Kane drop deep, as well as have Royal come into midfield + regulate how aggressive our double pivot presses) so I'm not worried at all as I think he knows exactly what he's doing and has complete faith in his team to execute his wishes (BOTH Chavs and Wolves created very little against us whilst controlling vast periods of the matches). For me, it's more about aesthetics and us doing nice things on the ball lots of times (rather than the oppo) is more entertaining and therefore more enjoyable to watch.

But our midfield two of Bentacur and PEH have been great when totally outnumbered by the oppo, it just doesn't look/feel great because the oppo has control of the ball if not control of the final phase.

 

[dustybin]

It all comes down to trust.

It's not really a surprise that out of all of our new signings, it's Perisic that has broke into the team after just three games. A man that Conte knows and trusts.

Bissouma has to earn that like everyone else. Conte came in and gave everyone a chance. Reguilon and Winks were both given a chance and they weren't trusted. Bissouma will get his chance. He arrived to us injured, then got COVID and it's probably no surprise to say he probably isn't 100% just yet (and if he is, he'll still have to earn to his place).

Ultimately, Bentancur and Hojbejrg haven't done much wrong to be dropped. Eventually, they'll have to be rotated. Bissouma will come in and that's where he earns that trust of Conte. Then it's a real headache and that's what we want.

Yeah you’re right, that’s true, trust is a big thing for any manager but like Kulu and Bentancur who went straight in the team Bissouma is a Conte signing where as Reguilon and winks were inherited so there must be a good level of trust there already you would hope. Anyway we’ve had a good start to season results wise I’m not gonna grumble to much

 

[The Mercurial No.10]

Lol@the people expecting some sort of playmaker extraordinaire Bissouma btw.

 

[dustybin]

Conte's system is rigid as fuck. Everything is patterns based, my only frustration is you can read us like a book. Teams know what to expect and have deployed almost identical tactics to stop us. Conte has found tweaks to help the team (as per Chelsea last week and yesterday he had Kane drop deep, as well as have Royal come into midfield + regulate how aggressive our double pivot presses) so I'm not worried at all as I think he knows exactly what he's doing and has complete faith in his team to execute his wishes (BOTH Chavs and Wolves created very little against us whilst controlling vast periods of the matches). For me, it's more about aesthetics and us doing nice things on the ball lots of times (rather than the oppo) is more entertaining and therefore more enjoyable to watch.

But our midfield two of Bentacur and PEH have been great when totally outnumbered by the oppo, it just doesn't look/feel great because the oppo has control of the ball if not control of the final phase.

It’s not that rigid where the attributes of the players doesn’t affect the quality of the play and the way the game develops. Lucas won’t do the exact same things as Kulusevski even though they obviously generally start the game in the same position. They won’t pick the same passes, receive the ball in the same way etc. Kante won’t do the same things as Brozovic who won’t do the same things as Hojbjerg/Bentancur. There’s no check mate or play book. We’re still playing a fluid game and the players have to bring the own characteristics to the game otherwise you sense that Conte would be a bit more relaxed on the sidelines

 

[dustybin]

Lol@the people expecting some sort of playmaker extraordinaire Bissouma btw.

What’s a playmaker? Personally wouldn’t mind someone to take the ball on the half turn, be able to play off either foot and the ability to drive into the space and take players out of the game. Bissouma has done that at Brighton in the league. Does that make him a playmaker. Not sure

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

It’s not that rigid where the attributes of the players doesn’t affect the quality of the play and the way the game develops. Lucas won’t do the exact same things as Kulusevski even though they obviously generally start the game in the same position. They won’t pick the same passes, receive the ball in the same way etc. Kante won’t do the same things as Brozovic who won’t do the same things as Hojbjerg/Bentancur. There’s no check mate or play book. We’re still playing a fluid game and the players have to bring the own characteristics to the game otherwise you sense that Conte would be a bit more relaxed on the sidelines

There are few managers in the game more wedded to a system than Conte. Just one small example; Eriksen is a highly gifted midfielder, he barely got a kick for 6 months because he could not be the player that Conte wanted him to be within the system he set up at Inter. Perisic also failed to adapt his game but when he did he played and to the point where he was a key target for us to bring in.

Of course, individuals bring their own qualities to a game but if they aren't doing the principal things that Conte wants then they don't get selected.

I want us to play with 5 in midfield because I think we look better and are more flexible. I'd go so far as to say that when Conte has his teams play 5 in midfield then ALL of them are a joy to watch. Conversely ALL of his teams playing 3-4-3 I've not found "in general" that pleasing to watch, despite him winning many, many matches this way.

To be clear my beef isn't with Conte, he's elite and I trust what he's doing at Spurs (I just don't understand some of it yet). But I am under zero illusion that PEH is his main man in midfield and he delivers for him exactly what he asks of him to the point that he is key. Bentancur is easier on the eye but statistically and ideologically isn't as good as PEH and as a consequence doesn't see the same minutes as PEH.

Those calling on Bissouma to play in place of PEH (who I also can't wait to see more of) is NOT the player they are asking PEH to be.

 

[Château NoHo]

He literally has the most progressive passes per 90 mins in our team (a team that's scored more goals in the league in 2022!!!)

PEH absolutely pisses on Sissoko. Sissoko wasn't on any list of creative/progressive/goal or assist lists, not even in our own squad!!! Yet, PEH heads all these within our own midfielders and is comparable with other top 'coveted' midfielders across Europe.

I'm not, nor from what I can see are most people saying he's Worldclass, but what he isn't is shit. And there are many in here that are claiming he's shit, a sideways passer etc. It's a fucking clueless take. I honestly don't understand how our own fans target our players in such a way, every fucking year without fail there's a finger to be pointed at a player and every single year they die on the same hill because it exposes their knowledge of football when they pick the wrong player to do this with.

We've only played 3 matches. PEH is one of 4 Spurs players to play all 270 minutes. Per fbref.com, he has 10 Long Progressive Passes... 3 more than Bentancur. If you want to glean something from this small data set, be my guest.

Sissoko's played as a holding mid, an ACM, a winger and a fullback over his career. Utility.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

We've only played 3 matches. PEH is one of 4 Spurs players to play all 270 minutes. Per fbref.com, he has 10 Long Progressive Passes... 3 more than Bentancur. If you want to glean something from this small data set, be my guest.

Sissoko's played as a holding mid, an ACM, a winger and a fullback over his career. Utility.

Every stat I've posted regarding PEH has been since Conte became our manager!! I wouldn't waste my time on a 3 game average, especially since 2 of those games our double pivot has been outnumbered for approx 100 or so mins.

I'm not basing my comments on stats, I'm using them to support what I see and to show some posters that what's happening is the total opposite of what they are describing.

 

[Château NoHo]

Every stat I've posted regarding PEH has been since Conte became our manager!! I wouldn't waste my time on a 3 game average, especially since 2 of those games our double pivot has been outnumbered for approx 100 or so mins.

I'm not basing my comments on stats, I'm using them to support what I see and to show some posters that what's happening is the total opposite of what they are describing.

Are you sure? Højbjerg appears to be behind Xhaka in PP/90 per this graph you posted in February.

Outnumbered double pivot. LOL.

Højbjerg's fine, but he has been given more time over the past several seasons than any other Spurs player, and that includes every single minute of 20/21 when we finished 7th in the league.

He stacks up very well with some of the "best " in the League.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

Are you sure? Højbjerg appears to be behind Xhaka in PP/90 per this graph you posted in February.

Outnumbered double pivot. LOL.

Xhaka is playing almost as an AM now.

We have a double pivot midfield of Bentancur and PEH. They play exactly the same role neither an 8 or a 6, a hybrid of the two. Without the ball, they are exactly in line with each other, depending on where the oppo is they press individually and aggressively out of a deep position but one goes whilst the other sits and visa versa.

They were outnumbered vs Chav as they were vs Wolves (and in many other games last year but this is how Conte has chosen to set us up).

The two surrounded above is Bentancur & PEH, this is a double pivot.

 

[Château NoHo]

Xhaka is playing almost as an AM now.

We have a double pivot midfield of Bentancur and PEH. They play exactly the same role neither an 8 or a 6, a hybrid of the two. Without the ball, they are exactly in line with each other, depending on where the oppo is they press individually and aggressively out of a deep position but one goes whilst the other sits and visa versa.

They were outnumbered vs Chav as they were vs Wolves (and in many other games last year but this is how Conte has chosen to set us up).

The two surrounded above is Bentancur & PEH, this is a double pivot.

I see 2 CMs vs 2 CMs.

You could make these same pentagons around the Wolves 2 CMs with our front 3 and our 2 CMs.

 

[NorseYid]

We've only played 3 matches. PEH is one of 4 Spurs players to play all 270 minutes. Per fbref.com, he has 10 Long Progressive Passes... 3 more than Bentancur. If you want to glean something from this small data set, be my guest.

Sissoko's played as a holding mid, an ACM, a winger and a fullback over his career. Utility.

Diers long pass rate doesn't, erhm, fit my match watching experience, LOL

 

[Belgrano]

This twitter account is good on tactics and player profiles. We all remember our midfield before Bentancur and it wasn't pretty. Bentancur makes us tick. Hojbjerg is a leader and organiser on the pitch, and Conte trusts him, but I'd like to see Conte try Bentancur-Bissouma or Benta-Skipp.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

I see 2 CMs vs 2 CMs.

You could make these same pentagons around the Wolves 2 CMs with our front 3 and our 2 CMs.

This is Wolves' double pivot, it was more dynamic/fluid, whereas ours was joined by a piece of rope, you would see Neves and Moutinho drop off or side-stepped us, in short, they weren't overloaded and often open to receiving the ball as above shows. Either are open to receive here, they aren't in the middle surrounded by us, meaning they can let the ball roll across them and face the pitch or just take a touch before offloading the ball. Wolves played this way time and again in the first half from a slightly deeper position than ours, I think it was also a plan to suck out Bentancur and/or PEH higher up the pitch than they would normally take it in turns to press.

We are just constantly in line, also the pair not interacting/passing with each other when in possession, unlike the Wolves pair.

What Conte tweaked was having both Kane and Royal come into midfield.

But when, in this case PEH, moved out of the rigid two he had space and it then draw Nunes out as Davies pushes up and wide

But the two main differences between the two were the Wolves' pair were simply more dynamic, and less rigid which created more options and angles that they used well.

 

[Château NoHo]

Diers long pass rate doesn't, erhm, fit my match watching experience, LOL

Volume. CBs and CMs see a majority of touches.

 

[Château NoHo]

But the two main differences between the two were the Wolves' pair were simply more dynamic, and less rigid which created more options and angles that they used well.

I agree that Wolves double pivot (CM2) was more dynamic than our double pivot (CM2) yesterday.

 

[KaneDomBadBoy]

Looks like Xavi out there

 

[kingdawson]

another good game btw.