Christian Eriksen

[Abbeyspur]

Still think that Poch values Eriksen as a regular starter and not as a squad player. While Eriksen's form dropped off badly after Christmas last season, one of the reasons for this was the constant changing of positions for him due to our lengthy CM injury list. Consequently he was frequently asked to play deeper in the defensive two, if not at the start of the game then during the 2nd half. The injury list also resulted in him playing virtually every game as he was one of the few who stayed fit. By signing Ndombele and Lo Celso we now have more midfield options which will allow him to miss the odd game. We also need to realise that Winks, Alli and Lamela are likely to have spells out with injury.

For me, Eriksen should always be in our starting 11 when fully fit and hopefully the strengthening of the squad will allow him to play in his favoured position more often than not

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Im going to assume our two new record buys will play more often than not.

Add to which Kane and Son are undroppable, and someone like Winks/Dier will be needed for balance - where does Eriksen regularly fit in?

The only way I can see is Lo Celso being shunted out to one of the wing forward roles, something it seems he can do but is far from optimal and fails to get the best from him.

And this really is the crux of my point - its a too many cooks kind of situation.

The only thing that would really work (and this is assuming Eriksen can be 100% with us again) is a hell of a lot of rotation. Eriksen on the bench every other game...

 

[Kandi1977]

I have to beleive that with us trying to sign Dybala that we wanted a 2 players for that kind of position to have some cover. WE only got one over the line. Suprised we did not follow through with Fernandez.

Thins is Eriksen can still go to Spain in this window. If he plays well I have no issue with him running out his contract. Its modern football. and we got him for a good fee and to be honest his wages are crap. So if he can get a mega free transfer at the end of the season I wont mind.

What i dont want to see is him moping around and not putting in a shift. he needs to Knuckle down like Modric did.

He will put in a shift. I have absolutely no worries about that. Eriksen is as professional as it gets.

 

[fernadez]

It could work, would really depend on how well they combined. And Dier, Skipp, Wanyama and Sissoko would also be looking to be involved at some point - so what I mean about too many cooks?

It feels much more like bending oneself in knots to accommodate the player than it actually being a designed and tactical way of setting up.

I am really, really in favour of that latter approach.

I want the squad to be a lean and focussed thing, and as Im looking at it Eriksen just seems to be the odd one out.

Im not saying it cant work. Rather I do really question his desire/committment, and I do really question if Poch has basically moved past needing Eriksen in the team (quite possibly BECAUSE of what Eriksen has been to us, a single point of weakness, and because of his clear intent to leave).


Liverpool? Im not a fan of how they play really, and I think their midfield is poor. Undeniably they are effective though. I do contest the idea they are better suited though.

Compare this:

..................firminho
.......mane...................Salad
..................wilnaldum
..........hendersen......fabinho

to this:

....................kane
.......son.......................moura
...........lo celso....ndombele
....................winks

And I think not only are we better suited to doing similar, that we will evolve it past how Liverpool play.

The other reason for leaning towards this is that try as Poch might, Kane is most effective up front by himself with support coming from other positions. When partnered he tries to go all Sheringham and as a result we lose much more (goals) than we gain. With the above our options look like;

DM Winks/Skipp/Dier/Wanyama
MC Lo Celso/Eriksen/Ndombele/Sissoko/Alli
AM Son/Moura/Alli/Lamela/Sessengon
ST Kane/Son/Parrott/Failed Marque Signing

 

[90291Spur]

He will put in a shift. I have absolutely no worries about that. Eriksen is as professional as it gets.

On the pitch he has been. In the press to agitate for a move, less so.

 

[monkeybarry]

Im going to assume our two new record buys will play more often than not.

Add to which Kane and Son are undroppable, and someone like Winks/Dier will be needed for balance - where does Eriksen regularly fit in?

The only way I can see is Lo Celso being shunted out to one of the wing forward roles, something it seems he can do but is far from optimal and fails to get the best from him.

And this really is the crux of my point - its a too many cooks kind of situation.

The only thing that would really work (and this is assuming Eriksen can be 400% with us again) is a hell of a lot of rotation. Eriksen on the bench every other game...

I think that's too simplistic.
It's likely the new guys will be given time to settle in. I don't expect Lo Celso to play until mid/end Sept at the earliest.

Son is droppable as he can be a bit streaky and, more importantly, against teams that sit deeper he may not be the best option. The same goes with Eriksen.
I think we'll see different combinations and formations depending on the opposition quite a lot.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I think that's too simplistic.
It's likely the new guys will be given time to settle in. I don't expect Lo Celso to play until mid/end Sept at the earliest.

Son is droppable as he can be a bit streaky and, more importantly, against teams that sit deeper he may not be the best option. The same goes with Eriksen.
I think we'll see different combinations and formations depending on the opposition quite a lot.

Because Pochettino is so well known for rotating regularly?

I said at the beginning of the summer I fully expect Sissoko to play the early part of the season, but in time I also fully expect him to get phased out as NDombele etc settle in.

Given the current situation, if he stays, I now think similar of Eriksen.

We have a really good squad, even without Eriksen, add him into the mix and the only way it works is VERY regular rotation, otherwise we are compromised somewhere.

 

[Hotspur75]

A lot of good points being made above, just shows how difficult a transfer window is for a club. To get it exactly right I mean.

Re: too many cooks. I see your point, absolutely. I do think, I'm sure you agree with me, that we need more squad depth than last year. I don't want us to be forced to play a crocked Wanyama in a major CL game again. Now we do have the required depth I think.

I am convinced there is some truth in the stories that we were interested in Fernandes and Dybala. I also think that either of them might have been the designated Eriksen replacement. So what about the 'too many cooks' argument if the Dybala transfer had come off? Let's assume Eriksen leaving in that scenario. That would still have added one high-quality squad player to the 25, someone who would have been promised regular football you would think. I am convinced Eriksen - if both he and Poch want to - will fit in, either in a classic three-man midfield, or in a three behind the lone striker, or in a midfield diamond. Of course he does.

And look at the situation now: Dier is injured, Alli is injured, Son is suspended - and all that despite our collective agreeing that this is a far better pre-season than last year.

 

[milo]

A lot of good points being made above, just shows how difficult a transfer window is for a club. To get it exactly right I mean.

Re: too many cooks. I see your point, absolutely. I do think, I'm sure you agree with me, that we need more squad depth than last year. I don't want us to be forced to play a crocked Wanyama in a major CL game again. Now we do have the required depth I think.

I am convinced there is some truth in the stories that we were interested in Fernandes and Dybala. I also think that either of them might have been the designated Eriksen replacement. So what about the 'too many cooks' argument if the Dybala transfer had come off? Let's assume Eriksen leaving in that scenario. That would still have added one high-quality squad player to the 25, someone who would have been promised regular football you would think. I am convinced Eriksen - if both he and Poch want to - will fit in, either in a classic three-man midfield, or in a three behind the lone striker, or in a midfield diamond. Of course he does.

And look at the situation now: Dier is injured, Alli is injured, Son is suspended - and all that despite our collective agreeing that this is a far better pre-season than last year.

I am certain that we were in for Dybala and that we were trying to conclude the deal yesterday.

What he offers, and our other summer signings, is flexibility. Poch likes players who can cover a number of positions, so that we can change things in game. Lo Celso can cover #8, #10 and possibly play as a false 9. Dybala could cover any of the front four positions.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

A lot of good points being made above, just shows how difficult a transfer window is for a club. To get it exactly right I mean.

Re: too many cooks. I see your point, absolutely. I do think, I'm sure you agree with me, that we need more squad depth than last year. I don't want us to be forced to play a crocked Wanyama in a major CL game again. Now we do have the required depth I think.

I am convinced there is some truth in the stories that we were interested in Fernandes and Dybala. I also think that either of them might have been the designated Eriksen replacement. So what about the 'too many cooks' argument if the Dybala transfer had come off? Let's assume Eriksen leaving in that scenario. That would still have added one high-quality squad player to the 25, someone who would have been promised regular football you would think. I am convinced Eriksen - if both he and Poch want to - will fit in, either in a classic three-man midfield, or in a three behind the lone striker, or in a midfield diamond. Of course he does.

And look at the situation now: Dier is injured, Alli is injured, Son is suspended - and all that despite our collective agreeing that this is a far better pre-season than last year.

I think without such a horrific series of injuries like last season we already have some real depth. I mean, look at it - look what we did despite all that last season?

Fernandes looks to me like a more attacking Eriksen, but also looked very much like a secondary choice.
Dybala was clearly preferred, and he is far more another Son/Moura than he is another Eriksen IMHO, and that would balance nicely if we got him in/Eriksen out. Another attacker in, and that playmaker leaving to make room for the midfield we now have.

With the injuries we currently have, we still have a strong team to put out tomorrow - even without Eriksen - and without Lo Celso and Sessegnon being involved.

In time, when they all settle, how necessary would having an Eriksen be?

 

[milo]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1159817600391663617

 

[Baleforce]

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1159817600391663617

Just illustrates the mess he has made.

I do wonder what indications he had there would be interest from these clubs. As in, did they make promises which he was banking on - or has he tried to just make it happen independently?

 

[milo]

Just illustrates the mess he has made.

I do wonder what indications he had there would be interest from these clubs. As in, did they make promises which he was banking on - or has he tried to just make it happen independently?

The interview he gave the Danish press sounded like classic Real Madrid tactics to me. They like players to publicly declare that they want a move.

 

[Hotspur75]

I think without such a horrific series of injuries like last season we already have some real depth. I mean, look at it - look what we did despite all that last season?

Fernandes looks to me like a more attacking Eriksen, but also looked very much like a secondary choice.
Dybala was clearly preferred, and he is far more another Son/Moura than he is another Eriksen IMHO, and that would balance nicely if we got him in/Eriksen out. Another attacker in, and that playmaker leaving to make room for the midfield we now have.

With the injuries we currently have, we still have a strong team to put out tomorrow - even without Eriksen - and without Lo Celso and Sessegnon being involved.

In time, when they all settle, how necessary would having an Eriksen be?

Yes, Fernandes was always second choice - I agree. And I also agree with Milo re: flexibility, something which also applies to Eriksen. But I do think we need someone like Eriksen, and I'm not sure Lo Celso is that player - not in the short term, but not in the longer term either. Let's wait and see. There's more speculation, still, about Atletico and Real not coming in for him. I still think he will stay. Poch's selection for the Villa game promises to be interesting. I think Eriksen will start (although that does not necessarily mean he won't leave, but it would indicate Poch's continued faith in Eriksen's mindset).

 

[Hotspur75]

Just illustrates the mess he has made.

I do wonder what indications he had there would be interest from these clubs. As in, did they make promises which he was banking on - or has he tried to just make it happen independently?

That's a very good question. Maybe he thought they would be jumping at the opportunity to sign him (Real that is), and maybe they were interested before Zidane returned.

 

[fernadez]

Probably his agent whispering sweet nothings in his ear. A player that don't move clubs isn't exactly a high earner. Came here young and stayed for 6 years. In this day and age where agents ar getting 10 million plus for transfers must have felt like he was missing out.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

The interview he gave the Danish press sounded like classic Real Madrid tactics to me. They like players to publicly declare that they want a move.

Agreed, and I wouldnt put it past Real to completely back track on any promises made either.

As it is, my expectation is they wont be able to get Pogba, and so will grab Eriksen just because...

Yes, Fernandes was always second choice - I agree. And I also agree with Milo re: flexibility, something which also applies to Eriksen. But I do think we need someone like Eriksen, and I'm not sure Lo Celso is that player - not in the short term, but not in the longer term either. Let's wait and see. There's more speculation, still, about Atletico and Real not coming in for him. I still think he will stay. Poch's selection for the Villa game promises to be interesting. I think Eriksen will start (although that does not necessarily mean he won't leave, but it would indicate Poch's continued faith in Eriksen's mindset).

I dont think we do need someone like Eriksen. Or, at least, necessarily. He is a KEY player for us in our current guise, but also a point of weakness. Ive always seen the NDombele and LoCelso (type) buys as a move to negate that reliance. To change the focus/style of our play more. To effectively make Eriksen redundant.

It is notable just how many dribblers/runners we have been linked with and bought. Players who can pass well (albeit not like Eriksen) but ALSO carry the ball...

I also have real concerns about what happens if he does stay.

Villa? I dont think its interesting at all. As stated above (or possibly elsewhere, Eriksen is being discussed in a few places!) I fully expect Sissoko to start, and yet I also fully expect him to be phased out over the season.

Right now we will play as settled a side as possible (and it should be fine), what really is interesting is the side we pick when everyone is settled in and up to speed.

 

[milo]

Yes, Fernandes was always second choice - I agree. And I also agree with Milo re: flexibility, something which also applies to Eriksen. But I do think we need someone like Eriksen, and I'm not sure Lo Celso is that player - not in the short term, but not in the longer term either. Let's wait and see. There's more speculation, still, about Atletico and Real not coming in for him. I still think he will stay. Poch's selection for the Villa game promises to be interesting. I think Eriksen will start (although that does not necessarily mean he won't leave, but it would indicate Poch's continued faith in Eriksen's mindset).

I think that we will move to a deep playmaker in Winks

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

That's a very good question. Maybe he thought they would be jumping at the opportunity to sign him (Real that is), and maybe they were interested before Zidane returned.

The reporting was that Perez was keen on Eriksen, but Zidane keen on Pogba. So its possible you are onto something.

Though, in that situation, Id normally back the chairman to get his way over the manager.

Given that Zidanes position actually looks quite precarious Id say its even more likely.

Add to which I dont see Utd letting Pogba go anywhere right now, they simply cant afford to lose him from the squad.