Finney Is Back
Luka Modric
Did you see Son's miss against Burnley?
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Moussa Sissoko
- Thread starter Jordinho
- Start date
Finney Is Back
Luka Modric
I don't think the problem yesterday was simply the fact that Sissoko was playing. The problem was the entire midfield had no creativity. Dier (who I thought was terrible), Dembele (who I thought was almost as bad) and Sissoko (better than both yesterday but still not good enough) is a three you might play if facing a team like Liverpool and looking to sit deep and play on the break, but not in a game like yesterday's. Dier and Dembele slowed the game down every time they got it - which was infuriating as Southampton were committing men forward and open to the counter attack and, while Sissoko did carry the ball forward with more pace and urgency there was never an end product.
It was clear how much we missed Eriksen's movement, creativity and composure on the ball.
I think any of the midfield three could've been benched for Lamela yesterday to give us a better balance. In saying this we still got the ball to Ali's feet in good positions on a number of occasions during the game yesterday, only for poor decision making and sometimes poor technique from Ali resulting in us turning over possession and Southampton countering against us. Lamela for Ali at half time may have been the best change that Poch could've made yesterday as almost all of our good moves broke down when Ali got on the ball.
It was clear how much we missed Eriksen's movement, creativity and composure on the ball.
I think any of the midfield three could've been benched for Lamela yesterday to give us a better balance. In saying this we still got the ball to Ali's feet in good positions on a number of occasions during the game yesterday, only for poor decision making and sometimes poor technique from Ali resulting in us turning over possession and Southampton countering against us. Lamela for Ali at half time may have been the best change that Poch could've made yesterday as almost all of our good moves broke down when Ali got on the ball.
Finney Is Back
Luka Modric
Hmmmm - didn't Southampton's two chances to win the game towards the end both come from our left hand side? Southampton tried to exploit our right hand side and admittedly did so (rather fortunately) for the opening goal, where I thought Aurier was slow to track his player player's run, but overall they didn't get any more joy down that side than they did our other side IMO.
If we're playing a back 4, I'd be tempted to play Dier at right-back and Wanyama in central midfield at the moment.
90291Spur
Paul Walsh
Yup. I also saw Son score in the last five home games and convert a similar chance against (iirc) Middlesbroigh a couple of years ago.
ringo
Tim Sherwood
Player stats software after Sissoko associates hacking:
1. Most completed passes.........Sissoko
2. Most shots on target...........Sissoko
3. Most tackles....................Sissoko
4. Most metres run...............Sissoko
5. Most liked guy on team.......Sissoko
6. Best haircut................... Sissoko
No wonder he gets in the team every week.
1. Most completed passes.........Sissoko
2. Most shots on target...........Sissoko
3. Most tackles....................Sissoko
4. Most metres run...............Sissoko
5. Most liked guy on team.......Sissoko
6. Best haircut................... Sissoko
No wonder he gets in the team every week.
Finney Is Back
Luka Modric
Discounting Kane's goal, I think that Sissoko's chance was probably the 3rd best chance we had in the game (Lamela's chance towards the end being the best and Kane's chance right at the end being next best)..... which shows how little we created really.
I would say that a shot hit as hard as Davies' hit that one at best would have a 50/50 chance of being diverted on target. I'm not sure that with that type of chance it would really matter too much who was on the end of it, with just a split second to react it's about sticking your foot out and hoping. Some luck is then required for the ball to hit a part of the foot/ankle/shin that deflects it on target.
braineclipse
Steve Sedgley
Wasn't an easy chance, hard to control those. That being said, if that falls to just about any other outfield player in our squad the chances of a goal goes up significantly.
Bullet
Andy Thompson
BrainOfLevy, I think you would defend anyone we buy, from Wayne Routledge to Leroy Fer, you would root for them and defend their corner. I guess that is admirable in some ways, but you need to draw a line somewhere... you need to consider what is best for Spurs, and Sissoko playing is not it.
It reminds me of the 90s where there were certain players who just weren't good enough and needed to be replaced, as they cost us time after time.
It reminds me of the 90s where there were certain players who just weren't good enough and needed to be replaced, as they cost us time after time.
Legohamster
Ian Walker
FML he’s played 32 times this season.
We wonder why we are struggling.
We wonder why we are struggling.
BrainOfLevy
Michael Carrick
I think if you read back through everything I’ve ever said, I’ve never said Sissoko has been more than a 7/10 player for us in any game this season. I’ve said he was clearly poor value at £30M, and I’ve acknowledged that when everyone is fit and firing, he is going to struggle to get a game. I have no problems upgrading him if we are able to.
What I’ve always had a problem with, from the days of Jenas up until now, is spacegoating. It is unfairly going overboard with criticism on one player as the reason for our problems when objectively they are doing fine and no worse than others.
Sissoko is working hard, he is constantly picked by our best manager in years, and has played significant minutes in a majority of our best performances this season. Whether his detractors want to admit it, he is doing something right. Is he great on the ball? GHod no. Does he look like a Non League player? Also no. I’ve always appreciated him for what he can do rather than what he can’t.
But the sheer level of abuse, mickey taking and outsized criticism when he is one of our players frankly astounds me, and I just find it a real nasty part of football fans. To circle around one player, take the mick and make him a joke, even in the stadium, is one of the douchiest things I see every home game. The away fans are much better, and seem to revel in the fact that there job is to actually support the team. But the home fans seem to value getting a back slap from a mate for a joke at Sissoko’s expense, and then wonder why he maybe lacks the confidence in front of goal that some of the more favoured players have.
I’ll always defend him against criticism that I think is overboard, and would for any player, because like the Poch subs thing I think there is a lot of misunderstanding around why certain players are picked and again the coaches know more and see more than we do. But fundamentally, I just think my job is to be a fan and encourage and support. If Sissoko started blatantly not trying, or blatantly disrespecting the club and his team mates, then I’d say have at him. I’ve been way harder on Danny Rose for that exact reason. But so far Sissoko’s crime has been to not be as good on the ball as some people demand him to be. Other players can lose possession more. Other players can fluff easy chances and other players will cover less ground. Other players will give the ball away in more dangerous areas and be more lax in their marking, but they won’t take it as much. Sissoko will, because he isn’t a technical player and he isn’t what a lot of fans expected. It’s very much a Spurs fan thing and probably where we are similar to West Ham fans in that they have their ‘West Ham way’ belief. We idolise tortured geniuses and we take the mick out of solid coaches players like Jenas and Sissoko. That is what we do.
Rock Strongo
dodgy Dave Goosegog
We have a reverse contract with Saudi Sportswashing Machine regarding Sissoko. Levy negotiated a deal with Ashley, if Sissoko makes 50 appearances for Spurs, Ashley gives us back £20m. Ashley laughed and said DEAL! Levy smirked and said eeeexcellent.
Jurgen the German
Erik Thorstvedt
I'm not a fan of Sissoko in the slightest but I tip my hat to you for your passionate defence of him.
Particularly loved your comment about us idolising tortured geniuses. Berbatov is a great example. He had unbelievable ability but he was not a team player at all and had absolutely no drive or desire to become an even better player than he was. He could have been one of the best players in the world if only he had the willingness. Put it this way, if you go to United and even Fergie can't get the absolute best out of your talent then you know it's a problem. I bet some Spurs fans will still pine for him to come back when he starts drawing his pension.
Gilzeantoscore
Justin Edinburgh
This is all well and good, but the simple fact is, he has no place being out there. In most games he is the worst player out of the combined 22 in terms of ability. We are talking about a player who struggles to make a five yard square pass and that is not hyperbole, watch the opening five minutes of the Saints game. When he has been okay, I have said so and he has in a few matches. So I will also comment when he does badly. It's a case of calling things as they are, rather than how we would like them to be.
nayimfromthehalfwayline
Andy Thompson
No, you are wrong.
Anyone who criticises him is over exaggerating, is on a mission against one of our own - and shame on you. You dont talk about other players that way do you?! Of course not. Its all way over the top and completely out of order. Its so over the top its not even close to the truth, it is simply spacegoating of a player who doesnt deserve it. A curse of being a Spurs fan. I bet you did this in the 90's as well didnt you? You are disgusting, are you even a real fan?
What you should be doing is painting yourself into a corner so badly you can never get out. You should be bending over backwards to excuse each of his many failings, while also stretching all reality to try and compensate with the few qualities he does have. And, especially, make sure you frame in such a way that its as if nobody else in the squad has those qualities.
And, finally, when he makes the team sheet again, be sure to chuck a smug "I told you so" to validate your rabid defence of him.
Its a campaign, so make sure you have the fortitude to just keep blindly plugging away. Eventually either everyone will give up even talking about it or the Sissoko will leave. At which point, of course, you will need to find a new target to defend from imaginary spacegoating.
Though I do wonder, with Sissoko gone, who that could possibly be.
Gilzeantoscore
Justin Edinburgh
There does seem to be a bit of a cult on here, amongst some members re not ever criticizing particular players.
Finney Is Back
Luka Modric
He really isn't the worst player of all 22 in terms of ability, that is a huge stretch. He may be the worst in our team in terms of ability, or more pertinently technique (although I'm not even completely sure of that) but he would be a guaranteed starter for every team outside of the top 6. The problem I have here is that even though he may have the worst technique of the entire first team, IMO there has only been one game where he has been the worst performer for us (Leicester away) yet he is the one who tends to be called out no matter what. I thought there were at least 4 players who Sissoko performed better than at the weekend, yet some still feel that Sissoko being in the team was the biggest reason for us failing to win.
An example of what I think is clearly unconscious bias is the different reactions to Sanchez's own goal and Sissoko's miss.... Sanchez is considered 'unlucky' for his part in the own goal, whereas Sissoko's miss was considered to be abject faiure by some. If you look at it objectively Sanchez had far more time to react to the ball across goal than Sissoko did from Davies' mibrick shot. Surely if Sanchez was unlucky then Sissoko was also unlucky? Or conversely both of them failed abysmally and were equally culpable in us dropping two points?
Glenda's Legs
Paul Walsh
Re the "missed" shot that some are calling Sissoko out on : I cant' help but think that had it been Sissoko instead of Davies who had played in that ball and another of our players had failed to direct it into the goal, the blame would be on Sissoko for the speed/weight/timing rather than it being seen as a sitter gone begging.
Legohamster
Ian Walker
A starter for every team outside the top 6?
Hmmmm I think that is the real stretch.