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Christian Eriksen

gavspur

Well-Known Member
Jun 24, 2004
5,255
8,686
I'm just sat here trying to work out how we can get the best out of this young guy who, obviously, is very talented, but seems to quite often see the game slip by him (I remember this being said about him by some Ajax fans when we signed him too)..

I'm not convinced he's either comfortable or happy playing so far forward/wide.. I know he's played there for Ajax, but I think he's also been played a bit deeper in the midfield three.. Could this be the position where we get the most out of him?

I'd like to see us play 3 in midfield, with one guy sitting (Capoue, Stambouli), and Eriksen and Mason just ahead, who can take it in turns to break forward.. (This also gives us the option of Lamela and Townsend on the wings adding pace).

We've got this guy and we all know how good he can be, but for some reason it's not quite working... Would he benefit as Luka did by playing a little deeper?
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
The best way to get the best out of him is to give him time and show patience. He's still finding his feet and is playing under manager number 3 since he's been here.
 

t79boy

Flying Dutchman
Apr 29, 2005
7,168
2,090
I think so . Things haven't quite worked out for him this season but he actively looks for the ball and wants to be involved which is more than I can say for some other players in our team . I hope he starts clicking soon because he really can be the heart beat of our team when on form but his inconsistency worries me .
 

Geyzer Soze

Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd
Aug 16, 2010
26,056
63,361
He's bound to go through drops in form I wouldn't worry about it too much

Personally I think it's the weight of all his new hair
 

Mornstar

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2005
4,897
1,589
I personally think he just needs a strong kick up the backside....along with Ade, Soldado, chadli and Lamela. There's something not right with their attitude on the pitch.
 

THFCSPURS19

The Speaker of the Transfer Rumours Forum
Jan 6, 2013
37,886
130,485
I personally think he just needs a strong kick up the backside....along with Ade, Soldado, chadli and Lamela. There's something not right with their attitude on the pitch.
Lamela's not right with his attitude? That's the one thing people should agree he is right with.
 

nidge

Sand gets everywhere!!!!!
Staff
Jul 27, 2004
24,858
11,358
I personally think he just needs a strong kick up the backside....along with Ade, Soldado, chadli and Lamela. There's something not right with their attitude on the pitch.

I can just about understand the other players mentioned but Chadli has 4 goals in 5 Premier League games so I think it's a little unfair to lump him in with the rest of them.
 

Mornstar

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2005
4,897
1,589
I can just about understand the other players mentioned but Chadli has 4 goals in 5 Premier League games so I think it's a little unfair to lump him in with the rest of them.
Agree. I think chadli and Pamela both deserve a slightly milder beating than the other three I've mentioned.
 

gavspur

Well-Known Member
Jun 24, 2004
5,255
8,686
I know we all have different personalities, but you look at Modric and VdV and the determination and desire, backed with that talent, I just don't see that in many of our current squad at the moment.. It's been sold off.. Eriksen has the talent, so do Lamela, Ade, And Jan, but the mentality is somewhat questionable.. A kick up the ass, and maybe a more involved position could do him (and us) wonders, as it did moving Modric central. Just my opinion.
 

eddiebailey

Well-Known Member
Oct 12, 2004
7,452
6,672
He seems to have reverted to the form he showed under AVB; the 4-2-3-1 system just does not seem to suit him. Tim gave him near enough a free role, drifting in from a deeper position on the left, and asked the other players to work around him, leaving the half-fit Rose exposed (and vilified) and using Lennon to bulk up midfield on the right with the intention that this would free the central pair to cover Eriksen's wanderings. All rather shambolic, but Christian delivered.

I suspect that Eriksen is a bit of a free spirit, and that if you want a team with an identity, he needs to be at the heart of that identity, not shoe-horned into it.
 

VegasII

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2008
9,750
16,670
He's bound to go through drops in form I wouldn't worry about it too much

Personally I think it's the weight of all his new hair

I know, maybe he's going through that thing that Tobias went through in Arrested Development. Hair transplant took over his system and made him weaker as the hair grew stronger.
 

mark87

Well-Known Member
Nov 29, 2004
36,032
114,065
For all of Townsend's weaknesses, at least he shows desire on the pitch

I agree he definitely does show desire, but to me it's more desire to go and try and do it all himself, he's far too selfish as he tends to shoot rather than pass and I can't see much point in running down blind alleys to the corner flag only to then lose the ball. If he were to look up, try and pick out a pass and use his teammates then he could become a decent player for us because the boy definitely does have ability.
 

ajspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2007
22,987
31,167
For whatever reason he's just really not very effective in our setup at all. I don't know what we need to do to get the best out of him, playing out wide doesn't help, but then he's not doing much more in the middle at the moment either.
 

ebzrascal

Well-Known Member
Sep 13, 2009
2,635
4,670
I think it has to come from Eriksen himself he needs to get fitter, quicker, stronger and show more desire just like Luka Modric did to improve his game... He has the raw ability but how hard does he want to work to be one of the best players in the world....

Same goes for Dembele by the way!!
 

Mornstar

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2005
4,897
1,589
I agree he definitely does show desire, but to me it's more desire to go and try and do it all himself, he's far too selfish as he tends to shoot rather than pass and I can't see much point in running down blind alleys to the corner flag only to then lose the ball. If he were to look up, try and pick out a pass and use his teammates then he could become a decent player for us because the boy definitely does have ability.
Not desputing that, nor am I suggesting that Townsend be pucked ahead of any of our front four yesterday. Just that the others could take a leaf out of his book when it comes to work rate and commitment.
 

gavspur

Well-Known Member
Jun 24, 2004
5,255
8,686
image.jpg

I'd like to see us try this sort of thing, it'd wouldn't overload him with defensive duties, and he'd still be able break forward, get him on the ball a bit more.
 

Black

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2007
4,807
4,872


The way poch was shouting at him yesterday, he must be happy to switch sides at half time.
 
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