Could Lewis Holtby be the answer?

[JimmyG2]

He'll get a lot more time on the pith next year. I reckon he'll be a big player for us next season.


If he starts going on the 'pith' he won't get in the team at all!

 

[Main Man]

Four months later and still nobody knows his best position.

Looks a very tidy footballer, but like all our central midfielders he lacks the self-confidence/arrogance to demand the ball in the centre of the pitch like Luka Modric did, or VDV to a lesser extent.

This is what we must obtain in the summer, if Dembele and Holtby could find 'it' then we could save ourselves an absolute fortune.

 

[E17yid]

Nah, don't be silly. Ze Germans can handle there beer

 

[Main Man]

Not good enough for to be a first teamer for me. Too fragile to be defensive mid, too slow to be attacking mid. Not a winger, and doesnt have an eye for goal to be further forward.

Subs bench.

Although I actually (perhaps more in hope) disagree long-term, judged on what we have seen by and large your summation is entirely accurate.

 

[HotspurFC1950]

Holtby. Dembele, Sandro are not match winners.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Not good enough for to be a first teamer for me. Too fragile to be defensive mid, too slow to be attacking mid. Not a winger, and doesnt have an eye for goal to be further forward.

Subs bench.

All gleaned from the huge amount of game time he's had for us?

I wonder if you were saying the same things about Sandro, Kaboul and Bale after their first few games?

Give him a chance FFS.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Holtby. Dembele, Sandro are not match winners.

As I understand it though they'd have another 8 players who are allowed to play alongside them.

 

[Locotoro]

I think a lot depends on the players we bring in this summer.

If we bring in someone like Moutinho then that would suggest that Holtby isn't being considered for the playmaking midfielder role and he'd then be competing for the more attacking role in the midfield three. Currently we have Holtby and Sigurdsson who can play that role, but I also expect AVB to try and bring someone in to improve in that area.

I really like Holtby and I think he's done okay in his first few months. It's clear his passing is good and he looks technically very gifted so given a bit of a time I think he can influence our midfield.

It'll just be interesting to see whether he's given the chance.

I think we have to be clear that Siggy and Holtby, whilst they have filled similar positions, are very different players and bring different things to the team. they are both hard working and both press the opposition well but Holtby is far better defensively and playing the ball forward from a deeper position whereas Siggy is better moving on the ball and carries a greater goal threat as he seems to get into more goal scoring positions like Dempsey does.

I'm starting to see Holtby as a CM whereas Siggy looks like he could be more useful as a WF

 

[talkshowhost86]

I think we have to be clear that Siggy and Holtby, whilst they have filled similar positions, are very different players and bring different things to the team. they are both hard working and both press the opposition well but Holtby is far better defensively and playing the ball forward from a deeper position whereas Siggy is better moving on the ball and carries a greater goal threat as he seems to get into more goal scoring positions like Dempsey does.

I'm starting to see Holtby as a CM whereas Siggy looks like he could be more useful as a WF

I think you're right although we haven't seen a lot of evidence of Holtby's deeper role yet.

If Holtby is to play that role though, presumably he's already behind Dembele in that position?

 

[Kendall]

I haven't seen anything to suggest Holtby could be the answer to anything.

Firmly behind 3 players in CM, firmly behind Sigurdsson and Dempsey for a forward role for me.

 

[Kendall]

Holtby. Dembele, Sandro are not match winners.

I think Sandro and Dembele are, when they play together.

Sandro provides the platform Dembele needs to be a string puller. When Sandro got injured, Parker played more box to box and that hampered Dembele's influence IMO.

 

[Locotoro]

I think you're right although we haven't seen a lot of evidence of Holtby's deeper role yet.

If Holtby is to play that role though, presumably he's already behind Dembele in that position?

He's only behind Dembele if we play 2 CM but he starts (given our current players) if we play 4-3-3

 

[spurs-r-us]

Looking forward to him getting more comfortable in England, dropping some weight and improving his fitness base.

Think he could be a surprise package next season, he was trying to cover too much ground this year and trying far too hard which took away from his overall game.

 

[chinaman]

He's not the midfield general we need.

 

[thinktank]

I think we'll see Lewis establish himself next season. Think it's been a bit of a wild ride for him coming in Jan; needs to have a break, let everything sink in, have a proper pre-season and he'll be on his way.

 

[E17yid]

Holtby. Dembele, Sandro are not match winners.

I seem to remember Dembele scoring a late goal against Lyon to see us through to the qtr final of the europa.

Holtby has hardly played so too early to judge him IMO

Sandro. BEAST. Nuff said

 

[brasil_spur]

I was actually just about to write a large post about how i think we're going to be switching to a 4-3-3 this summer and how i think holtby is going to be a big part of that, but you beat me to it! I agree 100%.

The problem with 4-3-3 is where do you play Bale?

If you say on the left of the front 3 then you have to be very careful with who plays on the left of the midfield 3 as Bale will rarely be out on the left wing.

So you need a versatile midfield player who can effectively double up as a left winger or at least a left attacking midfielder at times.

Holtby isn't this player, but Dembele could be and so could Sigurdsson.

I think if this is the case then we really need an upgrade on Lennon.

 

[talkshowhost86]

He's only behind Dembele if we play 2 CM but he starts (given our current players) if we play 4-3-3

If he's going to play alongside Sandro and Dembele then I think he needs to show a bit more in terms of creativity and goal threat than we've seen so far. Otherwise I'd be a bit worried that our midfield three would be too defensive.

 

[Kendall]

I seem to remember Dembele scoring a late goal against Lyon to see us through to the qtr final of the europa.

Holtby has hardly played so too early to judge him IMO

Sandro. BEAST. Nuff said

I was gonna say this, but then I remembered we drew!

Sandro did break the very tedious deadlock against Fulham away.

 

[Locotoro]

If he's going to play alongside Sandro and Dembele then I think he needs to show a bit more in terms of creativity and goal threat than we've seen so far. Otherwise I'd be a bit worried that our midfield three would be too defensive.

It may be that Dembele and Lennon (or Lennon replacement) may have to show more goal threat. Holtby certainly needs to get on the ball facing the opposition more but I think the movement of our forwards has a lot to do with our constant going side to side and backwards