Holtby - First Impressions?

[kaz Hirai]

should be tried central instead of parker since Dembele seems to hang with the centre backs now. I'm assuming he has be instructed to with Sandrow out. Parker seems like the one who gets forward more, so would rather try Holtby there....not against Arse though

 

[E17yid]

Not a great game from Lewis tonight. Gylfi really put his hand up for the NLD. Would be hard not to pick him.

 

[theShiznit]

Seems to fade quite noticeably in games.

Obviously the prem is a pacey game but i always though German footy was quite a pace.

Was he playing 90 minutes in Germany regularly?

 

[Goldman]

Some times I feel he tries to shift it too quickly. Trying to one touch it every time. I think he will learn at times it's best for s little bit of movement on the bell first..

But I'm very happy to have him in the team, I think he can develop into an important player.

 

[theShiznit]

Some times I feel he tries to shift it too quickly. Trying to one touch it every time. I think he will learn at times it's best for s little bit of movement on the bell first..

But I'm very happy to have him in the team, I think he can develop into an important player.

Maybe he is trying to compensate for the painfully slow movement of the ball coming from CM?

Where Parker/Dembele cannot even look forward before having 3+ touches of the ball, by which time a wall has usually been erected ( )

 

[Nocando]

Do you know what. It's quite likely, that just like Siggy & Dempsey, Holtby is still finding his feet with Tottenham. Only the true greats instantly gel with the team and even Modric and Bale took a while to hit the ground running (thats an understatement). I think we just have to be patient and understand he wont be tearing it all up on a regular basis for a while.

AVB is doing an excellent job at managing the squad. With this rotating approach it will reap the rewards with players like Walker, Caulker, Carroll, Livermore, Holtby, Sig, Dempsey, even Defoe and Ade. It's a very similar approach to Fergie and look at how he has propelled certain players. There's so much more to come from Lewis but we shouldn't expect too much too soon.

 

[dooey123]

There were times tonight he was deeper than the centre backs. When the confidence and passing of Dembele and Parker is off it pulls the whole formation apart. We've seen glimpses of Holtby's ability to play clever through balls in tight spaces which is why he needs to remain sat behind the striker to feed though passes to Ade's feet as Ade couldn't control a cheese sandwich.

 

[E17yid]

Do you know what. It's quite likely, that just like Siggy & Dempsey, Holtby is still finding his feet with Tottenham. Only the true greats instantly gel with the team and even Modric and Bale took a while to hit the ground running (thats an understatement). I think we just have to be patient and understand he wont be tearing it all up on a regular basis for a while.

AVB is doing an excellent job at managing the squad. With this rotating approach it will reap the rewards with players like Walker, Caulker, Carroll, Livermore, Holtby, Sig, Dempsey, even Defoe and Ade. It's a very similar approach to Fergie and look at how he has propelled certain players. There's so much more to come from Lewis but we shouldn't expect too much too soon.

I agree. Holtby himself said, when he first signed, that it wouldnt be until next season that we see the best of him. These 4 or so months in the league will stand him in good stead for next season.

 

[3Dnata]

He will get used to the pace of the Premiership and when he does he will be absolutely top notch. He's getting there.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Holtby - good start to his Spurs life but needs to effect the game more he has slipped back slightly from his great debut. But that does not surprise me in such a youngster.

OT - Sandro is a good defensive mid. Wilshere is probable the best English central midfielder there is and up there with very best in Europe. A little bit of realism and honesty never goes a miss chaps.

Say what? Sandro is probably the best Brazilian central midfielder and up there with the very best in the world. It's completely unfair to compare wilshere to him. Let's be honest there arent many defensive midfielders out there better than Sandro. There are still quite a lot of midfielders out there better than Wilshere at what he does despite his obvious talent.

In addition, until Bale moved more central and started playing like a freak of nature, Sandro had probably been our player of the season. There is my realism but then I'm not subjected to the British media frenzy that wants to build up every English talent.

 

[markdadude]

I think he passes backwards a little too much, even those times where he has space and time to turn. If you run from near striker position to show for a pass from caulker/daws and then one-touch it back to them, when not under pressure, what's the point? It can be counter productive, lose our shape, and nacker him out. That's probably confidence tho, he does have ability. Then again, is anyone seriously expecting anyone on par with modric for 1.5 mil?

 

[jonathanhotspur]

Some times I feel he tries to shift it too quickly. Trying to one touch it every time. I think he will learn at times it's best for s little bit of movement on the bell first..

I agree. Needs to take a second touch more often.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

I'd be tempted to play him in the Dembele role for next game with Siggy in front because it looks like Dembele needs a break. He works hard enough and keeping the ball ticking from deep is good, where as higher up you tend to want a bit more than pass and move with our lack of creativity. I think receiving it and moving it from in front of the defence with some early forward balls would be good against an Arsenal team that have to come and try and win the game.

 

[mano-obe]

Struggled a bit yesterday but put in a shift. I can tell he likes to make things happen quickly

 

[Pete Spur]

Holtby aint fading he can go 120 minutes he's just trying to find his rhythm in our midfield. Parker is trying to take too much control offensively, he needs to move the ball quick n simple to Holtby, Dembele or Bale and quit trying to dictate our play. that aint his strength. I wanna see Holtby alil deeper with Sigs in front of him. We miss Sandro for sure but we still got nice options in the midfield we just need to get everything balanced rite.

 

[mattwilson]

These comments about Holtby fading, struggling with the pace, dissapearing at half time etc is all down to AVBs tactics (I'm not slagging anyone off, I love both AVB and Bale), but Holtby is a CAM and he showed that in his first couple of games. Since Bale has had this free role down the centre Holtby has had nowhere to go, he is by no means a left winger and AVB has had to keep him out there to accommodate him. In the recent games he's had to drop so deep on occasions to pick the ball up from Scotty P/Dembele just to get a touch... there is no room for him as a CAM (which is where he naturally drifts to) for as long as Bale is playing the central role. The guy has so much talent, and even with Bales form, I think we would genuinely perform better as a unit if Bale was to go back out wide.

 

[Shadydan]

Hey I like Holtby and think he's gonna be a star but one thing I noticed was when he dropped deep to collect the ball he'd give it straight back to the defender rather than turn and face. He should be looking to play the ball forward to start an attack otherwise it's pointless him being there. Did that numerous times last night but hopefully with more games he can start to adapt. It was encouraging in itself that he was dropping deep so that's something.

 

[SteveH]

Say what? Sandro is probably the best Brazilian central midfielder and up there with the very best in the world. It's completely unfair to compare wilshere to him. Let's be honest there arent many defensive midfielders out there better than Sandro. There are still quite a lot of midfielders out there better than Wilshere at what he does despite his obvious talent.

In addition, until Bale moved more central and started playing like a freak of nature, Sandro had probably been our player of the season. There is my realism but then I'm not subjected to the British media frenzy that wants to build up every English talent.

As I said before Sandro is good.
Wilshere is very good.

Holtby is doing OK

 

[CowInAComa]

Seems to fade quite noticeably in games.

Obviously the prem is a pacey game but i always though German footy was quite a pace.

Was he playing 90 minutes in Germany regularly?

He really is taking his new VdV tag to heart isnt he?

I wonder if he needs to curb his enthusiasm a bit. he does cover a hell of a lot of ground but then blows himself out.

 

[CowInAComa]

As I said before Sandro is good.
Wilshere is very good.

Holtby is doing OK

Different players. Wilshere is indeed very good, but Sandro had the best stats in europe up until he got injured for tackles/interceptions. Which is fundamentally his job (although it does him a disservice to not mention his ball carrying and offensive capabilities)

You cant ask for more from your defensive midfielder than to outperform all his defensive midfielder peers at his key performance criteria surely?

Swings and roundabouts. Im happy the way it worked out - with us having Sandro, and them Wilshere in all honesty.