Player watch: Christian Eriksen

[Col_M]

Interesting to see the pressing and trapping the defender into receding it short.

 

[Dzejkob]

I love this player. Fantastic performance against City and yeasterday such a shitty display and a defeat against Poland. Exactly wat I was hoping for.

(I'm from Poland btw).

 

[DaSpurs]

Really interesting video. Shows how important Eriksen is to us.

Good stuff.

Really enjoying watching him play in this deeper role. I've also really enjoyed seeing Poch change to more of a 4-1-4-1 or holding 4-3-3, whatever you wanna call it. I wouldn't call it "compensation for Dembele's absence" so much as adapting to what's available, and I think it's worked very well with having both Alli and Eriksen. It will be interesting to see what happens when Dembele returns, as to date this new formation/plan has been very effective. It's good to see Poch changing up formations and tactics based on personnel rather than continuing to force one formation, as this not only plays into our strengths but keeps opposition managers on their toes.

 

[glacierSpurs]

Some improvements after signing his new contract but yesterday was another match to forget.. He is a very important player for us, and I really wish he knows that so he can carry himself to be the midfielder so many has high expectations of..

If he is not performing, we can be struggling in our offensive play.. The difference can be stark.. He was such a crucial cog in our system.. While there are no like for like replacement for him in our squad, I would rather Lamela playing centrally than Eriksen if yesterday was the performance he dished out.. despite Lamela was equally poor, at least he presses better than Eriksen..

 

[dagraham]

Unfortunately, last night illustrates why although Eriksen is a very good player and massively important to our team, he is yet to reach the heights of a world class talent ala VDV, Modric etc.

In a game that is running away from us when we need quality on the ball he too often goes missing and ends up dragged down to everyone's level, rather than rising above it.

 

[Spursh]

Poch is incredibly reluctant to take him off in games, let alone drop him. Even yesterday, in rather poor form, he was kept on ahead of our two main goal threats in Alli and Son. It is clear that Poch rates him very highly, but I fear we often try to shoehorn him into our XI to the detriment of our overall balance.

I believe the 4-1-4-1 was adopted to find a more suitable role for Eriksen, and it was something I was initially a fan of as I want him in our side. But a few weeks on, after trying to play him in this new role, I think we need to assess whether he has the attributes to warrant a place in any of the positions in which he has been deployed.

He doesn't quite have the dynamism, ability in tight spots and vision to play as the no.10; the pace or flair to play on the wing; and having seen him in a deeper role, I'm not quite sure whether he is brave enough to want to receive the ball under pressure and help us control the possession - something Poch wanted to address when he talked about why Dembele was brought back into the fold.

When Kane is fit, Eriksen's position on the left is no longer guaranteed with Son stepping up this season. He won't be displacing Alli anytime soon as the no.10, nor Wanyama or Dembele in central midfield. And even though he polarises opinion, Lamela offers genuine balance on the right. I also believe that Lamela's pressing and willingness to get involved in play and attempt things going forward, like yesterday where I thought he was our best offensive player, is vital to our play but also leaves him open for criticism. But he's brave enough to keep trying, something I'm not sure Eriksen is.

Eriksen's a very talented player, and one I've always wanted to see succeed at Spurs, but I've always had this nagging doubt about him for the reasons stated above. He's young enough to still establish himself in the future, but at this moment, his place in the starting XI is very much in question - or should be anyway.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

OK now he's playing really shit.

 

[stevensthfc]

Looked like he could barely run at the end.

 

[mattdefoe]

His corners were poor and his free kicks are not a threat at all anymore .

Taking him a long time to shift the ball out of his feet. Think he needs to be dropped but then again ... who for

 

[kaz Hirai]

His corners were poor and his free kicks are not a threat at all anymore .

Taking him a long time to shift the ball out of his feet. Think he needs to be dropped but then again ... who for

Lamela, Sissoko, GKN, hell even Onomah currently

 

[thebenjamin]

His corners were poor and his free kicks are not a threat at all anymore .

Taking him a long time to shift the ball out of his feet. Think he needs to be dropped but then again ... who for

I was saying the same. Takes forever to his jobs shots off. Other than being low on confidence or exhausted I don't know why, when he used to be so deadly around the box.

 

[DIEHARD]

Erikssen relies on good movement in front of him, at present we are slow and static so his effectiveness is reduced as a consequence. I dont think we are getting the best out of him.

 

[jonathanhotspur]

I can't put a finger on it with Eriksen. I can't help but feel that he should be doing better with the ability that he has.

 

[stevensthfc]

Erikssen relies on good movement in front of him, at present we are slow and static so his effectiveness is reduced as a consequence. I dont think we are getting the best out of him.

Same could be said for Lamela.

 

[Spursh]

Involved himself a little bit more than he has recently, but I still stick by the points made in the post I made in here last week.

Even today we sacrificed balance to shoehorn him into the side, by moving Son from his favourable left wing position over to the right.

I'm still waiting for Eriksen to truly take hold of a game, but the least I expect is for him to deliver on set pieces. I don't think he beat the front man on any of his corners

 

[kaz Hirai]

Erikssen relies on good movement in front of him, at present we are slow and static so his effectiveness is reduced as a consequence. I dont think we are getting the best out of him.

So it's Janssen and kane's fault for lack of movement, but it's the 3 behinds fault for Kane and Janssens lack of goal scoring.

Bit of a paradox Poch has on his hands

 

[DIEHARD]

So it's Janssen and kane's fault for lack of movement, but it's the 3 behinds fault for Kane and Janssens lack of goal scoring.

Bit of a paradox Poch has on his hands

Nope i dont think it is anyones fault bar our tactics. the way we play its so slow that other teams have so much more time to organise themselves that space is a premium and movement then becomes ponderous and static. as a consequence you got Erikssen wanting to play a killer throughball fr example but cant.

 

[eddiev14]

For the past 3 games he has been utterly pathetic.

Not enough energy, not enough urgency, not enough commitment to tackles, snap to his passing.

He looks a shadow of the player we had in Pochettino's first season.

 

[Bobbins]

He looks like a 60 year old man wheezing his way round the pitch at the moment. Think he'd struggle in my weekly five-a-side.

 

[jonathanhotspur]

For the past 3 games he has been utterly pathetic.

Not enough energy, not enough urgency, not enough commitment to tackles, snap to his passing.

He looks a shadow of the player we had in Pochettino's first season.

I'd like to see him with a perm.