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Player Watch Player Watch: Oliver Skipp

Styopa

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2014
5,136
14,177
Reminds me of Carrick when he was with us. We only saw how good he was when we didn't have him.

I think this is slightly overstated. Most sensible supporters recognised his quality - not least because he was such a massive step up from what came in the decade or more before him. He was integral in the side that brought us to the brink of qualification for the Champions League and most fans realised this and were extremely disappointed when he left.
 

brendanb50

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2005
4,483
3,890
I for one like, appreciate and fully understand the manner in which young Ollie is being introduced to first team football. It has to be a slow process while he grows physically, develops mentally and learns about the game at this level. I think the Spurs backroom boys are doing it absolutely 100% right. By the time this lad turns 21, we are going to have a first class defensive midfielder, maybe international standard on our hands and nobody is going to be able to bully him off the ball. Heaven knows, it's hard enough now, and he already has an eye for a killer pass! Cut the lad some slack peeps!

.

This. I may say you're a bit optimistic on his potential development but who's to say.

His integration and involvement (whilst helped with a few first team injuries) has been just about spot on so far for such a young player. He appears to have a mature head on his young shoulders and his play at the moment is tidy and efficient - that alone shouldn't be underestimated for a young player in a disciplined position.

Easier when you're a young winger, thrown into games to try a few things high up the pitch, completely different when you're brought in to freshen the back of the midfield and keep shape/discipline.

All in all, to have him in and around our first team and playing regular minutes is excellent. Makes me wonder what the difference is here between him and say KWP, who in my view also deserves more game time. Perhaps it's a bit of mental strength? Perhaps it's the position/risk of mistakes in different positions.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,389
I do not think that some of us respect enough the power of players coming through the academy. They have a natural will to succeed with THFC more than a player we being in from outside.

MUFC were extremely lucky that they had the opportunity to bring in the "class of 92" in one season (they have not done it since and we will probably never see that kind of impact injection again anywhere in the PL). 6 players who grew up together and turned them into the team they were/are.

Players like Kane, Winks and Skipp will help to create a unity in a squad that breeds success.

The foundations that we are laying now will pay enormous dividends in the future. Especially with the youngsters of today choosing us as they see the potential advantage for them by staying or choosing a club that promotes youth.

We are in a very good place.

I also think it's quite possible we would be seeing more of Amos than Skipp if he hadn't picked up such a long term injury. Either way, we've got some good options coming through with Oakley-Booth and Onomah in the mix as well.
 

idontgetit

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2011
14,404
30,804
No idea how good he will be but he's definitely good enough to be around the first team. Looked a bit off the pace yesterday which was a big shame but then again when he went off his presence screening the back four was missed.
 

Reece

Shutterbug
May 27, 2005
2,860
1,779
Great bit of closing down for Eriksen's goal too lest we forget. That was a massive show of faith in him to start against Leicester, who are hardly a Huddersfield. Well played Poch.
 

Primativ

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2017
3,229
12,486
It's hard to say the experiment worked when we turned in such a horrible performance. I know Poch made a point of saying he shouldn't have taken Skipp off as we got worse when we did, but I think he was just protecting the kid.

I am all for seeing young kids develop at Spurs, but not at the expense of us dominating and controlling the midfield in games. I would suggest Poch is off his marbles if he watched the Leicester game and thought that our midfield was working. I thought for the majority of the game it was like playing with 10 men.

Sissoko and Winks played well actually, and Winks has improved the last few weeks, but we are certainly not as defensively strong as we were last season, Tripper is a big part of it, but I think our CM is too. Something isn't quite working from a defensive point of view, the balance isn't right.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
It's hard to say the experiment worked when we turned in such a horrible performance. I know Poch made a point of saying he shouldn't have taken Skipp off as we got worse when we did, but I think he was just protecting the kid.

I am all for seeing young kids develop at Spurs, but not at the expense of us dominating and controlling the midfield in games. I would suggest Poch is off his marbles if he watched the Leicester game and thought that our midfield was working. I thought for the majority of the game it was like playing with 10 men.

Sissoko and Winks played well actually, and Winks has improved the last few weeks, but we are certainly not as defensively strong as we were last season, Tripper is a big part of it, but I think our CM is too. Something isn't quite working from a defensive point of view, the balance isn't right.

So Skipp gets the blame
for us only winning 3-1
and staying clear in third.
Oliver you are a very naughty boy.
 

Primativ

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2017
3,229
12,486
So Skipp gets the blame
for us only winning 3-1
and staying clear in third.
Oliver you are a very naughty boy.


What a bizarre post. Did you watch the game? We were dreadful. Yes, we won, yes we are third, but there is more to analysing performances than just going, "oh we won 3 - 1, that means everyone was brilliant".

If you think giving away the chances we gave to Leicester is acceptable, I can't help you.

o_O
 

LexingtonSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
13,456
39,042
Score was 2-0 when Skipp went off.

Players with most shots in match:

Chilwell - 4 - played opposite side as Skipp
Barnwell - 3 - played opposite side as Skipp
Vardy - 3 - came on after Skipp was already off

Players on Skipp's side:
Ghezzal - 1 shot
Pereira - 0 shots

Only 2 shots all match came from the left side - Ghezzal and Iheancho (after Skipp had left)

Why are we blaming Skipp for Leicester having so many shots?


ETA - in before: "But, Lex, Pereira did have 4 key passes in the match!!"
(psst - 3 of the 4 came after Skipp left the match...)
 
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JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
What a bizarre post. Did you watch the game? We were dreadful. Yes, we won, yes we are third, but there is more to analysing performances than just going, "oh we won 3 - 1, that means everyone was brilliant".

If you think giving away the chances we gave to Leicester is acceptable, I can't help you.

o_O

I watched the game.
My match ratings are on public record.
these are they:

''Ugly win.
beautiful 3 points.
Ground it out.
Took our chances
rode our luck.

MOM Lloris (8) Easy saves mostly.
Right place right time
positioning and experience.
Winks and Sissoko (7) busy and effective.
Eriksen(7) not at his best but well good enough.
Rest 6+. Apart from Llorente and Skipp (6)''

Nobody was brilliant.
We were not 'dreadful'
Your help not required but thanks
but Skipp did a job
and it was in no way
like playing with 10 men.
That's just silly.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,389
What a bizarre post. Did you watch the game? We were dreadful. Yes, we won, yes we are third, but there is more to analysing performances than just going, "oh we won 3 - 1, that means everyone was brilliant".

If you think giving away the chances we gave to Leicester is acceptable, I can't help you.

o_O


I'm sure that if people want your help they'll ask. Wouldn't hold my breath though.
 

wrd

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2014
13,603
58,005
This thread is quite funny, since the last game there's been 18 posts, the first 12 were all positive but defending Skipp then eventually 1 negative post followed by a bit of back and forth. It's funny to me anyway as nobody is really panning him but people defended him anyway. The match thread will always have a strong tone because in there all that matters is the 3 points but him getting games is obviously good for his development, He hasn't produced any stand out performances so far but that's a not criticism, he's getting games under his belt early on his in career in different systems and that's what matters at this point. The more experience the better.
 

Khilari

Plumber. Sort of.
Jun 19, 2008
3,461
5,287
This thread is quite funny, since the last game there's been 18 posts, the first 12 were all positive but defending Skipp then eventually 1 negative post followed by a bit of back and forth. It's funny to me anyway as nobody is really panning him but people defended him anyway. The match thread will always have a strong tone because in there all that matters is the 3 points but him getting games is obviously good for his development, He hasn't produced any stand out performances so far but that's a not criticism, he's getting games under his belt early on his in career in different systems and that's what matters at this point. The more experience the better.
Agree! He's not particularly shone, but I think we often lose perspective when it comes to young players. We all love it when they make an instant and incredible impact - the way Kane and Dele did when they broke through into the first team, the way Sancho has at Dortmund and Phil Foden has at City, Brooks at Bournemouth etc.

And those players went on/may go on to become world class superstars. But in truth most teams are a collection of good, very good, excellent and perhaps world class superstar type players. And Skipp could go on to be any of those.

He's settled in well, certainly not looking like a fish out of water but equally has been timid on the ball and I suspect has been told to perform a certain sort of role on the pitch. That he's being selected ahead of Wanyama is a great nod to him. I hope that, like Winks, he continues to develop at Spurs and could well be another bright star from our Academy.
 

DJS

A hoonter must hoont
Dec 9, 2006
31,261
21,760
I also think it's quite possible we would be seeing more of Amos than Skipp if he hadn't picked up such a long term injury. Either way, we've got some good options coming through with Oakley-Booth and Onomah in the mix as well.

I think Skipp was the more highly regarded than Amos, plus Skipp is a defensive midfielder and Amos more a box to box, although looking forward to seeing if Amos can provide a bit more depth and perhaps some cover for Winks.
 

MichaelPawson

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2013
834
2,149
Skipp struggled a bit on Sunday, but to be fair, Leicester's midfield is excellent. He certainly wasn't the worst Spurs player on the pitch, anyway (that was Trippier, again).

Games like that are fantastic experience for him. For as young as Maddison/Ndidi/Tielemans are (and as envious I am of Leicester for having them), they've all got at least three years on Oliver. More tests like this and I can see him developing into a player of their caliber.
 

Primativ

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2017
3,229
12,486
I watched the game.
My match ratings are on public record.
these are they:

''Ugly win.
beautiful 3 points.
Ground it out.
Took our chances
rode our luck.

MOM Lloris (8) Easy saves mostly.
Right place right time
positioning and experience.
Winks and Sissoko (7) busy and effective.
Eriksen(7) not at his best but well good enough.
Rest 6+. Apart from Llorente and Skipp (6)''

Nobody was brilliant.
We were not 'dreadful'
Your help not required but thanks
but Skipp did a job
and it was in no way
like playing with 10 men.
That's just silly.


I thought we were dreadful. I don't think there have been many worse performances. It wasn't as bad as Fulham the other week, but it wasn't far off. Leicester found it so easy to get at our defence, Trippier's positioning and covering was abysmal. We could have got a right good thrashing if they could actually have finished. Mind you, Leicester are playing well and they did the same to United the game before, but again they couldn't finish their dinner.

You could say it's excellent we win when playing poorly, but equally you can't deny the poor performances are troubling, at such a vital time of the season too. Kane and Alli missing doesn't explain how open we are at the back.

It's been the same all season defensively generally. No surprises that the stats say that out of the top 3, we have faced far more shots than the other two.

Anyway, back on topic, Skipp is far from ready.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
I thought we were dreadful. I don't think there have been many worse performances. It wasn't as bad as Fulham the other week, but it wasn't far off. Leicester found it so easy to get at our defence, Trippier's positioning and covering was abysmal. We could have got a right good thrashing if they could actually have finished. Mind you, Leicester are playing well and they did the same to United the game before, but again they couldn't finish their dinner.

You could say it's excellent we win when playing poorly, but equally you can't deny the poor performances are troubling, at such a vital time of the season too. Kane and Alli missing doesn't explain how open we are at the back.

It's been the same all season defensively generally. No surprises that the stats say that out of the top 3, we have faced far more shots than the other two.

Anyway, back on topic, Skipp is far from ready.

You seem to be
trolling yourself now.
Nothing to add.
I'm out.
 
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