Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[UncleBuck]

Really good again today, the link up with Rich and finish for the goal was quality.
I think having a few weeks off has really benefitted him along with Benta alongside him, means he’s not running himself into the ground doing the job of two people.
Second top scorer as well, who’d have thought that before the season started?!?‍?

 

[Woodyy]

Really good again today, the link up with Rich and finish for the goal was quality.
I think having a few weeks off has really benefitted him along with Benta alongside him, means he’s not running himself into the ground doing the job of two people.
Second top scorer as well, who’d have thought that before the season started?!?‍?

I'm sure I'm missing something but what few weeks off has Hojberg had?

 

[djhotspur]

Going to be interesting when we have to rest him. We can’t run him and Benta into the ground

 

[wrd]

Going to be interesting when we have to rest him. We can’t run him and Benta into the ground

I'd rest him vs Marseille myself, have him for City.

 

[Stamford]

Shut up all the haters. Superb again

 

[Frozen_Waffles]

Shut up all the haters. Superb again

It's really weird on here with some players. Three in particular....

PEH
Eric dier
Emerson royal

For some reason people on here have their knives sharpened and are ready to jump on any mistake made. Constantly using terms such as "squad player" or "need upgrade".

The first two have been first choice under Conte since day 1 and are massive leaders in the team. Arguably two of the most consistent performers we have.

I think Emerson was subbed for Lucas in one game but apart from that I think all three have played every minute this season?

It seems obvious to me that those three are now (along with Kane, Romero and possibly bentancur) automatic starters and first names on the team sheets.

I think some people just have to be critical of someone. For some reason it's these three. I mean with Emerson he had a bad start with us and you could argue about his attacking output, but with the other two there is really nothing negative to be said imo.

Anyway, the critics of Pierre are quiet at the moment, but they will be piping up soon enough.

Some of you even suggesting we should sell him, I am honestly baffled by it.

Two very important goals from him so far this season and he should be looking to get more goals.

 

[Flobadob]

To be fair I’m not his biggest fan but back end of last season and start of this he’s been mostly very good. One thing I will continue to bang on about though is the fact in the games against the top 6 we either need someone slightly more press resistant and mobile or we need to play a 3 in midfield because it’s leaving him and Bentancur too much to do and too few options under pressure and Hojbjerg especially isn’t good in tight spaces at beating the press on the ball. He can do it with a pass though, so giving him more options would help with this in my opinion

 

[RuskyM]

Been highly critical of him but he's been superb this season, lovely to see.

 

[GutBucket]

Great player, and no wonder stats compare him to some amazing players too (including Bentancur).

 

[Mr Pink]

Excellent again.

I think he has gone up a level this season.

A full pre season under Conte has pushed him on more.

No reason why he can't aim for 8-10 league goals

 

[ajspurs]

Excellent again.

I think he has gone up a level this season.

A full pre season under Conte has pushed him on more.

No reason why he can't aim for 8-10 league goals

So do I. Always think he's been undervalued by some but this season he seems to have started even better and to have 2 goals to his name already is fantastic. His relationship with Bentancur is really becoming vital to us too.

One of the most important squad members IMO as I'm sure he has a big impact off the pitch too.

 

[kent brockman]

To be fair I’m not his biggest fan but back end of last season and start of this he’s been mostly very good. One thing I will continue to bang on about though is the fact in the games against the top 6 we either need someone slightly more press resistant and mobile or we need to play a 3 in midfield because it’s leaving him and Bentancur too much to do and too few options under pressure and Hojbjerg especially isn’t good in tight spaces at beating the press on the ball. He can do it with a pass though, so giving him more options would help with this in my opinion

Good points! Especially in the Chelsea game we struggled badly from being outnumbered in CM (in addition to their aggressive pressing), until Conte made his late changes. Not sure if my memory serves me right, but did we not try three CMs in one or two games last season (could have been Liverpool or Leicester)?

I believe that a CM three with Benta (in the Brozovic deeplying playmaker role), PEH and Bissouma (although neither is very Barella like) should work reasonably well in the 3-5-2 formation that Conte played at Inter. I suspect though that he perhaps feels that we need more attacking threat/quality from RWB in order for that formation to work.

 

[Flobadob]

Good points! Especially in the Chelsea game we struggled badly from being outnumbered in CM (in addition to their aggressive pressing), until Conte made his late changes. Not sure if my memory serves me right, but did we not try three CMs in one or two games last season (could have been Liverpool or Leicester)?

I believe that a CM three with Benta (in the Brozovic deeplying playmaker role), PEH and Bissouma (although neither is very Barella like) should work reasonably well in the 3-5-2 formation that Conte played at Inter. I suspect though that he perhaps feels that we need more attacking threat/quality from RWB in order for that formation to work.

Yeah we played a 3 man midfield in both Liverpool at home and Leicester away last season and played well in both, so it’s something Conte and the players can definitely set up to do.

I wouldn’t mind seeing Bentancur, Hojbjerg and Kulusevski as a 3 tbh. 352 would also be an opportunity to give Spence some game time with his superior attacking qualities. 352 is 100% a tactical option that we should be using this season

 

[chrissivad]

Excellent again.

I think he has gone up a level this season.

A full pre season under Conte has pushed him on more.

No reason why he can't aim for 8-10 league goals

I'm just glad someone is adding some goals from CM.

Have to say, I thought Bissouma would be the one to get the most this season (he seems to strike the ball a bit cleaner) but Hojbjerg is making some great runs into the box.

 

[kent brockman]

Yeah we played a 3 man midfield in both Liverpool at home and Leicester away last season and played well in both, so it’s something Conte and the players can definitely set up to do.

I wouldn’t mind seeing Bentancur, Hojbjerg and Kulusevski as a 3 tbh. 352 would also be an opportunity to give Spence some game time with his superior attacking qualities. 352 is 100% a tactical option that we should be using this season

Agree with that. We certainly need a game plan to address oppo who look to flood CM and press us high, which also requires us to play our most press resistant players at the back.

Guess (depending on the oppo), it will be a call to make whether the CM3 should be eiher (a) deeplying playmaker + two B2B or (b) two sitting CMs + a #10 (like Kulu). I also feel that Spence does have the attributes to fill the RWB position (at least long term). Would also be interesting to see if Lucas could further adapt to that role as well.

 

[JCRD]

I'd rest him vs Marseille myself, have him for City.

I can understand why as he is an ever present but thats like trying to rest Hugo, Dier or Kane.. just cant rest any of them yet particularly in the CL first game where it is crucial to get the win. Need Bissouma to get up to speed quickly and as for Skipp he hasnt played in months, so we can introduce him but not starting

I think our best bet is to try to win the game in the first half/60 mins (like 10 -0 because this is spurs and no score is safe) and then bring on a few

 

[wrd]

I can understand why as he is an ever present but thats like trying to rest Hugo, Dier or Kane.. just cant rest any of them yet particularly in the CL first game where it is crucial to get the win. Need Bissouma to get up to speed quickly and as for Skipp he hasnt played in months, so we can introduce him but not starting

I think our best bet is to try to win the game in the first half/60 mins (like 10 -0 because this is spurs and no score is safe) and then bring on a few

I don't think you can say you want Bissouma to get up to speed quickly whilst simultaneously saying that Hojbjerg can't be dropped, they pretty much cancel eachother out if the goal is for Hojbjerg to maintain his level and not be run into the ground, Bissouma, Hojbjerg and Bentancur need to rotate between the 3 of them asap and then Skipp gradually eased back in. Bringing Bissouma on for 30 minutes because the game is secure isn't going to bring him up to speed quickly because he's stepping into a comfortable situation, he needs to be put into difficult circumstances and he needs 90 minutes to get fully fit.

 

[JCRD]

I don't think you can say you want Bissouma to get up to speed quickly whilst simultaneously saying that Hojbjerg can't be dropped, they pretty much cancel eachother out if the goal is for Hojbjerg to maintain his level and not be run into the ground, Bissouma, Hojbjerg and Bentancur need to rotate between the 3 of them asap and then Skipp gradually eased back in. Bringing Bissouma on for 30 minutes because the game is secure isn't going to bring him up to speed quickly because he's stepping into a comfortable situation, he needs to be put into difficult circumstances and he needs 90 minutes to get fully fit.

Im going on what Conte says about signings and how he wants them to get up to speed on the 'idea of football' and not what I want. Conte clearly wants players to get up to speed before having enough trust to playing them. Hence the new signings apart from Richarlison hadnt been involved much. He ever said as much that theyre behind PEH/Bent

Also the CL is not where I would have put on Bissouma from the start - Fulham would have been the game. Same for Skipp in terms of returning after months of not playing.

 

[Sophos151]

Good points! Especially in the Chelsea game we struggled badly from being outnumbered in CM (in addition to their aggressive pressing), until Conte made his late changes. Not sure if my memory serves me right, but did we not try three CMs in one or two games last season (could have been Liverpool or Leicester)?

We did, and it actually worked really well. We played Liverpool off the park with a Winks-Dele-Ndombele midfield, and battered Leicester with the 3-5-2 as well.

 

[SlotBadger]

Excellent assist.