Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[funkycoldmedina]

He’s so poor at turning quickly when receiving the ball. He’s got zero dribbling skills and it’s a big problem for us.

I think he struggles against that play a really high intensity. He always seems to be chasing shadows. When the game slows down he improves but we need better in there. I'm really surprised Bissouma hasn't taken his position

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

What do you see in this guy? I just dont see it.

Effort is about all I see. Just poor technically and no speed or agility.

I think the effort thing is a bit of a myth as well. How many times do you see him ambling back when he he gets caught on the wrong side of the ball, that’s a bit to do with speed and agility but he never seems to bust a gut to get back in. Seems to get away with it by pointing and pretending he’s passing the man on.

 

[Archibald-CPH]

And two to three months ago we understood the links to Real Madrid.....

The team is playing poorly.

 

[dbspurs]

He's a bench player at best. Capable of the odd moment of magic but more often than not you wish someone else was playing.

If Conte insists on playing 2 in midfield then I'd be going with Sarr and Bentancur for the rest of the season.

 

[chrissivad]

I think he would be good in a team that has possession and he has the time to set himself.

But in this team sitting back and getting pressed. Just not working.

 

[stevensthfc]

The Tractor.

Needs upgrading.

 

[VegasII]

The Tractor.

Needs upgrading.

So you’re saying he needs a Deere John letter?

 

[dtxspurs]

What do you see in this guy? I just dont see it.

Effort is about all I see. Just poor technically and no speed or agility.

I think he can spot a pass reasonably well and in a team that presses high (in a midfield three) he can win the ball and start attacks.

That exact scenario provided one of our only chances in the first half.

We play in a complete opposite way.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

And two to three months ago we understood the links to Real Madrid.....

The team is playing poorly.

More like Real housewives of Cheshire

 

[TOLBINY]

I think he has done pretty well for us overall - but is looking a little jaded recently. Think he could do with a few weeks rest, he has played a lot of football in the last 2.5 years.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

I think he has done pretty well for us overall - but is looking a little jaded recently. Think he could do with a few weeks rest, he has played a lot of football in the last 2.5 years.

He’s mid table standard on a good day

 

[Flobadob]

Ah the old “needs a rest/he’s tired” excuse. He’s just not good enough. A 20 year old kid made him look average today, do you know why? Because he’s got some athleticism, composure, some agility and actually knows what his options are before he receives the ball. Honestly if you think Hojbjerg is good enough for us to reach the top 4 again playing consistently for us you’re in for a disappointment. Top 10 team CM at absolute best.

 

[isaac94]

Ah the old “needs a rest/he’s tired” excuse. He’s just not good enough. A 20 year old kid made him look average today, do you know why? Because he’s got some athleticism, composure, some agility and actually knows what his options are before he receives the ball. Honestly if you think Hojbjerg is good enough for us to reach the top 4 again playing consistently for us you’re in for a disappointment. Top 10 team CM at absolute best.

looking at the other top 10 midfields not sure he would be even that, maybe Brentfords, at best

 

[isaac94]

only looks decent when he plays next to Bennie, but that's purely because bennie is a elite player, same reason why Dier looked okay next to Dembele in midfield, but hopeless with anyone else

 

[Timberwolf]

He's been a model pro since he's been at Spurs and had some good spells and moments, but his limitations are more apparent than ever right now.

He still does a lot of the dirty work and water carrying fairly well, but his lack of mobility, limited technique and inconsistent passing are not good enough for a midfielder playing in a 2 for a club with serious aspirations of challenging for anything.

I think he's a fine player to have around the squad but he can't be a guaranteed starter week after week. Should be 3rd or 4th choice by now.

 

[Timberwolf]

only looks decent when he plays next to Bennie, but that's purely because bennie is a elite player, same reason why Dier looked okay next to Dembele in midfield, but hopeless with anyone else

Yeah I think this is it. He's the type of player who complements better players around him, but when they aren't there his level drops.

He's simply not got enough ability to do it on his own and without someone great next to him he suddenly looks bang average.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

When pressed and in a midfield 2 he’s looks like a Sunday league player.

Love him as a person but we’ve always known he’s not really good enough, especially not in a 2.

In a 4-3-3 he could be useful but in this 3-4-3 he gets rings run round him.

That pass he misshit nearly out the stadium ?️ was hilarious, he looked lost and pissed off today, i actually felt bad for him

 

[rossdapep]

I think the drop in standards (Winks and Sissoko) have really blinded a lot of people into thinking Hojbjerg was the answer.

He isn't.

He just doesn't have that dynamism and athleticism to really match the top players.

Now, that isn't always a necessity because you can be agile or have really quick reactions with the ball. But he even lacks those things.

Yes, he has a good game every 2 or 3 out 6, yes he chips in with goals and gets into the opposition area.

But the crucial things you need for the very top, are the things he lacks.

For example, today there was one instance we had a counter attack and Hojbjerg received the ball facing his own goal with an Arsenal player either side of him.

Dembele, Wanyama, a confident Bissouma or any player like this would have made a dummy and spun away from the pressing players, broken through the press and got away from them.

Hojbjerg just played it straight back.

I don't even think he's that combative as he gets rolled quite easily and doesn't cover spaces quickly enough.

I agree with people that a midfield 3 of Bissouma, Bentancur and Sarr is the way forward

 

[G Ron]

I think the drop in standards (Winks and Sissoko) have really blinded a lot of people into thinking Hojbjerg was the answer.

He isn't.

He just doesn't have that dynamism and athleticism to really match the top players.

Now, that isn't always a necessity because you can be agile or have really quick reactions with the ball. But he even lacks those things.

Yes, he has a good game every 2 or 3 out 6, yes he chips in with goals and gets into the opposition area.

But the crucial things you need for the very top, are the things he lacks.

For example, today there was one instance we had a counter attack and Hojbjerg received the ball facing his own goal with an Arsenal player either side of him.

Dembele, Wanyama, a confident Bissouma or any player like this would have made a dummy and spun away from the pressing players, broken through the press and got away from them.

Hojbjerg just played it straight back.

I don't even think he's that combative as he gets rolled quite easily and doesn't cover spaces quickly enough.

I agree with people that a midfield 3 of Bissouma, Bentancur and Sarr is the way forward

Spot on. His first instinct is to play the way he’s facing and considering he barely ever gets on the half turn it means that’s pretty much always backwards. It was so easy for Arsenal yesterday as they knew that we would go backwards every time and that enabled them to press us high and pin us in. Without Bentancur we had no answer to it.

Bentancur, Sarr and Bissouma should all be ahead of him.

 

[theShiznit]

Noticed several times yesterday where his midfield opponent beat him and was running centrally towards goal with the ball and PEH was just jogging back. (and this was first half for those arguing he may have been tired as we chased the game)

If a workhorse player (which lets face it he is) isn't even putting in a shift when players are running past him then what is the point of him?

He offers very little in a 2 man midfield, cannot turn on the ball even in space, takes too many touches to do too little and just plays sideways or backwards often first time so not even drawing players out or moving teams out of shape.

It has got to the point where a defender passing to him in the centre with his back to goal is effectively a bounce board to get it straight back.