Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[sundanceyid10]

His awful pass under pressure that led to Wolves second goal. His passing is poor when he is under pressure.

 

[Gassin's finest]

Mid table player at best. Not his fault, but I can't believe he's still part of this setup.

 

[glacierSpurs]

His awful pass under pressure that led to Wolves second goal. His passing is poor when he is under pressure.

And he lost his man at the end like he couldn't be bothered to track him further anymore or thinking Dier will take over. Probably Dier expected him to carry on running too. Either way it was damn depressing to see that.

 

[NEVILLEB]

Gives the foul. Lets his man run past him without effort to track him. Jogs back and then gives up before making sure his man has been picked up by the defence.

This is just an example of what he’s been doing for the last 2 seasons. Selfish and a defensive liability. Must be a joy to play against as you can easily run in behind him.

 

[PhC]

Been saying this for ages but he’s been well defended on this forum.

Not really. The consensus is that he is either a sub or not good enough for the squad.

The real division here is between those of us who do not only see what he does badly and acknowledge that he can play for a Premier League team, and those who blame him for everything that goes wrong when he is on the pitch. Add to that the stick he gets for just being himself, for ridiculously small things like pointing and for things he’s never done or probably thought about that his critics attribute to him anyway - then you get one of if not the biggest scapegoat in the prem. And no, that doesn’t mean that he should be above criticism, just that he gets blamed a lot more for other people’s mistakes and imbalance in the team than most other players.

 

[PhC]

To clarify, this is a normal level of criticism for a player:

“His awful pass under pressure that led to Wolves second goal. His passing is poor when he is under pressure.”

This isn’t:

This 'viking' myth about PEH makes me dizzy. He's a phenomenal talker and pointer and shouter, but when it comes to actually doing the grunt work he is nowhere to be seen.

 

[NEVILLEB]

Not really. The consensus is that he is either a sub or not good enough for the squad.

The real division here is between those of us who do not only see what he does badly and acknowledge that he can play for a Premier League team, and those who blame him for everything that goes wrong when he is on the pitch. Add to that the stick he gets for just being himself, for ridiculously small things like pointing and for things he’s never done or probably thought about that his critics attribute to him anyway - then you get one of if not the biggest scapegoat in the prem. And no, that doesn’t mean that he should be above criticism, just that he gets blamed a lot more for other people’s mistakes and imbalance in the team than most other players.

You just can’t see what he’s been doing wrong.

 

[Gassin's finest]

To clarify, this is a normal level of criticism for a player:


This isn’t:

To clarify... You've quoted @sundanceyid10 's post, and put my name against it. This is how fake news starts.

 

[PhC]

To clarify... You've quoted @sundanceyid10 's post, and put my name against it. This is how fake news starts.

Oops, sorry about that - I had three quotes in there at first. Must’ve *****up on my phone.

Corrected now

 

[PhC]

You just can’t see what he’s been doing wrong.

Because I refuse to participate in a witch hunt? The man has been under fire since he got here. I’ve said previously why I think that a part of it (the personal and non-football stuff mostly) is grossly unfair. I never said he should be exempt from criticism.
When a majority (or loud minority as it probably is) throw the same amount of garbage after another player, I’ll be in that thread trying to nuance that picture as well.

 

[funkycoldmedina]

Because I refuse to participate in a witch hunt? The man has been under fire since he got here. I’ve said previously why I think that a part of it (the personal and non-football stuff mostly) is grossly unfair. I never said he should be exempt from criticism.
When a majority (or loud minority as it probably is) throw the same amount of garbage after another player, I’ll be in that thread trying to nuance that picture as well.

I agree with you. I've never rated him, I was one of the first to say he was replaceable but the vitriol just grows and grows and the mob mentality of blaming these players under the microscope is unedifying.
He's not elite at any aspect of the game and in such a pivotal position we've needed better for a long time but he always gives his all and doesn't bad mouth the club or any teammates.
I don't understand why some need to dig players out so badly but I personally really despise it

 

[coy-spurs1882]

"witch hunt" or not, our results when these players start say it all

 

[Boots22]

Also what was he doing trying to take a quick free kick with 2 minutes left on the clock which he then proceeds to give straight to a Wolves player? The bloke is utter litter and a liability

 

[GetKaned]

Because I refuse to participate in a witch hunt? The man has been under fire since he got here. I’ve said previously why I think that a part of it (the personal and non-football stuff mostly) is grossly unfair. I never said he should be exempt from criticism.
When a majority (or loud minority as it probably is) throw the same amount of garbage after another player, I’ll be in that thread trying to nuance that picture as well.

Man has been under fire since he got here because people could clearly see his weaknesses. For the best part of past 3 years we have been sh*t and he has been escaping with world class finger pointing and screaming lol.

Its not the bloke's fault but it is clear that he doesn't belong in this team.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

Played a major part in both goals we conceded.

First goal he moves to cover Dier and then just allows Sarabia to run off him and doesn’t even look.

Second goal he gives the ball away stupidly, playing a terrible pass in to Lo Celso who gives away a FK.

He then runs back and watches Lemina running in to the box, before stopping completely and just letting him go. Shocking.

Him and Dier between them basically blew up that match for us in 6 minutes with shit defending and passing.

Two of the old guard, proving again that they just can’t play the way we want moving forward.

 

[Rosco1984]

quality player in a boring defensive positional system with no space behind the back line as he will put his body on the line. Abysmal player in a front foot team. Immobile no dynamism no urgency no invention. Finds his spot on the pitch and sticks to it doesn't track runners he can't play as a 6 in this system he is a liability and then has the cheek to stand on the edge of the D with his arms outstretched looking for someone to blame twice as a midfield runner who it's his job to track takes all 3 points from us twice in the last 4 minutes. I am so sick of him we have been stodgy and shit for 4 years basically since the day he arrived in the door. The one period where we haven't been has been when he was dropped to the bench as soon as he starts we are painful. Even when Conte was here I went to one of the only games he missed liverpool at home 2-2 and it was the most fluent we ever looked under conte. He is basically a human handbrake on the team. Some people will still defend him becuase he beats his chest and stamps his feet though. Fraudbjerg.

 

[AnthonySoprano]

His awful pass under pressure that led to Wolves second goal. His passing is poor when he is under pressure.

I agree with Jenas on MOTD. No reason why Kulu couldn't have shown for the pass.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

For me PEH works as a sub at the end of a game when we need to tighten up but doesn't work in any way starting. The reason for this is because by the 60/70th min the opposition team are tired so PEH's lack of agility, pace and quick thinking aren't exposed. Assuming we are ahead and we aren't looking to score another then it actually works well to a certain degree. But from the start of games his limitations are brutally exposed. I have no ill will towards PEH and on the whole he tries but I just don't think he can play our system and when starting a match against players who are full of energy his limitations can be easily exploited.

Fact is everyone knows he needs to be moved on, the club wanted to sell him during the summer. Just hope that Ange has realised that brining him in for Maddison isn't the answer.

 

[sundanceyid10]

Because I refuse to participate in a witch hunt? The man has been under fire since he got here. I’ve said previously why I think that a part of it (the personal and non-football stuff mostly) is grossly unfair. I never said he should be exempt from criticism.
When a majority (or loud minority as it probably is) throw the same amount of garbage after another player, I’ll be in that thread trying to nuance that picture as well.

It’s not a witch hunt, he is what he is as a player and that’s very limited. If the whole purpose of Spurs is improving, it means better players. Spurs are not going to go up a level with Hojberg, his level is probably somewhere around where we have been the last few years. He isn’t crap but he also isn’t what we need to get better, that’s the harsh reality of top level sport and wanting to actually win something.

 

[Japhet]

I hope he gets a good move in January (same with Dier) and we can bring in a couple who are properly suited to how we now play. Nothing against either of them. They've given their best.