Player Watch Player Watch: Rodrigo Bentancur

[spurs9]

I'm still not 100% sure where he starts when everybody is fit. He is one of the first names on the team sheet, but I can't decide if he's our best option at #6 or as one of the #8's.

Personally, I would be rotating him in 6 & 8 and play Sarr when Bentancur is a 6 and Bissouma when Bentancur is playing 8.

Maybe he will have better chemistry with one of them that will help determine the 1st choice midfield.

Can't wait to see him and Maddison in the same side.

 

[ultimateloner]

Agree with a lot of what’s been said. He’s absolutely brilliant.

There were other threads where people talk about our best midfield trio. Two things:

1) he’s definitely in our best trio - that’s not controversial
2) the composure that he has in the opposition box: it would be a shame to play him as a DM and lose that. He plays 8 for me. 6 only when we really to push forward

Your second point is what makes him potentially world class. Pre-injury he was a cut above everyone except for Kane and Son. He was consistently our stand-out performer during some of our worst games in the Conte/Mourinho era.

Bentancur has goals in his game, and can work both on and off the ball. He can play-make and can defend. He performs when others don't.

From what Ange says he also seems to be a positive person who can lift others.
Just hope the injuries can become a thing of the past.

Re midfield trio: Bentancur and Mads are nailed on. Bentacur because he is our best CM and Mads because he is our best creator. The last spot is between Biss and Sarr. GLC hasn't played enough yet to be part of the equation.

 

[mil1lion]

Would love to see our record with and without him. It went apart when he got the acl injury but either side even under Conte we were doing well. In this team he will be scary at his best.

 

[BorjeSpurs]

Maddison will love to play to with Bentancur when he is back.

 

[cjbyid]

Maddison will love to play to with Bentancur when he is back.

It's actually mad they haven't played together yet. Long spells on the sidelines for both of course but still mad.

But yeah they'll be great together.

 

[allatsea]

A fabulous player.

 

[carpediem1906]

Agree with a lot of what’s been said. He’s absolutely brilliant.

There were other threads where people talk about our best midfield trio. Two things:

1) he’s definitely in our best trio - that’s not controversial
2) the composure that he has in the opposition box: it would be a shame to play him as a DM and lose that. He plays 8 for me. 6 only when we really to push forward

maybe that's why herc is insisting that we are looking for 6, not 8, and why he doesnt feel we need connor gallagher as we have Bentacur, Sarr, Lo Celso, Skipp all being able to do a job @ 8

at peak form, has to be Bissouma - Bentacur - Maddison for me all day long
but if Bissouma isnt performing, then Bentacur - Sarr - Maddison as a close 2nd choice trio

 

[Gassin's finest]

maybe that's why herc is insisting that we are looking for 6, not 8, and why he doesnt feel we need connor gallagher as we have Bentacur, Sarr, Lo Celso, Skipp all being able to do a job @ 8

at peak form, has to be Bissouma - Bentacur - Maddison for me all day long
but if Bissouma isnt performing, then Bentacur - Sarr - Maddison as a close 2nd choice trio

OT, but its Sarr that gets the nod for me.

 

[MrFoglo]

Really hope he is a priority for a contract extension. As essential as anyone in our squad. Reminds me of Modric, not stylistically, but how he dictates our play and rhythm.

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

maybe that's why herc is insisting that we are looking for 6, not 8, and why he doesnt feel we need connor gallagher as we have Bentacur, Sarr, Lo Celso, Skipp all being able to do a job @ 8

at peak form, has to be Bissouma - Bentacur - Maddison for me all day long
but if Bissouma isnt performing, then Bentacur - Sarr - Maddison as a close 2nd choice trio

I think that’s what it will be. Ange was talking about the plans he had for Biss and Bentancur together. Sarr will still get games and he’ll use him for his legs later in games when it gets a bit stretched. Sarr I still think can be a bit loose with his touch and passing sometimes imo and Bentancur as the the 8 will give us that extra bit of quality in forward areas.

 

[Rosco1984]

Personally, I would be rotating him in 6 & 8 and play Sarr when Bentancur is a 6 and Bissouma when Bentancur is playing 8.

Maybe he will have better chemistry with one of them that will help determine the 1st choice midfield.

Can't wait to see him and Maddison in the same side.

I think Ange gave it away in a press conference just after the Cash tackle when he said he had all these plans with Biss and Bentancur together but they were never available at the same time.

I think he has to play 8 he can contribute a lot of goals as he is very good in the box. If he plays 6 to get Sarr in you add Sarr's energy but lose some of the composure and class on the ball. Sarr will have to work very hard to keep his place.

 

[Wig]

It felt odd to see him on the right hand side of midfield a lot of times. He's got such an ability to break the lines with incisive passing I would prefer to see him in the middle of the park playing those passes, rather than hugging the right hand touch line.

Just an observation, but otherwise what a silky player and can't wait to see him fully fit. Superb finish for his goal as well.

 

[jurgen11]

Bentacur - Sarr - Maddison is about as sexy as a midfield gets....

 

[worcestersauce]

I saw on another place when we were top of the league unbeaten before the injuries so with our best team available to us we still didn't have Bentancur!
That's worth thinking about ain't it.

 

[Dakes]

Bentacur - Sarr - Maddison is about as sexy as a midfield gets....

I much prefer this one as opposed to the one suggested with Bissouma-Bentancur-Maddison because Bissouma is too unreliable of late. Very good player but does silly things.

 

[easley91]

I much prefer this one as opposed to the one suggested with Bissouma-Bentancur-Maddison because Bissouma is too unreliable of late. Very good player but does silly things.

Pretty decent option to have coming off the bench though and a decent headache to give Ange when it coms to selection.

 

[Misfit]

He's the exact same player as he was before the injury. Thank heavens. I still think he's our best midfielder, although the competition is much closer and more numerous than it was last season.

 

[Rosco1984]

I much prefer this one as opposed to the one suggested with Bissouma-Bentancur-Maddison because Bissouma is too unreliable of late. Very good player but does silly things.

I don't see Sarr as a 6 and if Bentancur plays there you are losing the goal threat of someone who has become a very effective box threat and regular scorer. Sarr's touch and strength don't fill me with confidence to be receiving the ball in the middle of the press. It's his energy and movement that make him so good and you lose that if he plays 6. Sarr coming on against tired legs after 60 minutes could be a nightmare for opponents though.

 

[Dakes]

I don't see Sarr as a 6 and if Bentancur plays there you are losing the goal threat of someone who has become a very effective box threat and regular scorer. Sarr's touch and strength don't fill me with confidence to be receiving the ball in the middle of the press. It's his energy and movement that make him so good and you lose that if he plays 6. Sarr coming on against tired legs after 60 minutes could be a nightmare for opponents though.

I hear you regarding Bentancur's goal threat, but I'd rather have him in the team with Sarr and Maddison. I think that Sarr has it in his locker to be a real goal threat too. He'll back himself to score more as time goes by.

 

[Gassin's finest]

I think there's a bit too much getting bogged down with the old fashioned 6/8 roles. Our two central midfielder roles are more flexible than that. Neither is a dedicated pivot/destroyer nor a box-to-box type. Players like Bissouma, Sarr and now Bentancur are able to break up play and plug the gaps when deep, but also play out and link with attacks. Which frees up the 10, which we do use, like Maddison to join the attack.

It's why the profile of the players we sign for midfield are so important.