Player Watch: Victor Wanyama

[Snarfalicious]

We got a steal with Wanyama. I hope he continues to develop as he plays with better talent around him.

 

[Jamturk]

He is so strong, and has no little skill. He is deceptive and is a cuter baller than many realise.

I have no worries about a Dier + Wanyama double pivot.

 

[For the love of Spurs]

Not sure why everyone is so worried about Dier Wanyama.

Poch used Schniederlin-Wanyama at Saints to great effect. Also Dier is a far better ball player than people give credit, 14/15 season he was our best crosser when playing at right back, you only have to watch what he was doing for England in the Euro's in terms of passing and moving the ball forward well, it wasn't just for us.

It's as if people just think Dier and Wanyama are beasts therefore have no or little passing ability.

 

[EQP]

Not sure why everyone is so worried about Dier Wanyama.

Poch used Schniederlin-Wanyama at Saints to great effect. Also Dier is a far better ball player than people give credit, 14/15 season he was our best crosser when playing at right back, you only have to watch what he was doing for England in the Euro's in terms of passing and moving the ball forward well, it wasn't just for us.

It's as if people just think Dier and Wanyama are beasts therefore have no or little passing ability.

His passing was immense against Slovakia and showed that his game is still evolving.

 

[glospur]

Not sure why everyone is so worried about Dier Wanyama.

Poch used Schniederlin-Wanyama at Saints to great effect. Also Dier is a far better ball player than people give credit, 14/15 season he was our best crosser when playing at right back, you only have to watch what he was doing for England in the Euro's in terms of passing and moving the ball forward well, it wasn't just for us.

It's as if people just think Dier and Wanyama are beasts therefore have no or little passing ability.

Because so many people are 'wedded intransigently' to the idea that we should be playing total football in a 4-3-3 where the ball doesn't leave the deck and we maintain 98% possession until we finish the game with a lovely passing move that results in a goal.

They're so myopically focused on their preferred system that they have no consideration of what the manager wants to do, the actual benefits of having a double pivot with two 'enforcers (although to call Dier an enforcer significantly downplays his footballing ability),' and the freedom that they will give to other players.

 

[Lou3000]

His passing was immense against Slovakia and showed that his game is still evolving.

I think what some people are missing, maybe because he's English or looks like an ox, is that Dier may be the most like-for-like replacement we have for Dembele.

 

[dudu]

Not looking forward to this tbh, unless we turn dier in to the attacking mid

He won the ball very high up the pitch vs Juve.

He obviously isnt the same footballer as Dembele but he has other attributes we will be utilizing further up the pitch.

 

[Bobbins]

Frankly if the Dier/Wanyama pivot ends up with us being a little less creative but even more defensively solid (which I don't actually believe it will) I won't complain - there's nothing wrong with starting the season being defensively strong and going unbeaten for a few games.

Clean sheets and avoiding defeat (especially when we've got tough games against Everton, Liverpool and Stoke in our initial run which we'll have to play without Dembele) breed confidence and our players might need some of that, many of whom are coming back from disappointing results in the Euro's.

It'll be good to get back to club football, get their confidence up and running quickly, and there's no harm in having a very tough midfield pivot to help do it.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Frankly if the Dier/Wanyama pivot ends up with us being a little less creative but even more defensively solid (which I don't actually believe it will) I won't complain - there's nothing wrong with starting the season being defensively strong and going unbeaten for a few games.

Clean sheets and avoiding defeat (especially when we've got tough games against Everton, Liverpool and Stoke in our initial run which we'll have to play without Dembele) breed confidence and our players might need some of that, many of whom are coming back from disappointing results in the Euro's.

It'll be good to get back to club football, get their confidence up and running quickly, and there's no harm in having a very tough midfield pivot to help do it.

I agree. And all of us remember the goal yielding runs from Dier in his debut season for Spurs, all the way from CB! If having Wanyama on the pitch means that Dier can continue those runs, I'd be pretty excited. In fact, if I were the manager, I would actively plan it that way. Lastly, we also have Vertonghen who under AVB was free to show off his goal getting abilities under. Wanyama might be the anchor allowing these players to try for a goal once in a while.

 

[Bobbins]

I agree. And all of us remember the goal yielding runs from Dier in his debut season for Spurs, all the way from CB! If having Wanyama on the pitch means that Dier can continue those runs, I'd be pretty excited. In fact, if I were the manager, I would actively plan it that way. Lastly, we also have Vertonghen who under AVB was free to show off his goal getting abilities under. Wanyama might be the anchor allowing these players to try for a goal once in a while.

I would dearly love to see Vertonghen given more freedom to get forwards again - used to love watching him carry the ball out and get into dangerous positions. Sadly under our current system I don't think that will happen, but he's definitely a 5-goals-a-season type of CB, as is Toby, and those are the sorts of goals which prove vitally important throughout a season (often when you're struggling to break down a stubborn team the goal comes from one of the least likely sources as they'll be so set up to defend specifically against your forward players).

 

[TommyGee]

Hope he keeps this form up. He's settled in so seamlessly and has not missed a beat. I'd have him alongside Lamela and Winks as the top 3 stand-out players from the tour.

If we can strengthen our squad across the board like we've done with Wanyama we'll go a long way.

 

[garryparkerschest]

Always knew he was a good player, physically as well as technically.

I can see why Man Utd were after him while he was at Celtic.

Absolutely wonderful signing for us. Whether that would be with Dier, Dembele or Winks.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

I think what some people are missing, maybe because he's English or looks like an ox, is that Dier may be the most like-for-like replacement we have for Dembele.

He reminded me more of the old Michael Carrick in that Slovakia game, only more imposing. Sublime performance.

 

[Spurs 1961]

I would dearly love to see Vertonghen given more freedom to get forwards again - used to love watching him carry the ball out and get into dangerous positions. Sadly under our current system I don't think that will happen, but he's definitely a 5-goals-a-season type of CB, as is Toby, and those are the sorts of goals which prove vitally important throughout a season (often when you're struggling to break down a stubborn team the goal comes from one of the least likely sources as they'll be so set up to defend specifically against your forward players).

Only trouble was I felt that this left us exposed at the back. To be honest I thought Verts might have been earmarked for conversion to a DM role rather then Dier but after last season heck what do I know

 

[yankspurs]

I think what some people are missing, maybe because he's English or looks like an ox, is that Dier may be the most like-for-like replacement we have for Dembele.

Eric Dier is not close to a like for like replacement for Mousa Dembele.

 

[Syn_13]

Had a decent first game, not great but not terrible either. He started off brightly and full of energy and then got suckered into coming out of position as the first half went on. Once Dier went off we were better balanced. The two shouldn't really start together unless we decide we want to do a Leicester and play on the break all the time.

 

[HildoSpur]

As debuts go that wasn't bad.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Think he did well, he'll have a good season after minor adjustments.

 

[WiganSpur]

Did OK I thought, looks a better option than Mason to replace Dembele, but I still think we need to bring in an all round midfielder.

 

[thinktank]

That's more-or-less what we'll get from Vic. He'll have a few stonkers and will get lots of cards and do a stable job overall.

Never been a super fan but he'll do as a squaddie this season. He ain't no cover for Dembele though.