Player Watch: Victor Wanyama

[haxman]

Excellent choice of picture, SpursOfficial.

https://twitter.com/SpursOfficial/status/790182261777920000

 

[DCSPUR]

he has been terrific but it is funny to see fans and media talking about dier not getting a chance in the side now (and saying how Vic is also ahead of Dembele)

last season clearly shows the need to rotate and injuries this season have made clear the need for depth.
Dier has a number of starts at both DM and CB for club and a few for country and has had a muscle injury that has required rest and management.
Further, there is no way Vic plays at this intensity for Prem and CL games for a whole season
Will need both players this season 100%
That being said, wonderful to see Vic's form at the mo

 

[THFCSPURS19]

I'd like to thank Victor for making @Bus-Conductor nearly admit he was wrong about something.

 

[JAYSTAR]

His display against City was exceptional. Can't believe how good he actually is. Great control, quick thinking and timing. We have three of the best CMs in the PL right now. Dembele just needs to get match fit.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I'd like to thank Victor for making @Bus-Conductor nearly admit he was wrong about something.

No nearly about it, I'm loving the guy. But I'd like to thank him because he's also made me very right about some things too though hasn't he, that Dier/Dembele wasn't the wonder bread everyone thought, that we needed to switch formation and to be fair to me, from the first game I saw Wanyama, I've praised him, and said he is the one of those three who's skill set best enables us to switch and the one I'd keep in ahead of the the other two.

My biggest objection to signing Wanyama was that we'd end up with more 4231 with him and one of the trundle brothers (Dier/Dembele) or as him as back up to them - and I wanted us to evolve and play with a bit more tempo and progression from CM. The first few games justified those fears, but to Pochettino's credit I think he's identified the necessity to evolve, to get the best out of players like Alli, Son, Eriksen etc.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

No nearly about it, I'm loving the guy. But I'd like to thank him because he's also made me very right about some things too though hasn't he, that Dier/Dembele wasn't the wonder bread everyone thought, that we needed to switch formation and to be fair to me, from the first game I saw Wanyama, I've praised him, and said he is the one of those three who's skill set best enables us to switch and the one I'd keep in ahead of the the other two.

My biggest objection to signing Wanyama was that we'd end up with more 4231 with him and one of the trundle brothers (Dier/Dembele) or as him as back up to them - and I wanted us to evolve and play with a bit more tempo and progression from CM. The first few games justified those fears, but to Pochettino's credit I think he's identified the necessity to evolve, to get the best out of players like Alli, Son, Eriksen etc.

What's surprised me is that he sometimes plays like a bigger + stronger Kante.

 

[EQP]

What's surprised me is that he sometimes plays like a bigger + stronger Kante.

With the exception of a few heavy touches, he rarely loses the ball. My favorite part of watching him play is when an opposing player tries to get the ball off him by matching physicality and vic simply holding the player off and turning the other way

 

[Cravenspurs]

Bumping this thread as I have now seen multiple people say something to the effect of

"Victor has been our best midfielder, but he doesn't suit any of our midfielders. He needs space and when paired with someone, the team looks dead"


It is interesting to think about since we really haven't looked a great side and he has been the consistent change in the team since day one this season.

Can Victor be holding our middle third back? Or is he the ideal DM for our pressing, forward FB system? What are your thoughts?

 

[EQP]

Bumping this thread as I have now seen multiple people say something to the effect of

"Victor has been our best midfielder, but he doesn't suit any of our midfielders. He needs space and when paired with someone, the team looks dead"


It is interesting to think about since we really haven't looked a great side and he has been the consistent change in the team since day one this season.

Can Victor be holding our middle third back? Or is he the ideal DM for our pressing, forward FB system? What are your thoughts?

We either need to play Moose further up the field and let Victor cover the back or pair Wanyama with Winks. What Victor does well is plays the pass to the free player as soon as he receives it ( though in the last 4 games or so we have seen him hit some really good long balls and even surge forward to push the team up the field). We need a deep lying playmaker who isn't afraid to initiate our attack without slowing play down. Moose cannot do this as he prefers to hold onto the ball and slow us down, Alli cannot pass that well and suffers from indecisive moments, Eriksen plays within himself but does have the ability, Winks is untested but does have the skillset and mentality to make that position his plus he has built a understanding with Victor when they played together during pre-season.

 

[Snarfalicious]

Just think it's down to a lot of really inconsistent performers. I don't buy in to blaming one of the very few consistent performers because they are the only significant change to the side. Eriksen, Dembele, Sissoko all have been varying shades of lackluster to horribad.

 

[thekneaf]

Am I the only one who thinks he's destabilising our midfield? Sure he's a good player, I just worry that he want's to be everywhere and do everything. This leads him to being out of position when our full backs bomb forward. Dier would always sit between the CBs or slot in either side to make it a 3 man defence. Wanyama either has no appetite for this low-fi roll, or is being told not to do it. Either way, I feel we're exposed more often.

He's also not that quick.

Dembele has also been a bit Rubs, but that's another thread.

 

[Cravenspurs]

Am I the only one who thinks he's destabilising our midfield? Sure he's a good player, I just worry that he want's to be everywhere and do everything. This leads him to being out of position when our full backs bomb forward. Dier would always sit between the CBs or slot in either side to make it a 3 man defence. Wanyama either has no appetite for this low-fi roll, or is being told not to do it. Either way, I feel we're exposed more often.

He's also not that quick.

Dembele has also been a bit Rubs, but that's another thread.

No you are not. I posted this in the Dembele thread but the more and more I see us play the less and less I think we need a true DM.

When it was Sandro I was enamored with how he broke up play and got the ball moving, but back then we played a much more open game that needed a destroyer.

Today, with our team press and possession based style of play, I don't think you need a destroyer in every game. Against Man U last game we were being torn open due to our lack of quality in midfield. They cut our FBs off and made us play long as we avoided passing it into our midfield. When they broke Vic did his thing and looked the part of a DM. BUT, I argue that would be null and void if we had ball players in the midfield. If we had players that wanted the ball and that were comfortable taking on pressure and releasing it, then we would not need to have so much protection. Instead the opposition has a tougher time shutting down the whole pitch. As of right now teams are shutting down our FBs and forcing us to play through the middle and due to our personnel we are struggling.

TL;DR: with our style of play we need ball players that can handle pressure. Not DMs that are not involved in build up play as much as they should be.

 

[sparx100]

Fuck me, he has been one of our best players this season. Dier has looked woefully poor this season for us. Maybe Wanayama and Dembele are not the right two for that midfield pivot.but there are plenty of players who have looked a whole ton of shit this season.

 

[NEVILLEB]

Am I the only one who thinks he's destabilising our midfield? Sure he's a good player, I just worry that he want's to be everywhere and do everything. This leads him to being out of position when our full backs bomb forward. Dier would always sit between the CBs or slot in either side to make it a 3 man defence. Wanyama either has no appetite for this low-fi roll, or is being told not to do it. Either way, I feel we're exposed more often.

He's also not that quick.

Dembele has also been a bit Rubs, but that's another thread.

Dier has a Roy Keane effect on the team. Doesn't stand out but keeps the shape and sets the tempo. I'm surprised Poch has abandoned something that made us so good last season.

Reminds me of when we swapped Carrick for Zokora.

 

[Adam456]

Fuck me, he has been one of our best players this season. Dier has looked woefully poor this season for us. Maybe Wanayama and Dembele are not the right two for that midfield pivot.but there are plenty of players who have looked a whole ton of shit this season.

Remind me how many games Dier has played at CM this season ?

 

[NEVILLEB]

Am I the only one who thinks he's destabilising our midfield? Sure he's a good player, I just worry that he want's to be everywhere and do everything. This leads him to being out of position when our full backs bomb forward. Dier would always sit between the CBs or slot in either side to make it a 3 man defence. Wanyama either has no appetite for this low-fi roll, or is being told not to do it. Either way, I feel we're exposed more often.

He's also not that quick.

Dembele has also been a bit Rubs, but that's another thread.

When Dier sat in that hole it allowed everyone else freedom to attack.

Sorely missed and shows Poch isn't quite as bright as we imagined.

 

[kaz Hirai]

Wanyama has individually been excellent but I agree with many of the opinions on here that he's having a bit of a negative effect on our play.

Think dier is just better suited, better off the ball movement and plays lots of vertical passss

Hopefully they learn off each other

 

[Eric_s]

I am puzzled why are all these football expert dwelling on internet forums instead of contributing their expertise into improving the standard of English football. Wanyama having a negative effect on the team? How on earth did Poch not see this? He might as well register to this forum and seek advise on how to pick his best team.

 

[hughy]

I am puzzled why are all these football expert dwelling on internet forums instead of contributing their expertise into improving the standard of English football. Wanyama having a negative effect on the team? How on earth did Poch not see this? He might as well register to this forum and seek advise on how to pick his best team.

I think you underestimate the experience you gain from guiding Yeading FC from the Conference South to Champions League Final in 7 seasons on FM 2005.

 

[thekneaf]

I am puzzled why are all these football expert dwelling on internet forums instead of contributing their expertise into improving the standard of English football. Wanyama having a negative effect on the team? How on earth did Poch not see this? He might as well register to this forum and seek advise on how to pick his best team.

For a person who has made over a thousand comments on a football forum, this is a puzzling reply.

Thought this was place to fans to muse on all things Spurs, including tactics and player form...