Sissoko - Central Midfield Powerhouse or Strong Wideman?

[Lighty64]

He has played 3 times in the last season as a CM, twice for France where he wasnt great and then once for Newcastle in a big defeat to Man City

He hasnt played there consistently for a long time, the last time he did was 2 seasons ago and newcastle record with him there is terrible.

So it has to be strong wideman.

People rave on about his performances for France but that was at RM/RW. As a CM he wasnt great.

weird thing is, in the games I watched him he seemed to play more box to box, and was consistantly seen down the left. when he played well in that final game, most of the damage he did was down our right, though once they were down to 10 men and we were chasing, we only had 2 men defending which means anyone with pace can look good.

the big diference though, when your playing with a great DM it gives you more freedom, playing as a CM in a Newcastle team is totally different, no protection from the front, and a shit defence.

playing for us he will be going forwards a lot more than he would if playing for Newcastle

 

[beats1]

weird thing is, in the games I watched him he seemed to play more box to box, and was consistantly seen down the left. when he played well in that final game, most of the damage he did was down our right, though once they were down to 10 men and we were chasing, we only had 2 men defending which means anyone with pace can look good.

the big diference though, when your playing with a great DM it gives you more freedom, playing as a CM in a Newcastle team is totally different, no protection from the front, and a shit defence.

playing for us he will be going forwards a lot more than he would if playing for Newcastle

Newcastles best player for the past couple of seasons has been their DM. Last season Anita, was one of their highlights, the season before jack colbeck was by far their best player and before that, it was Tiote

I see a lot of Newcastle, to the extent I even see their championship games this season as my family are mostly newcastle fans/Man United fans

 

[Lighty64]

Newcastles best player for the past couple of seasons has been their DM. Last season Anita, was one of their highlights, the season before jack colbeck was by far their best player and before that, it was Tiote

I see a lot of Newcastle, to the extent I even see their championship games this season as my family are mostly newcastle fans/Man United fans

as you watch them a fair bit you will understand he is about to play for a better team, that is 100% more solid as a defensive unit.

Poch will know how he intends to use him, yes if Isco had come then Sissoko would be turning out for Everton this week.

the majority have said that 30m is steep, and yes it is mainly due to the TV money, but we couldn't get Isco, so we have gone for something that's been missing, that pace with strength. had we not signed him we would be a lot weaker in depth, but i bet he isn't here just to cover Lamela, the only position the negs reckon is his best, if not only position.

myself this is the 2nd Sissoko thread, when only 1 was needed, and by looks of it all those that don't rate him are the 1's that wanted that flashy player with guile, so we had something different against bus parking teams, yet we only failed to score against 1 team that parked the bus last season

 

[beats1]

as you watch them a fair bit you will understand he is about to play for a better team, that is 100% more solid as a defensive unit.

Poch will know how he intends to use him, yes if Isco had come then Sissoko would be turning out for Everton this week.

the majority have said that 30m is steep, and yes it is mainly due to the TV money, but we couldn't get Isco, so we have gone for something that's been missing, that pace with strength. had we not signed him we would be a lot weaker in depth, but i bet he isn't here just to cover Lamela, the only position the negs reckon is his best, if not only position.

myself this is the 2nd Sissoko thread, when only 1 was needed, and by looks of it all those that don't rate him are the 1's that wanted that flashy player with guile, so we had something different against bus parking teams, yet we only failed to score against 1 team that parked the bus last season

He was one of the worst players last season and his attitude was terrible as he would turn up when he wanted.

Also we didnt pay £30m due to the TV money. We paid £30m because he had a good euro's and it was transfer deadline day.

All the other expensive transfer before transfer deadline days were for younger players which makes more sense and the only standout one was the Bolasie deal(£22.5m with add ons potentially taking it to £28m) but at least he is a home grown player

The rest showed a slightly inflated market. However on deadline day teams got desperate and for the first time started spending large money on players that wouldn't bring potentially a big fee again or at least command a decent fee near the end of the players contract.

 

[Lighty64]

He was one of the worst players last season and his attitude was terrible as he would turn up when he wanted.

Also we didnt pay £30m due to the TV money. We paid £30m because he had a good euro's and it was transfer deadline day.

All the other expensive transfer before transfer deadline days were for younger players which makes more sense and the only standout one was the Bolasie deal(£22.5m with add ons potentially taking it to £28m) but at least he is a home grown player

The rest showed a slightly inflated market. However on deadline day teams got desperate and for the first time started spending large money on players that wouldn't bring potentially a big fee again or at least command a decent fee near the end of the players contract.

at least we agree on something, we will never get the money back on him at his age, but as has been mentioned especially with Levy's history, why would he spend 30m on a 27yr old, unless it meant backing his manager. Sissoko was definitely on the list of what Poch wanted, even if not 1st choice, and 2 weeks earlier they were saying they wouldn't accept anything less than 35m.

we will all get a chance to see where he is going to be played over the next 3 fixtures, because Dembele will if available only play in 1 of them. the fact that he wants to play CL footy might mean we see his good side, more than his bad, because if he shows his bad side on Saturday, he might not have much chance to feature on Wednesday, and I'm sure Lloris has given him a few tips on what, and whats not expected at a team this higher level, that he has only been able to experience playing for France.

 

[Spurrific]

I mean the guy literally looks quite a bit like Usain Bolt so it's not really a surprise.

Other than the fact that they look nothing like each other that's a pretty astute observation

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

He was one of the worst players last season and his attitude was terrible as he would turn up when he wanted.

Also we didnt pay £30m due to the TV money. We paid £30m because he had a good euro's and it was transfer deadline day.

All the other expensive transfer before transfer deadline days were for younger players which makes more sense and the only standout one was the Bolasie deal(£22.5m with add ons potentially taking it to £28m) but at least he is a home grown player

The rest showed a slightly inflated market. However on deadline day teams got desperate and for the first time started spending large money on players that wouldn't bring potentially a big fee again or at least command a decent fee near the end of the players contract.

Christ at least give him a chance mate.

You've been slating him non stop for the last week.

 

[beats1]

Christ at least give him a chance mate.

You've been slating him non stop for the last week.

I will give him a chance but its the revisionism that Im not having. Im not buying that he is going to be great box to box midfielder, he will give us something we havent had in a long time which is a genuine right winger who isn't looking to cut inside all the time.

Like I said before, If poch can get him playing then it will be a good signing

 

[npearl4spurs]

I mean the guy literally looks quite a bit like Usain Bolt so it's not really a surprise.

You started strong with the literally, then you tailed off with "quite a bit like."
Reminds me of that stupid song Breakfast At Tiffany's "As I recall, I think we both kinda liked it."

 

[Lighty64]

I will give him a chance but its the revisionism that Im not having. Im not buying that he is going to be great box to box midfielder, he will give us something we havent had in a long time which is a genuine right winger who isn't looking to cut inside all the time.

Like I said before, If poch can get him playing then it will be a good signing

so if Poch starts him off in the middle, between you and BC, this forum want be worth visiting for days if we don't win, even if it wasn't anything to do with Sissoko, with sunnydelight chipping in with what a waste of money

now that Mitchell and McKenzie have left the club, there are 2 spots to be filled, and might be a 3rd if Poch plays him in the middle and it doesn't work.

if Poch plays him on the right he will be changing the way we play, god knows where Eriksen will fit in, because when Kane has played behind Janssen that's been the main time Eriksen and Lamela have switched, otherwise it's left footer on the right, and right footer on the left occasionally swapping.

the only person i will blame is Isco for not wanting to come to sunny England, because SC will be a mare with the chosen few "Told you so".

 

[Bus-Conductor]

so if Poch starts him off in the middle, between you and BC, this forum want be worth visiting for days if we don't win, even if it wasn't anything to do with Sissoko, with sunnydelight chipping in with what a waste of money

now that Mitchell and McKenzie have left the club, there are 2 spots to be filled, and might be a 3rd if Poch plays him in the middle and it doesn't work.

if Poch plays him on the right he will be changing the way we play, god knows where Eriksen will fit in, because when Kane has played behind Janssen that's been the main time Eriksen and Lamela have switched, otherwise it's left footer on the right, and right footer on the left occasionally swapping.

the only person i will blame is Isco for not wanting to come to sunny England, because SC will be a mare with the chosen few "Told you so".

All I've done is point out the folly of people saying "we've bought a Dembele replacement" because those people have clearly never seen Sissoko play in a CM2 because he rarely ever has in his whole career. That's not to say he has never, or that Poch won't try him there, after all he's played Alli there a handful of times and he's no better equipped, skill set wise - to play there than Sissoko. But in about 300 career games, I would imagine that Sissoko has played no more than about 10 in a absolute traditional CM2 in either a 442 or 4231.

At Toulouse Ive seen him play centrally in a 4141 a couple of times, At Newcastle I've seen him play RCM in 433 in midfield roles quite a few times, I've more often see him play in more advanced roles in both 433 and 4231. In the Euros he was used a ARM in a 4231, who basically dropped in to form a lopsided 433 with Pogba and Matuidi when defending, and it was fucking awful, France got outplayed by Germany with fucking Bastien Tubsteiger in CM and then stifled by Portugal.

If he ends up playing as a CM2 in our 4231 for more than a couple of games I won't be astounded because, as I've said, Pochettino has been happy to watch Alli fumble around there, and I guess if you stick him next to Wanyama, who does the work of one and a half people it might just work on the odd game, but then that will mean everyone's dream due of Dier and Dembele are suddenly on the dole.

But what I don't get is people saying "we've bought a great back up for Dembele" based on virtually no evidence whatsoever that he can play that role.

Personally I tink he's either a RCM in 433 or you play him further up in a 433/4231.

 

[kythg]

All I've done is point out the folly of people saying "we've bought a Dembele replacement" because those people have clearly never seen Sissoko play in a CM2 because he rarely ever has in his whole career. That's not to say he has never, or that Poch won't try him there, after all he's played Alli there a handful of times and he's no better equipped, skill set wise - to play there than Sissoko. But in about 300 career games, I would imagine that Sissoko has played no more than about 10 in a absolute traditional CM2 in either a 442 or 4231.

At Toulouse Ive seen him play centrally in a 4141 a couple of times, At Newcastle I've seen him play RCM in 433 in midfield roles quite a few times, I've more often see him play in more advanced roles in both 433 and 4231. In the Euros he was used a ARM, who basically dropped in to form a lopsided 433 with Pogba and Matuidi, and it was fucking awful, France got outplayed by Germany with fucking Bastien Tubsteiger in CM and then stifled by Portugal.

If he ends up playing as a CM2 in our 4231 for more than a couple of games I won't be astounded because, as I've said, Pochettino has been happy to watch Alli fumble around there, and I guess if you stick him next to Wanyama, who does the work of one and a half people it might just work on the odd game, but then that will mean everyone's dream due of Dier and Dembele are suddenly on the dole.

But what I don't get is people saying "we've bought a great back up for Dembele" based on virtually no evidence whatsoever that he can play that role.

Personally I tink he's either a RCM in 433 or you play him further up in a 433/4231.

Do you think he'd work as a RM in a 442 if we were to have two strikers at points this season?

 

[beats1]

so if Poch starts him off in the middle, between you and BC, this forum want be worth visiting for days if we don't win, even if it wasn't anything to do with Sissoko, with sunnydelight chipping in with what a waste of money

now that Mitchell and McKenzie have left the club, there are 2 spots to be filled, and might be a 3rd if Poch plays him in the middle and it doesn't work.

if Poch plays him on the right he will be changing the way we play, god knows where Eriksen will fit in, because when Kane has played behind Janssen that's been the main time Eriksen and Lamela have switched, otherwise it's left footer on the right, and right footer on the left occasionally swapping.

the only person i will blame is Isco for not wanting to come to sunny England, because SC will be a mare with the chosen few "Told you so".

I dont moan if we dont win and I just dont visit the forum but no need to get sarcastic, if someone doesnt share the same opinion

Kane wont be playing in the middle for long the way he is playing

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

I am fascinated to see where he ends up - the more video I see of him, the more I think he will be in the AM3. I don't think he is competition or replacement for Lamela - I think he will replace Eriksen on the left. Then, Eriksen and Alli will compete for time in the center.

Kane -> Janssen
Lamela -> Son
Eriksen -> Alli
Sissoko -> N'Koudou -> Onomah

Dier -> Wanyama
Dembele -> Wanyama ->Winks/Carroll

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Do you think he'd work as a RM in a 442 if we were to have two strikers at points this season?

That would be like going back in time and re-enacting Jol's 442 with 3DM's and Jenas as a RM in his 4, with Dembele as LM, Dier and wanyama as CM's. It was moderately effective for Jol in a much, much weaker PL, but tactically it was about as exciting as a Tony Pullis seminar on aesthetic merits of MDF.

If that's where we end up, I'm going to fall out of love with Poch pretty quick.

 

[ShaunL84]

When we are away from home in Europe to one of the top boys; we could play the following midfield.

Dier-Wanyama
Sissoko-Dembele-Alli
Kane

I'm frothing at the thought of this, Barceona's lightweight side won't know what has happened.

 

[Lighty64]

All I've done is point out the folly of people saying "we've bought a Dembele replacement" because those people have clearly never seen Sissoko play in a CM2 because he rarely ever has in his whole career. That's not to say he has never, or that Poch won't try him there, after all he's played Alli there a handful of times and he's no better equipped, skill set wise - to play there than Sissoko. But in about 300 career games, I would imagine that Sissoko has played no more than about 10 in a absolute traditional CM2 in either a 442 or 4231.

At Toulouse Ive seen him play centrally in a 4141 a couple of times, At Newcastle I've seen him play RCM in 433 in midfield roles quite a few times, I've more often see him play in more advanced roles in both 433 and 4231. In the Euros he was used a ARM, who basically dropped in to form a lopsided 433 with Pogba and Matuidi, and it was fucking awful, France got outplayed by Germany with fucking Bastien Tubsteiger in CM and then stifled by Portugal.

If he ends up playing as a CM2 in our 4231 for more than a couple of games I won't be astounded because, as I've said, Pochettino has been happy to watch Alli fumble around there, and I guess if you stick him next to Wanyama, who does the work of one and a half people it might just work on the odd game, but then that will mean everyone's dream due of Dier and Dembele are suddenly on the dole.

But what I don't get is people saying "we've bought a great back up for Dembele" based on virtually no evidence whatsoever that he can play that role.

Personally I tink he's either a RCM in 433 or you play him further up in a 433/4231.

myself I think he will cover 4 spots,

1, if Poch doesn't team up Dier and Wanyama when Dembele doesn't play, he will slot in there.

2, if Poch rests Lamela, and mainly plays Janssen as striker with Kane in the 10 spot, or possibly rest Kane with Lamela playing 10

3, if Poch rests Eriksen, and doesn't start GKN.

4, if he doesn't put in some consistency the bench

I thought he played very well in the Euro's, perhaps the final not being his best, but i think the French team froze on the night and none of them really shone. apart from playing for France, this is the best team he will of played for, and will not have such an easy life not being inconsistent. with Newcastle he was never really under threat, here he will have which might just change the way he plays

 

[Lighty64]

I dont moan if we dont win and I just dont visit the forum but no need to get sarcastic, if someone doesnt share the same opinion

Kane wont be playing in the middle for long the way he is playing

I'm not being sarcastic, all I see from you and BC is every post telling us he has hardly ever played there, and when he has is wasn't any good and ...........

I will give him a chance but its the revisionism that Im not having. Im not buying that he is going to be great box to box midfielder, he will give us something we havent had in a long time which is a genuine right winger who isn't looking to cut inside all the time.

Like I said before, If poch can get him playing then it will be a good signing

no ones asking you to, but because that's your view, it doesn't definitely mean your right, it's just your view, and all the poster you quoted with that, said is "give him a chance". on 1 hand you say you will but directly after you say but he won't be any good as a box to box. so if Poch plays him there are you going to give him a chance or not, and when I say chance, I mean the minute he makes a slight error, are you going to jump on his back?

just because you don't see it, it doesn't mean he won't be used there, lets just wait and see. there is no way in this world that Levy would spend 30m for a bench warmer, no way. I also do not see Poch using him just on the right, as he likes inverted AM, yes I know Lamela and Eriksen have swapped it round last couple of games when Janssen and Kane are on the pitch, and its fucking awful and un-effective.

when teams sit deep, the strength and pace of Sissoko will be useless as an attacking midfielder especially at the lane on such a tight pitch, unless we are catching them on the counter, but coming from deep where the early challenge won't/might not be made, his pace in the Dembele position when Dembele isn't playing will be more effective.

 

[JamieSpursCommunityUser]

All I've done is point out the folly of people saying "we've bought a Dembele replacement" because those people have clearly never seen Sissoko play in a CM2 because he rarely ever has in his whole career. That's not to say he has never, or that Poch won't try him there, after all he's played Alli there a handful of times and he's no better equipped, skill set wise - to play there than Sissoko. But in about 300 career games, I would imagine that Sissoko has played no more than about 10 in a absolute traditional CM2 in either a 442 or 4231.

At Toulouse Ive seen him play centrally in a 4141 a couple of times, At Newcastle I've seen him play RCM in 433 in midfield roles quite a few times, I've more often see him play in more advanced roles in both 433 and 4231. In the Euros he was used a ARM in a 4231, who basically dropped in to form a lopsided 433 with Pogba and Matuidi when defending, and it was fucking awful, France got outplayed by Germany with fucking Bastien Tubsteiger in CM and then stifled by Portugal.

If he ends up playing as a CM2 in our 4231 for more than a couple of games I won't be astounded because, as I've said, Pochettino has been happy to watch Alli fumble around there, and I guess if you stick him next to Wanyama, who does the work of one and a half people it might just work on the odd game, but then that will mean everyone's dream due of Dier and Dembele are suddenly on the dole.

But what I don't get is people saying "we've bought a great back up for Dembele" based on virtually no evidence whatsoever that he can play that role.

Personally I tink he's either a RCM in 433 or you play him further up in a 433/4231.

Looking at the composition of the squad Poch has assembled, my read is he doesn't like stagnant competition for places i.e. 2 for 1 spot.

I think he likes players to believe it's X players competing holistically across Y positions, such as:

- Toby, Wimmer, Jan, Wanyama, and Dier - for 3 CB/DM places.
- Kane, Janssen, Lamela, Alli, Eriksen, Son, Nkoudou, and Sissoko - for the 4 attacking places.
- Dembele, Sissoko, Lamela, Alli, Eriksen, Nkoudou, Son - for the 4 AM/B2B spots.

It means no senior "squad" player believes they are shut out (i.e. Krankjar, Pienaar) - and those that are playing have competition comping from all over.

It's what keeps the squad at the edge of motivation, work rate, and team spirit.

So my point is I think Poch bought Sissoko BECAUSE of his versatility, and that he'll believe he can fine tune his game to suit the CM2 and AM positions.

Which if he can will make him very useful to us for 2 years whilst Winks and Onomah (and Edwards) hopefully reach their potential.

Yes we've over spent by £10m for what he is, but we've also under spent for 5 years - so I'm over it.

 

[Jimmypearce7]

In his first game he will burst through the middle, powering past defenders and then unleashing an unstoppable 30 yard drive into the roof of the net. In doing so he will prove the doubters wrong.
He will then do very little for the rest of his career at Spurs.