Sissoko - Central Midfield Powerhouse or Strong Wideman?

[BringBack_leGin]

Isn't that what we just bought Nkoudou for? Why then spend £30m on someone who really doesn't fit into our team anywhere.

So you want us to have just one player who can do this?

As for fit, the team evolves and adapts. As long as the prerequisites are met (fitness, pressing, shape) then the actual style depends on who is in the side. E.g: Davies and Trippier are more thoughtful players with more technique and passing, Rose and Walker are more aggressive and dynamic; Son is more of a goalscorer, Lamela and Eriksen are more creative.

You get my point.

Sissoko on form is a player who will take players out of the game when he runs with the ball. It gives us an attacking threat which we've not had, and one who can already do it in this league. Nkoudou has so far only done it in France.

Sissoko is also positionally versatile, something which our other midfielders (barring maybe Eriksen) lack.

Lastly, we now have genuine depth. We play five midfielders in total and suddenly for five positions we have:

Wanyama
Dier
Dembele
Sissoko
Lamela
Son
Eriksen
Onomah
Alli
Nkoudou
Carroll
Winks

Eight of these who can play in the deeper two, nine of these who can play in the attacking three, seven of these who can go out wide.

I'd have preferred an Isco type. This signing still makes sense.

 

[HildoSpur]

Here is something I pulled from a post on Redcafe - unsure if it is 100% accurate but it was very surprising:

The measured value is the absolute topspeed, players achieved on the pitch:

According to measurements of ChyronHego, the company responsible for player tracking data in the PL the fastest 21 in 15/16 were:
21. Theo Walcott 34,68
Moussa Sissoko 34,68
19. Cedric Soares 34,74
Hector Bellerin 34,74
18. Wes Morgan 34,76
17. Charlie Daniels 34,86
16. Alberto Moreno 34,88
15. Carl Jenkinson 34,89
12. Mame Diouf 34,97
Ritchy De Laet 34,97
Cameron Jerome 34,97
11. Joshua King 34,99
09. Victor Moses 35,00
Marc Albrighton 35,00
08. Jesus Navas 35,06
07. Billy Jones 35,07
06. Kyle Walker 35,09
04. Divock Origi 35,15
Paul Dummet 35,15
03. Jeffrey Schlupp 35,26
01. Jamie Vardy 35,44
Anthony Martial 35,44

According to that Sissoko is in the top 20 quickest players in the league. Only Walker is quicker than him in our squad (minus N'Koudou who I havent seen yet)

 

[TommyGee]

Wes Fucking Morgan @ 18th? Ahead of Walcott?

 

[Trix]

Wes Fucking Morgan @ 18th? Ahead of Walcott?

Seems plausible, how fast can you go on crutches?

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

Here is something I pulled from a post on Redcafe - unsure if it is 100% accurate but it was very surprising:

The measured value is the absolute topspeed, players achieved on the pitch:

According to measurements of ChyronHego, the company responsible for player tracking data in the PL the fastest 21 in 15/16 were:
21. Theo Walcott 34,68
Moussa Sissoko 34,68
19. Cedric Soares 34,74
Hector Bellerin 34,74
18. Wes Morgan 34,76
17. Charlie Daniels 34,86
16. Alberto Moreno 34,88
15. Carl Jenkinson 34,89
12. Mame Diouf 34,97
Ritchy De Laet 34,97
Cameron Jerome 34,97
11. Joshua King 34,99
09. Victor Moses 35,00
Marc Albrighton 35,00
08. Jesus Navas 35,06
07. Billy Jones 35,07
06. Kyle Walker 35,09
04. Divock Origi 35,15
Paul Dummet 35,15
03. Jeffrey Schlupp 35,26
01. Jamie Vardy 35,44
Anthony Martial 35,44

According to that Sissoko is in the top 20 quickest players in the league. Only Walker is quicker than him in our squad (minus N'Koudou who I havent seen yet)

Surprising inclusions here... Dummet, Jones, Albrighton, Daniels, Morgan... have never struck me as unusually quick.

Looking at that list though, it certainly shows that pace without a footballing brain is a bit pointless.

 

[thebenjamin]

Absolute top speed is a bit of a pointless measurement anyway. Acceleration over the first 5 metres is what counts.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Here is something I pulled from a post on Redcafe - unsure if it is 100% accurate but it was very surprising:

The measured value is the absolute topspeed, players achieved on the pitch:

According to measurements of ChyronHego, the company responsible for player tracking data in the PL the fastest 21 in 15/16 were:
21. Theo Walcott 34,68
Moussa Sissoko 34,68
19. Cedric Soares 34,74
Hector Bellerin 34,74
18. Wes Morgan 34,76
17. Charlie Daniels 34,86
16. Alberto Moreno 34,88
15. Carl Jenkinson 34,89
12. Mame Diouf 34,97
Ritchy De Laet 34,97
Cameron Jerome 34,97
11. Joshua King 34,99
09. Victor Moses 35,00
Marc Albrighton 35,00
08. Jesus Navas 35,06
07. Billy Jones 35,07
06. Kyle Walker 35,09
04. Divock Origi 35,15
Paul Dummet 35,15
03. Jeffrey Schlupp 35,26
01. Jamie Vardy 35,44
Anthony Martial 35,44

According to that Sissoko is in the top 20 quickest players in the league. Only Walker is quicker than him in our squad (minus N'Koudou who I havent seen yet)

Wouldn't be surprised if all those times aren't within the errors on the measurements.

 

[Flashspur]

Interesting stat from the Guardian, its below if you want to look for it, but they say:

The France international disappointed for Newcastle last season – with a 7.04 rating – but he does offer variety due to his direct approach; only three players have created more chances from open play since his arrival in the Premier League.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...8/premier-league-new-signings-weekend-preview

 

[HildoSpur]

Interesting stat from the Guardian, its below if you want to look for it, but they say:

The France international disappointed for Newcastle last season – with a 7.04 rating – but he does offer variety due to his direct approach; only three players have created more chances from open play since his arrival in the Premier League.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/who-scored-blog/2016/sep/08/premier-league-new-signings-weekend-preview

There is no doubt that he has the potential to cause general mayhem in opposing side, move the ball forward at speed and in doing so open up space and create chances for other players. If he can do that regularly then he will be absolutely priceless for us. Big IF though.

 

[agrdavidsfan]

Imagine a midfield 3 of

Wanyama

Sissoko Dembele

 

[HildoSpur]

Imagine a midfield 3 of

Wanyama

Sissoko Dembele

Would be very hard to get through and with Dembele and Sissoko we have two players who can move with the ball forward. Not sure that is Sissoko's likely position though.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Imagine a midfield 3 of

Wanyama

Sissoko Dembele

Stodgy as fuck and we would create fuck all.

 

[HildoSpur]

Stodgy as fuck and we would create fuck all.

I dont think their role would be to create chances rather than they would break up play, move the ball forward quickly to the creative players higher up the pitch and then the likes of Sissoko can bomb forward and try to get involved in the attack.

Could work out ok but like I said before, I'm not sure that is were Sissoko will play.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I dont think their role would be to create chances rather than they would break up play, move the ball forward quickly to the creative players higher up the pitch and then the likes of Sissoko can bomb forward and try to get involved in the attack.

Could work out ok but like I said before, I'm not sure that is were Sissoko will play.

I think they would struggle to get the ball forward though. Sure, Sissoko and Dembele are decent at powering forward but ultimately they have poor end product. Our play would lack fluidity and creativity as the other team would have time to build a wall before we get through them. I like all the players listed individually but I think it's important to have a good mix of skillsets and those 3 are too similar.

 

[JayB]

Stodgy as fuck and we would create fuck all.

I think we'd only see something like that if we came up against Real/Barca/Bayern in the CL and Poch wanted to well and truly park the bus. This front six would be a tough nut to crack:

Dier Wanyama
Sissoko Lamela Dembele
Janssen​

 

[HildoSpur]

I think they would struggle to get the ball forward though. Sure, Sissoko and Dembele are decent at powering forward but ultimately they have poor end product. Our play would lack fluidity and creativity as the other team would have time to build a wall before we get through them. I like all the players listed individually but I think it's important to have a good mix of skillsets and those 3 are too similar.

Well if the only end product they need to do is make a simple pass forward to the likes of Eriksen or Lamela then I'd like to think they would be capable of doing that 9 times out of 10. I think that is my view of what their role would be in the team - get the ball, run with the ball forward and make a simple pass to a creative player then bomb on forwards.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Well if the only end product they need to do is make a simple pass forward to the likes of Eriksen or Lamela then I'd like to think they would be capable of doing that 9 times out of 10. I think that is my view of what their role would be in the team - get the ball, run with the ball forward and make a simple pass to a creative player then bomb on forwards.

Making a forward pass is not that easy if you are not comfortable with the ball under pressure or don't have the ability to make it quickly with opposing player cutting off your angles. Yes, Dembele can break through the lines but he dallies on the ball too long and allows the opposing team to get back into their defensive shape, Sissoko's passing ability is weak and Wanayama is better at passing side ward or back wards.

It would be great to have those three in mid if we were away to Barcelona in the champions league and were simply looking to keep a clean sheet at all costs but against everyone else they are not progressive enough.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

Where has this misconception come from that Sissoko has poor passing ability/ end product? He may look awkward on the ball but he's far from a poor passer; he created shitloads of chances last season, and as said above only three players have created more chances in the PL since Newcastle signed him.

 

[Lighty64]

There is no doubt that he has the potential to cause general mayhem in opposing side, move the ball forward at speed and in doing so open up space and create chances for other players. If he can do that regularly then he will be absolutely priceless for us. Big IF though.

I can understand it sometimes when people put "Big IF", his 1st 2 full seasons he looked pretty good for Newcastle, and only dropped off once Pardew left, since then his vision was most probably that he couldn't carry the team on his own, and gave up the fight. every player wants to win things, or have a chance, but they can't do it solo.

He has now joined a club that looks like it's going in a direction that Newcastle never was, and providing while he is with us our standards stay or improve, he won't be the 1 carrying the others, because the way we were last season until it became impossible everyone played for each other, and we became a TEAM, which he is now apart of

 

[EQP]

Where has this misconception come from that Sissoko has poor passing ability/ end product? He may look awkward on the ball but he's far from a poor passer; he created shitloads of chances last season, and as said above only three players have created more chances in the PL since Newcastle signed him.

He's actually a really good crosser of the ball, couple that with his speed and he can be a true threat for us on the wings.