Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[arunspurs]

He won the most possession last season - that’s a fact can’t be ignored. It’s probably the reason why we bought him. And that’s not a average stat. But fact that he wins possession does not mean he is going to pass better.

He needs better CM around him. Sorry Winks doesn’t cut it. I can see GLC only player who has the composure & passing range - both could compliment each other well. We should dip into market as well

 

[Kingellesar]

He looked out of place yesterday but so did everyone else. We need to give him more games before we start writing him off, hopefully he grows into the role we have brought him in for BUT I don't think Winks besides him is something we want to see again.

 

[Whoami?]

I think people assumed he is a DM who protects the back 4, he actually presses and wins the ball further up the field which is a great quality to have. The problem is, whilst he is doing that, you're stuck with Winks sitting, which results in chaos. Ideally we needed someone sitting like Allan but he will come good eventually. He needs someone like Lo Celso and Tanguy to play with. Jose eventually will tell him to be more disciplined and sit back deeper. His usual style of play actually doesn't help the team if we are sticking with this awful Jose system.

 

[Yid121]

He was poor yesterday going forwards but no more so than Winks. He also won the ball at least 5 times whereas I don't recall Winks winning the ball once. For £15m I'm not complaining but it is clear he needs Lo
Celso or Ndombele next to him or in a midfield 3 as the holding DM

 

[ILS]

He was poor yesterday going forwards but no more so than Winks. He also won the ball at least 5 times whereas I don't recall Winks winning the ball once.

He isn't very good going forward full stop which was the criticism levelled at him by saints fans. His passing is average and his shooting is abysmal, which is fine if he sits there as a single pivot, wins the ball and passes it to the two ball playing midfielders either side.

The only way his signing works out is if we revert to 4-3-3 as Jose will not trust Tanguy as one of the double pivots and Moussa and Winks are not good enough to move the ball quickly.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

For me, yesterday underlined what I've been suspecting, that signing Højbjerg underlines, not removes, the need for more than one CM signing.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Very much deep lying in a 3 man middle tonight.

 

[cirilus]

Really needs to play alone in that space.

His reading of the game is going to be very useful.

Imposing himself well, very promissing.

 

[synththfc]

Better tonight. That's his position, as an (almost) lone holding mid. Essentially broke everything up. I know it's Plovdiv, but it's promising.

 

[HodisGawd]

Yeah, looks like he can be a real presence.

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

Wasn't overly impressed.

Seems slow on the turn, lacks pace to recover and his passing isn't a natural strength - A bit clumsy.

Early days though - let's hope he settles in ok.

 

[bbunc]

Admittedly, my stream cut out most of the 2nd half, so I missed when he dropped in as a sole holder against 9 players.

The first 60 minutes though were poor for me. It seems like opposing players go around him fairly easily when he’s pressing higher and it didn’t seem to me like he covered a lot of ground.

He’s probably had more preseason than anybody else. Hope it’s just getting used to the new teammates, and will give more time, but I’m a bit concerned on the scouting.

 

[agrdavidsfan]

First 45 I wanted him shot!

Then the second half he improved! But my god is he slow and my god do players get passed him really easily?!

Players like mane are going to cruise by him

 

[Gareth88]

Im not sure like our entire squad if he is fully match fit. I think I am being picky but he seemed to be taking an extra touch every time he got the ball

 

[wiggo24]

Yeah not sure he solves many problems, especially if we do move to a 4-33/attacking 4-2-3-1.

 

[JCRD]

He is pretty slow and comes across as fairly immobile... i dont know.

 

[JayB]

Very much deep lying in a 3 man middle tonight.

First time we'd seen him in that role, including preseason. I was thrilled Jose played him there as it is what everybody thinks will be best in order to work Ndombele and Lo Celso into the team once they're fit, and up until now it seemed like Jose had other plans. It was also his best performance yet IMO. Promising signs.

 

[TPdYID]

He is pretty slow and comes across as fairly immobile... i dont know.

I agree.

Looks very slow on the turn and very leggy when making a recovery run.

Hoping he’s a tactical genius that “spots” danger before he needs to turn or recover.

Early opinion (which is very harsh judging by lack of game time) is that he’ll be an average signing with the majority of fans expecting an upgrade within 12 months.

Too many similarities to Michael Brown for my liking, minus the odd foray into the opponents half.

Seems a good egg though. Definitely saying all the right things.

 

[Jamturk]

Im not sure like our entire squad if he is fully match fit. I think I am being picky but he seemed to be taking an extra touch every time he got the ball

I think, with the pandemic and it's effect of distorting the last and this football season that pre season preparations will of taken a different shape.

With it being a long season ahead and the amount of games we have at the start the fitness coaches will be more inclined to allow our players to play themselves into condition through games rather than training sessions.

This could explain some players apparent sluggishness.

 

[Gareth88]

I think, with the pandemic and it's effect of distorting the last and this football season that pre season preparations will of taken a different shape.

With it being a long season ahead and the amount of games we have at the start the fitness coaches will be more inclined to allow our players to play themselves into condition through games rather than training sessions.

This could explain some players apparent sluggishness.

I have been thinking that but it seems very risky to do it, could explain a lot of what we are seeing.