Player watch: Christian Eriksen

[Sweech]

Yeah but their job is to also find theur way into games and force the action when they cant find much space and in Poch's system, they also have to work hard off the ball and press high up the pitch. Eriksen doest really do that.

Eriksen does do that.

You do know "pressing" isn't running at someone and making a tackle right? It's about cutting lanes and short pass options while pressuring the ball carrier so they go long. People seem to think the "pressuring the ball carrier" is the pressing part, but really it's one of the least important ingredients. Without the off the ball action you'd make every other team look like Pep's Barcelona as they pass around you because your whole team is being pulled out of position by their own aggression.

Eriksen does that, we've seen several plays where Eriksen himself intercepts the ball or we see an opponent make a poor pass because Eriksen had cut off his option. It happens all the damn time.

Not to mention Eriksen's role has changed this season because of Dier's job.

Notice how deep Eriksen drops into midfield now? It's to supplement the fact Dier isn't the best passer of the ball and we might need another option other than Dembele to get the ball to our attackers, again, Eriksen does this very well. Even at the sacrifice of his own attacking opportunities and the fact it must be very physically demanding.

 

[tottenmal]

Eriksen does do that.

You do know "pressing" isn't running at someone and making a tackle right? It's about cutting lanes and short pass options while pressuring the ball carrier so they go long. Pople seem to think the "pressuring the ball carrier" is the pressing part, but really it's one of the least important ingredients. Without the off the ball action you'd make every other team look like Pep's Guardiola as they pass around you because you're whole team is being pulled out of position by their own aggression.

Eriksen does that, we've seen several plays where Eriksen himself intercepts the ball or we see an opponent make a poor pass because Eriksen had cut off his option. It happens all the damn time.

I agree, and its for this reason I think Eriksen is much better at pressing from a central position than Lamella is. Now don't get me wrong Lamella does well. But while his tackles look good. Eriksen does it with I think a lot more intelligence. It doesn't have the spectacle of a crunching tackle, but it works.

 

[Chris12]

Wouldn't say brilliant season. Thought had quite a poor patch and could've been dropped but past couple of games has been very good.

 

[sirleytonbrisbane]

Eriksen was fantastic in the second half and ran the game.

Can't believe that anyone would think Lamela can tackle. He is nearly always on the wrong side when he attempts to tackle hence so many silly fouls. He played ok yesterday which counts as an improvement. I've got some hope we'll get a decent chink of our money back when he's sold in the summer.

 

[Lifeson]

Again Eriksen ran the most, over 12 km today, more than any other player on the pitch. I've been critisizing him this season but he's really been putting in a shift.

 

[jezz]

Eriksen was fantastic in the second half and ran the game.

Can't believe that anyone would think Lamela can tackle. He is nearly always on the wrong side when he attempts to tackle hence so many silly fouls. He played ok yesterday which counts as an improvement. I've got some hope we'll get a decent chink of our money back when he's sold in the summer.

Anything about today?
Or are you choking on your on BS?

 

[Snarfalicious]

Would love to see a contract for him tied up soon (like, this week soon).

 

[glospur]

He's been involved in 5 goals in his last 5 games yet he's still criminally underrated on here. Quietly putting together a very good season. He's crucial in linking our defence and attack yet people see he's not scoring as many goals as last season so say he's been playing shit.

 

[Sweech]

I think he's been very good these past few games and not just because he's been getting on the scoresheet.

It seems his role has changed and he's essentially doing two jobs. Both interchanging between attacking mid and a deeper lying mid. People that are saying he isn't doing anything in a game must be shutting their eyes when he's the one tying our midfield together with our attack everytime he drops deep and strings along a pass into the final third.

Without him Dier wouldn't be able to stick to his defensive job and would need to get forward more and have a much more forward passing impetus, which quite frankly he's kind of bad at. Eriksen drops deep and supplements the pressure from him and Dembele to get the ball to others.

 

[Matthew Wyatt]

Is it just the slight build, pointy face and fair hair or is he actually the new Modric? It's looked increasingly that way to me. I'm not big on the stats reductionism, but look at the amount of ball he sees and how quickly he moves it forwards. And he's become consistently reliable at all that.

 

[Flashspur]

Eriksen was fantastic in the second half and ran the game.

Can't believe that anyone would think Lamela can tackle. He is nearly always on the wrong side when he attempts to tackle hence so many silly fouls. He played ok yesterday which counts as an improvement. I've got some hope we'll get a decent chink of our money back when he's sold in the summer.

same old shit from you I see...little passive aggressive girly dig as usual. You are so predictable dude

 

[yido_number1]

That was an incredible finish yesterday. If you watch his body position and how he opened up for the shot that was just pure class.

 

[Gassin's finest]

I remember Modric getting similarly criticised back in the day... too lightweight, doesn't score enough, doesn't get involved... yet all the time he was running the game and starting everything we did. Magnificent to watch.

Eriksen is similar, only with more end product. And he's only just turned 24.

 

[dagraham]

I think it's fair comment that he hasn't been at his best this season. Doesn't mean he isn't an important player for us as he most definitely is.

He is the most composed player in the squad and not just when it comes to sticking away chances in front of goal. I thought in a game where we lacked composure on the ball ( the win was more about our guys and spirit), he was the one who still didn't look flustered when they were putting us under pressure.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Anyone who is unconvinced by Eriksen should take a look at these stats, from his last five games:

http://www.90min.com/posts/2958627-...medium=fan_pages&utm_source=facebook.com.html

There is room for improvement, but he's still young (8 months younger than Mason!), and his contributions are generally more positive than they appear to be.

It's common for midfielders to look less impressive than they actually are, when they make everything look easy.

 

[jezz]

Part of plan Eriksen is, as are the other players in this squad.
Last ten EPL games read won 8 draw 1 lost 1 that's title wining form.
The goal was perfection for MP.
Win the ball by pressing and catching the opposition while there moving upfield.
Perfect pass and perfect finish, just glad Eriksen plys his trade here.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I remember Modric getting similarly criticised back in the day... too lightweight, doesn't score enough, doesn't get involved... yet all the time he was running the game and starting everything we did. Magnificent to watch.

Eriksen is similar, only with more end product. And he's only just turned 24.

I agree. I actually think it's symptomatic of the English game. If a player isn't smashing the ball in from 30 yards, running the length of the pitch to do a crunching tackle or pinging around hollywood balls then he is seen as not doing much. We fail to appreciate the subtleties. It's why Lampard and Gerrard got around quadruple the amount of England caps that Carrick did.

Eriksen has more composure and intelligence than any of our other attacking players. He doesn't always provide the MOTD moments but he controls our attacking play in the final third. Without him we have a lot of willing runners but a real lack of brains.

 

[tdk101]

By the way, what happened to his free kicks? To say it's been shite since the Swansea match is an understatement. They are so flat lately and it seems he slams into the wall every time.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

For me, amongst a bunch of very consistent performers this season, Alderweireld particularly deserves an honourable mention, but Eriksen has been the most influential. It's not always 25 yard free kick screamers or overtly easy to recognise glory moments, it's the continuous constantly involved contribution, the metronomic role he plays in our play, that he has been making all season long. His intelligent movement, composure under pressure, the amount of ball he gets through (ave 53 per 90), the way he intelligently drops into midfield or wide, he isn't the bravest but he presses well, drops and helps defend and he makes more tackles than Ozil, Barkley & Payet for example.

He's not the demonstrative, crowd milking VDV type of 10, he just quietly goes about his business, but his business is at the heart of most of what is good about our play.

I think he's having a fucking outstanding season, and I think it's gone largely under many people's radar because players like Kane and Alli are louder presences.

 

[Mr Pink]

For me, amongst a bunch of very consistent performers this season, Alderweireld particularly deserves an honourable mention, but Eriksen has been the most influential. It's not always 25 yard free kick screamers or overtly easy to recognise glory moments, it's the continuous constantly involved contribution, the metronomic role he plays in our play, that he has been making all season long. His intelligent movement, composure under pressure, the amount of ball he gets through (ave 53 per 90), the way he intelligently drops into midfield or wide, he isn't the bravest but he presses well, drops and helps defend and he makes more tackles than Ozil, Barkley & Payet for example.

He's not the demonstrative, crowd milking VDV type of 10, he just quietly goes about his business, but his business is at the heart of most of what is good about our play.

I think he's having a fucking outstanding season, and I think it's gone largely under many people's radar because players like Kane and Alli our louder presences.

I actually think he's getting braver and more tenacious as well. Was rewatching the game there and there was a moment where I expected him to pull out of a dual, ball was up in the air actually, and he kept his noggin in there and won it. The type of dual he would of pulled out of last season - ironically I wouldn't of blamed him for doing so either in this case.

But yeah he's arguably our most important attacking player - certainly after Kane anyway, without him we'd lack an attacking heart beat I feel.

He's having an outstanding season.