Player Watch Player Watch: James Maddison

[rossdapep]

It’s not just a Maddison thing, our front three and midfield are devoid of movement. You could see how frustrated GLC looked coming on and looking for people to move into space but we were a team of statues.

We seem to be fine for movement when it's open but as soon as a team makes it really compact or presses us intensely players seem to have no clue what to do.

It was more open earlier in the season so that space was there but not now.

I also think at home we get a bit of a booster whether its fans, a spark of play or subs that urges the players to move and increase intensity but they can't start games on that manner not can they maintain it.

Far too often it gets pedestrian.

I think this is where Ange's system is quite demanding as you have to be super sharp with the ball nonstop and can't go through periods where play slows down.

I think with more depth we will see players stop getting away with these moments

 

[Mr Pink]

We seem to be fine for movement when it's open but as soon as a team makes it really compact or presses us intensely players seem to have no clue what to do.

It was more open earlier in the season so that space was there but not now.

I also think at home we get a bit of a booster whether its fans, a spark of play or subs that urges the players to move and increase intensity but they can't start games on that manner not can they maintain it.

Far too often it gets pedestrian.

I think this is where Ange's system is quite demanding as you have to be super sharp with the ball nonstop and can't go through periods where play slows down.

I think with more depth we will see players stop getting away with these moments

Agree but we have depth with Lo Celso, yet he's not getting anywhere near enough of a chance...why?

I was at the Bournemouth game he was very good...his first time threaded through ball for Son's goal was exquisite....

Exactly the quick thinking and vision we currently lack.

Yet Ange is persisting with Maddison who came back against Brentford end of January and has showed no sign of improving in two and a half months.

I mean he was out for nearly 3 months so some lattitude is understandable, playing his way back into form but Lo Celso should have way more minutes than he does.

 

[Hazelton]

Needs competition and a kick up the arse, same as Bissouma.

 

[Gbspurs]

You can understand why Maddison went missing when Leicester got relegated. Seems to be that he struggles to perform when things aren't going well.

We need to try and find a way to get the best out of him if we're going to achieve anything.

 

[spurs mental]

You can understand why Maddison went missing when Leicester got relegated. Seems to be that he struggles to perform when things aren't going well.

We need to try and find a way to get the best out of him if we're going to achieve anything.

I think the fact Bissouma is so out of form and he's coming so deep to get the ball is definitely effecting him. I hope Biss can find some form with his ability to break the press against the likes of City, Arsenal and Liverpool because thats going to be really key to Madders finding space higher up the pitch.

 

[Yantino]

Just as with Bissouma, Maddison is way out of form so should be dropped until he gets his chance to prove himself again.

GLC deserves some starts. Even Kulu in the no 10 role. Otherwise, what's the point in having a squad.

 

[C1w8]

I think the fact Bissouma is so out of form and he's coming so deep to get the ball is definitely effecting him. I hope Biss can find some form with his ability to break the press against the likes of City, Arsenal and Liverpool because thats going to be really key to Madders finding space higher up the pitch.

The problem is the rest of the league dont press like those three.

Madders, Biss and the rest of the team are going to need to learn play against these low blocks if we want to push on up the league next season. Personally i just feel like the whole team need to move the ball a bit quicker, and off the ball movement a bit sharper when teams are sat in.

Just feels like we miss the split second where someone has a bit of space to keep the play moving and commit defenders, but optimistic that it will come with time as much as anything else.

 

[spurs mental]

The problem is the rest of the league dont press like those three.

Madders, Biss and the rest of the team are going to need to learn play against these low blocks if we want to push on up the league next season. Personally i just feel like the whole team need to move the ball a bit quicker, and off the ball movement a bit sharper when teams are sat in.

Just feels like we miss the split second where someone has a bit of space to keep the play moving and commit defenders, but optimistic that it will come with time as much as anything else.

I hope they'll learn and make adjustments to how we play, and take more shots. We've got two of the most accurate finishers from outside the box in the league but I don't remember the last time we scored a goal from outside the box, the only one that comes to mind is Madders v Burnley and that was in GW3 IIRC.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Some players respond to being dropped

Some players need to play through their bad form.

It's up to the manager to decide which one he is.

 

[funkycoldmedina]

Some players respond to being dropped

Some players need to play through their bad form.

It's up to the manager to decide which one he is.

This, it suits angry fans who like players being pulled at HT or dropped every other week but it's not how you build a functioning team. Ange isn't an idiot, he'll know what's what but he may see a value in Maddison working through this to create a more rounded, mature player.

 

[Stamford]

Incredible the disappearing act he's done. Honestly not even recognisable to the player from the early season. Hopefully he's up for the NLD

 

[Hazelton]

I will say that I don't think it helps him that we play with inverted fullbacks and flood the middle of the pitch, he barely has any space and has to come deep to find it.

However the mentality needs to change in a few players, far too many who have only played well if the team plays well and play badly when the team plays badly. Need players like Maddison and Bissouma to step up in those moments, so far Sarr has stepped up more than either and he's the youngest of the three.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

Incredible the disappearing act he's done. Honestly not even recognisable to the player from the early season. Hopefully he's up for the NLD

It isn’t that surprising though, he did this at Leicester.

This was one of my fears and the reason I didn’t want him. He didn’t work hard enough and was far too inconsistent in comparison to great CAM’s like De Bruyne, Odegaard, Eriksen etc.

He started the season so well I was absolutely delighted that it looked like I was way off with my concerns. Now however I’m seriously worried that was just a purple patch and that I was right about him.

Desperately hoping he regains his previous form from earlier in the season and sustains it moving forward.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

He seems a bit in his head at the moment is our Madders.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

It isn’t that surprising though, he did this at Leicester.

This was one of my fears and the reason I didn’t want him. He didn’t work hard enough and was far too inconsistent in comparison to great CAM’s like De Bruyne, Odegaard, Eriksen etc.

He started the season so well I was absolutely delighted that it looked like I was way off with my concerns. Now however I’m seriously worried that was just a purple patch and that I was right about him.

Desperately hoping he regains his previous form from earlier in the season and sustains it moving forward.

Yea I've never felt that he is on the same level as any of these guys but he was probably the next level below that we could get, just hope he can find his form again soon.

First 11 games he was on fire and some of the passes he was picking were amazing, would like to see him shoot from the edge of the bot a bit more and also take some of our direct free kicks as not seen him do either of those things for a while.

 

[gibbospurs]

Billy big bollocks!! Got his move to a London club. Doubled his wages. Thought England call up was a given. Which it was. And has turned out a load of shit for the last 5/6 weeks. No defending him now. Been fit for weeks. Really disappointed with him. Over plays everything he does. Doesn’t shoot. [but that’s a team problem]

 

[SlotBadger]

Over plays everything he does. Doesn’t shoot. [but that’s a team problem

The refusal to cross and shoot seems to have got significantly worse in recent weeks, and it's really pissing me off.

 

[rossdapep]

Agree but we have depth with Lo Celso, yet he's not getting anywhere near enough of a chance...why?

I was at the Bournemouth game he was very good...his first time threaded through ball for Son's goal was exquisite....

Exactly the quick thinking and vision we currently lack.

Yet Ange is persisting with Maddison who came back against Brentford end of January and has showed no sign of improving in two and a half months.

I mean he was out for nearly 3 months so some lattitude is understandable, playing his way back into form but Lo Celso should have way more minutes than he does.

Whilst I do agree with that, it's probably Ange feeling that Maddison will get back to his best by simply playing. So that soon and next season, he will be firing and Lo Celso likely will have moved on.

This is where only having 1 game per week is an issue, if we had Europa League then Lo Celso would get plenty of minutes or you could use those games to get Maddison back up to speed.

You could also easily alternate them.

I honestly think the limited number of games has been an issue because there's only so much training can do to help prepare players and coaches, the squad needed games.

 

[muppetman]

Surely the Arsenal game will tell us if he's a big game player? Wants to be compared to Gazza and Rafa, well now's the time to shine!

 

[Misfit]

At the very least we should be able to run them into the ground. Press press press. If we don't then I'll be bitterly disappointed in the players and their attitude/desire.