Player Watch: Moussa Sissoko

[Neon_Knight_]

Having Kane and Salah not even make the top 10 strikers in this list basically confirms its validity as absolute horseshit.

How is Kane's average rating lower than 6.76 (the rating of 10th on the list)? Must be a lot of Arsenal fans spamming the match ratings.

I can't say I'm surprised that these subjective ratings are a huge contrast to the objective power rankings. Unfortunately, most fans know far less about football than they think. ?

 

[sausage]

It's pretty shitty that people jump on him for the slightest errors.

He was given the ball when he had four players pressing on him, and all of the surrounding players hid away from getting into space for him to pass it.


Would and has happened to a number of fanboy players we've had and still have.

 

[carpediem991]

Exactly!

Sissoko plays a similar role to Dembele and numerous other very good CMs throughout the top leagues, where they contribute a lot in the centre of the pitch (esp. transition when lose/regain possession), so shooting / scoring is fairly irrelevant. Goals would be a nice added bonus, but are not part of the role - that's what the four attacking players ahead of them are for.
Expectations of a CM were very different in the days of 4-4-2, compared to 4-2-3-1. The wide midfielders started deeper and had more responsibility for supporting the fullbacks defensively, compared to modern wingers / wide forwards, and the fullbacks were less offensive (so didn't need to be covered so much). In our current system, the two CMs have to cover the fullbacks every time they bomb forwards, but by playing deeper allow the rest of the team to be more offensive. Had Sissoko played in the 4-4-2 era, I'm sure he would have been the more defensive of a CM two.
Imagine how many times we'd get caught out at the back if our CMs didn't cover behind our fullbacks - or how lacking our offence would be if both fullbacks sat back. Imagine how playing at RM/LM would limit the attacking output of a player like Son (although he probably would have played as a second striker in a past era). I think I'd rather stick with a CM who doesn't score

But the gulf of difference in quality between Sissoko and Dembele is the problem. Not that Sissoko is not scoring. I guess no one can complain about having a player in the system who covers ground for others and does some dirty battling in midfield. But even for that role in a top team it should be someone quite comfortable with the ball, like Dembele was. Sissoko should at best be a squad player for that positio, not the starter. Our squad has depth, just not in that position.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

But the gulf of difference in quality between Sissoko and Dembele is the problem. Not that Sissoko is not scoring. I guess no one can complain about having a player in the system who covers ground for others and does some dirty battling in midfield. But even for that role in a top team it should be someone quite comfortable with the ball, like Dembele was. Sissoko should at best be a squad player for that positio, not the starter. Our squad has depth, just not in that position.

I think we signed Ndombele to fill that position, but he currently fits far better in the 10 role. Those who were crying out for us to sell Sissoko in the summer need to realise that, despite his shortcomings, Sissoko remains an important player. They also need to accept that upgrading Sissoko was relatively low down Jose's priorities in the summer, even if it was on his wish list.

I anticipate that we'll end this season with:
a) One of Ndombele/Lo Celso becoming established alongside Hojbjerg, for our default 'best XI', with Winks & Sissoko utilised as rotation players.
b) Hojbjerg + Lo Celso + Ndombele becoming a viable option against certain opposition only.
c) Hojbjerg + Sissoko/Winks + Lo Celso/Ndombele continuing to be our most balanced midfield for any opponent.

Unless a) becomes the reality, I envisage that a CM will be top of Jose's prioritises in the summer window. We have upgraded and/or added depth to every other area of the pitch during Jose's reign (I'm disregarding Gedson for now).

 

[Reece]

Great touch for Finland's opener yesterday evening.

 

[mil1lion]

The perfect Sissoko replacement?

 

[spursfan77]

The perfect Sissoko replacement?

View attachment 77822

Tonton zola’s relative?

 

[SirHarryHotspur]

John Pratt a regular starter under Bill Nicholson got the similar treatment by the boo boys at games that Moussa gets , here's what John Pratt had to say.


" I had been getting it in the neck a bit from some of the sections of the crowd at Spurs but Bill expected his players to be men, and he said that the crowd paid our wages and were entitled to have their opinions. So one day, before I was due to play my first game at Old Trafford, I asked him what I could expect. He replied that it would just be like playing at Spurs, except that up there 55,000 people would hate me, whereas at Spurs it was only 45,000!"

— John Pratt


Keep your chin up Moussa, Jose has faith in you.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

John Pratt a regular starter under Bill Nicholson got the similar treatment by the boo boys at games that Moussa gets , here's what John Pratt had to say.

Bill quote.
" I had been getting it in the neck a bit from some of the sections of the crowd at Spurs but Bill expected his players to be men, and he said that the crowd paid our wages and were entitled to have their opinions. So one day, before I was due to play my first game at Old Trafford, I asked him what I could expect. He replied that it would just be like playing at Spurs, except that up there 55,000 people would hate me, whereas at Spurs it was only 45,000!"

— John Pratt

Ahh, when men were men and women were grateful.

 

[sausage]

The perfect Sissoko replacement?

View attachment 77822

If you bear in mind he only just turned 16 yesterday, you can see why he's got such exaggerated stats.

I'm no scout, but he doesn't really seem to have anything about him like Daka does.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

The perfect Sissoko replacement?

View attachment 77822

Mourinho and Sissoko's love child found? Would explain why he keeps getting picked ahead of Gio.

 

[dtxspurs]

He was all over the place today

 

[sausage]

Anyone else feel like Sissoko is constantly running around like this in our box?

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Like I said, this PEH + Sissoko combination is just beastly and the reason we're not conceding. Sure, won't be dominating games with them possession-wise and probably can afford to drop one of them against bottom third or bottom half sides, but against the top half (and elite sides specifically), those two are just vital.

 

[GutBucket]

Overpowered their players and covered perfectly for Aurier. Hope he is mentoring Ndombele and telling him how important it is to be in a perfect physical shape.

 

[SirHarryHotspur]

John Pratt a regular starter under Bill Nicholson got the similar treatment by the boo boys at games that Moussa gets , here's what John Pratt had to say.


" I had been getting it in the neck a bit from some of the sections of the crowd at Spurs but Bill expected his players to be men, and he said that the crowd paid our wages and were entitled to have their opinions. So one day, before I was due to play my first game at Old Trafford, I asked him what I could expect. He replied that it would just be like playing at Spurs, except that up there 55,000 people would hate me, whereas at Spurs it was only 45,000!"

— John Pratt


Keep your chin up Moussa, Jose has faith in you.

There you go keep your chin up Moussa , don't listen to all the moaners on here, great game today.
You and PEH are our defensive shield in front of Toby & Eric.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Indomitable from him today.

 

[EQP]

Really good performance by him. I think we all agree that these are the types of games where Sissoko is most impactful. We just need to stop playing him against teams that sit back and absorb pressure.

 

[HildoSpur]

He may not be the most talented player but he more than makes up for it with athleticism and work rate. Was brilliant today. Im sure Jose loves him.

 

[Shadydan]

There's times when you need the Siss/Hojb combo and it's games like these.