Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[Nocando]

Bale has, Kane will. We will see about Sonny. But if you think PEH is the same class as Bale and Kane I disagree strongly.

Wijnaldum, mctominay, Henderson, fred Fernandinho (at his current age) all no frills type players that get the job done. Whilst he has his flaws he's not a million miles from those players I mentioned. Plus he played for Bayern so does have some pedigree.

Our problems highlight his flaws because we look at him to do things we shouldn't be looking at him for, e.g creating and playing great passes. He's one of the last players we should be focusing on now.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

Wijnaldum, mctominay, Henderson, fred Fernandinho (at his current age) all no frills type players that get the job done. Whilst he has his flaws he's not a million miles from those players I mentioned. Plus he played for Bayern so does have some pedigree.

Our problems highlight his flaws because we look at him to do things we shouldn't be looking at him for, e.g creating and playing great passes. He's one of the last players we should be focusing on now.

We don't expect him to be Pirlo, but the occasional forward pass or first time ball would be nice to see.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

Could have sworn there were shouts of him being one of the best players in the league in the period we were top of the table? Nominated for player of the month in November, no? Must be just me then...

He is set up for teams that like to park the bus, which probably why he took the plaudits then.

 

[dtxspurs]

I wonder if he'll play more of the holding role at the base of the midfield or a workhorse role pressing all game like Vidal in his prime at Juve...

I think his passing is pretty underrated and think he gets a lot of unnecessary crap due to playing every single meaningful minute of the season. He got burnt out and obviously so. A lot seem to forget that in a structured team early in the season he was one of our best players. I think he'll look really good under Conte.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Most dribbled passed player in all of Europe’s top 5 leagues....

Not a huge shock when you consider how much possession we spent the season giving up to opposition sides, how he was our only midfielder actually engaging with opposition players who had the ball, and how he played every match this season.

I’m assuming the stat you refer to takes all of that into account too?

 

[double0]

The longer we build the team around Hojbjerg Winks or Sissoko the further we'll fall back.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

The longer we build the team around Hojbjerg Winks or Sissoko the further we'll fall back.

That is a collection of absolute mediocrity

 

[Blake Griffin]

pretty bemused by this recent wave of hojbjerg slander. he's been excellent on the whole, especially considering he's been run into the ground.

 

[rabbikeane]

Only look at 2021 form then even Son isn't good enough for us, Højbjerg was great in first half of the season, and he has the stats to back it up. So many are unaware of how challenging the season was, for everyone, but most of all Tottenham with the euro schedule. We were finished by xmas.

 

[sparx100]

pretty bemused by this recent wave of hojbjerg slander. he's been excellent on the whole, especially considering he's been run into the ground.

Yeah agree with this. I think he has had to cover a lot more than he should of had he a decent partner in midfield - I am hoping that Skipp gives us someone who can defend and cover space as well.

Sissoko and Winks are shocking in game awareness especially defensively. N'Dombele is better in my mind a bit further forward and Lo Celso is yet to really pull up any trees.

That being said I do think he can improve. I think he gets bypassed in midfield easily which may come down to him generally having the job of 2 men to do in midfield and i do think he has a bit of blandness going on with his passing but perhaps having a better player alongside him will allow him to concentrate on his strengths. It feels 2nd half of the season he has been a bit diluted.

 

[spurs9]

Most dribbled passed player in all of Europe’s top 5 leagues....

If true, its only because he has played so often. Per game, he isn't even the most dribbled past in the PL, Allan is (2.8 v 2 for PEH).

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Only two players in the league made more tackles than him, Ayling and Bissouma. All these show us is the level of responsibility we put on him and what our overall midfield deficiencies were.

 

[chrissivad]

If true, its only because he has played so often. Per game, he isn't even the most dribbled past in the PL, Allan is (2.8 v 2 for PEH).

It also doesn't help that we get over run in CM with (normally) only Hojbjerg doing any of the defensive work.

It's easy to dribble past someone or pass it around when it's 2 or 3 on 1.

 

[Gassin's finest]

1. Hojbjerg isn't, and has never been, a defensive midfielder. He's an 8, a box to box, all rounder.

2. He played every minute of last season in the PL. He's an absolute soldier.

3. He is the absolute least of Spurs problems.

 

[HW61]

He wouldn’t get anywhere near the top4 lineups

Well I’m happy he’s in ours. More passion and leadership than most wearing a Spurs shirt last season.

 

[chrissivad]

Well I’m happy he’s in ours. More passion and leadership than most wearing a Spurs shirt last season.

And keeps at least 1 of winks or Sissoko out...

 

[Gassin's finest]

He wouldn’t get anywhere near the top4 lineups

Such a banal statement.

 

[dtxspurs]

Such a banal statement.

I think he'd have a decent shot at starting for United. But it's kind of a silly comment considering the other defensive mid types those clubs have. Being worse than Fabinho, Rodri & Kante doesn't mean you are bad. Those are probably 3 of the best 5 holding midfielders in the world.

 

[crokey]

I think he'd have a decent shot at starting for United. But it's kind of a silly comment considering the other defensive mid types those clubs have. Being worse than Fabinho, Rodri & Kante doesn't mean you are bad. Those are probably 3 of the best 5 holding midfielders in the world.

I'm not that high on Rodri tbh. Seems like the weak link in the City team to me so far.

 

[whitesocks]

1. Hojbjerg isn't, and has never been, a defensive midfielder...

I think this true. He is a non attacking midfielder who likes a tackle but has no instinct for danger or he wouldn't continually leave that big hole infront of our box for attacking midfielders to exploit, while he acts as an auxiliary CB.

Yet he is far better than winks or euro 2020's sissoko. Yet no-where near a sandro, parker, wanyama or even psycho-Dier of old. We still need a DM.