Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[spursfan77]

Sorry mate but that is just plain wrong. Players like Makelele, Kante, Kheidera, Busquets do not grow on trees and it is a highly specialist position. A good DCM needs tends to be able to read the game better than the other players (to be able to be in the right position), and needs to be be two footed - from both a tackling and passing perspective (even if the passes can be simple). Most importantly a good DCM has to have tactical maturity, and a world class one will control the tempo of the game to suit the teams needs. If you think a DCM just has to stand in front of the CBs and tackle people and give the ball then I can only assume that you have not watched Dier try to play there for the last 18 months.

I do not know if PEH is, or will ever be, a 'top tier' DCM, and I actually doubt he will (at least nowhere near as good as the ones I listed above). But importantly Mourinho apparently thinks he is way better than Winks or Sissoko in that position, and with money being tight in the current climate it is a good way to improve our first XI within our budget. I think the vast majority of Spurs fans agree that DCM (along with RB) is the most glaring weakness in our first XI at present (and has been for over 18 months now).

PEH has won the ball in the middle third of the pitch more than any other premier league player in the last year. That suggests to me that he is worth a punt.

If anyone can play there then why does Hjobjerb have such superior statistics to Winks (who has played largely as our DCM this season and is arguably a better footballer from a technical perspective)....

Winks:
39 tackles.
34 interceptions.
14 aerial battles won.
3 blocked shots.
15 successful 50/50's
24 Fouls
9 Yellow cards

Hjobjerg:
80 tackles.
46 interceptions.
55 aerial battles won.
10 blocked shots.
40 successful 50/50's.
46 Fouls
5 Yellow cards

Stats are from 19/20 season Premier League games only.

UPDATE:
I thought it was worth comparing offensive stats between these two players as well, mainly as I was interested to show what we would be losing from our attacking play if we replaced Winks with a more specialist DCM like Hjobjerg.

Winks:
54.23 Passes per match
76 Accurate long balls
0 Assists
13 Shots
2 Shots on target
0 Goals

Hjobjerg:
55.24 Passes per match
106 Accurate long balls
1 Assists
46 Shots
11 Shots on target
0 Goals

Hjobjerg's statistics show he can offer more in a DCM role than Winks. He makes significantly more tackles and interceptions, brings aerial ability to the team that Winks simply does not, and appears to be more effective in the offensive phases as well. From a DCM perspective, it is interesting to note that Hjobjerg has made nearly twice as many fouls but only gets half the number of yellow cards. This suggests that he is much better at being in position to tactically foul to disrupt rather than being out of position and having to blatantly foul e.g. shirt pull (which is how Winks gets the majority of his yellow cards).

In terms of the position, you have listed the best players in that role in the last 20 years and of course they are the exception. But we aren't at the level to attract that top of player. Have we done enough to find one that can get to that level is my question, I'm not sure we have. As there must be a load of players across Europe that can play the position to differing degrees of competence. It just feels like we are settling on this guy a bit like we settled on Palacios under Redknapp. If he comes in and performs like he did then fine but I don't think he is even at that level.

I 100% agree with you on the bits I've bolded. That is my opinion too. I just don't think he is going to be good enough, but I'm more than happy to be proved wrong. We don't have a defensive midfielder in the squad (if he can be classed as that), so one or probably two are needed. We've played against him 6 times since he has been there and I don't think in the games I've seen that he has given our midfielders a hard game in any of them. There hasn't been one match where I have though, oh he's stood out above our midfielders. I can only go on what I have seen of him. He will need to step up a good couple of levels if he isn't going to be found wanting for the level we want to be at, I think we can agree on that.

 

[McFlash]

The central positions are the hardest positions in the game.
You need a 360 degree view, be able to operate in very tight areas, and be willing/able to be involved for 90 minutes.
They're the positions where control of the game are usually dictated.

The CDM has to have the intelligence to read the game, the physicality to impose himself, the engine/mobility to cover a lot of ground, and a reasonable level of technical ability to play under pressure/in tight spaces.

A good CDM also needs the ability to pass progessively otherwise if you're playing against a team of bus parkers it's like playing with 10 men.

We have 3 Prem quality players in Winks, Sissoko, and Dier. All have one or two of these traits yet none can fulfill the CDM role fully in our team as they don't have the rest.

From looking at highlights of PEH he does look like he may tick all the boxes so should add that extra dimension to our team.

That's why so many youngsters start out on the wings or as lb/rb's, before moving infield as they gain experience.

 

[Ionman34]

The central positions are the hardest positions in the game.
You need a 360 degree view, be able to operate in very tight areas, and be willing/able to be involved for 90 minutes.
They're the positions where control of the game are usually dictated.

The CDM has to have the intelligence to read the game, the physicality to impose himself, the engine/mobility to cover a lot of ground, and a reasonable level of technical ability to play under pressure/in tight spaces.

A good CDM also needs the ability to pass progessively otherwise if you're playing against a team of bus parkers it's like playing with 10 men.

We have 3 Prem quality players in Winks, Sissoko, and Dier. All have one or two of these traits yet none can fulfill the CDM role fully in our team as they don't have the rest.

From looking at highlights of PEH he does look like he may tick all the boxes so should add that extra dimension to our team.

Good post.

There’s a reason why the midfield is known as the “engine room.”

 

[Japhet]

What the top managers do is get the chemistry right in the team, exactly the way Klopp has done it at Liverpool. It will be a bit of a new process for Mourinho who has historically just signed the best talent available and crowbarred them into a team. Maybe this is the fabled 'new approach' he was on about now that he doen't have unlimited funds. If he thinks he can improve our 'chemistry' with Hojbjerg I'm all for it. He will most likely have a much simpler role with us than he did at Southampton where he had to provide more creativity than I'd expect with us. With luck he can become an important addition for us and I also hope that Skippy gets his chance too.

 

[14/04/91]

On the whole, I agree. But I wouldn’t confidently put money on him coming because we have form for not getting willing targets over the line. It’s definitely more likely than not to happen but experience suggests tempering optimism until he signs.

I’m also firmly in the camp that this signing absolutely strengthens us, especially in the way that Mourinho is developing our play, which is probably also why I’m a bit cautious

Given our track record of squeezing every penny out of every deal, coupled with financial issues post-Covid, neither would I!!!

But if he is Mourinho’s no 1 pick, it simply has to get done otherwise it’s no exaggeration to say the coach/chairman relationship will be strained at best.

 

[emiley heskey]

We could have got both grealish and barkley for the price of Ndombele ...


Anyway, this is hojberg thread and I think he is an incredible player.

 

[teok]

The past few pages of this thread really have been a journey, man.

 

[razzmaster]

As I learnt in university - beware relying on Wikipedia for 'facts' that have no references to support them.

Indeed.

Taken from the Oxford Advanced learner dictionary,

journeyman
noun

/ˈdʒɜːnimən/

/ˈdʒɜːrnimən/
(plural journeymen

/ˈdʒɜːnimən/


/ˈdʒɜːrnimən/
)

1. (in the past) a person who was trained to do a particular job and who then worked for somebody else
2. a person who has training and experience in a job and is a reliable but not a brilliant worker

Anyway, enough derailing of the thread. Apologies to all.

Journeyman in a football context is different. Google 'Football Journeyman', read the articles and see what they all have in common.

This is the last I'm going to post on the subject as I don't want to derail the thread any more.

Derail
verb

1. cause (a train or tram) to leave its tracks accidentally.
   "a train was derailed after it collided with a herd of cattle"
   
   (Words can have multiple meanings so context is everything)
   

 

[sausage]

Journeyman in a football context is different. Google 'Football Journeyman', read the articles and see what they all have in common.

This is the last I'm going to post on the subject as I don't want to derail the thread any more.

Derail
verb

1. cause (a train or tram) to leave its tracks accidentally.
   "a train was derailed after it collided with a herd of cattle"
   
   (Words can have multiple meanings so context is everything)

How are you defining 'football'? USA? British English? Australian?

(joke)

 

[razzmaster]

How are you defining 'football'? USA? British English? Australian?

(joke)

The way it was intended when it was invented

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Sorry guys, this all started from my questioning of the initial use of journeyman. I now feel gratified that I was correct to question @Ionman34 but equally am pleased to have learned about the other use, as I will now use it to smugly cause confusion with other people.

Blessed am I on this day.

 

[mr ashley]

The past few pages of this thread really have been a journey, man.

I was tempted to tell you to get on your bike after that joke, but on reflection, I think it was just a bit average

 

[rawhide]

I’d be more confident that this is different.

By all accounts we went cold on Barkley (some itk remarked we had moved onto a different target for that summer, turned out to be the invisible man).

Berahino was on a long contract so WBA could charge exactly what they wanted.

Grealish was available and cheap right up until very rich new investors turned up & Villa didn’t need to sell below their desired price.

With Hojberg, he’s in the last year of his contract so holds the cards. Even if So’ton accept Everton’s bid, he won’t agree personal terms if he’s determined to join us. Then So’ton either accept our offer or pay him for one more year & lose him on a free.

I feel like I’m correcting everyone on Grealish today.
He was happy to come to us. We pissed about with Villa, trying to force them to lower their price (even though it was reasonable and acceptable). Instead they got new owners and new money to invest quickly and Grealish was happy to stay there.

 

[Japhet]

I’d be more confident that this is different.

By all accounts we went cold on Barkley (some itk remarked we had moved onto a different target for that summer, turned out to be the invisible man).

Berahino was on a long contract so WBA could charge exactly what they wanted.

Grealish was available and cheap right up until very rich new investors turned up & Villa didn’t need to sell below their desired price.

With Hojberg, he’s in the last year of his contract so holds the cards. Even if So’ton accept Everton’s bid, he won’t agree personal terms if he’s determined to join us. Then So’ton either accept our offer or pay him for one more year & lose him on a free.

We backed off with Barkley because he'd had a massive hamstring injury that required a lot of surgery and hadn't returned to fitness. I think that was acceptable to back off of that deal once Chelsea started bumping the price. At least, that's how I remember it.

 

[14/04/91]

I feel like I’m correcting everyone on Grealish today.
He was happy to come to us. We pissed about with Villa, trying to force them to lower their price (even though it was reasonable and acceptable). Instead they got new owners and new money to invest quickly and Grealish was happy to stay there.

I guess my point was more about the players’ contract situation; Hojberg is certain to leave and in the last year of his deal.
Grealish was happy to come but I got the impression he was also content to give his home town club at least a season should he not be sold.

 

[14/04/91]

We backed off with Barkley because he'd had a massive hamstring injury that required a lot of surgery and hadn't returned to fitness. I think that was acceptable to back off of that deal once Chelsea started bumping the price. At least, that's how I remember it.

Agreed. My point was not to compare him (nor Berahino/Grealish) to Hojberg’s situation.

 

[pompower]

I feel like I’m correcting everyone on Grealish today.
He was happy to come to us. We pissed about with Villa, trying to force them to lower their price (even though it was reasonable and acceptable). Instead they got new owners and new money to invest quickly and Grealish was happy to stay there.

Yes, Grealish was happy to come, and yes, the reason he didn't was because we didn't pay the fee. But Villa's supposedly reasonable price was £40m, for a player who that point had only excelled in the Championship. They were always firm on that price, and at the time it was absolutely not seen as a reasonable and acceptable price across the board. The £25m we ended up offering was by no means an insulting offer. In hindsight, was Levy wrong? Sure. But hindsight is 20/20. I wanted us to sign Grealish, but I'd be deluded if I suggested that was a universally held opinion like everyone knew how good Grealish was going to be in the Premiership. That's just not true.

£40m was, and still is, a lot of money for a Championship player, no matter who they are. It would've been a big risk and he'd have been under huge pressure to perform. We'd have had a litany of posts asking why we have to overpay for players in the second tier instead of signing from top foreign leagues. Imagine if he didn't have a great start with us, it would've been hell.

In comparison, KWP + a little cash for Hojbjerg seems pretty safe.

 

[Ben1]

Fuck me, Barkley was yonks ago and Grealish was 2 years back, move on guys (people also need to stop presuming a players development would be the same in totally different circumstances)

 

[HodisGawd]

Fuck me, Barkley was yonks ago and Grealish was 2 years back, move on guys (people also need to stop presuming a players development would be the same in totally different circumstances)

So true.

 

[Timberwolf]

Fuck me, Barkley was yonks ago and Grealish was 2 years back, move on guys (people also need to stop presuming a players development would be the same in totally different circumstances)

I will never forgive Levy for us missing out on the generational talent that is West Ham-bound Ross Barkley.