- Aug 13, 2005
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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.