Player Watch: Serge Aurier

[Havre]

For me it’s not so cut and dried we have three left backs.

Davies can also cover left centre back in a back three (and also did this in a four last season).

Sessegnon can play as a left attacker so the three players all offer flexible options.

Going back to right back, personally I’d rather keep Aurier this season as means two recognised right backs in squad.

But we are going to have some serious injury issues if Sessegnon is needed as a left attacker and/or Davies have to play as a LB and therefore can’t cover as a RB.

Recognized or not. I think it is pretty clear Foyth is considered to be a RB this year. So in terms of numbers I’m not worried.

Not really worried in terms of quality either for that matter.

 

[pedrodelawasp]

I don't want Sissoko as a RB, but we are potentially talking about a situation where KWP and Foyth are out. Do we then need Aurier to hang around just so Sissoko or Dier won't play some games at RB? Pretty sure Davies could do OK there as well. It is not like he is offering much going forward from the left anyway.

For me Aurier shouldn't stay to offer depth. He should stay if we think he can return to his best and therefore become our 1st choice RB.

Sure, if he's the manager's 3rd pick for the spot in the team then it's best he moves on, freeing up wage money, a non-homegrown spot, etc. I just find it surprising how often Sissoko's name is brought up as though it's desirable or that he'd be preferable to Dier in the position. I'd go along with your suggestion of having Davies ahead of him in the list of players who could deputise at RB in a pinch. Toby too.

KWP/Foyth ---> Dier/Toby/Davies/Sissoko.

I think Sissoko played there at the end of the CL final when Trippier was taken off.
Ether way it has happened a few times and he hasn't let anyone down.
I don't think Dier has played there for quite a while

I suppose I can understand thst it's in more recent memory that he's filled in for a few minutes here and there. I've said elsewhere that I understand he could 'do a job' to cover for injury until a break in play to let us make a sub, or in the event we've already used out compliment of substitutions, but I'm really not in to him starting there. If Dier is fit and available he's surely got to be the obvious pick of the two for right back.

 

[hutchiniho]

I’m all for midfielders playing fullback. Especially those with the athleticism of Sissoko.
How often in the Premiership are our fullbacks under sustained pressure to do any actual defending.
When we have the ball id much prefer competent midfielders in those advanced full back positions. Better ball retention, movement, crossing. For 75% of our matches it would be a big advantage. Even more so if we keep playing narrow midfield and forward lines.

Lloris
Sissoko CB CB Sessignon

 

[WiganSpur]

If Aurier goes, our defensive options are left as:

Rose lb
Sessegnon lb
Davies lb lcb


Walker-Peters, Foyth
Alderweireld, Tanganga
Vertonghen, Sanchez
Rose, Davies

There’s also Dier, who is more than good enough, and if he had to move back to CB we’d still have Ndombele, Sissoko, Winks and Skipp for midfield.

We’re fine with both Aurier and Wanyama leaving, I have no problem at all with their minutes going to promises young players with higher ceilings.

Would you be comfortable playing 4-3-3 with inside forwards or the diamond with effectively 3 CBs and a left back? Dier and Foyth just aren't going to pose any attacking threat whatsoever. They're centre backs, they should play centre back. Teams can just narrow up on our right and we're going to have nobody to stretch them. Defensive teams will be delighted to see us line up with Dier or Foyth on that side as it's a massive attacking weakness making it a lot easier to stop our forward players. We're inevitably going to have times where one of those two have to play instead of KWP.

It makes total sense to keep Aurier around until we can replace him with an actual dynamic full back.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Would you be comfortable playing 4-3-3 with inside forwards or the diamond with effectively 3 CBs and a left back? Dier and Foyth just aren't going to pose any attacking threat whatsoever. They're centre backs, they should play centre back. Teams can just narrow up on our right and we're going to have nobody to stretch them. Defensive teams will be delighted to see us line up with Dier or Foyth on that side as it's a massive attacking weakness making it a lot easier to stop our forward players. We're inevitably going to have times where one of those two have to play instead of KWP.

It makes total sense to keep Aurier around until we can replace him with an actual dynamic full back.

I wonder if Pochettino is as entrenched in what makes a good full back as you?

Also, Foyth and Dier are both faster than Aurier, more comfortable on the ball than Aurier, and far better passers of the ball than Aurier.

I’m not happy with the diamond in any circumstances.

Foyth is Argentina’s first choice right back.

I agree that I’d rather keep Aurier until we are able to replace, but at the same time if Pochettino intends not to play him (so far 25 matches in two seasons) then what use actually is he?

These points can be read in any order you wish

 

[McFlash]

I wonder if Pochettino is as entrenched in what makes a good full back as you?

Also, Foyth and Dier are both faster than Aurier, more comfortable on the ball than Aurier, and far better passers of the ball than Aurier.

I’m not happy with the diamond in any circumstances.

Foyth is Argentina’s first choice right back.

I agree that I’d rather keep Aurier until we are able to replace, but at the same time if Pochettino intends not to play him (so far 25 matches in two seasons) then what use actually is he?

These points can be read in any order you wish

I'm not sure that Dier is faster than Aurier.
Plus I don't want Dier as a right back. Serge has played some good stuff, when he gets a run in the team, so if he can get and stay fit, I think he'll do alright.

 

[Eric_s]

I am pretty sure Aurier is more comfortable on the ball and faster than Dier.

 

[Spurrific]

Aurier is much faster than both Foyth and Dier. Being deceptively quick doesn’t mean you’re suddenly rapid. Foyth is average-paced. Aurier is fast. And Dier is slow.

 

[dagraham]

Aurier is much faster than both Foyth and Dier. Being deceptively quick doesn’t mean you’re suddenly rapid. Foyth is average-paced. Aurier is fast. And Dier is slow.

It quite frankly blows my mind that anyone who’s seen Spurs play live can think that Foyth and Dier are quicker than Aurier.

 

[wrd]

It quite frankly blows my mind that anyone who’s seen Spurs play live can think that Foyth and Dier are quicker than Aurier.

Rapid Foyth

 

[dagraham]

Rapid Foyth

That’s nothing to do with speed, at least not without the ball. He’s a good footballer who can carry the ball quite quickly and in that clip he just does the players with skill and runs into the empty space. And he was fresh having only been on the pitch a few minutes against tired players. He’s not slow, but not particularly quick.

With both him and Dier, once the wide player has got goal side it’s game over. Whereas Aurier can sometimes at least get back with play. Not that I rate Aurier, but he’s quicker than those two players for sure.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Has anyone got any stats on how quick Aurier is? I dont think he looks that fast. He's been gassed by a few times I've seen games he has been in. Seems a myth to me. But, I'll openly admit I am very cynical about him.

 

[dagraham]

Has anyone got any stats on how quick Aurier is? I dont think he looks that fast. He's been gassed by a few times I've seen games he has been in. Seems a myth to me. But, I'll openly admit I am very cynical about him.

He’s certainly not as fast as I’d been led to believe when we signed him, but to say Dier is quicker is laughable.

 

[Johnny J]

I wonder if Pochettino is as entrenched in what makes a good full back as you?

Also, Foyth and Dier are both faster than Aurier, more comfortable on the ball than Aurier, and far better passers of the ball than Aurier.

I’m not happy with the diamond in any circumstances.

Foyth is Argentina’s first choice right back.

I agree that I’d rather keep Aurier until we are able to replace, but at the same time if Pochettino intends not to play him (so far 25 matches in two seasons) then what use actually is he?

These points can be read in any order you wish

In no way are Dier or Foyth quicker than Aurier. That's absurd.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

He’s certainly not as fast as I’d been led to believe when we signed him, but to say Dier is quicker is laughable.

No argument there.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

2015 there was one player in the league who recorded a higher top speed than Dier, that was Sissoko.

Given that you never see Dier charging long distances, that would suggest impressive acceleration.

He’s not nimble granted, but anyone saying he’s not quick is making the incredibly lazy mistake of deciding he’s not quick due to his size and refusing to see anything contrary to their conclusion.

I bet you all thought Clive Wilson was rapid...

 

[Eric_s]

2015 there was one player in the league who recorded a higher top speed than Dier, that was Sissoko.

Given that you never see Dier charging long distances, that would suggest impressive acceleration.

He’s not nimble granted, but anyone saying he’s not quick is making the incredibly lazy mistake of deciding he’s not quick due to his size and refusing to see anything contrary to their conclusion.

I bet you all thought Clive Wilson was rapid...

I don't need some meaningless star to tell me who is faster. My eyes is capable of telling me who is faster. Dier is slow not only in action but thought process. I can't think of another player in the squad that is slower than Dier.

 

[dagraham]

2015 there was one player in the league who recorded a higher top speed than Dier, that was Sissoko.

Given that you never see Dier charging long distances, that would suggest impressive acceleration.

He’s not nimble granted, but anyone saying he’s not quick is making the incredibly lazy mistake of deciding he’s not quick due to his size and refusing to see anything contrary to their conclusion.

I bet you all thought Clive Wilson was rapid...

So in 2015 Dier was the second fasted player in the whole of the PL? Is that what you are saying?

 

[Spurrific]

2015 there was one player in the league who recorded a higher top speed than Dier, that was Sissoko.

Given that you never see Dier charging long distances, that would suggest impressive acceleration.

He’s not nimble granted, but anyone saying he’s not quick is making the incredibly lazy mistake of deciding he’s not quick due to his size and refusing to see anything contrary to their conclusion.

I bet you all thought Clive Wilson was rapid...

No, you’re wrong. Dier is not quick. Those fastest recorded speeds are absolute nonsense and regularly have obscure slugs like Jagielka up as the fastest.

 

[karennina]

from hitc in 2015

Tottenham Hotspur's fastest player revealed as Eric Dier - Yedlin has serious competition!

Tottenham Hotspur's fastest player of the season so far has been revealed as new signing Eric Dier.

The summer addition from Sporting Lisbon has reached the highest sprint speed of any Spurs player this season to date.

Dier's top speed reached 35.0 kilometres per hour, faster than Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez (34.6), according to results released by The Mail.

He narrowly misses out on being the quickest in the Premier League, a boast held by Newcastle United's Moussa Sissoko on 35.3 k/ph.

Spurs winger Aaron Lennon is arguably the player in the squad best known for his pace, but one of Dier's rival at right-back as the potential to usurp him.

New addition DeAndre Yedlin has become an internet sensation after a video of his pace playing for Seattle Sounders in MLS went viral.


It's intuitive to say Dier is slower now as he looks a lot bigger but a lot of sprinters are very built so who knows? Can't remember Aurier ever actually blowing right past someone with pace.