Understand him coming off, he has been injured on and off for us so no need to play him every minute unlike the robust Sissoko.
Thought Winks was excellent today, really set the tempo
Thought Winks was excellent today, really set the tempo
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Understand him coming off, he has been injured on and off for us so no need to play him every minute unlike the robust Sissoko.
Thought Winks was excellent today, really set the tempo
I don't think he'll ever be a player that makes killer passes. I'm ok with that. his role is to transition the ball from defence to the attacking players ahead of him.I thought he was great but my most alarming concern with him is choosing to ignore the half chance opportunities he has to pass it forward into a threatening area when it's on in order to keep possession and pass sideways.
For me Winks has a beautiful style to his game but lacks far more punch than he needs to. His fear of failure is what prevents him being great. Take risks, don't be afraid of losing the thing as that's the only way you can make things happen. Classy, tidy little player but he needs to add sharpened and hungry teeth to his game. Should be targeting double digits in assists this season. He needs to try and take more responsibility but I love the kid and hope he continues his upward trajectory.
I don't think he'll ever be a player that makes killer passes. I'm ok with that. his role is to transition the ball from defence to the attacking players ahead of him.
As someone else said he was spraying the ball wide, which was something he never did last season. I don't know the stats be it seemed that he was trying to play it forward into central areas more than last season.
Said it in the Villa thread.
Yesterday was the closest I have seen from him (or any player since he left) of a Modric-lite performance.
Demanded the ball. Controlled the game. Sprayed the ball out to wide areas quickly and accurately when it needed to be done. Aimed to pass forward and done his fair share of defensive work too.
Anyone expecting him to make killer passes is kidding themselves. It isn't his role and he suddenly isn't going to start doing it either. it'll be nice to see him get a few assists to his name, sure. But I'm much more happier having him deeper, helping us keep possession and allowing other and more creative players to flourish.
He'll never get to Modric levels. Wouldn't expect him to do so because Modric wasn't just a controller of the game but an exceptionally skilful footballer too. However, I think Winks can easily play the exact same base role he did for us and do so successfully.
Wouldn't mind seeing more of this from Winks though:
Gorgeous assist.
2008 Spurs used Modric as a deep-lying playmaker in central midfield, usually alongside Jermaine Jenas, to utilise his passing range, vision, and creativity to optimum effect. Then-manager Juande Ramos, however, deployed him in an extremely deep defensive midfield role, which his slight frame was not physically suited to. Before joining Tottenham, his greatest success had come in a more advanced, attacking left-sided role; playing him out of position limited his influence. Modrić also suffered from a niggling knee injury early in his Spurs career and he had to endure being labelled as a "light-weight" by sections of the media. This coincided with his poor form, knocking his confidence and making him even less effective, leading to concerns both for himself and Croatia manager Slaven Bilić.
And the change in formation.
Winks was one of our best players before he came off. Hopefully it isn't an injury and he just thought perhaps Sissoko's engine was better suited the later the game went on.
If he can add some goals to his game he'll be on the cusp of being world class IMO. He's got all the smooth technique of a top class midfielder but even just 5 goals a season would be a good asset. Between him and Sissoko they have 4 goals in 230 games combined. Both are important players for us but the lack of goals from midfield is a disappointment. With Sissoko he gets into the positions but either passes the buck or fluffs it. Winks doesn't get in those positions at all to score. That's one room for improvement.
Finally looked like a team when this bloke came off
Absolutely no coincidence in my view that we conceded significantly more goals with him playing at DM instead of Dier.
He provides no defensive shield at all, and as he doesn't provide any attacking threat whatsoever, really think he is a luxury player that we don't need in starting line up.
He wouldn't get into any of the other Top 6 sides, other clubs fans that look at things from a neutral perspective don't rate him and see him as our weak link (and yes I am including our full backs)
Really think he is the new Lamela, where we have blinkered supporters that use intangibles to back up what he brings to team, because the numbers just don't add up at all.
Take Champions League final, in 75 minutes we had 0 shots on target and 2 shots in total in 75 mins, then took him off and we dominated from then on, creating numerous chances, because we didn't have him slowing us down. In my view that is no coincidence, he keeps possession but in the main just by receiving the ball and passing it back to player he receives it from, slowing us down totally, and taking no responsibility. But many say he was our best player in the game. Just cannot work it out, thought the days of appreciating sterile possession went with AVB.
He received the ball from the defenders twice as often as any other player - he recycled that ball with a 96% success rate ... so think about that, the defenders can be confident that when they pass the ball to Winks it's almost guaranteed to stay in our possession ... best protection a defence can have, stop the opposition getting the ball.He provides no defensive shield at all
He'd walk into Woolwich, Chelsea, Utd and probably Liverpool ... but that's just opinions not factsHe wouldn't get into any of the other Top 6 sides
That's like comparing a Giulia to a BMW 5 series ... flashy but unreliable, reliable as feck but no wowReally think he is the new Lamela
He was in our top three rated players with just about every reporter, so whilst your opinion is your opinion I am happy to call bullshitTake the Champions League final
It is no coincidence we played so much better and scored 3 goals when he went off
He's a useful player to have when we're protecting the score-line in keeping and recycling possession but offers very little going forward
Our improvement had nothing to do with Winks going off - it had everything to do with Eriksen coming on.
We could have taken any of the front 6 off aside from Kane and the improvement would still have occurred.
LOLOur improvement had nothing to do with Winks going off - it had everything to do with Eriksen coming on.
We could have taken any of the front 6 off aside from Kane and the improvement would still have occurred.