Victor Wanyama

[Totti]

Where does the "lazy" narrative come from?

Watch him in his performances for us. He barely busts a gut anymore and plays like he either can't be bothered or he isn't fit (Which is worrying in itself and shows laziness) The Iheanacho goal for Leicester (whilst was a good finish) was all on Wanyama being on the wrong side of his man. He was also at fault for another goal, can't remember who's though. Mahrez maybe?

Then again, as stated in the second paragraph, it could be the extent of his injury that we're not 100% sure of. I think I read he has knee cartilage issues.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

Maybe Poch had enough with his laziness last season? Not saying that's the case, but the fact he was declared fit for 5 or so months and started about 4 games says alot.

Would obviously rather he stepped it up and performed as well as he did in 2016/2017 than sell him but we don't know how his injuries have affected him. Could be another Sandro on our case. We don't know.

He was absolutely garbage last season. Can't think of one good quality he brang to the table (besides the hit and hope against Liverpool). Always looked like he was falling over the ball with every touch. Passing was shocking at times and positionally just so out of it. Looked amateur at times.

He looked like a player miles off the pace with the rest of his teammates. Which is quite usual when someone misses a huge chunk of games, they never quite catch up. But that doesn't explain why or where the links for his departure are coming from. We all know what he's capable of when fit so I find it a very strange one for me, just doesn't add up.

Especially if you throw into the mix Dembele leaving, it's a position that is vital to us and a position he is proven himself worthy. He has also spoken about thee relationship he has with Poch, I believe it was along the lines of a farther figure. Of all the players linked away (be they just admiring wants on Real Madrid's check list or not) I find them odd on all levels.

 

[Larry David]

Wanyama won’t be leaving this summer. He had a tough season injury wise but if he has a full pre season under his belt and is fully fit, he is our best defensive midfielder by a distance

 

[Radical Rei]

I'll be honest, I wouldn't be too surprised if he's sold this transfer window.
If it's a lazy attitude then poch won't have that.

 

[Airfixx]

Watch him in his performances for us. He barely busts a gut anymore and plays like he either can't be bothered or he isn't fit (Which is worrying in itself and shows laziness) The Iheanacho goal for Leicester (whilst was a good finish) was all on Wanyama being on the wrong side of his man. He was also at fault for another goal, can't remember who's though. Mahrez maybe?

Then again, as stated in the second paragraph, it could be the extent of his injury that we're not 100% sure of. I think I read he has knee cartilage issues.

Would be hasty to assume laziness over fitness imo.... I think Poch has only played him when absolutely necessary this past season.

Was blatantly not ready for the begining of the season and seemingly struggled to stay fit from there (numerous occasions we reported 'unavailable' for selection) and still had his leg wrapped in the final games.

 

[BangkokSpud]

A fit and firing Victor is great ... however in his last five seasons he's managed just 139 games ... compare that to Mousa who's played 188 games or Eric who's played 181 in just four seasons ...

It's highly likely we are never going to get 50 games a year from Victor, nothing to do with 'lazy' just not a player capable of that many games a season ... Poch has to weigh up keeping a player who will probably only play 60% of our games, or trading that player in for a 'healthier' version ...

Personally I'd keep Victor and wrap him in cotton wool ... we need three holding midfield players so if we sell Mousa and Victor, either Winks steps up and that's a big if, or Moussa improves a lot, or we will need to buy two more quality (thus expensive) DCM's ...

 

[Airfixx]

I'll be honest, I wouldn't be too surprised if he's sold this transfer window.
If it's a lazy attitude then poch won't have that.

Tbh, not seen the word lazy being used by anyone other than Totti .... Lets not help perpetuate myths like we did with Lamela.

 

[Airfixx]

A fit and firing Victor is great ... however in his last five seasons he's managed just 139 games ... compare that to Mousa who's played 188 games or Eric who's played 181 in just four seasons ...

It's highly likely we are never going to get 50 games a year from Victor, nothing to do with 'lazy' just not a player capable of that many games a season ... Poch has to weigh up keeping a player who will probably only play 60% of our games, or trading that player in for a 'healthier' version ...

Personally I'd keep Victor and wrap him in cotton wool ... we need three holding midfield players so if we sell Mousa and Victor, either Winks steps up and that's a big if, or Moussa improves a lot, or we will need to buy two more quality (thus expensive) DCM's ...

DM and CM are two diff rolls for us... Winks holds little bearing over Vic... Dembele is the only player we have with rhe skillset to play either role.

DM: Dier/Vic/Sissoko
CM: Dembele/Winks.

With Dembele's long term fitness deteriorating and Winks with a lot of bouncing back to do still, its obv where we should focus on in the trf market.

Dont need any new DMs unless one leaves.

 

[BangkokSpud]

DM and CM are two diff rolls for us... Winks holds little bearing over Vic... Dembele is the only player we have with rhe skillset to play either role.

DM: Dier/Vic/Sissoko
CM: Dembele/Winks.

With Dembele's long term fitness deteriorating and Winks with a lot of bouncing back to do still, its obv where we should focus on in the trf market.

Dont need any new DMs unless one leaves.

They are different, but there's also a difference between a CM player like Dembele, who makes as many tackles and interceptions as most DM's, and lightweight CM's like Xhaka or Wilshite who couldn't tackle a three legged sloth on their best day ...

All our players have to defend, it's a Poch mantra, if we lose Vic / Dembele whilst I totally agree one is a DM and one a CM whoever we bring in will still have to be capable of defending ... players like Ozil and Pogba good as they are probably wouldn't get near a Poch starting eleven ... we would need two Kante / Fernandinho type players ... as I said they won't come cheap ....

 

[Airfixx]

They are different, but there's also a difference between a CM player like Dembele, who makes as many tackles and interceptions as most DM's, and lightweight CM's like Xhaka or Wilshite who couldn't tackle a three legged sloth on their best day ...

All our players have to defend, it's a Poch mantra, if we lose Vic / Dembele whilst I totally agree one is a DM and one a CM whoever we bring in will still have to be capable of defending ... players like Ozil and Pogba good as they are probably wouldn't get near a Poch starting eleven ... we would need two Kante / Fernandinho type players ... as I said they won't come cheap ....

None of that supports the idea that our DMs have what it takes to play CM though.... Your original post seemingly lumps them all together as interchangeable "DCMs".

 

[BangkokSpud]

None of that supports the idea that our DMs have what it takes to play CM though.... Your original post seemingly lumps them all together as interchangeable "DCMs".

I put that badly ... the point I was trying to make is that we won't 'carry' CM's that can't defend ... so if we sell Victor and Mousa then any replacements, even at CM, will still have to be capable defenders ....

 

[TheSpurEst]

Watch him in his performances for us. He barely busts a gut anymore and plays like he either can't be bothered or he isn't fit (Which is worrying in itself and shows laziness) The Iheanacho goal for Leicester (whilst was a good finish) was all on Wanyama being on the wrong side of his man. He was also at fault for another goal, can't remember who's though. Mahrez maybe?

Then again, as stated in the second paragraph, it could be the extent of his injury that we're not 100% sure of. I think I read he has knee cartilage issues.

That is freakin huge overstatement!

I think all of us saw how hard his thigh was taped. He clearly limped through the season this time. But that does not mean we would have to sell him right now. I mean it is fu**ed up logic - if any of our players puts on blistering season and is one of the bests in the Europe and some tabloids suggest "he might attract interest from Europe heavyweights" then we come out an call for some loyality. Now the situation is reversed - our proven player (last year he was immense) has sub-par season (most of which he misses due to injury) and we are immediately calling his head?!?! NO. That is not how it is supposed to work.

I think everyone agree- he was not good in past season, but he was always carrying some issue, and talks about "Him being lazy" seems like utter bs. If he was practically limping (just like someone pointed out - he only played for us this season only when there was serious need!!) that meant he was not playing at 100% and on that level it might come off as "LOOKING lazy" while undelying reasons might have been smth else!

Big Vic will be back!

 

[Totti]

That is freakin huge overstatement!

I think all of us saw how hard his thigh was taped. He clearly limped through the season this time. But that does not mean we would have to sell him right now. I mean it is fu**ed up logic - if any of our players puts on blistering season and is one of the bests in the Europe and some tabloids suggest "he might attract interest from Europe heavyweights" then we come out an call for some loyality. Now the situation is reversed - our proven player (last year he was immense) has sub-par season (most of which he misses due to injury) and we are immediately calling his head?!?! NO. That is not how it is supposed to work.

I think everyone agree- he was not good in past season, but he was always carrying some issue, and talks about "Him being lazy" seems like utter bs. If he was practically limping (just like someone pointed out - he only played for us this season only when there was serious need!!) that meant he was not playing at 100% and on that level it might come off as "LOOKING lazy" while undelying reasons might have been smth else!

Big Vic will be back!

How hard is thigh was taped?

In which of our recent games (where he's been relatively average to poor) was his thigh heavily strapped?

From what we know, hes never even had a thigh injury has he? It was all his knee. There were rumours that he basically had what Ledley had. Considering Wanyama doesn't have half the ability Ledley has, if we get a reasonable bid for him AND a replacement, I don't see it out of the realms of possibility that we could cash in on him.

I, like you and many others, would hope that we can get a fully fit and firing Wanyama next season after a solid pre-season under his belt and he can challenge Dier and Winks for the deep role next season.

 

[Airfixx]

I put that badly ... the point I was trying to make is that we won't 'carry' CM's that can't defend ... so if we sell Victor and Mousa then any replacements, even at CM, will still have to be capable defenders ....

Indeed, but more importantly at least 1 of them will need to have strong passing/dribbling ability as that is where the 'thin-ness' of our squad lies.

Not that I'd promote the idea, but at a push would could get by with Dier + Vic/MS should one of them leave.

 

[ShutUpPatrik]

How hard is thigh was taped?

In which of our recent games (where he's been relatively average to poor) was his thigh heavily strapped?

From what we know, hes never even had a thigh injury has he? It was all his knee. There were rumours that he basically had what Ledley had. Considering Wanyama doesn't have half the ability Ledley has, if we get a reasonable bid for him AND a replacement, I don't see it out of the realms of possibility that we could cash in on him.

I, like you and many others, would hope that we can get a fully fit and firing Wanyama next season after a solid pre-season under his belt and he can challenge Dier and Winks for the deep role next season.

Newcastle at home. His right thigh was taped all the way up to the groin and he went off injured in the 88th minute

 

[Airfixx]

How hard is thigh was taped?

In which of our recent games (where he's been relatively average to poor) was his thigh heavily strapped?

From what we know, hes never even had a thigh injury has he? It was all his knee. There were rumours that he basically had what Ledley had. Considering Wanyama doesn't have half the ability Ledley has, if we get a reasonable bid for him AND a replacement, I don't see it out of the realms of possibility that we could cash in on him.

I, like you and many others, would hope that we can get a fully fit and firing Wanyama next season after a solid pre-season under his belt and he can challenge Dier and Winks for the deep role next season.

One of our last couple of games. Vividly remember him on his arse, visibly in pain, fiddling with a thigh bandage moments before being subbed off.

There's no need to doubt this 'lack of fitness' narrative... Not sure what your motivation is here.

Why feed the melts and trolls?

 

[Totti]

Newcastle at home. His right thigh was taped all the way up to the groin and he went off injured in the 88th minute

I'm guessing the thigh was taped up at a time after these photos were taken then?

 

[ShutUpPatrik]

I'm guessing the thigh was taped up at a time after these photos were taken then?

Or you could look up a replay and watch yourself

TOT-NEW 2nd half ENG.mkv.mp4 | openload

Skip to minute 86. Wanyama is sitting on the ground, clutching his thigh and removing enough kenisio tape to wrap up a small county.

 

[Totti]

Or you could look up a replay and watch yourself

TOT-NEW 2nd half ENG.mkv.mp4 | openload

Skip to minute 86. Wanyama is sitting on the ground, clutching his thigh and removing enough kenisio tape to wrap up a small county.

Cool. So that must have been put on after the photos were taken then.

Again, he's never once missed game for us due to a thigh injury, so I doubt that's a real problem. Just seems a bit like when Ibrahimovic wears the tape on his back or Dele Alli used to wear it all over his legs.

In fact, I'm not entirely sure I believe the whole "unfit" talk either.

Since the 26th December, we've played 27 games.

Wanyama has been in the squad for 25 of them.
Wanyama has started 11 of them.
Wanyama has come off the bench in 10 of them.

So out of the 27 games we have been involved in practically this whole year, there were 2 times he didn't make the squad (two FA Cup games) and only 2 times he didn't make it off the bench.

He must be fit. He's training near on every day. Pochettino prides himself on picking players who work hard in training. He's started near on half of our games since the turn of the year. He's just not been good enough.

 

[ShutUpPatrik]

Cool. So that must have been put on after the photos were taken then.

Again, he's never once missed game for us due to a thigh injury, so I doubt that's a real problem. Just seems a bit like when Ibrahimovic wears the tape on his back or Dele Alli used to wear it all over his legs.

In fact, I'm not entirely sure I believe the whole "unfit" talk either.

Since the 26th December, we've played 27 games.

Wanyama has been in the squad for 25 of them.
Wanyama has started 11 of them.
Wanyama has come off the bench in 10 of them.

So out of the 27 games we have been involved in practically this whole year, there were 2 times he didn't make the squad (two FA Cup games) and only 2 times he didn't make it off the bench.

He must be fit. He's training near on every day. Pochettino prides himself on picking players who work hard in training. He's started near on half of our games since the turn of the year. He's just not been good enough.

There's a difference between being un-fit and UN-FIT. Most pro athletes carry niggling injuries. Kane probably has ankle issues on the regular since he has injured the same ankle 3 times. Ibrahimovic wears the tape because of back issues that are never going to go away 100%. But you can still play at a top level with the right preparation and precautionary measures, which is what tape like that is for. You never wear stuff like that for treatment, you wear it as a precautionary measure.

Victor suffered a hamstring injury in the 14-15 season so it would not surprise me at all if he still has issues or nigglers from that from time to time. And all it would take is one bad landing for something like that to flair up