Player Watch: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

[Shadydan]

Was excellent yesterday. Dictated the game well, passed quickly, looked & passed forward and into space (& and lovely ball to Kane), some good diagonal balls and regained possesion well.

You can see he's much more of a presence and leader than Winks. Always showed for the ball.

Winks just stood and watched the game gone by. All about the 5 yards passes to the side and backwards and keep the ball rolling - PEH did more than him offensively and he isn't supposed to. We could really do with a more creative player in his place like GLC or Ndombele..

Watch the match again.

 

[Dzejkob]

Was excellent yesterday. Dictated the game well, passed quickly, looked & passed forward and into space (& and lovely ball to Kane), some good diagonal balls and regained possesion well.

You can see he's much more of a presence and leader than Winks. Always showed for the ball.

Winks just stood and watched the game gone by. All about the 5 yards passes to the side and backwards and keep the ball rolling - PEH did more than him offensively and he isn't supposed to. We could really do with a more creative player in his place like GLC or Ndombele..

I think yesterday both Winks and Hojbjerg were very active in possession. The tried to be always available for a pass. The problem with them is their range of passing. Hojbjerg was better yesterday than Winks in that, had some nice forward passes between the lines. He was also more aggressive in defense. He made a tactical foul which I haven't seen in our team in last 2 years. Generally I think Hojbjerg and Winks have similar style of play.

 

[cuppa tea]

I was impressed with Hojbjerg yesterday. Had a lot more energy about him, always showed for the ball and kept the ball moving nicely. I also enjoyed at times he was moving other players into position and telling them where they should be.

He linked up well with Winks in this game but I can't help but feel he needs someone a lot better in the middle with him.

 

[Deleted member 29446]

Watch the match again.

I actually watched the match with main focus on our midfield - PEH, Winks, GLC.

Good stats that, just shows stats doesn't show the full picture.
These kind of stats are frankly pointless.
If he completed all but 4 passes he isn't doing enough as an #8 for me - not enough to justify a place in the starting 11 when he already have Højbjerg besides him. Just proves my point really.

 

[Yid121]

I was impressed with Hojbjerg yesterday. Had a lot more energy about him, always showed for the ball and kept the ball moving nicely. I also enjoyed at times he was moving other players into position and telling them where they should be.

He linked up well with Winks in this game but I can't help but feel he needs someone a lot better in the middle with him.

I think you missed out the best bit of his play, breaking up their play. Whenever we won the ball, it was Hojbjerg.

If we had the stats of recoveries tackles etc, Hojbjerg far outperformed Winks. Yes Winks can make simple passes and looks better on the eye but Hojbjerg is definitely an upgrade to replace Winks as the defensive/holding midfielder. (it was Hojbjerg's pass from midfield that led to our goal though)

Unfortunately him and Winks as a 2 in CM are nowhere near creative enough to get us top 4. Hojbjerg is limited going forward but at least he can break up okay effectively unlike Winks. Never faulting Winks for effort though

 

[Yid121]

Watch the match again.

Where were these passes? Sideways and backwards? Can remember less than a handful of Crossfield passes and it was Hojbjerg's ball through the Newcastle midfield that led to our goal.

I really struggle to remember Winks playing any through ball of note that created a goalscoring chance

 

[hughy]

You can see he's much more of a presence and leader than Winks. Always showed for the ball.

Winks just stood and watched the game gone by. All about the 5 yards passes to the side and backwards and keep the ball rolling -

In any other game over the last 3 months I'd agree, but yesterday Winks was much, much better.

Not sure which game you watched.

 

[hughy]

Where were these passes? Sideways and backwards? Can remember less than a handful of Crossfield passes and it was Hojbjerg's ball through the Newcastle midfield that led to our goal.

I really struggle to remember Winks playing any through ball of note that created a goalscoring chance

It literally fucking says in the tweet.

 

[Shadydan]

I actually watched the match with main focus on our midfield - PEH, Winks, GLC.

Good stats that, just shows stats doesn't show the full picture.
These kind of stats are frankly pointless.
If he completed all but 4 passes he isn't doing enough as an #8 for me - not enough to justify a place in the starting 11 when he already have Højbjerg besides him. Just proves my point really.

What would constitute 'doing enough' in your case then?

I always find it funny how Poch and Jose constantly pick Winks yet SC's finest seem to think that they know better.

 

[Yid121]

It literally fucking says in the tweet.

Haha. Jesus. Need my morning coffee.

I was more coming from, compare his forward passes to Ndombele's for example. Winks' are all to the first available man Infront of the defence or midfield. Never break through lines to players in space.

If he was foreign or a new signing he'd be labelled as bang average. Good enough for the squad but limits us when he plays

 

[chrissivad]

Haha. Jesus. Need my morning coffee.

I was more coming from, compare his forward passes to Ndombele's for example. Winks' are all to the first available man Infront of the defence or midfield. Never break through lines to players in space.

If he was foreign or a new signing he'd be labelled as bang average. Good enough for the squad but limits us when he plays

Winks (38) had more passes to the front players than Hojbjerg (33), and Hojbjerg (44) had more passes to the back than winks (33)

To Ndombele it's down as 1 pass from Hojbjerg and 6 from winks.

 

[SlotBadger]

Jermaine Jenas referred to him as Pierre-Emerick on MOTD2 last night.

 

[SlotBadger]

And this **** is clearly off his meds:

 

[razzmaster]

Haha. Jesus. Need my morning coffee.

I was more coming from, compare his forward passes to Ndombele's for example. Winks' are all to the first available man Infront of the defence or midfield. Never break through lines to players in space.

If he was foreign or a new signing he'd be labelled as bang average. Good enough for the squad but limits us when he plays

His primary job in the team is to keep possession and keep the ball moving. Hojbjerg is there to press and drive the team forward and GLC is the link between midfield and attack.

Based on yesterday it was GLC who was a bit below his usual standard but Ndombele came on and did better.

Mourinho will be very clear how he wants his players to play so it is a bit like criticising Davies for being more defensive than Doherty or Son for not tracking back as much as Moura.

Winks and Hojbjerg were very good yesterday in their particular roles.

In previous games Winks and Hojbjerg have had off days but not yesterday.

If Winks was playing in the Hojbjerg role I would expect him to be more aggressive and progressive but yesterday he completed 95% of his passes and contributed to zero chances conceded from open play.

 

[tiger666]

Haha. Jesus. Need my morning coffee.

I was more coming from, compare his forward passes to Ndombele's for example. Winks' are all to the first available man Infront of the defence or midfield. Never break through lines to players in space.

If he was foreign or a new signing he'd be labelled as bang average. Good enough for the squad but limits us when he plays

Not sure it's fair to slate Winks because he can't pass through banks of players like Ndombele, not many players can.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Impressed so far, tenacious and does the dirty work simailr to Allan at Everton, these players are very important and underrated in what they provide the team.

 

[cuppa tea]

I think you missed out the best bit of his play, breaking up their play. Whenever we won the ball, it was Hojbjerg.

If we had the stats of recoveries tackles etc, Hojbjerg far outperformed Winks. Yes Winks can make simple passes and looks better on the eye but Hojbjerg is definitely an upgrade to replace Winks as the defensive/holding midfielder. (it was Hojbjerg's pass from midfield that led to our goal though)

Unfortunately him and Winks as a 2 in CM are nowhere near creative enough to get us top 4. Hojbjerg is limited going forward but at least he can break up okay effectively unlike Winks. Never faulting Winks for effort though

My post was saying that PEH needs someone better than Winks in the middle with him. And yes PEH broke up play very well yesterday also.

 

[spursfan77]

Only saw the last 20 minutes tonight but I liked the look of him tonight. Had a good impact on the match.

 

[Danny1]

Very impressed with him so far. Always there to make a vital challenge, or stop and attack and vitally is always there to receive the ball from players.

 

[cirilus]

Will allow the midfield to play forward because he is great at reading transitions.

Also will allow the play to be mixed. Likes to put in Gio and Ndombele, and places it far wide for FB's.

Very valuable player for the future.