I've seen this clip doing the rounds and while I'm certainly not suggesting Sissoko is good enough for this club, iirc the sequence shown was immediately after a lung-busting run of around 70 yards on one of our rare attacks. He looks exhausted more than anything else. Seen in this context, this clip isn't quite as damning as everyone makes out.
Lucas' main accomplishment was jumping for the same ball as Vinicius and putting the striker off his header.
Beats his other accomplishment, namely dining out on a hat trick he scored two years ago Who does he think he is? Theo Walcott?
I still think all he needs to do is a few steps up or down, right or left and he becomes useful. I like Sissoko the man...the footballer isn’t good enough to be in an XI if you want the big ones...maybe a squad player because he will bust a lung and if he can do that with 20 to go to see a game out, that kind of scenario then I think he is useful but he can’t be in a team that needs inspiring on the pitch...he won’t raise the bar for the rest.
I agree with this assessment. His effort is always 100% and players like Eriksen could learn from him but he is really not a top 4 player is he. The fact that he always makes a difference in the Spurs team tells you more about the Spurs team than it does about Sissoko. Lucas is similar in a completely opposite way in fact Lucas is Sissoko without the muscle. They would both fit into the Palace side much better than they do ours.
I forget sometimes that this is the same Sissoko who played for Newcastle and plays for France. He doesn't seem to play the same position or role - and therefore seems to be a totally different player.
He was a disaster when he first played for Spurs as he did for Newcastle, then Poch transformed him into an essential part of the squad.
It is quite incredible Sissoko's had the career he's had when you consider just how poor his technical ability is. Phenomenal athlete but it's mad just how bad he is at controlling or playing a simple pass, let alone trying a cross field ball/ cross and don't even get me started on his shooting. Yet despite that he's a still a player you'd quite like in your squad as he can come in very handy, it's weird in that he's great for big games where you'll be under the cosh or expecting a 90 minute end-to-end battle but if you're looking to be the dominant and controlling team you wouldn't even want (or need) him in the 18 man squad.
It's why football is such an amazing sport. It accommodates the big the small the skillful and the strong and they all blend together in a way that is quite unlike any other sport. Carlton Palmer played for England FFS, Malcolm MacDonald was a top striker, A short almost fat guy called Maradona became one of the worlds greatest footballers. Norman Hunter and Cruyff played the same sport. Pullis & Pochettino are both football managers in the same game. Alladyce meets Guardiola.
Correct, those were 3 of the 10 he managed in the 2018-19 season. I was counting the past 2 seasons. 15 goals in 89 apps in total for us in the PL.
Kane’s with the team. Odds on him starting, everyone realising he’s not completely injury free and then picks up a 2-3 monther?
Wow, didn’t expect Kane to be back so soon. Just hope he’s 100% and not rushed back out of desperation
Picking Kane smacks of desperation, I am not sure that there is a worse game to bring a player with fragile ankles into. West Brom will kick and foul from the first whistle and of course they will target Harry, we all have a pretty good idea how this will end, surely protecting him for the 'bigger' matches ahead would have made more sense. We are in no sort of form and this could be a decent game for us - equally they will be hard to beat and we don't like teams that sit deep, I fear an early goal and and much huffing and puffing with no end product. Gonna be a long couple of hours C O Y S