I read an interview last week where he described our club as "they".....that said it all. In his head, he left some time ago and it has shown during this season.
A poster on this board kindly took time to tell me how ridiculous was my reference to the "Eriksen to Madrid" story and how it would never happen. Being a restrained gentleman, I let it go.... I think they'll want to use him in a deeper-lying Modric playmaker role, as he's approaching the end of his fantastic time there. I reckon we can get Bale on loan for peanuts, if we play it right. I'm not certain on Isco, especially if we land Lo Celso. I see us as a 4-3-3 next season and he's not quick or strong enough for me, although he's a fine footballer.
Cant say for the other big matches but of recent years him and alli are normally the two who have been tearing us apart in the league (when we lose)
As others have said. Both players are the last thing you'd want to face when we're on top and dominating proceedings. When we're not, neither player has shown much ability to drag us out of the rut and bleed a result out for us. That role is better played by the likes of Kane, Son, Rose and Winks. And this season in particular when we've struggled to dominate possession and dictate the tempo of games that deficiency has become more pronounced.
Like I've said...I appreciate the positive things he has done for us...but he's lost his fizz it seems. He's a senior player now...he isn't leading enough for my liking with or without the ball. He plays in a position that does require him to take crunch games by the scruff of the neck...he isn't doing it. We need a new driving force with alot more energy and drive or a massively rejuvenated and hungry Eriksen back(not happening)
Given the injuries we've had, the amount of games he plays every season and the general lack of creativity through the middle, I think he has had a fantastic season. It isn't his fault we've signed no-one in 2 windows and insist on retaining permanently crocked players. No, he isn't that blood n thunder player who can drag the team through a poor performance, nor will he ever be. That's more to do with his personality than his ability as a footballer. In the same way that Davies is really chilled but Rose is sometimes like a very angry bull in a very expensive china shop. The ideal scenario would be to add some quality in CM and keep Eriksen, but that doesn't seem to be an option right now. This is why Alli's inability to influence big games is by far the greater worry for me. He has that fire in his belly, that glint in his eyes. If Eriksen is more like Davies in temperament, Alli is far closer to Rose. Yet - unlike the FB who had a brilliant end to the season - none of that fire is being translated into performances.
Don't get me wrong, he can still be a fabulous player on his day, but there was more of a spark when he joined us. When we lose to you (i.e. everytime we meet you in a semi or a final ) you can almost guarantee he was anonymous. Alli will still be throwing himself around, trying his little flicks and nutmegs etc, but you'll often wonder if Eriksen even played. You are right, when we've been on top against you, then he can look superb.
Well something has to give...we are boring to watch and we keep on falling just short of a certain level. Alli has been very average too for the standards that we set a few seasons ago...it's not good enough. People need to start stepping up in a Spurs shirt...the gutsy that Eriksen lacks is exactly the gutsy we could have done with in the CL final because we were toothless.
In my opinion, if we try and actually replace Eriksen in this system we'll likely be worse off for it. I think we need a change of system because I don't think there's a better number ten out there who we can sign. And the talk of him not being a big game player simply isn't true, he's grabbed three assists in our FA Cup semi finals (2 vs Chelsea, 1 vs Utd), has goals against Madrid, Inter and Juventus in the CL along with assists in many others. He's our best big game player in the squad, it's just when he doesn't perform in one he gets murdered for it, whilst Son, Alli, Lucas and Kane get little to no criticism in comparison. If Lo Celso does sign I'd like to see him hopefully partnered with Ndombele and Sissoko in a midfield three, similar to how Barcelona/ Liverpool/ City/ Madrid set up, with Son and Lucas on the wings and Harry up top. Alli will then need to prove himself again and hopefully find his previous form to get back into the side, as an on form Alli alongside the potential ability of Lo Celso and Ndombele could be quite frightening with the likes of Sissoko, Winks and Dier providing the competition. Though with that system we'll also need Rose to make sure he can continue to perform at the level he has in recent months whilst a new flying RB will be needed to make it work.
A change of formation will probably be needed, like you say. As long as we don’t revert to a diamond midfield!! If it does become more of a 4-3-3 though, Alli is gonna have to buck his ideas up, otherwise he’s gonna find himself out of the side. Liverpool have got an amazing balance of players in their midfield and forward “3’s”, with a lot of pace in particular in that the forward group. I do wonder if Alli would be cut out for that formation, presuming he’s one of the forward 3. He’s been way too ponderous on the ball this season, and his decision making has been poor.
That's why I think if we do tinker with the formation he is the one who'll have to up his game to get into the three. He won't cut it on the wings as Son and Lucas are far better for that role. An on form Alli, at CM/ CAM is better than Sissoko despite the latter's great season but if we sign Lo Celso and Ndombele then Alli would be the one to immediately make way for me, then once he regains his form, comes in over Sissoko (or if one of the other two aren't performing as expected). An XI looking something like: Hugo RB, Sanchez, Jan, Rose Lo Celso, Sissoko/ Alli, Ndombele Lucas, Kane, Son Is very tasty.
Eriksen's agent confirms he wants to go... https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham/christian-eriksens-agent-responds-to-transfer-talk-after-tottenham-midfielder-says-he-wants-summer-a4160096.html
Eriksen leaves us when we are in CL football next year...he didn't refuse to play for the openning 3 games of the season because he was not sold to Chelsea,nor take part in a horrific end of season (contributing very little during that time) snd then throw another tantrum cos he "deserved CL football" cough Modric cough. Would prefer him to stay but would not view him in the same way I view Modric, Berbatov, Walker or Keane ... very good players but arseholes to us fans at the end. Would happily applaud him if he played us in the future.
I totally agree,I do think that he will a better player in Spain where he will get more time on the ball and as he gets older that will become more apparent. I am delighted to have seen his best years in a Spurs shirt and hope that a huge fee can be extracted to seal the deal, and then reinvested as others have suggested.
All the players you listed have their performances criticised by the fans. The difference for some of them is that they're not always personally blamed for a poor performance. Whilst Lucas drew attention with his early season form the expectation wasn't really there until the Ajax game and people started to see him as potentially more than a squad player, whereas Eriksen's an automatic pick along with the others you mention. With Son, he's been to 3 international tournaments and barely had a break. Kanea and Alli both went deep into the World Cup and have had injuries. Alli tends to be the most criticised of all you've mentioned, in my experience though. Eriksen definitely gets more stick than he's due lately though and I think that has to do with people getting the idea that he had one eye on a summer move. It's not particularly rational but that's football fans.
Yes it is exactly the same rationale that led certain posters to claim that they were happy Walker was leaving as, and I quote, "Trippier will be a better player anyway."
No he doesn't get stick because he's going, he gets stick because I don't think he's contributing like I think he should be for one of our main stars and I don't think he will. He might be great around a better quality of player...he doesn't have that with us so we need someone who will be better with us
Isn’t that more where the problem is though? For all the stick Eriksen has gotten this season, if he’d had a couple better players around him then that could’ve helped elevate us to the next level. As for who’s to blame for that is down to anyone’s guess, both Levy and Pochettino probably need to share that blame but ultimately, Eriksen isn’t/ wasn’t the problem, it’s some of the areas around him that are. So for me, the key isn’t in looking to try and improve on someone like Eriksen, it’s trying to improve on those who aren’t near Eriksen’s level. Hence why CM and RB is such a huge priority for me.
