Harry Winks

[greatwhitenorf]

I confess to thinking the Nations League matches were a waste of time and that our players would be better off being rested for league matches.

But after beating Spain like this, every single player on the pitch just made an important step forward. And four of them were Spurs.

Kane was magnificent, Trippier his usual busy and bright self, Dier made a statement with THAT tackle on Ramos and generally solid play on the night. But Winks has quietly announced himself with a solid, steady performance in the engine room of a team sent into a Spanish cauldron that came out victorious. That display shows what potential he has and Spurs cannot ignore this.

 

[harr1984]

Winks was ok, but lets be honest if he wasnt a Spurs player he wouldnt of been spoken about for his performance last night. In the Spanish press Kane, Sterling, Rashford, Barkley were all spoken about.

Do find it funny on here how all the England games have apparently been meaningless with average performances, now they actually play well for once and we've taken 'an important step forward'....

 

[StephenH]

Winks was outstanding for a youngster in his 2nd senior international against a very decent team.

 

[harr1984]

Winks was outstanding for a youngster in his 2nd senior international against a very decent team.

He was decent, nothing more - he tried quite a few things that didn't come off (nothing wrong in that) but was nowhere near outstanding regardless of age/experience. I like him and hoping that he stays injury free as he will be an England regular no problem...

 

[greatwhitenorf]

I haven't got time to browse every newspaper site for all the details. What I saw was genuinely encouraging, seeing Winks do so well in a huge game after being out most of last season injured. In a very young squad with players he has had little time to become familiar with and playing away against an experienced and talented Spanish squad.

People paid to watch the games gave Winks high marks for his play.

Daily Mail:

Harry Winks - 8. Oozed confidence in possession and showed discipline. Plays football the way it should be played. Booked.

The Guardian:

Harry Winks - A fine performance in only his second international. Strikingly comfortable on the ball, especially in tight spaces. 7

The Tele(Gooner)graph:

Harry Winks proves he has exactly the kind of quality this England side needs - sharp, self-assured and aggressive
Jason Burt Chief Football Correspondent, Benito Villamarin Stadium

 

[billyiddo]

Remember not to give Spurs players any bias when you talk about them on this Spurs forum guys

 

[r-u-s-x]

I haven't got time to browse every newspaper site for all the details. What I saw was genuinely encouraging, seeing Winks do so well in a huge game after being out most of last season injured. In a very young squad with players he has had little time to become familiar with and playing away against an experienced and talented Spanish squad.

People paid to watch the games gave Winks high marks for his play.

Daily Mail:

Harry Winks - 8. Oozed confidence in possession and showed discipline. Plays football the way it should be played. Booked.

The Guardian:

Harry Winks - A fine performance in only his second international. Strikingly comfortable on the ball, especially in tight spaces. 7

The Tele(Gooner)graph:

Harry Winks proves he has exactly the kind of quality this England side needs - sharp, self-assured and aggressive
Jason Burt Chief Football Correspondent, Benito Villamarin Stadium

you got to build him up before you knock him down, its the England way.

 

[Baleforce]

you got to build him up before you knock him down, its the England way.

... we're singing for England

en

ger

land

 

[parklane1]

Thought he played very well, the partnership with Dier worked and lets hope its a sign of things to come for us.

 

[90291Spur]

Thought he played very well, the partnership with Dier worked and lets hope its a sign of things to come for us.

Coaches talk about players being brave and against Spain Winks was just that. Many times he took the ball facing his own goal and (mostly) managed to find a way to move the ball forwards under a lot of pressure.

 

[parklane1]

Coaches talk about players being brave and against Spain Winks was just that. Many times he took the ball facing his own goal and (mostly) managed to find a way to move the ball forwards under a lot of pressure.

Agree, lets hope he is over his injurys now and can push on. First time i saw him play for us he looked a natural for me and i can see him becoming a very good player.

 

[greatwhitenorf]

And that, oh wise one, is where the rubber meets the road for me. How can Winks take this valuable piece of experience and carry it forward for Spurs?

For starters, he will come home with team mates who have done well in their international duties and that should set off a bit of a buzz at Spurs training in the days ahead. But Winks must now feel very confident about where his game has progressed to in the brief amount of time he's had to play since recovering from his lengthy injury absence.

The trickle down effect of Winks becoming a broader part of the team's midfield composition is that it will take stress off Wanyama and Dembele - and maybe even Eriksen to some extent - leaving them more time to continue to recover from when they do play and not feeling they absolutely have to get back on the pitch after a game. If and when they do get to start, again, there is the benefit of relieving Winks of the stress of overdoing it as he, too, makes his way forward from his injury.

Little by little, Spurs are beginning to get their squad back into good form and we should be excited by that if it brings forth the overall balance that Pochettino was seeking when this group was put together. When that happens, this is a dangerous team.

 

[Mosquito_Coasting]

Thought the midfield functioned very well. Barkley was a part of that too, him and Winks being comfortable on the ball and moving it forwards quickly was great to watch.

 

[Mosquito_Coasting]

Shame we didn't get Barkley, think Poch could have turned him into a good Dembele type midfielder.

 

[awesome dawson]

Shame we didn't get Barkley, think Poch could have turned him into a good Dembele type midfielder.

What, slow and injured? Just kidding, I thought Barkley would have made a great replacement for Moose but the money talked I guess.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

What, slow and injured? Just kidding, I thought Barkley would have made a great replacement for Moose but the money talked I guess.

Been really impressed with him this season

Put him in a passing side and he looks a very decent player

 

[Gutter Boy]

Shame we didn't get Barkley, think Poch could have turned him into a good Dembele type midfielder.

I still don't think he's got the brain. The passes are in there, but the decision making is all over the place.

 

[scaramanga]

I still don't think he's got the brain. The passes are in there, but the decision making is all over the place.

That was how he looked to me for England. Constantly chasing shadows in defence, not recognising when he needed to cover his teammates, charging forward with the ball when width was needed, rarely finding any space between the lines.

I'll put him making all the wrong runs and getting in the way down to a lack of experience with the team.

 

[StephenH]

Shame we didn't get Barkley, think Poch could have turned him into a good Dembele type midfielder.

I agree and it looks like this "Dembele replacement" is going to set us back some very serious numbers.
Not sure we won't end up having to look at bringing another youngster in from ours or someone's academy.
There are some excellent U21's out there.

 

[Gutter Boy]

I agree and it looks like this "Dembele replacement" is going to set us back some very serious numbers.
Not sure we won't end up having to look at bringing another youngster in from ours or someone's academy.
There are some excellent U21's out there.

If we're not going to drop £70m on Ndombele, then Onomah, Skipp and Oakley-Booth is a pretty rich seam to mine from