Christian Eriksen

[glasgowspur]

This.

The only player in the PL to cover more ground per game than Eriksen is Milner and he’s had 607 fewer minutes (across all competitions) on the pitch this season.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1094201217750917125

Well I would question the effectiveness of his running.
His form has been poor and you can run all you want but I've seen no evidence of it being of any use to us.
If its tiredness that is affecting his form and his running is not effective than I would suggest he runs less to help him get back to what he's best at.

 

[Raziel]

I think Alli has become a more important player for us than Eriksen.


That aside, I think if you really believe Eriksen needs Alli on the field to perform - you need to look at what that says about Eriksen. And IMO its not good.

Personally I think its obviously easier to look good with better players around you, but that misses the point.

Eriksen has the quality to impress no matter what. And impress himself on the game no matter what. And he isnt. Hasnt done for some time. And thats the real issue.

We have always accepted he will fade in and out of games, but its getting to the point where he needs to step on now and start owning his (and our) performances.

I dont fault him for effort in running the Kms etc, but Id be a liar if I said he was busting a nut to drive the team on through games.

Thats where he needs to be. Thats what his ability dictates. And if he isnt going to do that, honestly, other players will surpass him - and we might as well sell.

I fundamentally disagree, Eriksen's problem is his teammates aren't helping him. Your criticism would be the same as saying if no one provides Kane service, it's Kane's fault.

The 3 players in front of Eriksen need to makes runs, and make space for him to be at his best.

Add in Eriksen hasn't had a consistent DM model behind him, he also has to worry defensively.

Here's my flame statement, Eriksen is a WC player, could walk into any side and provide value .. Dele has the potential to be (not there fully yet)

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I fundamentally disagree, Eriksen's problem is his teammates aren't helping him. Your criticism would be the same as saying if no one provides Kane service, it's Kane's fault.

The 3 players in front of Eriksen need to makes runs, and make space for him to be at his best.

Add in Eriksen hasn't had a consistent DM model behind him, he also has to worry defensively.

Here's my flame statement, Eriksen is a WC player, could walk into any side and provide value .. Dele has the potential to be (not there fully yet)

My flame statement - THIS season, Alli is the better player, by a distance.

Eriksen is in midfield, and should be the heart beat of our team. If he has runs to pick out or not is beside the point, he should be involved and pushing things on. And he very simply isnt.

He is far to passive for most of the time, only coming to life in fits and starts.

As you say, his talent is undeniable - which raises the question of what we should expect from him.

And IMO "boo hoo he hasnt got runners" is just a wet excuse for a player of his ability.

Even in our most compromised of states we still have quality on the field, we still have territory and possession, and we still have the tools for someone like Eriksen to step in and make a real difference.

Instead for a fair chunk of every game I could easily forget he was on the field.

 

[harr1984]

My flame statement - THIS season, Alli is the better player, by a distance.

Eriksen is in midfield, and should be the heart beat of our team. If has runs to pick out or not is beside the point, he should be involved and pushing things on. And he very simply isnt.

He is far to passive for most of the time, only coming to life in fits and starts.

As you say, his talent is undeniable - which raises the question of what we should expect from him.

And IMO "boo hoo he hasnt got runners" is just a wet excuse for a player of his ability.

Even in our most compromised of states we still have quality on the field, we still have territory and possession, and we still have the tools for someone like Eriksen to step in and make a real difference.

Instead for a fair chunk of every game I could easily forget he was on the field.

I dont see Eriksen as a WC player - a world class midfielder should be constantly dominating games. Eriksen shows flashes of WC ability, then goes into hiding for large parts. Its often been said the difference between being a very good player and a true WC player is in your head, they have that edge - Dele definitely has far more potential to be in that category and thats based on his performaces to date alone, before we even consider Dele's age and his potential ceiling.....

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I dont see Eriksen as a WC player - a world class midfielder should be constantly dominating games. Eriksen shows flashes of WC ability, then goes into hiding for large parts. Its often been said the difference between being a very good player and a true WC player is in your head, they have that edge - Dele definitely has far more potential to be in that category and thats based on his performaces to date alone, before we even consider Dele's age and his potential ceiling.....

Id agree with that.

He has the talent, absolutely no doubt about it. At times he gets his tail up and you can really see what he has to offer (oooer!).

However, to live up to his potential - and be a real WC player - I believe he needs to step on and start performing at his best a lot more often.

He has the ability to completely boss a match, we need to see it.

 

[fernadez]

Like I said before, he reminds me of Ozil a lot. Not attitude wise, but his actually ability to step up and run a team. If we play well, he plays well, if we don't then he doesn't. I can't really think of a time where he's performance has dragged us through a game. I think he's footballing ability allows him to do it but he doesn't. That's not saying he doesn't work hard but he should (with his ability) be controlling games. He's just not that sort of player. Same way people were continually disappointed with Dembele (which I wasn't one of, on form he did control games) I get dissapointed in Eriksen.

 

[Raziel]

I dont see Eriksen as a WC player - a world class midfielder should be constantly dominating games. Eriksen shows flashes of WC ability, then goes into hiding for large parts. Its often been said the difference between being a very good player and a true WC player is in your head, they have that edge - Dele definitely has far more potential to be in that category and thats based on his performaces to date alone, before we even consider Dele's age and his potential ceiling.....

Simply don't agree, as with @nayimfromthehalfwayline I think you are looking for a different thing. We do dominate games (not recently, but large parts of most seasons, and who you think is the driver?)

Take Eriksen out of our team for 3 months and we won't be in top 4, take Dele out, we will manage … not discounting Dele, but people can do his role (in a different way), nobody in the side can replace Eriksen.

A CM that consistently runs the team tempo, is creative, has end product and can end most seasons close to double figures in both assists and goals .. there are very few players in the world that can do that ..

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

What exactly has Eriksen done for us the last 3 months?

Honestly Id have preferred Alli week to week than him in that time.

 

[glorygloryeze]

What exactly has Eriksen done for us the last 3 months?

Honestly Id have preferred Alli week to week than him in that time.

Not sure if you look back you'll really have that sentiment; Alli is indeed a miss, but Eriksen has been a part of whatever good play we've conjured up in that time. We just need to look back at how we've played when Eriksen has been missing but Alli available to see that we miss Eriksen overall more than we miss Alli (though we indeed do miss Alli, and BOTH are suffering from our issues in cm..)

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Alli has developed massively this season, so its not a like for like comparison.

He is fast becoming, IMO, the complete midfielder. On top of which he has the mentality to continuously improve and remain unphased by pressure.

Eriksen has spent many many games just passing neat and tidy without actually making things happen.

I stand by preferring Alli at this point.

The criticism of Eriksen is purely due to his ability - he isnt playing as well as he can.

 

[glasgowspur]

Simply don't agree, as with @nayimfromthehalfwayline I think you are looking for a different thing. We do dominate games (not recently, but large parts of most seasons, and who you think is the driver?)

Take Eriksen out of our team for 3 months and we won't be in top 4, take Dele out, we will manage … not discounting Dele, but people can do his role (in a different way), nobody in the side can replace Eriksen.

A CM that consistently runs the team tempo, is creative, has end product and can end most seasons close to double figures in both assists and goals .. there are very few players in the world that can do that ..

Take dele out and play different OK, take Eriksen out but play the same? I really don't understand why Eriksen is judged so differently from every else.
Son, Harry and dele all play for thier countries successfully in a different way than they do for us so they can do it, but everything we do has to be around Eriksen and what's best for him, and if it doesn't work its everybody else's fault!
Surely that means he's a very limited player.

 

[glorygloryeze]

I agree Alli is growing and developing massively. However, that is harsh on Eriksen. He goes through ups and downs and tbh the whole team is in a lull atm and Eriksen is missing Alli as much as anyone - i'm sure if Eriksen had Alli's runs he certainly wouldn't be simply passing neat and tidy. Eriksen even improved when Son came back imo

 

[harr1984]

Simply don't agree, as with @nayimfromthehalfwayline I think you are looking for a different thing. We do dominate games (not recently, but large parts of most seasons, and who you think is the driver?)

Take Eriksen out of our team for 3 months and we won't be in top 4, take Dele out, we will manage … not discounting Dele, but people can do his role (in a different way), nobody in the side can replace Eriksen.

A CM that consistently runs the team tempo, is creative, has end product and can end most seasons close to double figures in both assists and goals .. there are very few players in the world that can do that ..

Look, Im not basing what I think on the last three months when he's blatantly been out of form, that wouldnt be fair. He seldom takes games by the scruff of the neck and dominates as a World Class midfielder does consistently, and not just when he fancies. He shows it in fits and starts, im not complaining - if he was truly at WC level I think he would have been snuffed out by a Real/Barca a while ago.

I certainly dont buy 'take Eriksen out of our team we wont be top 4'. Poch has a way of getting the best out of the players at his disposal, it might not be pretty but when all is said and done we get results. We've done it with Kane at least twice, where our record ended up being better with him out of the team rather than playing. Eriksen is very good, and now and again will put in a WC performance. That doesnt make him WC.....

 

[harr1984]

Alli has developed massively this season, so its not a like for like comparison.

He is fast becoming, IMO, the complete midfielder. On top of which he has the meteorology to continuously improve and remain unphased by pressure.

Eriksen has spent many many games just passing neat and tidy without actually making things happen.

I stand by preferring Alli at this point.

The criticism of Eriksen is purely due to his ability - he isnt playing as well as he can.

Agree, whilst I always liked Dele I didnt realise until this season just how good he was. Up until then I just saw him as a 'runner' who would get in behind defences and pop up with goals - which is great, a different type of midfielder to our other AMs. But in fact, he is much more the complete midfielder than I previously anticipated.....

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I agree Alli is growing and developing massively. However, that is harsh on Eriksen. He goes through ups and downs and tbh the whole team is in a lull atm and Eriksen is missing Alli as much as anyone - i'm sure if Eriksen had Alli's runs he certainly wouldn't be simply passing neat and tidy. Eriksen even improved when Son came back imo

You see thats the point - you make allowances for him because he needs certain criteria to be able to perform.

Have a think about what that actually says about him.

My view? He has enough quality that who he plays with can be basically irrelevant, he is good enough to perform regardless. But right now he doesnt.

As noted above, he works wonders for Denmark and Im not sure there is anyone in that team that would make ours...

 

[Legohamster]

You see thats the point - you make allowances for him because he needs certain criteria to be able to perform.

Have a think about what that actually says about him.

My view? He has enough quality that who he plays with can be basically irrelevant, he is good enough to perform regardless. But right now he doesnt.

As noted above, he works wonders for Denmark and Im not sure there is anyone in that team that would make ours...

International football is a shambles to be fair..... its Championship level at best - except for a few teams

I wouldnt look to much at his for for Denmark.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

International football is a shambles to be fair..... its Championship level at best - except for a few teams

Ive had extensive arguments on here to that very effect - I really dont rate intl football particularly myself.

Even so, at that level, Denmark are decidedly weaker than Spurs are domestically, and he is surrounded by inferior players - and yet he takes the responsibility and drives that team on.

 

[Legohamster]

Ive had extensive arguments on here to that very effect - I really dont rate intl football particularly myself.

Even so, at that level, Denmark are decidedly weaker than Spurs are domestically, and he is surrounded by inferior players - and yet he takes the responsibility and drives that team on.

He does, but the standard of teams he plays against are garbage 75% of the time so it is a lot easier.

I think we will really only see what he brings when he actually leaves,

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

He does, but the standard of teams he plays against are garbage 75% of the time so it is a lot easier.

I think we will really only see what he brings when he actually leaves,

Ive been a long time defender of his, and am well aware of what he offers.

I think this season he has been sub-par far more than years passed, and its showing.

I also think he is at a stage where he really needs to start to realise his full potential, because we all know its in there untapped.

Through the course of this season I have come to consider him more expendable than I ever have before, I think we can manage without him now - I didnt last year - but none of that is to say I want him to go or anything like it.

 

[Legohamster]

Ive been a long time defender of his, and am well aware of what he offers.

I think this season he has been sub-par far more than years passed, and its showing.

I also think he is at a stage where he really needs to start to realise his full potential, because we all know its in there untapped.

Through the course of this season I have come to consider him more expendable than I ever have before, I think we can manage without him now - I didnt last year - but none of that is to say I want him to go or anything like it.

His stats are still on par for most season with games left - 5 goals and 9 assists - he did 10 and 10 last season - 8 and 15 the season before and given our poor finishing in games/World cup affect they could be higher.

Even if his stats are down this season it may just be a blip.

Ive seen us be linked to a swap with Bale, which would be madness in my mind.