I agree - it probably does explain it? But if he was so unbelievably terrible, a par 5/10 as NIfel says above, why is he even at the club? Why is he playing PL football? Why do France ever let him near any squad? Why would we risk playing such an outrageously terrible player in first team games when we need to gather points, if we really was as bad as many make out. The answer is, he isn't that bad. I'm not saying that getting the odd call up for France or the odd PL game proves he's great. What I am saying is that if he was truly as bad as some would believe, he'd be playing in League 2. Or certainly, if he really was the cause of our bad performances, Poch would recall Onamah and slam Sissoko into the reserves. He's done it with another other players, e.g. Janssen, e.g. Stambouli, when the level is clearly too high for them.
I've always been more concerned with outsized criticism when others have been worse. The desire to jump on him at every given opportunity is just unsavory. In any match thread, one of our own players is treated as a joke. A minor mistake gets held up massively. Anything good is brushed over or laughed off. It happens consistently because we are in this realm of groupthink and this is now Sissoko's role, to take it.
I genuinely do not know why we even bought him. Given the hour, and our supposed interest in other targets, it really just looks like a panic buy to me.
I certainly think the player we got is not the player we thought we bought. It smacks of poor homework on our part. And, lets be honest, not every transfer we make is a gem *cough*stambouli/njie/fazio...*cough*
You keep talking about France, but I just dont really see the connection. While I respect Deschamps is a good coach, International football is sub standard, and Frances needs and wants are nothing like ours. Maybe he is ideal for what they need? Maybe perfect? I dont see how it discredits criticism of his use/performance for Spurs.
Lets be straight - "He is terrible" is obviously meant as "He is terrible
relative to the players around him". We all know if he came to the GG 5 a side game he would absolutely destroy us single handed. Ive seen tales of rather industrial defenders at this level playing with Plebs and looking like Ronaldinho. When we talk about players quality it is of course relative, and really shouldnt need spelling out every time.
Why is he still at the club? Honestly, I think, because we havent been able to offload him. We paid a lot of money, and Levy doesnt take a loss well, so he is probably quite difficult to move on. Particularly as he hasnt exactly shone in such a way other teams will covet him. The whole move has been a dud, and the club are as much to blame as the player. If not more, they should have known better.
He is, at best, utility for us. He isnt a performer, hes a "can do a job" (and
that he does rather inconsistently). As Ive said, were our other midfielders actually fit this season I honestly think Sissoko would have been seen maybe a handful of times. Thats not agenda and bias, thats just the reality as I see it. With Wanyama available every week, for what reason would Sissoko have been chosen ahead of him?
Why is he playing? (in place of academy players) Well, to his credit, he clearly is trying. He works really hard. I dont doubt he is doing his absolute best in training. I would imagine Poch sees him as a mature player, dedicated and experienced, and values that above the like of Onomah who has shown no ability to do it on the field for us. Sissoko will at least go out and play, and it seems try to follow instruction.
Where I dont agree with you is in your conclusion. Its not a group think, ganging up on him, making him a scape goat. Its frustration, being vented. He has NEVER been better than just average, and he has often been much poorer. His faults are consistently displayed. To see it again and again is just frustrating beyond belief.
While he is doing his best - I dont think anyone has questioned his effort etc - he simply isnt at the level of his peers. By a distance. And it shows. And my GHod is that annoying. Especially when you know how things could be with Wanyama (for example) in his stead.
And much of the criticism just isnt outsized. Repetitive? yes. Flamboyant? yes. Wrong? Actually no.
I dont think anyone desires to jump on him. They do because the same issues are there again and again.
And I think the like of yourself arent helping either. Take the match thread, Scara made a point of posting where he was doing something badly. Why? Because, before the game, someone was in there calling out "Poch picked him so what do you make of that?!" in a pre-emptive "I told you so". So Scara responded, illustrating his issues with Sissoko through the match. THEN he gets accused of running a campaign of outsized criticism...
Trying to convince me he isnt that bad by dismissing all the things he cant do as "you shoudnt expect that from him" just isnt really an argument. Especially when even our defenders our better equipped in most instances. That, IMO, is outsized defence of him.
If he had a great game in him then I would be frustrated at his inconsistency. As with the like of Alli this season. The reason they get slack is because in general they are more often good to great than poor, they do get criticised though. If Sissoko was in this mould he would get the same breaks. Instead he is poor to average every game. This is why the criticism doesnt compare, because the performances dont.
As Ive said, its tinternet 101, these things start to be informed by prejudice based on an assumed point of view, and before you know it youre arguing against what you think someone means without even reading the post.
Now I dont deny it sucks that Sissoko is taking so much flack. Its not good, and Im not really in favour of such negativity. The problem is, I also cant deny he really has been poor and is a problem in the side when he plays. Despite the good he can do, his net contribution is negative IMO.