Harry Winks

[Gutter Boy]

Are you still dreaming of a midfield combo of Winks and Onomah?
I know, like many you agree CM is an area we need to strengthen. How does that impact your hope for home grown players? You think Winks will continue to grow and hold down the position long-term?

I think Onomah is going to take longer to emerge because of the physicality needed for his role. He's still at the Pogba at United the first time stage

We definitely need to replace Dembele and Wanyama with someone hitting their prime now. But I'm not sure we need to replace them with two players. Winks, Dier, new + Sissioko, Onomah and Skipp looks pretty ok to me.

 

[Spur of the moment]

Couldn’t believe it last night when I was reading the OMT after the game and someone was slating him. I thought he played really well, glad I’m not the only one.

It was the match thread. Massive game, nerves jangling, every mistake magnified. Fans inevitably letting off steam.

But ... post match, surprise surprise, we cannot stop eulogising our performance.

What a difference a result makes!

 

[Raziel]

Couldn’t believe it last night when I was reading the OMT after the game and someone was slating him. I thought he played really well, glad I’m not the only one.

He had a good game with moments (both good and bad), considering the opposition it speaks well for him.

Poch made a mistake in having him and KWP as cover out of team moving forward and that resulted in goal (KWP's fault, but perhaps a more experienced player could have done more in Wink's position).

The problem with Winks is how good the other midfielders are, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Lamela. Winks still has to up his game considerably to own a place in this midfield other than when injuries provide opportunity.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

It was the match thread. Massive game, nerves jangling, every mistake magnified. Fans inevitably letting off steam.

But ... post match, surprise surprise, we cannot stop eulogising our performance.

What a difference a result makes!

It was about an hour after the game someone came on started slating him!

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I think Onomah is going to take longer to emerge because of the physicality needed for his role. He's still at the Pogba at United the first time stage

We definitely need to replace Dembele and Wanyama with someone hitting their prime now. But I'm not sure we need to replace them with two players. Winks, Dier, new + Sissioko, Onomah and Skipp looks pretty ok to me.

NDemvele please

 

[Baleforce]

NDemvele please

you are doing it on purpose now

 

[Bedfordspurs]

you are doing it on purpose now

Nah
I’m still tinkled

 

[Cochise]

I thought he was OK.

He made a couple of very easy to read passes that got intercepted in bad positions. Luckily on both occasions he got out and made a tackle to recover possession, so there was no damage done. However they were poor positions to be risking those passes and we could have been in the brick if he hadn't been quick to get out. He also avoided the cross field balls to Rose when Rose was in acres of space high up on the left. The midfield was crowded and once Eriksen was dropped back there those types of passes were taken on.

On the positive side though, he was our default DM tonight and did the job as if he had way more experience there. I'm curious to see how Poch rotates him around the midfield as he seems to be capable of doing a bit of everything right now.

 

[parklane1]

He looked nervous early part of the game but as it went on he grew into and looked at home against a top side. Starting to look like the player he was before his injury lay off.

 

[Moby]

I think Onomah is going to take longer to emerge because of the physicality needed for his role. He's still at the Pogba at United the first time stage

Some would argue he’s already at the ‘Pogba at United the second time’ stage

 

[Yiddo]

Arthur showed the level young Winks needs to be at.

 

[braineclipse]

Arthur showed the level young Winks needs to be at.

The player that Barca fans see a bit of Xavi and Iniesta in. The proposed heir to that Barca midfield legacy. Would be great if Winks was at that level, but that's a very high bar.

Thought Winksy did well against Barca, but he wasn't at his best. Misplaced some passes he usually gets right and seemed to get a bit less ambitious with his passing as a result. Having said that a big test passed and he remains at a level close to where he was before the injury problems. If he can step up from here or not becomes the question, I think he can.

 

[Finney Is Back]

I think Winks is potentially an excellent player but I thought he was a bit of a liability on Tuesday night. You cannot give the ball away so easily in those sorts of positions to a team like Barcelona. I think we were a little lucky that they had nothing other than pride riding on the game, I think some of his mistakes may have been punished had they had their big guns on the pitch.

 

[Yermiyahu]

I think that this opinion is going to be unpopular, but I have to say it . I just don't see anything more than a tidy player in Mr.Winks. Good enough for the squad to fill in the early rounds of a cup but really not up the the standard reauired to actually challenge for silverware. A likeable local lad who certainly wouldn't get in the squad at Chelsea , Emirates Marketing Project or the dippers. I have watched him closely over the past few games and the ball inevitably goes backwards or sideways when he is distributing it. He doesn't a whole lot wrong, but doesn't do a whole lot right as he recycles posession. If be genuinely interested in the opinions of others but I see him as very limited

 

[Pirate55]

I think that this opinion is going to be unpopular, but I have to say it . I just don't see anything more than a tidy player in Mr.Winks. Good enough for the squad to fill in the early rounds of a cup but really not up the the standard reauired to actually challenge for silverware. A likeable local lad who certainly wouldn't get in the squad at Chelsea , Emirates Marketing Project or the dippers. I have watched him closely over the past few games and the ball inevitably goes backwards or sideways when he is distributing it. He doesn't a whole lot wrong, but doesn't do a whole lot right as he recycles posession. If be genuinely interested in the opinions of others but I see him as very limited

I hear what you are saying but think it is still a little early to pass a complete judgement on him given his age and experience. Hopefully there is more to come from him.

 

[Yermiyahu]

I hear what you are saying but think it is still a little early to pass a complete judgement on him given his age and experience. Hopefully there is more to come from him.

I really hope so. Like everyone who pulls on the shirt I want him to succeed.

 

[DeanoAustin]

I think that this opinion is going to be unpopular, but I have to say it . I just don't see anything more than a tidy player in Mr.Winks. Good enough for the squad to fill in the early rounds of a cup but really not up the the standard reauired to actually challenge for silverware. A likeable local lad who certainly wouldn't get in the squad at Chelsea , Emirates Marketing Project or the dippers. I have watched him closely over the past few games and the ball inevitably goes backwards or sideways when he is distributing it. He doesn't a whole lot wrong, but doesn't do a whole lot right as he recycles posession. If be genuinely interested in the opinions of others but I see him as very limited

I think you’ve described Tom Carroll or Josh Onomah there. For me, Winks has more about him and does play positive passes and drives forward now and again. He does like a pirouette though. Puts Scott Parker to shame. Made me dizzy watching him against Wolves.

I do think he’s getting to the point where he needs to push on a bit though.

 

[elltrev]

I think that this opinion is going to be unpopular, but I have to say it . I just don't see anything more than a tidy player in Mr.Winks. Good enough for the squad to fill in the early rounds of a cup but really not up the the standard reauired to actually challenge for silverware. A likeable local lad who certainly wouldn't get in the squad at Chelsea , Emirates Marketing Project or the dippers. I have watched him closely over the past few games and the ball inevitably goes backwards or sideways when he is distributing it. He doesn't a whole lot wrong, but doesn't do a whole lot right as he recycles posession. If be genuinely interested in the opinions of others but I see him as very limited

I hear what you’re saying, but I think that’s partly because he’s currently having to be played as a holding midfielder - indeed as the only central midfielder full stop, alongside attacking midfielders and forwards. I think it’s not his natural role, and doesn’t allow him to play to his strengths and show his true potential, as he has to play more conservatively due to his defensive responsibility and deeper position on the pitch. I actually think his solid performances are a reflection of his maturity to be able to play that unnatural role at his age.

We’ll see once we have Dier back, and he can play his more natural role. Personally even now I see some of the things in him that make me think he can be a great CM - mostly his ability to make space for himself under pressure.

 

[Briddo1882]

I struggle with Winks. I love the fact that he has come up through the ranks and is a Tottenham lad and I really want him to do well, but I just don’t see it. Maybe this could be down to the fact that due to circumstances I have to watch the boys on TV rather than being at the game, but I do struggle to understand why everyone thinks he is great.

Having said that, Poch rates him - and that is what counts - Poch has probably forgotten more about football than I know!

 

[MKSpur]

I hear what you’re saying, but I think that’s partly because he’s currently having to be played as a holding midfielder - indeed as the only central midfielder full stop, alongside attacking midfielders and forwards. I think it’s not his natural role, and doesn’t allow him to play to his strengths and show his true potential, as he has to play more conservatively due to his defensive responsibility and deeper position on the pitch. I actually think his solid performances are a reflection of his maturity to be able to play that unnatural role at his age.

We’ll see once we have Dier back, and he can play his more natural role. Personally even now I see some of the things in him that make me think he can be a great CM - mostly his ability to make space for himself under pressure.

Good post. I did think that the lay-off seemed to have given him a yard of pace but he’s lost the ability to play his snappy forward passes which was the thing that lost excited me about him when we broke through as none of Dier Sissoko Wanyama or dembele really do this. His (relative) downturn in form could well be attributed to the fact he’s not got the security of the three injured cms who are very disciplined in their positioning. Whether he ever makes the next step or not I’d like to keep him as homegrown players are very useful a squad players reinforce the managers ethos and are always pushing the first team players whilst accepting of a squad role (another one from the Fergie playbook)