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Harry Winks

So who is playing DM?
He is nearly always our deepest player and plays in exactly the same position a DM would
I disagree he is brick but your entitled to your opinion of course

Højbjerg is the closest thing we have to a DM, although he is flexible.

Winks is supposed to be a deep-lying playmaker, very different to a DM... But he's not even that, he's just useless, bobbing there like a buoy in the ocean.
 
Højbjerg is the closest thing we have to a DM, although he is flexible.

Winks is supposed to be a deep-lying playmaker, very different to a DM... But he's not even that, he's just useless, bobbing there like a buoy in the ocean.
I mean for the last two years when he has played there
 
No. Sissoko tried at times. But it was a big part of our problems, fairly widely known that PEH has finally allowed us to play with one.

I agree to extent, he is not a conventional defensive midfielder. He has been asked to play in that position when it does not suit him. Think he would make a good playmaker in a 3 man midfield.
 
Maybe some of you Winks haters need to re-evaluate why three different managers have continued to play him. They cannot all be idiots, least of all Jose.

Winks is about far more than merely passing sideways and backwards. For a start, he's always making himself available in the middle of the park to enable us to retain possession when under pressure. Nowadays the opposition press the player in possession more intensively than ever. This is where Winksy scores. It may not be glamorous, but it's needed.

Secondly. Winks passing accuracy is superior to most. Yes I can see that's partly because a lot of them are sideways and backwards but, and this is where I feel he is less appreciated, a much higher percentage of his passes are forward. And guess what, a decent percentage of those are also excellent probing balls.

Hence Jose continues to pick him whenever he feels he can do a useful job for us, which just so happens to be quite often.

Deal with it!

I agree, he is a player that all good sides need even when he is under valued by s ome fans. As you say if he was as bad as some make out the those three managers would not use him. He keeps the ball moving and usually players like that never really get the credit they deserve.
 
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He played as DM all last season and plays there when he starts this season
I agree he isn’t one but it’s odd that three managers play him there
When it was him and Sissoko I didnt think either could be classed as DM due to their lacking attributes, for me they were two box to box CMs hence the problems with the setup and gaping holes in midfield due to neither player being suited to the needs of the team.

I see being a DM as more than just being the deepest midfielder it's also about attributes and playstyle imo.
 
When it was him and Sissoko I didnt think either could be classed as DM due to their lacking attributes, for me they were two box to box CMs hence the problems with the setup and gaping holes in midfield due to neither player being suited to the needs of the team.

I see being a DM as more than just being the deepest midfielder it's also about attributes and playstyle imo.
Don’t disagree but as I say he has played there under Jose, Poch and Southgate
Maybe they see the deepest midfielder as the player that needs to keep the ball moving, keep it safe and keep his position with discipline so others can do their jobs
 
Dier is actually a good DM
I disagree here. Watching Hojbjerg cover space, opposition runs and passing lanes and make decisions on when to press and when to drop off compared to Dier is like watching PL football compared to non league football and that’s before you even consider quality on the ball. I am glad that Dier has converted to a CB as he isn’t anywhere near a top class midfield player but should have the attributes to be a good centre half.
 
I agree, he is a player that all good sides need even when he is under valued by s ome fans. As you say if he was as bad as some make out the those three managers would not use him. He keeps the ball moving and usually players like that never really get the credit they deserve.
Yet some of those who make this comment about Winks refuse to acknowledge the same comment about Sissoko.
 
Yet some of those who make this comment about Winks refuse to acknowledge the same comment about Sissoko.
That’s the issue
People can’t see players do a certain job in a certain role sometimes and that’s what they bring
You don’t play sissoko for his passing prowess for example, but you do play him to cover and to be busy and physical in midfield
I think some people want 3 PEHs which would be amazing but no team has that
City’s midfield tomorrow is rumoured to be Rodri, De Bruyne and Foden. So two very creative players and a guy who really isn’t very expansive or actually great defensively in Rodri. It may though be a great balance for them which I guess we will see
Most Spurs fans can’t wait to see PEH with Lo Celso and Ndombele but until we see that we can only guess how great that will be...
Sissoko right now is one I’d start in these games
 
Don’t disagree but as I say he has played there under Jose, Poch and Southgate
Maybe they see the deepest midfielder as the player that needs to keep the ball moving, keep it safe and keep his position with discipline so others can do their jobs

Think it's hard to read much in to our CM selections the past 2-3 years as options have been limited - Dier Dembele and Wanyama were all pretty much awol for varying reasons post WHL which meant we had to muddle through with what we had (Winks + Sissoko and asking Eriksen and Alli to play deeper to the detriment of their usual game)

Now we have improved depth in this area Winks is seemingly the first one to be replaced in the first XI
 
That’s the issue
People can’t see players do a certain job in a certain role sometimes and that’s what they bring
You don’t play sissoko for his passing prowess for example, but you do play him to cover and to be busy and physical in midfield
I think some people want 3 PEHs which would be amazing but no team has that
City’s midfield tomorrow is rumoured to be Rodri, De Bruyne and Foden. So two very creative players and a guy who really isn’t very expansive or actually great defensively in Rodri. It may though be a great balance for them which I guess we will see
Most Spurs fans can’t wait to see PEH with Lo Celso and Ndombele but until we see that we can only guess how great that will be...
Sissoko right now is one I’d start in these games
As I keep saying I do appreciate what both of these players do I just don't think they do it well. Moreso Sissoko, Winks I think can be passable in the current Sissoko role although he might be still too conservative.

The problem with Winks is that he isn't particularly good defensively, he's very easily bypassed by pace or trickery and isn't the best at anticipating attacking spaces or closing passing lanes. So while the positives of playing him as the deepest midfielder are a relative safety of possession he isn't actually particularly good at the defensive actions which are more important. Hence the opposition getting far too easily a game in midfield when he's played there. Sissoko is much the same. Sissoko seems ok now because we have PEH actually leading the defensive response, Sissoko is incapable of this. We discussed earlier or in an earlier thread PEH is very much covering for his weaknesses which in a system isn't the end of the world. I just see GLC as equally capable defensively and faaar better offensively which as the second of the two in a three is what you need.

PEH is surprisingly progressive with the ball but it's the defensive actions that are his best attributes in the spaces he is playing in, everything else is a bonus.
 
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