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Mauricio Pochettino - Sacked

Armchair Expert said:
Not sure that a lot of 'big' clubs would suit Poch's way of working. I think plenty of chairmen would be interested in employing him, but you'd have to think he might be tempted to see it through; particularly with the new stadium on the horizon and the amount of work and effort he has invested into the squad. I understand that people will point to him jumping ship at Soton, but we are a far more competitive club than them with a load more potential.

There are surely only a handful of clubs that would raise his interest?
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I also think it's worth pointing out that at Southampton they got rid of Nicola Cortese before Poch left. Someone Poch reportedly had an excellent relationship to and who Pochettino said he would follow out of the club if he left.

Not quite worried at this point. A fair few managers to move around the top clubs before they get to Pochettino.
 
Very true on both counts, can only imagine how many assists Eriksen might've got with Bale + Kane to link up with these past couple of seasons... Hopefully Kane + Son + Lamela will get him off the mark this weekend...
 
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I judge players on where we finish as a team

As much as the NLD matters for one offs, if we finish top 4 of preferably above them I couldn't give a toss about those results
 
Bedfordspurs said:
He wasn't and played 90 minutes for their best side in modern history

He looks to me to be a player who is a fit as they come
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That's exactly my view. Comparing VdV with Eriksen is a little unfair. We had a VdV in his prime, and we're comparing him with an Eriksen who is still years off that. And besides, they are two very different players.
 
Gazzasrightboot said:
That's exactly my view. Comparing VdV with Eriksen is a little unfair. We had a VdV in his prime, and we're comparing him with an Eriksen who is still years off that. And besides, they are two very different players.
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The in his prime vs. still developing point is important. But the comparison is still worthwile I think. And I don't think they're all that different. Of the players we've had since VdV I think Eriksen is the closest in terms of style of play, strengths and weaknesses. Both get solid goal and assist numbers, both short-ish and not very quicky with great feet and a fantastic strike. Both a threat from range and free kicks, both have good set pieces. Both can drift in and out of games, but always capable of coming up with the decisive goal.

In terms of a direct comparison with tangible impact:

-VdV: 39 total goals and assists in the league, in 56 starts (and a handful of sub appearances) in the league. 0.7 direct goalscoring involvements per game.
-Eriksen: 32 total goals and assists in the league, in 67 starts (and a handful of sub appearances) in the league. 0.48 direct goalscoring involvements per game.

Of course that's Eriksen often playing in a wider role where VdV just about always played as a #10. And VdV coming in to a much better and more settled team with better players whereas Eriksen has seen 3 head coaches during his time here and huge changes in the players and system.

I definitely think Eriksen stands up to the comparison, unfair or not.
 
braineclipse said:
The in his prime vs. still developing point is important. But the comparison is still worthwile I think. And I don't think they're all that different. Of the players we've had since VdV I think Eriksen is the closest in terms of style of play, strengths and weaknesses. Both get solid goal and assist numbers, both short-ish and not very quicky with great feet and a fantastic strike. Both a threat from range and free kicks, both have good set pieces. Both can drift in and out of games, but always capable of coming up with the decisive goal.

In terms of a direct comparison with tangible impact:

-VdV: 39 total goals and assists in the league, in 56 starts (and a handful of sub appearances) in the league. 0.7 direct goalscoring involvements per game.
-Eriksen: 32 total goals and assists in the league, in 67 starts (and a handful of sub appearances) in the league. 0.48 direct goalscoring involvements per game.

Of course that's Eriksen often playing in a wider role where VdV just about always played as a #10. And VdV coming in to a much better and more settled team with better players whereas Eriksen has seen 3 head coaches during his time here and huge changes in the players and system.

I definitely think Eriksen stands up to the comparison, unfair or not.
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While Eriksen and VDV may have broadly similar assist/scoring records, my thoughts are that they are very different as players.

VDV played a lot further forward than Eriksen. For me VDV was the true number 10. He would link play but also get beyond the number 9 into goal scoring positions. He had very little defensive responsibility however. Sure he worked pretty hard, but he had to be accommodated in a free role. Eriksen plays deeper, I would say that he links play between our defence and our attack. Yes he joins in with the attack as well, but he also has defensive responsibilities that VDV never had (nor would be suited to). I would say that Eriksen is more like Modric in terms of his best position. Whereas VDV was more of a Sherringham (although clearly with nothing like the physical build).
 
Finney Is Back said:
While Eriksen and VDV may have broadly similar assist/scoring records, my thoughts are that they are very different as players.

VDV played a lot further forward than Eriksen. For me VDV was the true number 10. He would link play but also get beyond the number 9 into goal scoring positions. He had very little defensive responsibility however. Sure he worked pretty hard, but he had to be accommodated in a free role. Eriksen plays deeper, I would say that he links play between our defence and our attack. Yes he joins in with the attack as well, but he also has defensive responsibilities that VDV never had (nor would be suited to). I would say that Eriksen is more like Modric in terms of his best position. Whereas VDV was more of a Sherringham (although clearly with nothing like the physical build).
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Has Eriksen ever played as part of the deep two in a 4-2-3-1 or as the central two in a 4-4-2/4-4-1-1? I think perhaps Sherwood started him there once? That's the position Modric played in week in week out...

I agree that defensively Eriksen does more for us than VdV. But his position when we have the ball is very much aimed at getting the ball around the box, just like VdV.
 
I don't see the Modric comparison either tbh - though im sure he could play a deep playmaker role, in fact wasn't that where he mostly played for Ajax until his last season there? But he hasn't played that role for us, to my recollection and clearly operates in the attacking midfield position
 
He's a mix between Modric and VDV, doesn't retain the ball as well as Modric but is still silk on it, and doesnt quite have the mentality of VDV.

As has already been mentioned, as he matures he could end up being better than VDV
 
braineclipse said:
The in his prime vs. still developing point is important. But the comparison is still worthwile I think. And I don't think they're all that different. Of the players we've had since VdV I think Eriksen is the closest in terms of style of play, strengths and weaknesses. Both get solid goal and assist numbers, both short-ish and not very quicky with great feet and a fantastic strike. Both a threat from range and free kicks, both have good set pieces. Both can drift in and out of games, but always capable of coming up with the decisive goal.

In terms of a direct comparison with tangible impact:

-VdV: 39 total goals and assists in the league, in 56 starts (and a handful of sub appearances) in the league. 0.7 direct goalscoring involvements per game.
-Eriksen: 32 total goals and assists in the league, in 67 starts (and a handful of sub appearances) in the league. 0.48 direct goalscoring involvements per game.

Of course that's Eriksen often playing in a wider role where VdV just about always played as a #10. And VdV coming in to a much better and more settled team with better players whereas Eriksen has seen 3 head coaches during his time here and huge changes in the players and system.

I definitely think Eriksen stands up to the comparison, unfair or not.
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I don't think Eriksen is the closest in terms of style of play, strengths and weaknesses if I am honest. They are very different for the points the other guys have pointed out (VDV a true no 10) but also because VdV was a better dribbler, and, most crucially had much quicker players around him to pick a pass and join in with the attack. He also had a Modric behind him. Eriksen is also not really like Modric either, imho.

But if your point is that he stands up to VdV unfair or not as a means of saying that he is an important part of the team, then I agree with you whole-heartedly. For me he will be one of the stand out players this year and he will get better with time, and Son and N'Jie finding their feet (or his passes finding their feet!). He is deadly with his free-kicks and I do believe we will see him dominate in open play. That's the bit that is missing for me now compared to VdV.
 
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