The Eriksen Dilemma
The Eriksen Dilemma
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| Spurs in an impossibleposition with Eriks |
We have seen the good and bad of Christian Eriksen in two games.
In the first against a newly promoted side, he came on and changed the game. Then against a top side, he once again disappeared and lost the ball.
He disappeared against Liverpool in another recent big game. This is why top clubs don't want to pay too much for him, he lacks the mentality to be a very top player. He has all the skills to be, but mentally he isn't motivated enough to achieve it for some reason.
When we bought him we were the only club prepared to take a chance on him. The top clubs all looked at him, but there was always a nagging doubt and he got overlooked by them all.
When we bought him we were the only club prepared to take a chance on him. The top clubs all looked at him, but there was always a nagging doubt and he got overlooked by them all.
Will Giovani Lo Celso take over the creative role from Eriksen?
Certainly not yet, as Pochettino pointed out, our new signing is nowhere near match fit.
"Lo Celso is a situation that is not going to be easy. Was in extended holidays after the Copa America, he didn't have a proper pre-season and didn't train much. Then signed for us after a week without training.
"He's training well but is so far away from what we expect from him. We need to give him time and we won't expect too much from him."
Certainly not yet, as Pochettino pointed out, our new signing is nowhere near match fit.
"Lo Celso is a situation that is not going to be easy. Was in extended holidays after the Copa America, he didn't have a proper pre-season and didn't train much. Then signed for us after a week without training.
"He's training well but is so far away from what we expect from him. We need to give him time and we won't expect too much from him."
He pointed out at the pre-game press conference that the week prior to signing for us Real Betis hardly trained, their season starts later than ours. There is an international break coming up and Lo Celso has been selected for Argentina.
He won't start a game for us before then I wouldn't have thought and for the Newcastle game, Tanguy Ndombélé will be missing, having picked up a minor injury in training.
That leaves us with last season's midfield.
I think we, as fans, feel the same uncertainty as Pochettino. With a half-hearted Eriksen, how are Tottenham going to play? We left him out against Aston Villa and didn't look like scoring. On he comes and it's a different game.
One positive from the Man City game is that we found someone to take corners from the right, left-footed Erik Lamela. Eriksen, as we know, is statistically the worse corner taker in the Premier League, simply not beating the first man often enough.
When you add in his failure from free-kicks for three years, he should be taken off these duties as well. Simply getting the ball on target at a savable height isn't good enough.
Any player with the mentality to be the best would work on every aspect of his game so what practice has Eriksen been putting in on free kicks?
They are an important part of the game. You can't tell me he has the mentality to be a top player when he isn't prepared to do what it takes to achieve it. Why then, if he lacks something mentally, should a top team invest in him?
He has spells where he is great and spells where he isn't. Does this coincide with spells where he is really motivated and spells where he isn't?
If you are not 100% super focussed and motivated you can not give your ultimate best because your subconscious simply doesn't allow it.
If we need to play on the front foot to beat sides at home, then what he brings to the team seems to be needed and that, while the window is open, leaves uncertainty as to what we are going to get.
Surely he should be performing at the top of his game if he wants a move to Real Madrid, yet he isn't. He isn't doing anything that says come and buy me.
Compare him to Gareth Bale when he was at Spurs. He produced game after game, he stepped up and showed everyone he was a game-changer.
The two mentally are not in the same league. Bale has the mentality Eriksen lacks.
If you put Bale's mentality into Eriksen's head you would have one of the best players in the world, a player you would talk about in the same breath as Messi and Ronaldo, as the world did with Bale.
I hark back to a recurring point. This is where psychologists and sports psychologists come in. If one were working with him, as a compulsory part of our training he might unlock that mentality. It isn't being unlocked without it, is it?
If he were working with a psychologist, they could get across to him better the importance of consistently demonstrating through performances that he should be bought.
There seems to be a mentality not to get injured, to go through the motions until a move and to reduce my price so it is more affordable, people know what I can do so I don't need to do it.
That seems to be the message he is giving out, but that isn't the message of a winning mentality.
If he is still here after the window is shut, how committed will he be?
Will he sign a new contract if we put in a sensible release fee to guarantee a club can buy him without breaking the bank and we can have funds for a replacement?
Will he sign a new contract if we put in a sensible release fee to guarantee a club can buy him without breaking the bank and we can have funds for a replacement?
He could just leave for free so clearly, we would be amenable to including one, but at what level?
The rumours are that the level he is after is equivalent to having one year remaining on his contract, around £50 million (€54.64m - $61.39m) Spurs want £80 million (€87.39m - $98.23m).
Pochettino has all this going on and has to keep the group focussed on the job in hand. Every three points is an important three points, you can't drop your levels and look for excuses.
The situation is what it is and his job is to find a solution.
What will that solution be against Newcastle on Sunday?
Pochettino has all this going on and has to keep the group focussed on the job in hand. Every three points is an important three points, you can't drop your levels and look for excuses.
The situation is what it is and his job is to find a solution.
What will that solution be against Newcastle on Sunday?
THBN Spurs XI
Lloris (c)
Walker-Peters Alderweireld Sanchez Rose
Winks
Sissoko Eriksen
Lamela
Son Kane
Subs: Gazzaniga, Aurier, Vertonghen, Dier, Skipp, Lo Celso, Moura
6 comments
Prefer him to stay at spurs ! but its definitely a dodgy situation with his contract on one year.
Worrying times with this player as he does represent some money coming back after baldini,s massive squandering of the bale money.
Very few players do have that to be fair, but if he wants to play at the very top table then his lack will be exposed continually.
On the other hand it's certainly true to say that, with or without Eriksen on top form, we need other options. He's proven over and again we can't rely on him. As a club we need to ensure we have adequate cover for when he's not on form or not there. Relying on him too heavily is not a policy that is likely to lead to success.
COYS!!