If Ole is our long term manager and he is persisting with this formation it is vital that we get more quality at number 10.
Tonight Lingard received the ball many times in areas where a better player could have made something happen and I’ve felt similar about Pereira most of the season.
I’d try Pogba in that role when he returns. It may not be his best position but he can roam back into midfield without having to worry as much about defensive responsibility. He’s not perfect but at least he has quality. He may well be off in the summer but we can at least try get something out of him while he is here.
Havertz and Maddison are name we’ve been linked with who play that role but who knows if either deal is possible.
Mata, Pereira and Lingard simply aren’t good enough and Angel Gomes must not be doing enough to get a look in either.
It’s an important position which we need quality in.
The number 10 role
posted on 5/12/19
comment by IAmMe (U18491)
posted 52 minutes ago
Mata has been consistently underused by the club - and ageing is nobody's friend, so it's too late now.
But pereira and lingard are ordinary and downright crap respectively.
With rashford being too obvious and easy to mark out of a game and martial being just above average the only players in front of the back four worthy of a start are Pogba, James and Fred.
Not good enough for any club to make a sustained league campaign.
Two proper centre forwards is the way forward. Plus a another winger to balance out James.
Lucky it was spurs at their weakest today. They have been one of the best, but unluckiest, clubs to visit over the decades, but nowhere near that today.
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You do talk absolute ballacks.
posted on 5/12/19
If the OP wants to talk about the Number Ten position then why the dismissal of Mata?
Quality player in a team/club that doesn't actually know what strengths we have to play to.
posted on 5/12/19
Mata when he first came may have suited the set up but he's older and slower now. If we could add Lingard speed and energy to his game, he'd be perfect. I agree with Tomatoes in that Pogba, while our best MF and most creative player we have isn't right in this system to play a ten. He's better in a free role off the left of a 3 man midfield rather than a the 10 in the hole.
posted on 5/12/19
We should put in a derisory bid for Eriksen in Jan just to test the waters...
posted on 5/12/19
I’d try Pogba in that role when he returns. It may not be his best position but he can roam back into midfield without having to worry as much about defensive responsibility.
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Rightly or wrongly, it is clearly a requirement from Ole that whoever plays in that 10 role presses intensely. It's why we see so much of Lingard and Periera there and so little of Mata - and it's also why Pogba wont be played there.
It's not going to be easy to find a number 10 who does that and has good enough quality on the ball. Maddison comes to mind but I think we missed our chance last summer.
posted on 5/12/19
Since 2012 when I was aware of lingard, I knew he was a limited attacker but his endeavour and movement gave me hope he might develop into the kind of player dele alli is.
I later start to think he is a poor man's dele alli
now I feel that is an insult to dele alli
posted on 5/12/19
btw I pray we do not play with a #10.
does not suit us or the epl.
too much pressure on one player
i think david silva is the only #10 that has had long term success in the epl in a long time. Most others get found out within 2 seasons
posted on 5/12/19
If Eriksen wants out of Tottenham we should go for him
posted on 5/12/19
comment by Wonder Man (U11164)
posted 3 hours, 18 minutes ago
If Eriksen wants out of Tottenham we should go for him
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I don't think so. We dropped our interest in the summer as Ole didn't think he would be joining with the right motivation and believed he wanted to go elsewhere (Spain).
posted on 5/12/19
comment by Beeb (U1841)
posted 17 hours, 17 minutes ago
If the OP wants to talk about the Number Ten position then why the dismissal of Mata?
Quality player in a team/club that doesn't actually know what strengths we have to play to.
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Mata has been poor for a while now. Doesn’t have the legs for PL football anymore.