Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
Perhaps under a different manager, in a different system, playing with better players, he (Hojbjerg) will improve?
Jose is an ex-Spurs manager!
- Thread starter Welshtel
- Start date
Matic
Alert Team
Of course every manager has their own blueprint but to go from a high-line, pressing style to a deep-lying, counter-attacking style is turning everything on its head.
Im not saying either styles are right/wrong. If it was my choice I would have found a manager who shared a very similar approach to Poch but would add new ideas to improve upon it. There are managers out there suited to that task.
What Levy has done is very similar to the Redknapp/AVB managerial shift. When we went from a forward thinking, wing-playing style based on explosive pace under Harry to an incredibly cautious, ponderous and patient approach under AVB it didnt work out that well. When we sold Bale is became clear how much he had carried the team for AVB.
Like I say though, the damage is done.
My prediction is this...
Mourinho will get a few players in and work on changing us into a more defensive side but it will be a very slow process as the club won't financially support him as much as he wants/needs. Jose will get frustrated and the media will start targeting that. Kane will force a move at the end of next season and the club will fail to fill the void. Jose will leave during the 2021/22 season.
At the moment we are not that much better.I would not class some of our cm better.I just cannot get excited by a player I have watch loads and has never stood out.He is outshone by James ward prowse.Hojberjg was the sort of player we brought years ago.Nowcwe should be buying Savic or potential like Tonali or Boubacar Kamara.
Harry-Kari
Vital 1st Team Regular
Pep admitted in an interview at the start of the year that his success was in large part due to the high calibre of players he has had to work with and that with lesser players he doubts he would have been as successful.
As for signing average players, with the financial hole we are in that us likely to continue just as it has over the past many many years due to financial stinginess and bad, bad recruiting staff.
Brian Clough was a similar type of manager in public and he was successful, but of course that was when men played football rather than the current precious breed.
Well, when Klopp took over with a worse Liverpool squad they struggled immensely. Now look where they are following huge investments especially at the back.
Pep in his first season at City were lucky to make the top 4. Bring in new full-backs and a world class keeper and look where they ended up.
At the end of the day if you don't have the tools to do a job, you're always going to struggle. Hence Pep made those comments about being fortunate to have top quality players at his disposal.
And so Pep imo is over-rated. He's been at clubs that have had far superior players in each league he has won. He's failed to win the ECL at Bayern, and he's yet to win it at City. And now Pool have players on par and already won the ECL before Pep at City - they've also been slaughtered in the league this year, and never replaced their VVD in Kompany.
Whereas Jose has won the Euro and ECL with Porto, and the ECL with Inter - both underdog teams not expected to win the competition. So he has proven that he can win with less capable squads in comparison.
I too like Jose am a firm believer the team is more important than any individual and they need to put the hard yards in for the team just like everybody else does.
Ronaldo Hazard and Pogba are all players that think they are better than their colleagues and expected to be treated as such = and so yes, that is why his relationship with those players turned sour. It still makes me laugh how Ronaldo still demands free kicks when he barely ever scores from them =)
Jose already said this very early and clearly in his press conferences here too, and if they don't have an attitude to play for the team, then he will have problems with them.
But I do agree Jose does struggle to handle a poor run - he's not used to it. That's just his winning mentality coming to the fore, and is an area he does need to improve upon whilst not losing that winners mentality - which ultimately is what our players need to have instilled into them, if possible....and this attitude for me, is better than not complaining nor having a non-winners mentality.
Sometimes some players just need to hear it plain out, and in public too if they haven't responded to any private talks held. We don't know what goes on behind the scenes....
Makes it real crazy how hard they've both been trying to get him in as part of their squads tho huh?!?! Totally nutz.
.
10Hoddle
Vital 1st Team Regular
Totally agree, however i think Levy will be around a tad longer than a season or two. He'll be given a chance to show the fruits of his investments once we return to full capacity stadium and the plans for US football.
Covid is probably a blessing in disguise for Levy. Whatever fans he could've coaxed into our new stadium would be calling for his head. And the others calling for Jose' head.
muttley
Alert Team
I hope Levy responds maturely when the inevitable pressure builds on him. Any more condescending or patronising stuff from him and it will turn ugly.
Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
In this particular position we need a player who can make an impact now. We don't know how players from abroad will make the transition.
Kamara is primarily a CB and by all accounts he is being heavily tracked by Chelsea and Man City, so we have no chance of landing him. It's futile throwing unrealistic names out there.
Tonali has barely played a full season in Serie A. Do you know whether he would even consider leaving Italy at the age of 20?
Which Savic are you referring to? Sergej who has a market value of nearly £60m? Or Stefan, who's a CB anyway?
I don't what impact Højbjerg would have here. But he does have 4 full seasons in the Premier League and experience in the Bundesliga. This is the market we have to shop in at present. I have to trust that Jose and his team have done their due diligence and identified a player who can bring an improvement to an area we are horribly exposed right now.
Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
I didn't see a high-line, pressing style for at least the last 18 months of Poch's rein. And at the end they had given up running for him at all, which he acknowledged.
Now whether a new manager could have invigorated the squad to play in a similar style I don't know. Perhaps the newer acquisitions to the squad, but players who played throughout Poch's tenure I'm not so sure.
Real Deal
Alert Team
I can't see Jose seeing out next season.
Real Deal
Alert Team
I think Hojbjerg would be a good signing. We do not have anyone in the squad with his skill set.
He isn't a spectacular player but he reads the game well, he is good defensively and has character. He would allow our other midfielders to do their thing.
Pretty sure he is the Saints captain as well.
Even though I get where people are coming from in terms of we need higher caliber quality, sometimes a no nonsense, steady Eddie is what a team needs.
Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
Hojbjerg, Lo Celso and Ndombele in midfield behind Bergwijn, Kane and Son. That's what I'd like to see. Our forwards would have a field day with the service they would get.
Hojbjerg may have 4 seasons but not one season that would make me think he has enough quality to push us on.Just watching Southampton last night and Hojbjerg is dropped.They looked far better without him.They may have scouted and done there homework but I don't think he would be improving on what we have.We should be going for better.
Sergej Savic is the one meant.Yes he would cost more but that's where we should be looking.
Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
Hojbjerg was injured last night and having declared his intentions I suspect is no longer in the manager's plans.
We clearly haven't got £60m plus to pay for a midfielder - unless we sell someone like Kane - so what's the point in looking? We've done enough of that in the past.
We clearly haven't got £60m plus to pay for a midfielder - unless we sell someone like Kane - so what's the point in looking? We've done enough of that in the past.
If Hojbjerg is all we can afford then just don't sign anyone and play Skipp.I don't see wasting money on players just for the sake of buying.We have done that in the past.So many players we have brought just because they are cheaper
Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
I can only presume Skipp isn't considered to be ready yet. But we need young, hungry players pushing the established ones. In that context I don't see any problem in signing Hojbjerg or someone similar who meets our needs. And we wouldn't be signing a player 'for the sake of buying'. We desperately need a defensive midfielder.
steveperryman
Vital Football Legend
He once proclaimed his best ever achievement in football was probably getting Utd to finish as runners up in the league. Very tongue in cheek i know, but what would it mean to him to help us win a piece of silverware.
steveperryman
Vital Football Legend
I can't help but notice when Liverpool or Arsenal sign players from Southampton it's never a problem, when we do it the whole world caves in. Managers, youth, experience, it's always been the same no matter who we buy. Just imagine if we coaxed their tea lady into joining. For some it would probably bring about the end of life as we currently know it.
Pompey Yid
Vital Champions League
He had is captaincy stripped from him.
I have always felt that if a player goes along in a game hardly being noticed, that is not moaning and groaning about him, esp in those not so "Star" positions, he is 9 times out of 10 having a good game, doing his job, for me Hojbierg is that sort of player, and as you say he is not spectacular, that's my opinion anyway.
