2017/18 Gylfi Sigurdsson

[Saint Domingo]

Watching Spurs vs. City, noticed that Eriksson was also playing a wide midfield type role which limited him quite a lot. One key challenge for Sam once we get through this early gritty period is how to get the most out of Sigurdsson the way Spurs do with Eriksson when they are on the front foot.

Eriksen and Alli have played best for Spurs when they deployed that 3421 formation which is essentially wing backs allowing you to have 2 number 10s behind a striker. For that to work though you need 2 brilliant full backs and 2 powerful box to box midfielders to be the ones who sit in the middle behind the 10s. We’ve not got either of these or enough good CBs to play in a three.

It’s what Arsenal have done with Ozil and Sanchez recently too to avoid either of them playing wide. We could have Siggurdson and Rooney behind a striker with minimal defensive responsibilities. I doubt Sam is about to go for that though.

 

[mkrudden]

Just like Ozil (who is the better player, obviously), he's never going to be running games. Instead, you'll see him on the edge of the crowd where there is a bit more time and space for him to deliver or let fly.

And that's absolutely fine. Sure, he isn't a Coutinho or a KdB but as said above, Ozil plays completely different to these lads and still contributes buckets.

Sig is starting to play really well. Dead chuffed.

 

[BlueToff]

He was doing nothing when he first joined. I watched him dead closely at the Arsenal game for example and he simply wasn't working. Obviously he wasn't the only one, but i'm not sure any praise could be thrown at him at that point. Commenting on how it really wasn't working for him at that point is natural no?

I'm sure we are all happy he's turning it around.

He's always run hard Ij, he's always worked.

But his sharpness and general fitness was nowhere to be found - and that's down to not having a pre-season.

Then a chronic lack of confidence in the whole squad and Gylfi being the posterboy for everything that went wrong in the summer made it 10x worse.

It started clicking around the time we played Watford, for me. You could see then that his fitness was finally getting there.

He's still created the most chances for us this season, both from open play and set-pieces.

 

[ijjysmith]

He's always run hard Ij, he's always worked.

But his sharpness and general fitness was nowhere to be found - and that's down to not having a pre-season.

Then a chronic lack of confidence in the whole squad and Gylfi being the posterboy for everything that went wrong in the summer made it 10x worse.

It started clicking around the time we played Watford, for me. You could see then that his fitness was finally getting there.

He's still created the most chances for us this season, both from open play and set-pieces.

Nope. Go and watch the entirity of that Arsenal game. He did not work. I made a point of watching just him for long periods. His head was elsewhere.

Edit
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Obviously don't go back and watch that. It was horrific.

 

[Nymzee]

Nope. Go and watch the entirity of that Arsenal game. He did not work. I made a point of watching just him for long periods. His head was elsewhere.

Edit
-----
Obviously don't go back and watch that. It was horrific.

Is this not down to him having to gain match fitness through matches with us?

 

[BlueToff]

Nope. Go and watch the entirity of that Arsenal game. He did not work. I made a point of watching just him for long periods. His head was elsewhere.

Edit
-----
Obviously don't go back and watch that. It was horrific.

Maybe that game aside then - though as you said, they were all gash that day.

All of the other games though, I at least thought he worked hard - but the quality, confidence and sharpness was severely lacking.

 

[ijjysmith]

Is this not down to him having to gain match fitness through matches with us?

Maybe but it was October by then.

As I say he's doing well now and that's all that matters.

 

[Nyhus]

What a goal yesterday.
Theres magic in them islandic boots!

 

[yakublue]

Gylfi made 3309 passes, creating a goal every 61 passes.

Eriksen made 5659 passes, creating a goal every 104 passes.

That's 41.5% less passes creating the same amount of goals.

In those 3 seasons:

Gylfi created 27 assists & 201 chances, 122 passes per assist & 16.5 passes per chance created.

Eriksen created 30 assists & 308 chances,188 passes per assist & 18.5 passes per chance created.

They're hardly totally different players, Gylfi is just much more effective & overall better.

They're totally different players precisely because Sigurdsson doesn't contribute as much to overall play. Eriksen is key to the way Spurs retain the ball, and spreads the ball all over the pitch.

Passes per assist isn't a good measure of how effective a player is. Eriksen is one of the best midfielders in the league, and it's partly because he's good at moving the ball around the field that he's a more useful player than Gylfi.

The easiest way to prove that your metric is total rubbish is to point out that Kevin de Bruyne has 25 passes per chance created this season, even though I think we'd all agree he's probably the best creative midfielder in the league right now.

 

[bignev23]

The lads still settling in after having no pre season and playing in a team full of new players but anyone who hasn't noticed an upturn in his performances lately either has a weird Barkley driven agenda or doesn't know their togger. The very loud shouts of him and Rooney not being able to play together in the same team have been swiftly put to bed and hopefully they'll become a force behind the main striker now opening up space and scoring the goals as well.


Gylfi Sigurdsson has been directly involved in five goals in his last seven Premier League games (three goals, two assists), after failing to score or provide an assist in his first 10 this season

 

[yakublue]

What a goal yesterday.
Theres magic in them islandic boots!

Don't want to be negative but I think it took a big deflection of the defender. They all count though like...

 

[onlyme]

Don't want to be negative but I think it took a big deflection of the defender. They all count though like...

It didnt

 

[yakublue]

It didnt

prove it

 

[Baines' left foot]

But all he does is the set peaces!

 

[Goat]

prove it