[Robbie Boy]

Shite first half followed by a slightly better second. Still feel he needs upgrading and his role changed firmly to ‘squad player’.

 

[kundalini]

A liability in the first half but improved in the 2nd half.

 

[Devil may care]

Sloppy on the ball in the first half and Ander is doing a lot of the running around him like Kante did, he's playing better but this is a vital position to upgrade in the summer IMO.

 

[Devil may care]

I just can’t see what everyone else is seeing. He’s still ponderous on the ball and loses it far too often. Herrera is doing the defensive work of two men because Matic has all but given up tracking a man. If he was closing off passing channels and chipping in with interceptions then I could understand the praise, but all I see is a player doing the basics to an average level. Replace him with a player that either excels with the ball or off it and our midfield will be transformed.

Here's a rarity, I agree. I think because he's now having more silky moments here and there and playing some nice forward passess a lot is being overlooked in terms of the fact Ander is doing the running for him, he still gets bypassed with any kind of press, he still takes too long on the ball and he doesn't track runs well, we have 2 thirds of a great midfield and a CM that should be a squad player whose game time is managed.

 

[Isotope]

Him and Pogba weren't in the game. Maybe playing 4 games in 12 days was the reason? I know it's far too much excuse for some..

 

[Sylar]

Think he deserves a rest so the FA cup breaking things up is nicely timed.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Him and Pogba weren't in the game. Maybe playing 4 games in 12 days was the reason? I know it's far too much excuse for some..

Especially as he struggles for fitness regulary it seems. Honestly think we'd have been fine with just one DM in Herrera last night and should have given him a break.

 

[LoveFootball]

Shite first half followed by a slightly better second. Still feel he needs upgrading and his role changed firmly to ‘squad player’.

This, but I think we need to sell as he's on a masive wage to be a squad player. He improved under Ole but still a liability defensively and doesn't offer much in attack while his positioning is a little bit suspect. With Herrera showing this great form, I hope Ole gets the ball to try and replace Matic with Perreira or Fred.

 

[Bobski]

He just doesn't have the legs to be effective defensively when the game is stretched, or in a pressing team where he will have to cover ground. Makes him a total liability defensively and almost forces the team to sit deep. Not as if he makes up for that with quality passing out to allow the team to break on teams. The guy is one of our main problems, may

 

[Giant Midget]

He’s the best option we have at #6 but his lack of mobility really hurts us when we’re pinned back.

Needs to be replaced ASAP.

 

[Bobski]

He’s the best option we have at #6 but his lack of mobility really hurts us when we’re pinned back.

Needs to be replaced ASAP.

Or when the game is stretched, lose the ball high up the pitch and he is useless in transitional defending.

He is one of the main reasons we defended so deep under Mou, he can't play in any other style without his limitations standing out.

 

[LoveFootball]

He just doesn't have the legs to be effective defensively when the game is stretched, or in a pressing team where he will have to cover ground. Makes him a total liability defensively and almost forces the team to sit deep. Not as if he makes up for that with quality passing out to allow the team to break on teams. The guy is one of our main problems, may

And he offers little offensively to be accommodated in the team. Tottenham were cutting through our middle with ease as if there was nobody there. It's a mystery this guy is an undisputed starter.

 

[LoveFootball]

He’s the best option we have at #6 but his lack of mobility really hurts us when we’re pinned back.

Needs to be replaced ASAP.

Use Herrera there and Fred next to him. Matic is a complete liability

 

[el3mel]

Use Herrera there and Fred next to him. Matic is a complete liability

Unbelievable how still some want Fred starting in there.

The current combo is our best combo in midfield till we bring in another DMF. Everyone plays in his perfect position with this current combo. Matic wasn't that bad anyway.

 

[LoveFootball]

Unbelievable how still some want Fred starting in there.

The current combo is our best combo in midfield till we bring in another DMF. Everyone plays in his perfect position with this current combo. Matic wasn't that bad anyway.

He was awful and reason why Tottenham cut through our midfield with ease in the 2nd half.

If we can't field a better midfield without him than we're not getting top 4 as City or Liverpool will capitalize on his lack of mobility. We're an horrible team if Herrera doesn't cover for his lack of mobility.

 

[el3mel]

He was awful and reason why Tottenham cut through our midfield with ease in the 2nd half.

If we can't field a better midfield without him than we're not getting top 4 as City or Liverpool will capitalize on his lack of mobility. We're an horrible team if Herrera doesn't cover for his lack of mobility.

He wasn't ace but he wasn't bad also imo. Spurs just put more pressure.

Yeah imo we don't have any other working midfield combo. I'm for getting a Matic replacement in summer as he can't play every game but currently I'll stick with this. At least with this we have all our midfielders playing in their perfect position.

 

[Bobcat]

He really seems to struggle both in attack and defense when the intensity dials up. Way to many passes hit with no address and in the second half he looked like a statue most of the time

 

[Johan07]

Thought he did OK today except by being outjumped by Dele Alli in our own penalty area a number of times.
Or outjumped; he never even seems to even try to jump, just as being 190 cm or whatever should be enough. Alli looked like Michael Jordan next to him.
He is terrible in the air, both defensively and offensively.
Otherwise he was quite decent IMO.

 

[Adam-Utd]

First half he was excellent.

I can’t believe the transformation, it’s just as big as pogbas imo.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Was OK at best today. We badly need an upgrade, though.

 

[Litch]

Honest prem player but can be upgraded....

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

First half he was excellent.

I can’t believe the transformation, it’s just as big as pogbas imo.

Was excellent first half. Faded second half, like most of our players. spurs were very good second half mind.

 

[BrianMcClair'sBarnet]

He's a solid player but he's clearly on the decline and Tottenham pressuring him from the second half onwards was just a logical move.
Good squad player now but upgrade in the summer.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

He was good but you can sort of see how much he struggles when the pace is dialled up and he is expected to cover ground or cover a fullback. When Alli got through today and he was chasing him back you could see how slow he is now. If that’s Shaw he easily handles Alli there.
Felt his passing was a bit off today but there were a few really good ones and again times when he slowed up play or made the wrong choice but for me he really needs replacing with someone.

 

[LingiBW]

This should be his last season as a starter. We need the assurance that our CDM can plug out leaks if countered and his lack of mobility really hurts us in that regard therefore forcing the team back.

 

[walkinhop]

A liability if we are to play attacking football. We nee a destroyer who has legs on him.

 

[11101]

Good game again but he was knackered second half like many of them. I hope we're looking for his replacement because judging by this season he won't be capable of starting next year.

 

[R'hllor]

Not very good game but it wasnt on his level under JM either.

 

[LoveFootball]

He wasn't ace but he wasn't bad also imo. Spurs just put more pressure.

Yeah imo we don't have any other working midfield combo. I'm for getting a Matic replacement in summer as he can't play every game but currently I'll stick with this. At least with this we have all our midfielders playing in their perfect position.

He was bad mate, very bad. Ole needs to find a quick fix for this situation, I fear what the pace of Neymar, Mbappe and Di Maria could do against this.

 

[Devil may care]

I thought his first half performance was arguably his best for us since the first half of his first season, but in the second half when Spurs came with the intensity he wilted, Herrera was running for two by the end and Pogba was getting deeper and deeper to help out.

 

[parkthebuslads]

Surely it can't hurt to give the guy a rest? Older player whose never rested and is under performing - it's not rocket science.

 

[ErranMorad]

He was decent. But the entire game I kept thinking we would have been much better off and could have troubled Spurs much more if we had someone in there who could pass the ball better. There were a few occasions, especially in the first half, when some like Carrick would have released one of our attackers with a precise pass.

 

[ivaldo]

He's a glaring weakness in this side. He tried to press, but stepped out at the wrong times and they played around him like he wasn't there. Then he does what he always does and retreats to play beside our centrebacks, leaving a gaping hole in midfield that Eriksen gleefully occupied. It would be forgivable if he could play, but his passing range is basic and he still takes far too long to get the ball under control and pick a pass.

 

[AltiUn]

Unbelievable how still some want Fred starting in there.

The current combo is our best combo in midfield till we bring in another DMF. Everyone plays in his perfect position with this current combo. Matic wasn't that bad anyway.

Agreed, we don't have anyone who offers us what he does. He's not great defensively but he's better than our bench options, I think a new DM is almost as crucial as a RW and a CB.

 

[NoLogo]

I can only repeat myself, having two slow players in midfield hurts us against the better teams, it's either him or Pogba not both. We need a mobeile defensively strong midfielder. We need to find us a Kanté to replace him asap.

 

[Ban]

Good in 1st, poor in 2nd.

 

[breakout67]

I can only repeat myself, having two slow players in midfield hurts us against the better teams, it's either him or Pogba not both. We need a mobeile defensively strong midfielder. We need to find us a Kanté to replace him asap.

That awkward moment where Kante plays alongside a DM in his correct position (Matic and Drinkwater). If we get Kante, he'll replace Herrera not Matic.

 

[dutchred]

I hope with some of the easier games coming up before PSG that we can try Garner alongside Herera and Pogba. Give Matic a rest before the PSG games and Liverpool

 

[NoLogo]

That awkward moment where Kante plays alongside a DM in his correct position (Matic and Drinkwater). If we get Kante, he'll replace Herrera not Matic.

The problem is that we already have a ponderous tall midfielder in Pogba who also doesn't work much defensively. If we had a different type of attacking midfielder in that midfield trio I would agree but since I don't feel like dropping Pogba over Matic I think we need to replace Matic with a mobile option. I feel like in today's football you just can't afford to have two "slowish" players in the central midfield trio.

 

[breakout67]

The problem is that we already have a ponderous tall midfielder in Pogba who also doesn't work much defensively. If we had a different type of attacking midfielder in that midfield trio I would agree but since I don't feel like dropping Pogba over Matic I think we need to replace Matic with a mobile option. I feel like in today's football you just can't afford to have two "slowish" players in the central midfield trio.

Oh I agree completely with getting a player that doesn't lose his man like Matic does. But Kante isn't it, because then we'd have no one protecting the defence.

In my opinion Ruben Neves is a blindingly obvious transfer for us, other players we could get are Veratti (will have 1 year left on his contract in the summer), De Jong and Aouar.