Wanyama

I think me and Bexy touched on this before the game.

I think Romeu (and especially Clasie) are getting stronger and fitter, but maybe not ready for multiple games a week especially when there are players who can replace them.

In short: We have competition in the squad so keeping your place isn't easy. Not a bad thing.

Apart from a couple of misplaced passes in first 15 mins, Victor had a fine game today. He's formidable. A couple of delicious long passes and lots of possession capture. Personally, I hope we can hang on to him.

Played very well today, especially second half when they went more direct and played with Rondon and Anichebe.

When he plays simple on the ball he is extremely effective and is better in the team rather than out IMO.

From the ever reliable Spurs fan Darren Lewis

http://mirr.im/1PSPyAY

Good to see Wanyama picking up his game significantly in the last 3 matches, my cynical head says performances against Man U and Arsenal just show what we're missing when he isn't trying to put himself in the shop window though.

Romeu continues to be excellent defensively but occasionally misplaces a more difficult forward pass (still better than Wanyama on those though) and Clasie is starting to show his qualities now he's got used to the Prem and the level of physicality too.

Would like to see Wanyama stay. On his day gives us something extra defensively. That said he is a good player, not a great player. Think it will be a Clyne situation where we get circa £10m for him with a year left on his deal in the Summer.

Wanyama is great at what he does, but that's why he's underrated. He's a dm destroyer and you don't have a great deal of those in the game these days. Teams prefer a dm that can pass and get forward, almost a dm box to box hybrid like Morgan.

He'll never be rated as highly as he should because he does the dirty work that often goes unnoticed. Add to the fact that he tends to lose concentration at times then we probably aren't going to get a huge fee for him.

His passing can be poor at times too but boy how strong he is in tackling, evidenced typically in the Arsenal game.

Wanyama is great at what he does, but that's why he's underrated. He's a dm destroyer and you don't have a great deal of those in the game these days. Teams prefer a dm that can pass and get forward, almost a dm box to box hybrid like Morgan.

 

He'll never be rated as highly as he should because he does the dirty work that often goes unnoticed. Add to the fact that he tends to lose concentration at times then we probably aren't going to get a huge fee for him.

hence why he constantly linked to Spurs and Arsenal?

Don't think he is underrated what so ever

Wanyama hardly ever scores - unlike Morgan who used to get a few each year. I would let him go in the summer.

Wanyama hardly ever scores - unlike Morgan who used to get a few each year. I would let him go in the summer.

What the hell?

Not sure if this is a serious post or not?

His passing can be poor at times too but boy how strong he is in tackling, evidenced typically in the Arsenal game.

Funny thing is quite a lot of his passing is first rate. Did you see the back heel to Long in the second half? I'd love Vic to stay but agree with St Chalet it's looking more and more like a Clyne situation.

What the hell?

 

Not sure if this is a serious post or not?

Come on what use is a defensive midfielder who doesn't score

Wanyama is the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League. On The BBC radio commentary tonight, they said any team would be lucky to pay £30 million and get him. Let's hope none of the others do. He's our star. His tackling, interceptions and sheer physical presence have always been immense but tonight the quality of his passing was what helped win the game for us.

For those who are now saying Wanyama wasn't very good for usm this is what I and most objective fans thought of him when he was here.

For those who are now saying Wanyama wasn't very good for usm this is what I and most objective fans thought of him when he was here.

Who is saying he wasn't very good for us?

Well, I was when he tangibly couldn't be ar5ed for any game not against the top 6 and got himself sent off three times, but that was only the last season he was with us, he was excellent before that. The quote dragged up by Nordic Saint for some reason from a thread dead for over 18 months comes from prior to Feb 2016, which was right after his sending off against West Ham, which came almost immediately after he served his suspension for a red card against Norwich - so, no, he wasn't very good for us against the run of the mill teams at that particular time.

My post above on this page says he was very good against Man U and Arsenal in between those two games, pretty much in line with the "only tried against teams he wanted to sign for".

Who is saying he wasn't very good for us?

There were a few idiots - some even claimed that Cork was better.

He had bad days and good days and still does just like most players

Jeez. Another bounced thread for a 'told you so' argument. Are schools back soon?

Wanyama was a huge player for us (when he could be bothered) but a liability with constant yellow cards. Would have him back tomorrow. Interesting read back on the early views on Clasie who many wanted so badly to succeed and be even better than Big Vic but his style of play has not been great for us. Undoubtedly a considerable talent though.

He had bad days and good days and still does just like most players

Other than being one of Spurs players of the season last year. Like most players I guess

There were a few idiots - some even claimed that Cork was better.

He had bad days and good days and still does just like most players

Would you have him over Romeu?

There were a few idiots - some even claimed that Cork was better.

Seriously?

Would you have him over Romeu?

Romeu is a better passer but maybe not quite as strong as Wanyama so a difficult choice but as Romeu seems more loyal to us

i would have to say Romeu

... and Clasie is starting to show his qualities now he's got used to the Prem and the level of physicality too.

Didn't last long though.

Romeu is a better passer but maybe not quite as strong as Wanyama so a difficult choice but as Romeu seems more loyal to us

i would have to say Romeu

Is this true though? a quick google search shows Romeu's pass percentage as 85% vs 88% for Wanyama.

Wanyama's passing was in no way as bad as what people made out.

That being said, I think there would be a place for both in 1 team. Romeu is closer to Morgan (composure on the ball, ability to bring the ball forward, good at intercepting through balls) than Wanyama.

IMO, we miss Wanyama more than we do Schneiderlin.

Romeu is a better passer but maybe not quite as strong as Wanyama so a difficult choice but as Romeu seems more loyal to us

i would have to say Romeu

Madness. Not in same league as Vic. Romeo wouldn't get in Spurs team.

Is this true though? a quick google search shows Romeu's pass percentage as 85% vs 88% for Wanyama.

 

Wanyama's passing was in no way as bad as what people made out.

 

That being said, I think there would be a place for both in 1 team. Romeu is closer to Morgan (composure on the ball, ability to bring the ball forward, good at intercepting through balls) than Wanyama.

 

IMO, we miss Wanyama more than we do Schneiderlin.

I can remember him passing to the crowd quite a lot when he was here, maybe his passing has improved under poch.... and that would account for the stats perhaps

Madness. Not in same league as Vic. Romeo wouldn't get in Spurs team.

Its called opinion Rog....

I hope we never find out

IMO, we miss Wanyama more than we do Schneiderlin.

Absolutely. I think everyone's pleasantly surprised at how well Romeu's done in Wanyama's absence but he was the biggest part of the foundation on which we were building a European-class team.

Romeu is a better passer but maybe not quite as strong as Wanyama so a difficult choice but as Romeu seems more loyal to us

i would have to say Romeu

I'd pick Romeu too at the moment, but then he hasn't sullied his reputation by half-assing a season when he wants to leave yet.

As a quick and dirty comparison, if you go like for like with first two seasons at Saints:

Wanyama 2013/14 - 8th, 56 points

Wanyama 2014/15 - 7th, 60 points, Qualified for Europa League Qualifiers

(Wanyama also played 2015/16 - and contributes to Romeu's stats to some extent)

Romeu 2015/16 - 6th, 63 points, Qualified for Europa League Group Stage

Romeu 2016/17 - 8th, 46 points, EFL Cup Runners-up and Europa League Group stages.

Pretty close call based on team performances, 8th and 7th or 8th and 6th, I guess Wanyama gets the nod for the overlapping season despite his ambivalence on occasion. In theory this one should be Romeu's best yet.

Of course this doesn't include

Wanyama 2nd, 86 points, Qualified for Champions League, Champions League Group Stage and Europa League Knockout Stages which puts a different perspective on it too.

Is this true though? a quick google search shows Romeu's pass percentage as 85% vs 88% for Wanyama.

 

Wanyama's passing was in no way as bad as what people made out.

 

That being said, I think there would be a place for both in 1 team. Romeu is closer to Morgan (composure on the ball, ability to bring the ball forward, good at intercepting through balls) than Wanyama.

 

IMO, we miss Wanyama more than we do Schneiderlin.

Pure passing stats for defensive midfielders are going to include a whole heap of short and backwards ones - and a DM who can play a more accurate longer range pass is more likely to do it more often, which will lead to fewer pass completions. I specifically remember Wanyama stopping playing long diagonal passes within the first two months of joining Saints because he kept putting them off the pitch.

Basically we need to see the stats for forward passes and longer passes to see who's a better passer, 4 yard passes are useful, but they're also pretty easy.

http://www.statsbombservices.com/passing-percentages-are-mostly-useless

FWIW I also saw this, which puts Hojbjerg and Austin as our top passes given situation, and also shows our goals contribution is spread throughout the team (i.e. we're not a one-man team), but it was from very early last season: http://www.statsbombservices.com/introducing-xgchain

Pure passing stats for defensive midfielders are going to include a whole heap of short and backwards ones - and a DM who can play a more accurate longer range pass is more likely to do it more often, which will lead to fewer pass completions. I specifically remember Wanyama stopping playing long diagonal passes within the first two months of joining Saints because he kept putting them off the pitch.

 

Basically we need to see the stats for forward passes and longer passes to see who's a better passer, 4 yard passes are useful, but they're also pretty easy.

 

http://www.statsbombservices.com/passing-percentages-are-mostly-useless

 

FWIW I also saw this, which puts Hojbjerg and Austin as our top passes given situation, and also shows our goals contribution is spread throughout the team (i.e. we're not a one-man team), but it was from very early last season: http://www.statsbombservices.com/introducing-xgchain

I was about to say something similar, to be honest. If Wanyama is just knocking 5yd sidefooted 1-2 passes around the middle of the field, he's going to have a high completion stat. Romeu is much better at passing, and will try to play it forwards or switch the play if he finds himself on one side of the pitch. Much more adventurous, and the fact he completion rate is only just shy of VW's - considering how much more varied his passes are - that speaks volumes about him. He's much more composed on the ball too.

Would I have him over Wanyama? Dunno. I like Romeu, he's one of my favourite players, but when you need a bruiser in the middle of the park he's just not quite as effective as Big Vic was, and right now, that's what we're missing.

So any other day of the week, Romeu for me, but right here right now, I'd have Wanyama in the side.

Madness. Not in same league as Vic. Romeo wouldn't get in Spurs team.

what and Sissoko can?.........do us a favour

Wait, Romeu seems more loyal than Wanyama? He's not been here as long as Victor was and would probably also want to move if a top club came in.

Wanyama is seeming leaving Spurs to go to Club Bruges for £9m according to the BBC. A missed chance? Although we all know our dealings were scuppered, at least in part, by our inability to shift some of those Ralph doesn't want, I still think he'd have done a job back at SMS.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49434927

Wanyama is seeming leaving Spurs to go to Club Bruges for £9m according to the BBC. A missed chance? Although we all know our dealings were scuppered, at least in part, by our inability to shift some of those Ralph doesn't want, I still think he'd have done a job back at SMS.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49434927

Would have spent more time injured than Danny Ings

Wanyama had severe injuries and could barely play 90 minutes. He has also been very poor for a while. Finally he is 28 years old so in no way fits our profile.

If he wasn't an ex-Saint fans wouldn't want to go anywhere near him.

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Wanyama had his day with us, we had him during his best years which we can be greatful for.

There's a reason he's heading to a lower quality and lower intensity league, He can't hack this level anymore.