Last season Glyfi Sigurdsson was like a fish out of water. He was stuck out on the left and struggled but did score some important goals for us towards the end of the season. He could have left in January when Reading bid £10 million for him but the word is AVB likes him and Spurs decided not to let him go.
In the latter pre-season games and against Crystal Palace we have seen him in the number 10 role, playing in the hole between the midfield and the lone striker. It is a position he enjoys and which would seem to suit his game. At only 23 he has time on his side to develop the creative aspect of his game.
He had 4 attempts at goal in the game and arguably should have converted one of them. Clinical finishing can separate sides at the end of the season and Sigurdsson showed for Swansea he knows where the net is. If he is to stay in the side he'll need to find his shooting boots.
Statistics can tell you what you want, Siggurdsson completed 36 of his 43 passes (83.7%) for instance, average, but throw into that he is trying to make defence splitting passes and the stats start to take on a different look, you expect passes to be cut out. Watching the game you would say, well I would, could do better. He gives me the impression of being nearly there, the talent seems to be there and only a run at number 10 will show if that talent will come to fruition. He doesn't want Spurs fans to start seeing him as the next Tom Huddlestone.
One stat that surprised me though was the tackles, he made 4, joint top with Walker, Paulinho and Rose, Chadli had 3. That indicates to me that Sigurdsson was effective in the high pressing game we employ, hunting for the ball in a pack with the midfield or wide men. Having played for Iceland in a deeper play making role he has everything to be a success at Spurs, his desire and mental ability will determine whether he gets overshadowed or not.
If I had to mark Spurs against Palace I'd give then a 6.75 or 7 score, adequate. Gylfi I'd also give the same score, an adequate performance, something to build upon. Not a performance to complain about or rave about and that kind of sums up his time at Spurs so far. This season he has to start to blossom.
"It was nice to play there again," Sigurdsson said after the 1-0 win.
"I enjoy playing there. Hopefully I'll stay there behind the striker because (Roberto) Soldado and Jermain (Defoe) are top strikers and it's good to play behind them.
"I'll play anywhere the gaffer wants me to, but that's one of my better positions, playing behind the striker. That's what I prefer."
Inevitably in any interview with a Spurs player the interviewer will ask about Gareth Bale, which once again just shows the massive interest the player attracts and why his non promotion of Spurs in the Far East was hugely significant.
"I think we've dealt with (the Bale situation) quite well. The club has dealt with it really well as well. Us as players, we can't really do anything. We just keep training. We don't really think about who is coming in or who is leaving.
"When they come in hopefully they'll fit in. But when you're at a big club like Tottenham, there is always going to be a few players coming in and a few players coming out. That's just how it is.
"We've brought in a few good players. Hopefully there'll be one or two more to strengthen our squad because it's a long season, many competitions, we need a lot of good players.
"We've had a good pre-season. It's been difficult for them to come in, they need to know how we play and we need to know how they play. A few more games and everyone will know each other a lot better."
Tottenham are now putting a squad together that has real depth, a squad that can be rotated rather than having to rely on too few players. You are after all only as good as your back up and our squad is looking like it may have the WOW factor.
In the latter pre-season games and against Crystal Palace we have seen him in the number 10 role, playing in the hole between the midfield and the lone striker. It is a position he enjoys and which would seem to suit his game. At only 23 he has time on his side to develop the creative aspect of his game.
He had 4 attempts at goal in the game and arguably should have converted one of them. Clinical finishing can separate sides at the end of the season and Sigurdsson showed for Swansea he knows where the net is. If he is to stay in the side he'll need to find his shooting boots.
Statistics can tell you what you want, Siggurdsson completed 36 of his 43 passes (83.7%) for instance, average, but throw into that he is trying to make defence splitting passes and the stats start to take on a different look, you expect passes to be cut out. Watching the game you would say, well I would, could do better. He gives me the impression of being nearly there, the talent seems to be there and only a run at number 10 will show if that talent will come to fruition. He doesn't want Spurs fans to start seeing him as the next Tom Huddlestone.One stat that surprised me though was the tackles, he made 4, joint top with Walker, Paulinho and Rose, Chadli had 3. That indicates to me that Sigurdsson was effective in the high pressing game we employ, hunting for the ball in a pack with the midfield or wide men. Having played for Iceland in a deeper play making role he has everything to be a success at Spurs, his desire and mental ability will determine whether he gets overshadowed or not.
If I had to mark Spurs against Palace I'd give then a 6.75 or 7 score, adequate. Gylfi I'd also give the same score, an adequate performance, something to build upon. Not a performance to complain about or rave about and that kind of sums up his time at Spurs so far. This season he has to start to blossom.
"It was nice to play there again," Sigurdsson said after the 1-0 win.
"I enjoy playing there. Hopefully I'll stay there behind the striker because (Roberto) Soldado and Jermain (Defoe) are top strikers and it's good to play behind them.
"I'll play anywhere the gaffer wants me to, but that's one of my better positions, playing behind the striker. That's what I prefer."
Inevitably in any interview with a Spurs player the interviewer will ask about Gareth Bale, which once again just shows the massive interest the player attracts and why his non promotion of Spurs in the Far East was hugely significant.
"I think we've dealt with (the Bale situation) quite well. The club has dealt with it really well as well. Us as players, we can't really do anything. We just keep training. We don't really think about who is coming in or who is leaving.
"When they come in hopefully they'll fit in. But when you're at a big club like Tottenham, there is always going to be a few players coming in and a few players coming out. That's just how it is.
"We've brought in a few good players. Hopefully there'll be one or two more to strengthen our squad because it's a long season, many competitions, we need a lot of good players.
"We've had a good pre-season. It's been difficult for them to come in, they need to know how we play and we need to know how they play. A few more games and everyone will know each other a lot better."
Tottenham are now putting a squad together that has real depth, a squad that can be rotated rather than having to rely on too few players. You are after all only as good as your back up and our squad is looking like it may have the WOW factor.
