Tottenham fans can be forgiven for being fearful about new signing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg after his debut against Everton.
It was a sloppy showing all-round from Spurs as they opened up the season with a 1-0 defeat on home soil but the Dane did not have the best of games.
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As the Toffees’ new look midfield dominated, Hojbjerg and partner Harry Winks looked a little lost.
By the time the final whistle blew, the £15million signing from Southampton has been dispossessed twice, made careless fouls and been dribbled past twice.
Manager Jose Mourinho was looking to Hojbjerg to add steel and leadership to a weak spine, while also contributing smart possession.
One swallow doesn’t make a summer but you can understand nerves creeping in after the loss.
“This is week one, we have to be extremely careful,” ex-Spurs star Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports after their 1-0 defeat to Everton. “Hojbjerg, today, didn’t have his best game, but it’s his debut – I don’t want to jump into his nightmare.
“Once he gets his fitness and starts to play more games, he will get better and improve.
“But when I look at what Spurs need, is he the sort of player this Spurs midfield need right now? I think back to not too long ago when they had a midfield with an understanding.
“It looks like it’s very easy to play against that Spurs midfield right now.”
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It certainly was a nightmare, but ever since, the Danish ace has looked every inch the upgrade Tottenham needed in defensive midfield.
A captain of Southampton at 23 years old, his leadership qualities have already been noted and it’s extremely visible on pitch as he commands his teammates, despite not being skipper – yet.
“He’s a very good player, a good leader and a captain without the armband,” Mourinho purred earlier in the campaign
Whether he’s dropping between his centre-backs to pick up the ball, pressing opponents, or passing the ball forward with precision, Hojbjerg is making his mark on this Spurs side.
With Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele now long gone, it’s taken far too much time to replace their dominant midfield displays – but at least they appear to have done it.
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And let’s get it right too, this is no scrapper, banking tackles and interceptions and shuffling the ball to the closest teammate.
He’s completed more passes (521) and more passes into the final third (58) than any other Premier League player, while also making the 12th most progressive passes this season with 38,
Hojbjerg does it all and that’s why he’s immediately indispensable to the team. He didn’t start against Royal Antwerp in the Europa League and you could really tell, while some would argue it was his arrival in the second half of their Carabao Cup tie Chelsea which led to their eventual triumph.
With barely any rest, he continues to perform at a high level and was central to most things good against Brighton in their 2-1 win.
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His performance against LASK in the Europa League saw him bloodied and bruised after a clash with an opponent but he played on and even stunned with a double pirouette to get out of trouble near his own penalty area.
“We were having a laugh at half-time and we were all calling him Zidane. Very nice but don’t do it again Pierre,” said Mourinho, but that moment, along with his sensational assist for Serge Aurier against Manchester United have helped him make his mark after a dodgy opening match with Everton.
In fact, it could be said he’s risen the bar so high Spurs may well have to enter the transfer market to sign his backup.
Neither Harry Winks or Moussa Sissoko are capable of playing as a no.6 like Hojbjerg does, while Oliver Skipp is out impressing at Norwich City.
If Tottenham are to be successful on all fronts it might be this signing which is key, allowing the Dane to rest and hand another player responsibility in the Europa League and other cup competitions.
For now it will fall to Hojbjerg to carry on as he’s started and all around Spurs will hope he continues to go from strength-to-strength in N17.
He’s a captain without the armband and a presence like his has been missed for some time, who knows he might even be the ingredient they need for a title challenge.
You can listen to live commentary of Ludogorets v Tottenham in the Europa League on talkSPORT 2 – Thursday, November 5 at 5:55pm
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