Garth Crooks has admitted to BBC Sport that he ‘didn’t think much’ of Tottenham making the decision to sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the summer.
But after the combative midfielder’s showing against Arsenal on Sunday, where he feels he had ‘Willian in his pocket’, he has now changed his mind.
Months after one Dane in Christian Eriksen walked out of the doors of North London, another in Hojbjerg entered and he has been outstanding since the early blips of the campaign.
Crooks shared how he now sees Hojbjerg as a Jose Mourinho player and applauded him for the performance he put up in the North London derby.
“I didn’t think much of the signing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the first place, to be perfectly honest, and I wasn’t even sure he was a Tottenham player,” said Crooks.
“What has become increasingly obvious is that here is another Mourinho player. Hojbjerg is looking like the real deal in a side that is more interested in being solid than pretty football.
“To be fair, Tottenham’s style of play at home against Arsenal wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be under Mourinho. In fact, Hojbjerg had Willian in his pocket for much of the game. If these performances continue like this, I might get to like Mourinho.”
During his time at Tottenham, Eriksen brought the flair, the easy-on-the-eye football to the club because of his ability to see a killer pass or pick pockets and rifle the ball into the back of the net from long-range.
Hojbjerg is, without a doubt, of a different nature. More aggressive, like a lion that has been let out of his cage and is looking for his prey.
But it’s that type of player that might just prove to be more effective than Eriksen, and as result, help push Spurs over that line in trying to win the title.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
