Dele Alli - Player watch

[thinktank]

Don't need stats. You can use your eyes and see that Del is having a dodgy af season.

If he doesn't stop with the arrogant nonsense and get down to the fundamentals of his game he is going to waste his potential.

 

[archiewasking]

Turning into a showpony. Needs to earn his place not just take it for granted.

 

[ClonedFromSandrosBeard]

Compared to last season:

Plays less passes (38.7/35.6), with similar completion (80/81%) - but creates slightly more chances (1.51/1.98).

Shoots less often (2.79/2.34), including less long shots (1.02/0.80), and yet is half as likely to hit the target (59/32%).

Makes less take-ons (1.51/1.32) with pretty much identical success rate (41/40%).

Wins significantly less tackles (1.13/0.73), but does get booked less (0.12/0.07).

So overall he’s less involved in the play - not passing as much, not dribbling as much, not tackling as much. When he does get involved, he can create chances, but his dribbling is still poor and his shooting has gone to pot.

Reads like he's getting marked out of the game.

 

[Clark28]

Reads like he's getting marked out of the game.

i wonder if the increase in teams parking the bus against us is having an impact too.

 

[dagraham]

Don't need stats. You can use your eyes and see that Del is having a dodgy af season.

If he doesn't stop with the arrogant nonsense and get down to the fundamentals of his game he is going to waste his potential.

This. I've been a staunch defender of him and there were times during the last two seasons where some of the criticism was ridiculous. Dele is mostly about end product though and his all round game wasn't/isn't the most polished, so now he's not scoring it's being highlighted.

As you say though, you don't need stats. He's just playing badly, and in some ways his strengths have become his biggest weakness. His confidence (bordering on arrogance) made his fearless for a young player and at times during last season he was virtually the only player in the poor CL campaign who didn't look out of his depth. However, his arrogance now seems to be stopping him going back to basics and he is in danger of just becoming a show pony.

Hopefully Poch can guide him and develop him further as a player, rather than just give him free reign to try and dribble past the whole team and nutmeg every player.

 

[kungfugrip]

I don't remember Ferguson being all that bothered about Keane and Scholes leaving a foot in every now and then (and picking up the suspensions that followed), and he seemed to know a thing or two about managing successful teams. In fact, I imagine he was quite happy to have opposing players worrying about a possible reducer coming their way.

Agreed, but easier to deal with if you're top of the league and in good form (like Man Utd usually were). If you're 7th and in a poor run of form, that's when tackles like that get much more attention.

 

[kungfugrip]

If it was me I would drop Dele for a game or two. BUT, as Poch points out in his book, last year when he did that with an unnamed player, the player's agent was at the training ground the next day to meet with Poch to complain why he wasn't picked. Crazy pressure to have to deal with.

 

[stevenurse]

Easy to forget he's only 21. He's achieved more so far than anyone could have predicted. He's the epitome of spurs at the moment. Miles ahead of schedule and being criticised for not being top of his/our game all the time

 

[Nebby]

Agreed, but easier to deal with if you're top of the league and in good form (like Man Utd usually were). If you're 7th and in a poor run of form, that's when tackles like that get much more attention.

It also helps if, like Fergie, you're a bully that the media was terrified of upsetting. Some of his behaviour in press conferences was a disgrace.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

If it was me I would drop Dele for a game or two. BUT, as Poch points out in his book, last year when he did that with an unnamed player, the player's agent was at the training ground the next day to meet with Poch to complain why he wasn't picked. Crazy pressure to have to deal with.

I don't imagine Poch taking kindly to that sort of interference from an agent. I don't know the first thing about this side of the game but in a management position i'd drop the player for a month. Tail shouldn't be wagging the dog. Especially in this case, Dele is still a young lad and needs to learn his place. All this branding bollocks means naff all if you don't produce the footballing goods. He' got to do as many have said, drop the Charlie big bollocks routine and get back to his game. (Difficult balance as he needs a bit of arrogance to be the player he could be).

 

[coys200]

I definitely think he is a CM and not AM. Was watching Pogba last night(ok not been great but defo improving) Thinking Dele could be our version. He’s 6ft 2 and as he fills out a bit could be a real presence in CM. I don’t think it’s a coincidence his best 2 games this season have been Liverpool and Real where he played CM. He just doesn’t have the agility or dribbling skills for AM imo. When do you see him go past a couple of players and get a shot off like a rashford Salah Hazardor even Son it’s just not his game. For me he is much better deeper where he has more time to operate and can still time runs into box.

 

[nailsy]

Chris Sutton has been accusing Dele of going missing recently. This is the guy who scored one goal in twenty eight appearances for Chelsea, one goal in ten appearances for Birmingham and one goal in eight appearances for Villa. He also failed to to answer a call up for the England B squad. There are very few players that have gone missing as much as he has, so it's worth paying attention to his 'expert' opinion.

 

[Wsussexspur]

Much improved performance tonight form Dele! Did well to ignore the championship footballers from Burnley trying to wind him up all game long

 

[spids]

There was a good article in one of the papers today ... showed how Dele has had quiet October/Novembers last 2 years and from Christmas week till April is on fire.

 

[Pellshek]

T'riffic today. Just on the right side of his nasty self, with lots of dangerous interplay with Kane, Son, Eriksen etc.

 

[Nebby]

No coincidence that Dier back in midfield sees Dele have his best game in ages. Fantastic today given the freedom to play.

 

[SpursDave88]

Thought he was fantastic today, more of the same please.

 

[werty]

No coincidence that Dier back in midfield sees Dele have his best game in ages. Fantastic today given the freedom to play.

Constantly losing the ball in previous games had nothing to do with where Dier was playing. He's played with same "freedom" today that he has had nearly all season.

 

[stewartd]

Superb today. Nothing fazes him and he keeps trying to do the killer pass . Well done son your contribution today was first class.

 

[Nebby]

Constantly losing the ball in previous games had nothing to do with where Dier was playing. He's played with same "freedom" today that he has had nearly all season.

Clearly not.