Dembele

[thinktank]

He's my favourite player to watch in our current team but today he was awful.

Wasn't comfortable where he was playing.

 

[dagraham]

I think people have short memories DEMBELE was a monster at the end of last season.

That's the problem. Too many monsters and not enough footballers with intelligence and vision.

The balance isn't right in our midfield three imo. Dembele cannot provide the creative spark and its nothing to do with his injury, it's because he doesn't play with his head up and wants to hold on to the ball too long.

I like Dembele, he is amazing at ghosting past players and getting away into space but has no idea what to do when he gets there.

For me it should be Sandro or Capoue, a creative player and then Dembele competing with Paulihno for the other spot.

 

[KILLA_SIN]

That's the problem. Too many monsters and not enough footballers with intelligence and vision.

The balance isn't right in our midfield three imo. Dembele cannot provide the creative spark and its nothing to do with his injury, it's because he doesn't play with his head up and wants to hold on to the ball too long.

I like Dembele, he is amazing at ghosting past players and getting away into space but has no idea what to do when he gets there.

For me it should be Sandro or Capoue, a creative player and then Dembele competing with Paulihno for the other spot.

I don't agree that because we have upgraded our midfield to have more height, strength and physicality that the IQ level has dropped. Our main problem has always been movement off the ball and poor decision making it was the same when VDV and Modric were here.

 

[benjani]

He hasn't really with it today. Had a few stray passes and didn't look as quick as usual.

 

[Krafty]

Great footballer, but struggling to see what he is truly bringing to the team at the moment.

He's strong, fantastic balance, you can give him the ball in a tight space and he's a good bet for you to keep the ball. He's also quite defensively disciplined.

However, beyond that, we don't get insightful passing, he can slow down the play because he is jinking and twisting an opponent rather than quickly moving the ball on, and he doesn't get in the box enough. He has gone close twice this season with efforts from 18-20 yards, but given we are attacking down the flanks a lot I'd like to see him getting on the end of crosses/pullbacks(or half clearances or blocked efforts) more than he does now.

With Capoue or Sandro covering, and Paulinho powering up and down, the other midfielder needs to offer a bit of finesse or goals. If Dembele is carrying an injury, they should get it sorted, we have enough options there.

I'd like to see Sandro, Carroll and Sigurdsson/Holtby play on Thursday. I think that would offer a bit of everything, against weak opponents admittedly, and those 3/4 players should be looking to give AVB a problem with regards Dembele's starting position

 

[nssmuckers]

He had a rough game today. Looked slow for some reason. Didn't have that little bit of burst after he dribbled people.

Paulinho on the other hand was a monster and never ran out of energy. Strange.

 

[Stoof]

I thought Dembele was awful today

Awful?

I have no words. And I usually enjoy these sorts of ridiculing opportunities.

 

[JerryGarcia]

Thought we lost a bit of control after he went off.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

I thought Dembele was awful today

Such a shame if it is an injury he can't shake off or such a shame for wasting all that amazing talent he's got!

 

[thinktank]

He was just a bit lost in the position he played today; he's a boss, quit doubting.

 

[Matt_Spurs]

Very talented player and was excellent in large parts last year, especially before his hip injury flared up in the secong half of the season. I just feel that with Capoue and Paulinho impressing so far and Sandro coming back from injury his place will be under threat. He too often slows play down and is happy to play a sideways ball. This is fine when he is playing deeper but today, when asked to play further forward, he didn't play the ball forward enough nor quick enough. He would also need to score more goals to play further forward. I hope his injury is not too bad though of course. Just feel that he will be part of the squad this season and not an automatic starter as he was last year. In aw ay this shows how far we have come. Most teams would be delighted to have Dembele in their team, let alone on the bench.

 

[StockSpur]

any chance he can do something when he is playing?

come on ffs, he properly hides in these games against teams that are going to play to disrupt us. so far and if hes injured sorry, but i thought he was much better than he has been at spurs.

he needs to be playing higher up the pitch now we have other crunchers in midfield...

 

[spursgirls]

He was holding his hip/back before he came off, so it is definitely affecting his game. AVB obviously though it worth getting out of him what he could, for as long as he could.

 

[ralvy]

If the moose is still carrying hip problems, I would like AVB trying Carroll (and Holtby when he's fit) on his spot, and if it works out then he should be given whatever time he needs to get that shit fixed. We shouldn't be exposing ourselves to those same problems we were suffering last season.

 

[Wardy]

Just want to see him glide past Ramsey/Wilshere, lay off GOALdado and he bangs one in

 

[Flashspur]

he has the injury and its not going to go away as he could have had an op in the off season and choose not to - I am not in favour of nursing the injury back to health caper.......it usually never works

 

[sloth]

The truth about us humans is we that we make up our minds first, then look for the evidence to confirm we're right.

In this case there seems to be a narrative about our midfield being some kind of beast-like cloggers! Strong, powerful, no creativity, no guile. Let's wait and see.

 

[muppetman]

It's odd to me that so many are unimpressed with him. We always look worse when he goes off. He may not be flashy but he is very important for us. Hopefully we can sort out any injury issues because when he is at his best he is an absolute joy to watch.

 

[Gringospur]

Had enough of Dembele in advance of midfield 3, never want to see him there again. Felt like this for while.
Silky skills, skips past a player then nothing. Let him do that from defence and pass to Holtby, Eriksen, Lamela. Don't let him pass the half way line, he gets vertigo.

 

[Blake Griffin]

Had enough of Dembele in advance of midfield 3, never want to see him there again. Felt like this for while.
Silky skills, skips past a player then nothing. Let him do that from defence and pass to Holtby, Eriksen, Lamela. Don't let him pass the half way line, he gets vertigo.

i would get him back alongside sandro but then where do you put the super 17 million pound brazilian?