Does the Dier-Wanyama partnership work?

[biscuitbeck]

In Dembele's absence, is this the best partnership? I wrote an article looking at this: https://tottenhamwords.wordpress.com/2016/09/12/does-the-eric-dier-victor-wanyama-pivot-work/

They haven't really gelled together yet, and obviously they don't offer as much going forward as other partnerships would, but we have got 8 points from 4 games, scoring 7 and conceding only 2...

Interested to hear opinions on this. Dembele won't be able to play every match, so it's a pretty important decision to make.

 

[danielneeds]

In Dembele's absence, is this the best partnership? I wrote an article looking at this: https://tottenhamwords.wordpress.com/2016/09/12/does-the-eric-dier-victor-wanyama-pivot-work/

They haven't really gelled together yet, and obviously they don't offer as much going forward as other partnerships would, but we have got 8 points from 4 games, scoring 7 and conceding only 2...

Interested to hear opinions on this. Dembele won't be able to play every match, so it's a pretty important decision to make.

It's not many people's ideal, but I think they've been getting stick - when there have been other problems in attacking areas that have mean't our fluency has been stunted early on - Kane, Alli and Eriksen not firing.

 

[spids]

I think any new partnership takes time to gel and will reserve judgement until a later date. That said, I think we looked more fluid offensively after he went off at Stoke.

 

[spids]

I also think it's a horses for courses thing. Some games 2 x defensive CMs will be best. Others 1 x defensive and 1 x 'passer', in others 1 x defensive and 1 x 'power' / 'beat a man' CM will be needed.

 

[Trix]

Unbeaten with them as a pair so far. Might not be great to watch ATM, but this is the sort of stat that will be brought up when the post season finger pointing starts

 

[Blake Griffin]

They haven't really gelled together yet, and obviously they don't offer as much going forward as other partnerships would, but we have got 8 points from 4 games, scoring 7 and conceding only 2...

though if you look at it closer - with dier and wanyama on the field as our cm partnership we've scored 2(palace and stoke) and conceded 1(everton). with just one of them we've scored 5(everton, liverpool, stoke x3) and conceded 1(liverpool pen). maybe it's a coincidence but i'd personally side with the opinion that the two as a pair are far too limiting to our attacking game. my preference would be either of the two plus one of alli or winks, i'm not entirely sold on alli as a cm in a 2 but it seems to have worked up to this point when he's played there.

 

[easley91]

Defensively great, only 2 goals conceded and they were set pieces. Think they're better for when closing out a game or playing defensively against an attacking side.

 

[dagraham]

I've never liked two defensive midfielders playing together and would prefer Alli or Sissoko there in Dembele's absence.

 

[Roynie]

It's too soon to make a definitive judgement. Let's face it after 4 games last season a lot of people on here were calling for the Dier experiment in midfield to end, and look how that ended up. Wanyama is still only settling in to the team, we may have a better idea after he has played 10 - 15 games rather than 4.

 

[Hoops]

Definetly not. Its overly negative. Its like Davids and Tainio. Theres no creativity.

Sissoko and Dier, or Alli and Dier.

or swap Dier with Wanyama.

 

[Pellshek]

I think too much is being made of this. The partnership is temporary, a stop-gap, and not likely to feature that much going forward, once Dembele is back, our new signings are more integrated, and the various formations available to Poch become clearer.

 

[Basil Brush]

Are there any problems playing them together in the away champions league games or away against the other teams in the big 6?

I like that we have the option to use them together when required.

 

[Gbspurs]

We are unbeaten and we have options to change things off the bench if needed. Poch will be consious of how many times last season we let in the first goal and how difficult that can make things. I'm happy with it knowing what we have in reserve.

 

[Kilkenny Cat]

I think too much is being made of this. The partnership is temporary, a stop-gap, and not likely to feature that much going forward, once Dembele is back, our new signings are more integrated, and the various formations available to Poch become clearer.

Exactly!

 

[bat-chain]

Without Dembele last season we were averaging less than a point a game were we not?

Now we have just gone up to two points a game without him, it obviously works on some level.

 

[CowInAComa]

though if you look at it closer - with dier and wanyama on the field as our cm partnership we've scored 2(palace and stoke) and conceded 1(everton). with just one of them we've scored 5(everton, liverpool, stoke x3) and conceded 1(liverpool pen). maybe it's a coincidence but i'd personally side with the opinion that the two as a pair are far too limiting to our attacking game. my preference would be either of the two plus one of alli or winks, i'm not entirely sold on alli as a cm in a 2 but it seems to have worked up to this point when he's played there.

Impossible to compare the tight cagey early game stats to those of the end of a game where there is gaps aplenty.

Its entirely feasible that we have good stats at the end because of the pressure that we have put them under at the beginning physcally. I think its fair to say, much to our frustration sometimes, that we arent the fastest starters and its probably that this is part of the game plan

 

[CowInAComa]

But agree with those that say we dont necessarily have to worry about a one size fits all midfield pairing. We have options to cover for tactical and injury reasons.

Im happy with the choices we have

 

[THOWIG]

No.

 

[Larryjanta]

Horses for courses for me. We've scored 7 goals and conceded 2 in our four games so doing OK both defensively and going forward but I'd prefer to see something a little more attacking when playing teams who park the bus

 

[faze_coys]

Are there any problems playing them together in the away champions league games or away against the other teams in the big 6?

I like that we have the option to use them together when required.

Playing 2 DMs in these kinda games is the worst thing you can do. We should be defending thru attack, not inviting pressure because we cant get the ball to our attacking outlets.

Playing 2 dms doesnt always make you more defensively sound, it makes you negative and caused a huge problem going forward.

Attack is the best form of defence.