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Eric Dier- defender or midfielder ?

Is Dier better in midfield or in defence ?

  • He is a defensive midfielder

    Votes: 67 21.6%
  • He is a central defender

    Votes: 97 31.3%
  • He is a utility player who should only play when others are unavailable, or in the domestic cups.

    Votes: 101 32.6%
  • We should just sell him in one of the next 2 windows. He’s just not good enough.

    Votes: 45 14.5%

  • Total voters
    310

Sevens

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2014
4,583
6,947
I think his best role is in the centre of a back three. He is a much better footballer than people give him credit for but as he gets older he is losing agility and that's hampering him in midfield.

I do think he gets a lot of undue stick by Spurs fans and has become somewhat of a scape goat. He has been an integral part of a team that has generally done very well over the last few years.

It's either Dier and/or Wanyama paired with Winks or Dembele for those centre positions. I chuckle to myself whenever I see Spurs fans leave both Dier and Wanyama out of their ideal team selections. Its 2018 and people still don't get that it is almost impossible to be consistently successful without at least one DM. Go and ask the scum fans down the road. If Wenger hadn't been so hellbent on proving that theory wrong they wouldn't be playing Europa League football now.....

There are two constants in recent years when it comes to Spurs's form and Dier isn't one of them.

Firstly, we usually start slow under Poch. We seemed to have bucked the trend this season, but then the last two games have happened and it's business as usual.

Secondly. Eriksen plays well, Spurs play well. Eriksen plays poorly or is quiet, Spurs struggle. Eriksen has not started the season well and we're struggling.

Finally, I'd say that Poch's lack of tactical acumen is hurting us. Playing a narrow formation against Liverpool was madness. Playing without a defensive midfielder against Watford was madness.
 

DanielJohnCosta

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2015
1,645
5,812
never has been and never will be a CM. He's an average CB who plays CM. Honestly never understood the hype, lateral movement makes him actually a liability defensively in the position and I haven't seen a single level of improvement from him in 3 seasons.
 

Sevens

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2014
4,583
6,947
never has been and never will be a CM. He's an average CB who plays CM. Honestly never understood the hype, lateral movement makes him actually a liability defensively in the position and I haven't seen a single level of improvement from him in 3 seasons.

His positioning and reading of the game, in midfield, are superb. His support play to team mates is also superb. The two problems he has are that his lack of agility is slowing down his ability to turn or nick the ball away and that he has a tendency to give the ball away cheaply at least once in a match (which is the real reason he is being scape goated, fans generally only notice the obvious or what is pointed out to them by commentators).
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
I think his best role is in the centre of a back three. He is a much better footballer than people give him credit for but as he gets older he is losing agility and that's hampering him in midfield.

I do think he gets a lot of undue stick by Spurs fans and has become somewhat of a scape goat. He has been an integral part of a team that has generally done very well over the last few years.

It's either Dier and/or Wanyama paired with Winks or Dembele for those centre positions. I chuckle to myself whenever I see Spurs fans leave both Dier and Wanyama out of their ideal team selections. Its 2018 and people still don't get that it is almost impossible to be consistently successful without at least one DM. Go and ask the scum fans down the road. If Wenger hadn't been so hellbent on proving that theory wrong they wouldn't be playing Europa League football now.....

There are two constants in recent years when it comes to Spurs's form and Dier isn't one of them.

Firstly, we usually start slow under Poch. We seemed to have bucked the trend this season, but then the last two games have happened and it's business as usual.

Secondly. Eriksen plays well, Spurs play well. Eriksen plays poorly or is quiet, Spurs struggle. Eriksen has not started the season well and we're struggling.

Finally, I'd say that Poch's lack of tactical acumen is hurting us. Playing a narrow formation against Liverpool was madness. Playing without a defensive midfielder against Watford was madness.

Liverpool and City don't play with dedicated DMF's
 

DanielJohnCosta

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2015
1,645
5,812
His positioning and reading of the game, in midfield, are superb. His support play to team mates is also superb. The two problems he has are that his lack of agility is slowing down his ability to turn or nick the ball away and that he has a tendency to give the ball away cheaply at least once in a match (which is the real reason he is being scape goated, fans generally only notice the obvious or what is pointed out to them by commentators).

he might have decent reading of the game and positioning from being a CB but when you enter a deeper level of water (bigger space of operating) in the middle of the field, if you can't swim (move) you will eventually drown (suck)
 

Sevens

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2014
4,583
6,947
Liverpool and City don't play with dedicated DMF's

Yes they do. City's lynchpin is Fernandinho. He gets injured, they don't win the title IMO. Liverpool have Wijnaldum who sits and protects the back four.
 

Spurs 1961

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
6,665
8,739
Dier is best in front of the back four in the holding role. He is an excellent player who I believe suffers from being too versatile. It seems we criticise him for being able to play in too many positions.
 

SEANSPURS1975

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2005
1,929
4,787
I’d say he is now Central defender who can also do a part time job in midfield. He has done very well in midfield over the last few seasons, but game by game he looks more and more unsuitable.
It’s got to the point now he looks completely lost in there. He hasn’t got the mobility for midfield.
Hes got too slow, his passing all over the place and cannot handle players pressurising him. It’s not nice to see.
I think he’d probably struggle in a back four as well because of his lack of pace. Think his best position is probably in a back 3.
If everyone is fit, he wouldn’t get in my team. A good squad to player to have though.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Yes they do. City's lynchpin is Fernandinho. He gets injured, they don't win the title IMO. Liverpool have Wijnaldum who sits and protects the back four.

Apologies I meant they don't play with strictly holding midfielders meaning that their DMF's play on the front foot and join in with attacks, Wanyama is the closest we have to that but he's not been fit for a long time, he'd be absolutely perfect in this team right now if he came back in.
 

dannythomas

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2004
3,757
2,813
I think his best role is in the centre of a back three. He is a much better footballer than people give him credit for but as he gets older he is losing agility and that's hampering him in midfield.

.
He’s 24 not 34
 

SdB

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
1,367
1,878
I wouldn't trust him as a centre back. Far too casual

I watched some clips of him from 2015/16 last night. Different player to now, looked hungry and aggressive

Now just looks like a slow, lumbering lump where the hype/praise from a few seasons back and thinks he's Pirloesque strolling around
 

TottenhamMattSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
10,925
16,007
Pretty much all last season and both Wembley games this, the entire crowd has been sighing constantly at almost everything he does. He's a big strong committed lad, but the errors just keep stacking up and up.

It's an issue. Wanyama is much the better player at DCM. He and Dembele together would be awesome but it feels like Wanyama might have more wrong with him than we thought. Dembele is one of my absolute must start players - but he's not got many years left.
That area of the pitch is a real concern to me now.

The fact he's English and some other clubs might not have figured it out yet. I'd take £30m for him and use it to find another in Wanyama's league.
 

Sevens

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2014
4,583
6,947
He’s 24 not 34

And? You can lose agility at that age as you bulk out depending on your build type. The same thing happened to Sol Campbell. He played a lot of games at left back for us but then he bulked out and became completely unsuitable for that position.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
I've always maintained that he will be a very good CB, I stand by that.
 

Lee82

Member
Oct 3, 2015
96
136
I’m starting to think Dier’s best position is as a club ambassador. He seems like a good guy and it would be a tough choice to sell him. I’m sure he’s ready to give up on his football career.
 

isaac94

Well-Known Member
Jan 5, 2017
2,921
9,733
Not a big fan, he tried hard but think he is one of the most limited players in the squad, slow, clumsy, and always has a big mistake in him, we should be aiming higher
 

SpursSince1980

Well-Known Member
Jan 23, 2011
4,732
14,442
I’ve always said he has the making of an excellent CB who could one day captain England from that spot. I was proven wrong, as he has been captain playing CM for the three lions. That said, he will never be more than a very average defensive midfielder. Within two years he won’t get a sniff of playing that role for England as young guys are starting to come through who are much better than him. I feel the same thing will happen at Spurs before long. If Wanyama wasn’t constantly crocked and if we actually invested in that space he would be third choice. However, if he was willing to commit to CB and put his heart into it, I feel he could be excellent for us there, and England too. It all comes down to him being honest with himself. And perhaps his coaches should too.
 

mattdefoe

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2009
3,182
2,572
He believed his own hype and has not improved one bit. Heavy and out of shape . Would prefer Huddlestone
 
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