Eric Dier - key man

[Maske2g]

I'm not a massive Dier lover. I definitely don't like Dier in possession. in the tight games at home, he feels the need to try silly hollywood balls that he isn't capable of. He has lapses in concentration. and he takes too many touches.

Against Swansea, Burnley he was appalling. And away in Cyprus, even from a defensive point of view he was AWOL..

I want him to win 40/60,s like Wanyama and Dembele, be aggressive, and give it quickly to the good players.

BIG BUT

He did it all on Saturday and no surprise is getting the plaudits today. He was excellent.

Will he learn from it, and simplify the game at home? Who knows.

Just needs to understand his role in the team in those games where we are off key at home.

We had a few of those games 2 seasons ago with Dier in the same role, drawing against poor teams at home, looking slow and lethargic. Last year, with Wanyama and Dembele we were finding a way in those tight games by getting the ball to the true talent, quickly.

 

[Trix]

Will be interesting to see who is the better option out of Dier and Wanyama when latter is fit.

It's a tough one for me as much as I love Dier and his spirit / bro-mance with Dele / he seems like he is really good for team spirit, Wanyama still feels the better player for me in midfield.

And now Sanchez is settled in the back three it will be interesting...

If everyone is fully fit then for me big Vic is the better option.

 

[Maske2g]

Not really sure about the winks / dier love in just yet.

Against the Cypriot champions, they cut through our midfield like butter and thankfully couldn't finish their dinner. On Saturday winks was particularly quiet, although it was 3-0 in no time, so it wasn't really a game to judge.

In this premier league, you must have pace and/or power in the middle now to really compete. The trend has shifted that way again in the last 3 years.

We looked dominant last year in so many games where our midfield just seemed to come away with the ball when they had little right to. It makes the possession stats tip massively your way, and hence, our defensive record. It's great because we control games, which matters more than having the great defenders that we have.

 

[Kiedis]

I still think Diers passing is underrated. He's capable of finding players in between the lines very well, as well as the odd Hollywood pass (like the one away against Hull last season). Just think he needs to keep playing to get the balance right.

 

[DJS]

Not really sure about the winks / dier love in just yet.

Against the Cypriot champions, they cut through our midfield like butter and thankfully couldn't finish their dinner. On Saturday winks was particularly quiet, although it was 3-0 in no time, so it wasn't really a game to judge.

In this premier league, you must have pace and/or power in the middle now to really compete. The trend has shifted that way again in the last 3 years.

We looked dominant last year in so many games where our midfield just seemed to come away with the ball when they had little right to. It makes the possession stats tip massively your way, and hence, our defensive record. It's great because we control games, which matters more than having the great defenders that we have.

To be fair to Winks though he was just coming back into team from a long-term injury with no pre-season.

I'd hope fully fit and as he plays more and gains more experience that he becomes a very viable option to become first choice alongside the more defensive midfielder (or as Poch re-affirmed he could actually play defensive midfield in some situations as well).

 

[thelak]

No-one disputes that mate...I'm disputing that he had to learn to play in midfield when he came to Spurs where he in fact learned to play in midfield for Sporting.

I guess we have differing opinions on what it takes to learn a position properly - especially when to my knowledge he wasn't playing in that role most of the time during his earlier development years. He had a bit of game time in midfield but was still basically a novice - esp to play at top end of the PL standard

 

[cockerel downunder]

I don’t think there’s any doubt wanyama is more effective right now but perhaps dier has potential to be better if given the games to improve.

That’s the dilemma for poch but I just have a feeling dier will keep his place.

I think he has played almost every game for poch (I may be wrong here !) so hard to see that coming to an end.

Also worth noting dier is learning somewhat of a new role this season as a line Dm as opposed to double pivot previously, and the whole team is learning a new formation around him.

I’d be interested in people opinion of his potential to improve over the next year or two, is there more to come or has he got limitations that can’t be overcome with coaching/experience ?

 

[nedley]

I'm really happy his performances have improved as the season has gone on.

 

[TaoistMonkey]

I love Dier. Don't get me wrong, Wanyama is a beast but Dier offers so much more offensively.

 

[yido_number1]

I'm not a massive Dier lover. I definitely don't like Dier in possession. in the tight games at home, he feels the need to try silly hollywood balls that he isn't capable of. He has lapses in concentration. and he takes too many touches.

Against Swansea, Burnley he was appalling. And away in Cyprus, even from a defensive point of view he was AWOL..

I want him to win 40/60,s like Wanyama and Dembele, be aggressive, and give it quickly to the good players.

BIG BUT

He did it all on Saturday and no surprise is getting the plaudits today. He was excellent.

Will he learn from it, and simplify the game at home? Who knows.

Just needs to understand his role in the team in those games where we are off key at home.

We had a few of those games 2 seasons ago with Dier in the same role, drawing against poor teams at home, looking slow and lethargic. Last year, with Wanyama and Dembele we were finding a way in those tight games by getting the ball to the true talent, quickly.

It's not Dier's fault. If you play him with the right partner he is nearly always a high performer. If you play him and Wanyama you get boring slow football. Winks is a good foil as he's busy and has a good range of passing to complement what Eric does. Fact is the more Dier plays the better he gets.

 

[Shadydan]

Wanyama and Winks is our best combination going forward IMO, for the sake of balance and penetration those two would work the best.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Just posted this elsewhere but works in here too:

We've been screaming out for someone a bit more metronomic to play in CM, many of us saying Winks should be starting more games last year and this, especially ones like this, we finally get Winks in there and everyone's "Dier looked back to his best".

Dier did OK, but it's no coincidence that he looked better with a player in there next to him to play more of the football, see more of the ball and move it quicker, leaving Dier to do much less. Winks completed 87.5% of 64 passes (56), Dier 75% of 45 (34).

The problem's come when Dier's played in CM2's with Dembele or Wanyama and he's forced to try and play more, slowing everything up and pulling him up the pitch which he doesn't recover so well from.

Give him a simpler remit and he'll look Ok, but given a simpler remit I'd still pick Wanyama because he does all those simpler things better. He's more dynamic, more adroit, can press better, and moves the ball quivker to the creatives.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Wanyama and Winks is our best combination going forward IMO, for the sake of balance and penetration those two would work the best.

In a cm2, agree. I think the new CM3 system will also work better with Wanyama's dynamism.