Player Watch: Dele Alli

[Shadydan]

Posted this in the match thread and was wondering what others thoughts are on it.

I really am concerned about Alli, his head looks like it is elsewhere, have had that feeling since preseason, part of me thinks it's down to the wages (the agent talk probably confirms this) and him believing his own hype a little too much, all the marketing he has been doing etc.

He needs to focus on the football and doing his job, I know he had an assist today and a player of his talent is capable of that but he could have equally have cost us the game with the amount of sloppy touches he was making and bad decisions.

Poch needs a word with him, looks a different player to last season, maybe next could do with being out of the team and replaced with Son for a few games.

What do you all think?

Nah keep him in and let him play through it, not sure I've noticed a difference with him anyway but even if he is distracted by agent talk or other things in his life make him play through it, he still contributes positively to the team regardless.

 

[Pellshek]

I don't really want Dele to be consistent. I want him to be Dele.

Zlatan has been the same much of his career. Lineker was limited a lot of the time, but couldn't stop scoring. Ditto Ian Rush. Dele's job is goals, assists, linking up middle-to-front, and the occasional moment of magic. As long as he's giving us that - he got an assist today and could have had more - he's not actually being inconsistent. He just being Dele.

 

[HildoSpur]

I think he is in a bit of poor form at the moment but I'm glad Poch believes in him enough to just let him play through it. He is still a very dangerous player but right now those little moments he normally thrives upon aren't coming off for him.

 

[Donki]

I don't really want Dele to be consistent. I want him to be Dele.

Zlatan has been the same much of his career. Lineker was limited a lot of the time, but couldn't stop scoring. Ditto Ian Rush. Dele's job is goals, assists, linking up middle-to-front, and the occasional moment of magic. As long as he's giving us that - he got an assist today and could have had more - he's not actually being inconsistent. He just being Dele.

Sorry can't agree today he was terrible, and I don't usually go to extremes but he was. Could easily have 3 goals, looked nervous on the ball and none of the instinct he showed last year. Son could have easily finished at least 2 of the chances he had.

 

[thinktank]

He'll never realise his full potential until he simplifies his game.

 

[Hazardousman]

Nah keep him in and let him play through it, not sure I've noticed a difference with him anyway but even if he is distracted by agent talk or other things in his life make him play through it, he still contributes positively to the team regardless.

Well this is part of the problem, because he is capable of something special even when he is off form.

During preseason I was just concerned with his general attitude and he himself had even said before that Poch has pulled him up for not putting 100% effort in.

Young lad and I think sometimes he just needs to be reminded (by his own admission) that he has a long way to go yet despite his talent, doesn't help that agents and all these sharks circle the players and all the promotional agencies etc.

So I kind of agree with you. Maybe letting him play through whatever this is would be best for him.

Also, I appreciate you not just giving me a funny rating like some of the WUM's do on here to me and other posters and actually discussing it rather than outright dismissing it.

 

[Phomesy]

Yeah big call but maybe, just maybe, we should keep playing a guy who keeps scoring goals and making them. Controversial but I reckon Poch might just risk it with Dele...

 

[Shadydan]

Well this is part of the problem, because he is capable of something special even when he is off form.

During preseason I was just concerned with his general attitude and he himself had even said before that Poch has pulled him up for not putting 100% effort in.

Young lad and I think sometimes he just needs to be reminded (by his own admission) that he has a long way to go yet despite his talent, doesn't help that agents and all these sharks circle the players and all the promotional agencies etc.

So I kind of agree with you. Maybe letting him play through whatever this is would be best for him.

Also, I appreciate you not just giving me a funny rating like some of the WUM's do on here to me and other posters and actually discussing it rather than outright dismissing it.

He isn't actually playing terribly anyway, our fans just over-react typically. He can be better but we need to remember he's still maturing. These are the times you let him play through it and come out a better player.

 

[Streetspur77]

Heavily involved in two goals today

As far as I'm concerned he did his job

 

[heelspurs]

He'll never realise his full potential until he simplifies his game.

Or improves his technical ability to consistently pull off the more complicated shit. But consistency with a simplified but very f*cking effective game, considering his movement, would be easily within his grasp.

 

[JayB]

I'd be very surprised if Dele were dropped. I may be mistaken but I think I read a quote from Poch that alluded to some personal issues going on in his life right now, which is not at all a surprise when you see his body language. I think Poch is trying to show him support and is hoping that he'll play his way through it, and dropping him now (even if he does deserve it purely going off of current form) wouldn't be particularly helpful in that regard. Just a gut feeling.

 

[thinktank]

Or improves his technical ability to consistently pull off the more complicated shit. But consistency with a simplified but very f*cking effective game, considering his movement, would be easily within his grasp.

He's got the ability; just tries shit too often i.e. all the time.

 

[St José Dominguez]

Countless times last season he had pretty poor games but scored or assisted and nothing was said. He was poor today but assisted a goal and caused another and some people are on his back. His biggest ability is he is a constant threat whether he's good or bad rest of game.

Said it before but this moaning about him has only started because of him sacking his agent and mythical body language issues. Not sure if the criticism is to make fans feel better if he leaves but saying he should be dropped is ridiculous in my opinion.
He'll ride out this slightly poor form and by Xmas people will be whinging that he's gonna leave.

 

[Shadydan]

Countless times last season he had pretty poor games but scored or assisted and nothing was said. He was poor today but assisted a goal and caused another and some people are on his back. His biggest ability is he is a constant threat whether he's good or bad rest of game.

Said it before but this moaning about him has only started because of him sacking his agent and mythical body language issues. Not sure if the criticism is to make fans feel better if he leaves but saying he should be dropped is ridiculous in my opinion.
He'll ride out this slightly poor form and by Xmas people will be whinging that he's gonna leave.

Plenty people have been saying the same thing about him not getting into the match but popping up with vital goals and assists since his first season tbf.

 

[St José Dominguez]

Plenty people have been saying the same thing about him not getting into the match but popping up with vital goals and assists since his first season tbf.

Yeah in a positive tone. Now it's becoming a negative from many. He's 21 and we're acting like he should be this huge constant threat, scoring and assisting whilst also dictating attacking play, never giving the ball away and making constant correct decisions. Basically making him Cristiano Ronaldo.

 

[jonnyp]

Yeah in a positive tone. Now it's becoming a negative from many. He's 21 and we're acting like he should be this huge constant threat, scoring and assisting whilst also dictating attacking play, never giving the ball away and making constant correct decisions. Basically making him Cristiano Ronaldo.

I dont expect him to assist and score every match. I expect him to be able to control a ball better than Cresswell and Reid though. Apart from his assist he was terrible all match.

 

[dagraham]

Agree he's not playing well and today he was very very sloppy, but worth remembering the same was being said about him last season.

Poch played him through the poor form and was proved correct.

I do agree though that he would be better served keeping things simple.

 

[coys200]

Was awful not much else you can say.Distractions?confidence? Who knows ,but Son is 100% the better option right now

 

[St José Dominguez]

I dont expect him to assist and score every match. I expect him to be able to control a ball better than Cresswell and Reid though. Apart from his assist he was terrible all match.

He was heavily involved in two goals today, personally I'd take that along with him miscontrolling the ball multiple times. His touch has been pretty poor ever since he arrived, it's the reason I don't see him at Madrid until it improves. Right now, like a lot of young players he seems to take a couple of months to get into rhythm. Happened last year too, you keep playing him appreciate the goals and assists and then he'll be on absolute fire again. Dropping him would be moronic.

 

[rossi]

Give him a break, he's been a revelation for us and I hope he continues to try his tricks, flicks and nutmegs. It's only a matter of time until it all clicks again for him and we'll all be soggy in the pant area.

Even when he isn't on top form, he's still coming up with goals and assists, not a lot more you could ask for imo.