Ex-Player Watch Player Watch: Mousa Dembele

[mckenz]

Good luck to the moose

It's a footballing decision for him at least. seems like his injuries mean he can't train to the level to be at his best in this league.


It was always going to happen, and Im not sure we're loosing the same Moose that bossed games last year. Sissoko's form has also made this more tangible

 

[Spurs 1961]

Good luck to him wherever he goes. Has been hindered so much by injuries that his time at Spurs has been blighted. At his best made a real contribution to the team and a fit Dembélé would be great but that just is not possible now. Best he goes now and makes some money from a last contract whilst at the same time enabling us to promote someone from the youth or buy another player

 

[chinaman]

Didn't we promise Dembele that we'd facilitate a final big money move for him?

A verbal promise from Levy? Remember the handshake with Modric?

 

[Legacy]

I really thought we'd keep him until the end of the season.

Could of been huge playing him at City and Anfield. Really thought Poch was going to use him in a very selective way for the remainder of the season.

Yeah, but they can't bank on him being fit for any period of time. And even if he was available for selection for City and Liverpool, it's asking a lot of the bloke to be able to keep up with two of the fastest playing teams in the world.

 

[nicdic]

It's only stupid if he can regain fitness and we don't replace. If he's never gonna be fit enough to play for us again, then selling him and not replacing leaves us no better or worse than we are now. Likewise Wanyama.

 

[dagraham]

It's only stupid if he can regain fitness and we don't replace. If he's never gonna be fit enough to play for us again, then selling him and not replacing leaves us no better or worse than we are now. Likewise Wanyama.

But his latest injury was a impact injury. Nothing to do with general fitness.

We know that long term he’s on the decline, but the main problem was being first choice and having to play regularly twice a week.

He could still play a vital role for us for the remainder of the season.

 

[whitesocks]

Indefensible if we don't bring in another CM body.

I'm afraid if you don't use it, you lose it. That's how it works at the club.

 

[ajspurs]

It's only stupid if he can regain fitness and we don't replace. If he's never gonna be fit enough to play for us again, then selling him and not replacing leaves us no better or worse than we are now. Likewise Wanyama.

Well that's something that we on the outside won't know unless the club/Poch reveal specifics, but I think it would be a pretty shocking claim all of a sudden. I still remember there being a few games at the start of the season where we looked shit until Dembele started to feature.

His situation is very different to Wanyama IMO. If Dembele recovers from his injury I'd expect to see him feature a fair or reasonable amount from now until the end of the season. If Wanyama recovers there's no way he remains fit for a sustained period.

 

[Johno1470]

I’d prefer a half fit Dembele for the remainder of the season than relying on Skipp if we are light in midfield when pushing for a top spot in the league, CL and multiple cups.
Not that I don’t rate Skipp (which I do). I just think he isn’t ready for top level PL competition just yet.

 

[thebenjamin]

I’d prefer a half fit Dembele for the remainder of the season than relying on Skipp if we are light in midfield when pushing for a top spot in the league, CL and multiple cups.
Not that I don’t rate Skipp (which I do). I just think he isn’t ready for top level PL competition just yet.

Indeed. Leaving ourselves Skipp , sissoko, Winks and Dier for 4 competitions would be negligent to put it kindly.

 

[thelak]

I’d prefer a half fit Dembele for the remainder of the season than relying on Skipp if we are light in midfield when pushing for a top spot in the league, CL and multiple cups.
Not that I don’t rate Skipp (which I do). I just think he isn’t ready for top level PL competition just yet.

Levy would prefer some £££ in his pocket though whilst he can most likely

 

[spids]

Indeed. Leaving ourselves Skipp , sissoko, Winks and Dier for 4 competitions would be negligent to put it kindly.

Eriksen and Dele can play either side of any of those in a 4-3-3 ... not ideal, but workable.

 

[Twizzle]

surely this wont happen till we have a replacement lined up

 

[jurgen]

surely this wont happen till we have a replacement lined up

Surely you jest sir!

 

[C0YS]

Well that's something that we on the outside won't know unless the club/Poch reveal specifics, but I think it would be a pretty shocking claim all of a sudden. I still remember there being a few games at the start of the season where we looked shit until Dembele started to feature.

His situation is very different to Wanyama IMO. If Dembele recovers from his injury I'd expect to see him feature a fair or reasonable amount from now until the end of the season. If Wanyama recovers there's no way he remains fit for a sustained period.

I think it's pretty well known that he has long term injuries that seriously impacts his training and playing time. He is on the wrong side of thirty and it's unlikely he will be offered a long term contract on that basis. He has been hit and miss for sometime now I think both the club and the player know that he is no longer going to be able to consistently perform at the top level. I don't think he would make the first 11 right now, and Dier,Winks and now Skipp are young players who will improve with the space to further develop!

It makes sense for him on a personal level, one last big paycheck playing in a less intense league, so he can pick up his pension and keep his legs in functioning order. On his prime he was one of the best players I've seen play for Tottenham, but best he leaves still at his prime, rather than watch his inevitable decline.

 

[nedley]

Fair chance he's off this window.

So who will the club be looking at to bring in this window or next?

https://www.skysports.com/football/...ake-approach-to-sign-tottenhams-mousa-dembele

 

[cider spurs]

A few quotes from yesteryear...

Ross Barkley (Everton): “Mousa Dembele in midfield. I played against him when I was 18 or 19 and I thought it was very tough. He’s probably the hardest player I’ve played against. He’s a strong player, he gets his foot in well and dictates play.”

Harry Arter (Bournemouth): “Dembele at Spurs last season was unplayable. In the middle of a match, I told him what I thought. “How do you do what you do? You front me up, I think I am going to tackle you and you manipulate the ball and move it so quickly. And you’re big!” He was laughing.”

Hein Vanhaezebrouck (Gent manager): “I cannot enjoy the game of Mousa Dembele if he is playing against me, eh? But he is fantastic. They can jump three on his back and he’s not going to go down, he’s incredible. He’s so strong and doesn’t lose control of the ball. He’s a great footballer.”

Wesley Sonck (former Belgium international): “But I insist: the greatest talent is Moussa Dembele. Some may say they want Eden or De Bruyne, but Moussa has the most qualities – it’s not normal how strong he is on the ball. I’ve seen him during training turn Kompany into a fool.” (via HLN)

Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium teammate): “For me, in a five-a-side he’s the best player in the world. He’s so strong on the ball, you can never take the ball off him. Offensively and defensively, (he’s) one of the best.”

Martin Jol (former Fulham manager): “We’ve had a few players over the last few years who are a class above. Dembele is probably the best player on the ball I’ve ever seen, and we lost him.” (via Hackney Gazette)

Dele Alli (Spurs teammate): “In my opinion Dembele – I think he’s very good. His feet are unbelievable. He’s so big and he shifts his body so easily.”

Jan Vertonghen (Spurs & Belgium teammate): “I don’t think people know how good Mousa is. You can ask every single player in the team and I don’t think you can describe how good Mousa is.
“You can only know if you play with him or against him, see him train for a couple of weeks, then you’ll find out. He’s a special player and I can’t think of anyone else who is a bit like him.”

Kyle Walker (Spurs teammate): “In training I hate him because he’s so frustrating, I can’t get the ball off him. But when he’s playing for you on a Saturday it’s fantastic. It’s a joy to watch and the ball is like glue – it doesn’t move from his feet.
“You always think he’s going to go left, but he pushes it that far that you can’t get it. It’s a joy to watch and something that young footballers coming up through the Spurs academy can look up to and try to replicate what he’s doing.”

Robbie Savage (BT Sport pundit): “(Mousa) Dembele [is] the most underrated player in the Premier League, he’s brilliant.”

Mauricio Pochettino (Spurs manager): “Without Mousa Dembele, we do not exist. Tottenham does not exist.”

Of course we will exist, but it will be shame to see him leave. A fit and firing Moose, truly was a thing of beauty.

As for replacement...how i wish it could be N'dombele.

 

[Japhet]

My choice would be Hassem Aouar if I'm trying to be realistic.

 

[poc]

A few quotes from yesteryear...

Ross Barkley (Everton): “Mousa Dembele in midfield. I played against him when I was 18 or 19 and I thought it was very tough. He’s probably the hardest player I’ve played against. He’s a strong player, he gets his foot in well and dictates play.”

Harry Arter (Bournemouth): “Dembele at Spurs last season was unplayable. In the middle of a match, I told him what I thought. “How do you do what you do? You front me up, I think I am going to tackle you and you manipulate the ball and move it so quickly. And you’re big!” He was laughing.”

Hein Vanhaezebrouck (Gent manager): “I cannot enjoy the game of Mousa Dembele if he is playing against me, eh? But he is fantastic. They can jump three on his back and he’s not going to go down, he’s incredible. He’s so strong and doesn’t lose control of the ball. He’s a great footballer.”

Wesley Sonck (former Belgium international): “But I insist: the greatest talent is Moussa Dembele. Some may say they want Eden or De Bruyne, but Moussa has the most qualities – it’s not normal how strong he is on the ball. I’ve seen him during training turn Kompany into a fool.” (via HLN)

Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium teammate): “For me, in a five-a-side he’s the best player in the world. He’s so strong on the ball, you can never take the ball off him. Offensively and defensively, (he’s) one of the best.”

Martin Jol (former Fulham manager): “We’ve had a few players over the last few years who are a class above. Dembele is probably the best player on the ball I’ve ever seen, and we lost him.” (via Hackney Gazette)

Dele Alli (Spurs teammate): “In my opinion Dembele – I think he’s very good. His feet are unbelievable. He’s so big and he shifts his body so easily.”

Jan Vertonghen (Spurs & Belgium teammate): “I don’t think people know how good Mousa is. You can ask every single player in the team and I don’t think you can describe how good Mousa is.
“You can only know if you play with him or against him, see him train for a couple of weeks, then you’ll find out. He’s a special player and I can’t think of anyone else who is a bit like him.”

Kyle Walker (Spurs teammate): “In training I hate him because he’s so frustrating, I can’t get the ball off him. But when he’s playing for you on a Saturday it’s fantastic. It’s a joy to watch and the ball is like glue – it doesn’t move from his feet.
“You always think he’s going to go left, but he pushes it that far that you can’t get it. It’s a joy to watch and something that young footballers coming up through the Spurs academy can look up to and try to replicate what he’s doing.”

Robbie Savage (BT Sport pundit): “(Mousa) Dembele [is] the most underrated player in the Premier League, he’s brilliant.”

Mauricio Pochettino (Spurs manager): “Without Mousa Dembele, we do not exist. Tottenham does not exist.”

Of course we will exist, but it will be shame to see him leave. A fit and firing Moose, truly was a thing of beauty.

As for replacement...how i wish it could be N'dombele.

My favourite player at Spurs in recent years, injury has limited him somewhat but I am not sure I have ever seen a player capable of what he is in terms of retaining the ball and winning the ball backup under pressure. So strong yet graceful at the same time.

Not sure there is a point finding someone to replace him as such as hes a bit unique imo. Just focus on getting another quality midfielder who has some of his attributes but maybe some of their own.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

My choice would be Hassem Aouar if I'm trying to be realistic.

Should be our number 1 target in my opinion. He is going to be world class if he continues to develop the way he has. Probably end up at City tho.