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Dele Alli at Everton

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punkisback

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2004
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DJS said:
I don’t think Dele suits a 4-2-3-1 if Kane is playing up top with two wide players like Lucas and Son, as they’re all quite direct and don’t have that special passing ability that Eriksen had (Kane does have excellent passing ability though).

As others have said Dele was better when we had a creative playmaker in there alongside him and Son, so if we had got someone in like Eriksen was (or if Lamela had been able to stay fit and show his ability more) I think he’d have benefitted more and quite possibly of Bergwijn played he may also benefit as Bergwijn is a more all-rounded player rather than just a specialist winger.

Bale also has a little more about him and has a more all round game than Son or Moura so maybe Dele could play with him in front of him, but looking at how teams adapt and our engine room midfielders not being the quality or Demebele and Wanyama-prime 4-3-3 may be more sensible and suit us more.
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Could be fine coming off the left with The new lad on the overlap too.
 
T

Teofilo-Stevenson

Well-Known Member
Sep 16, 2004
2,804
81
I think Jose is playing it smart with Dele - he clearly thinks he is a talent - but wants more from him. After subbing him against Everton he expects a reaction when he's next played. He thought Plovdiv would be simpler than it was and wanted to keep Dele wound up while missing next (supposed) nothing game saving the "reaction" when we need it more against Soton on Sun. Similarly, the pressure of Bale arriving could be leveraged by Jose to get Dele playing with genuine fear for his place in the team - which could be the motivation he needs
 
ClintEastwould

ClintEastwould

Well-Known Member
Jul 3, 2012
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carpediem1906 said:
Spot on wrt Eriksen n Dele

Dele’s goals were always largely due to
- accurate long balls from the back that found his runs against defences that play a higher line
- laser guided crosses or passes from Eriksen predominantly, some from Coco Serge n Sonny and a few instances, Davies and GLC were looking for him
- us pressing high n won back possession and within 2 passes put Dele in finishing position

Many have pointed out before that he’s a 2 touch player, within 2 touches must finish or lay it off, any more time or dwelling, he is less lethal

Dele always seemed ineffective if
- opponents sit deep
- we don’t press aggressively

also, I don’t think tanguy plays the kind of balls Eriksen is so so so good at. That kind of whipped precision. Dele would benefit from an Eriksen or a KDB or a Pirlo or Ozil or TAA or Robertson.

If he is willing to stay and grind and fight, there will be matches suited for him to shine.

But he must be prepared that he is no longer in the default first xi - especially if we go 4-3-3 or 3-4-3
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One of the best assessments of Dele I’ve seen for a while ?
 
ClintEastwould

ClintEastwould

Well-Known Member
Jul 3, 2012
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peterballb said:
Someone needed to be lifted. Mourinho chose Dele. I would have gone with Moura, but that's me. Regardless of which one was to be pulled, it would never have been Sissoko coming in.

For Dele, I don't know about the Eriksen theory. I'll concede that Eriksen made all of Son, Dele and Kane better, when he was playing well. Fact is, he was off the boil for over a year and a half when he was sold. Kane and Son are still scoring, so I am not willing to give Dele that excuse. For me, it is very simple. A direct Dele, who moves the ball directly and quickly out of his feet and who arrives in the box to meet crosses, is a top quality player. Flicks and tricks, Dele, Son and Moura all playing through the middle behind Kane, kills all of them. Wingers need to stay wide, get to the by-line and throw in crosses. This creates space in the middle (defenders need to go out) for Dele (near post), Kane (centre) and with the other winger heading to the far post. Moura and Son cannot help themselves from coming inside. Dele should recognize it and switch places. He is not doing that. It is a huge problem. Son and Moura need to be told, stay out wide for the most part. Cut in only when you are playing in the wing back towards the byline.

We are way too compressed in the middle. This is why we cannot break down teams who park the bus. We play right in to their game plan. Son and Moura should be running at their wing backs, causing them to persistently foul. We rarely have opposition CB's and WB's on cards. With all the speed and ability we have, it is unacceptable. A defender on a card is nowhere near as committed to the lunge in or tackle.

Moura and Son need to do their job or Fernandes, Clarke, Bergwign, Sessegnon need to be selected.

Dele needs to get back to being a North South direct player. When he does that, he is a sublime talent. Flicks and tricks are for the county fair.
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Absolutely no way should we ask Son to do the dirty work so that we can accommodate Dele. Son is miles more important and better.
 
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peterballb

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
158
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ClintEastwould said:
Absolutely no way should we ask Son to do the dirty work so that we can accommodate Dele. Son is miles more important and better.
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I was not suggesting accommodating any person to the detriment of another. If Son is better than Dele behind Kane, play him there.

What dirty work is there in doing your job? If you are the winger, you have a role (regardless of who it is). If you are playing in behind the striker, you have a role. If the player behind the striker has both wingers on top of him, you have four players all in the middle of the park, in and around the top of the opposition box. The four players neutralize themselves. Personally, I'd prefer it if the two wingers and Dele switched in and out (thus keeping the width), but they don't. They are just all in the middle of the park. We are defending against ourselves.

This is not a one game observation. It's been going on for the last 18-21 months. We play far too narrow - fine in quick counter attacks, not so useful when trying to break down teams that set up to defend

It is a team game, everyone has a role. If you are pressing and the others don't, you are just running around like a cockerel with its head chopped off. It only works if they all do it. We have an inability to break teams down in the final third. Is that not so? IMO, much of this has to do with the fact that we are one player on top of another player. You cannot free up space in the middle if everyone is there.

Spurs (and Dele) would benefit from a much more direct, ball in the feet out of the feet style of play. Ndombele and Lo Celso do that (as was evident today). Bergwijn and Son spent far more time in the middle than out wide. You don't need to believe me. Look at the player stats from today's game. Player position has the following player numbers in the middle of the park above the top of the box - 23, 10, 7, 17, 18. They all played, on average, in the middle. We need far more width, in my opinion.
 
Spartanspurs

Spartanspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 2, 2013
427
1,862
dtxspurs said:
Dan Kilpatrick now saying we would listen to serious offers for him
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The full quote is:
"Dele Alli (below) is another player with an uncertain future after he was left out of the squad for last night's match in Bulgaria. Spurs do not currently expect Dele to leave before the October 5 transfer deadline but they would listen to serious offers for the 24-year-old."

Which I think is fair, I imagine there's currently few players in the team who we wouldn't listen to serious offers for. It's entirely possible he only mentioned it due to the speculation elsewhere and it actually means very little.
 
Hazelton

Hazelton

Unknown Member
Jul 11, 2011
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Can't imagine he's going to be the subject of any big offers after his last couple of seasons. Probably better off using him in a potential swap deal if we're dead set on getting rid.
 
dtxspurs

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
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THFCSPURS19 said:
No that would be a terrible deal given that Villa and Leicester wanted £80m for Grealish and Maddison respectively. Dele is better than those two when he's on form.
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Maybe, but he’s on form what maybe 10 games a season?

I also think that’s being said with Spurs colored glasses. I think most neutral fans would pick Maddison & Grealish over Dele right now. The England team is.
 
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TEESSIDE1

TEESSIDE1

Married, new job and Spurs on the up!
Jul 3, 2006
15,216
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Cochise said:
Dele had a crap first half with some poor touches, but I don't think he should've been hooked at half time.
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It depends what happened in the dressing room... there may have been a confrontation of some sort as he’s been pulled before for being lazy and he was then left at home for the EL game... you would think if everything was rosey then he would have had a point to prove against Plovdiv. There’s also his rumoured transfer availability... this is all pointing to a fall out between him and Jose.
 
V

vdvondvd

Active Member
Jan 29, 2011
19
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We'll play 60+ matches. Injuries will happen. Would be shocked if Dele didn't get at least 30 starts and an additional 15-20 sub appearances in all competitions this season.
 
carpediem991

carpediem991

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2011
8,840
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vdvondvd said:
We'll play 60+ matches. Injuries will happen. Would be shocked if Dele didn't get at least 30 starts and an additional 15-20 sub appearances in all competitions this season.
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If selling would mean we don't get anybody else I would vote for him to stay
If selling him would mean we strenghten in other positions like creativity form CM or CB I would consider a decent offer
 
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