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Ex-Player Watch Player Watch: Mousa Dembele

Johno1470

The worst thing about prison was the dementors
Aug 6, 2018
1,026
4,857
Will miss Dembele but I’m intrigued to see what potential replacements will bring to our midfield. Dembele on his day was unplayable but it’s so frustrating that he never actually became the player he could maybe have been. His ability to beat a man and his ball retention are amazing. However, he never really posted more than a few goals a season with us and injuries limited him. I know his main role wasn’t to score goals with us but a player with that ability could really have kicked on and taken a step or two forward. As Les Ferdinand described him after we sold Bale, he thought Dembele was so frustrating at times as he never really showed his true ability week in week out.
 

Wig

Well-Known Member
May 23, 2018
2,813
11,080
Just checked out some highlights of Houssem Aouar, the lad looks very promising. Lyon would probably ask for more € than they're asking for Ndombele though!
 

Univarn

Lost. Probably Not Worth Finding.
Jul 20, 2017
2,864
15,279
My choice would be Hassem Aouar if I'm trying to be realistic.
Either Auoar or Ndombele would be great buys imo but both Lyon would probably ask a king's ransom for either and Auoar is from Lyon and a Lyon fan so he would be far more difficult to convince to leave.
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
60,346
129,923
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.” :cry:

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.
Sounds good. Cheeky bid?
 

wishkah

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
4,791
14,449
said time and time before. We could easily have him for another season or two coming on late on/being replaced but I feel he's earnt his shot for one last pay-check and no-one begrudges him that. A shame that we may not get to see him one more time giving all he has. Would love to have seen him boss the CL once again, one more time.
 

Paolo10

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2004
6,179
7,621
Zakaria is mentioned in the article...he's the player I want at Tottenham most.
 

jurgen

Busy ****
Jul 5, 2008
6,711
17,170
said time and time before. We could easily have him for another season or two coming on late on/being replaced but I feel he's earnt his shot for one last pay-check and no-one begrudges him that. A shame that we may not get to see him one more time giving all he has. Would love to have seen him boss the CL once again, one more time.

Pity that he is unlikely to be replaced at all, let alone with someone able to offer close to his top quality (even in short bursts).
 

crokey

Well-Known Member
Sep 1, 2012
2,433
7,467
My favourite ever player. Nobody puts the beautiful in the beautiful game like big Moose. An absolute pleasure to watch.

Hope I get to see him one more time before he gets his well deserved cash.
 

Ghost Hardware

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
18,001
61,623
Either Auoar or Ndombele would be great buys imo but both Lyon would probably ask a king's ransom for either and Auoar is from Lyon and a Lyon fan so he would be far more difficult to convince to leave.
Agree, i would replace Eriksen (assuming he leaves) with Auoar and Dembele with Ndombele. We won't tho.
 

DJS

A hoonter must hoont
Dec 9, 2006
31,261
21,760
11 million would be a cracking amount of cash to get for him.

And hopefully a good move for him for some nice juicy end of career pay too!
 
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