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Dele Alli - Player watch

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ajspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2007
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Just doesn't deserve to be an automatic starter. Yes he can produce moments of magic but he doesn't really do that consistently. But seems to always start when fit?

This is my concern to be honest. I don't wanna jump on his back and say I dislike him or think he's shit or anything, he can most certainly add something to the team that aids us on the pitch but he can also at times feel a bit of a hindrance. Certainly a frustrating player on occasion. Back to your point, I would just like to see some sort of acknowledgement from Poch that he's not one of those players who is an automatic starter even when playing badly.
 

Joeyboey

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2011
1,806
5,260
There’s been ITK saying he’s been injured most of the season, playing through the pain barrier etc etc.

Hopefully he gets some rest this summer and starts to fulfil his immense potential next season as it’s been a really tough campaign for him.

Time for him to go through the gears now.
 

kaz Hirai

Well-Known Member
Nov 5, 2008
17,692
25,340
I don’t really know what sort of player Alli is. He isn’t a 10. He isn’t a wide player. He isn’t a centre midfielder. He isn’t a forward.

I’ve never been a huge fan and he has been ineffective for at least 2 years. I think he needs to be pushed hard next season and if he doesn’t step up then I can see him being sold.

This year sure but 9 goals and 16 assists is FAR FAR from ineffective dude which is what he finished with last season. In fact it remains ridiculous for his age . Those stats are purely prem and CL no domestic cups . His end product amazing.
Imagine that, a 22 year old with those stats in the two strongest football competitions going

This season however 6 goals and 5 assists. That's a massive drop In Productivity, and I'll assume that's a mere blip due to other circumstances

Just for prospective the wonderful James maddison who has been so great this season has 7 goals and 7 assists and is of similar age and has played 10+ more games than Dele in the league
 

parj

NDombelly ate all the pies
Jul 27, 2003
3,586
5,861
He does not have the right qualities to play deeper.

He started for us deeper when he joined and played very well alongside Dier. He only moved forward due to injuries to Eriksen and Son.
 

thebenjamin

Well-Known Member
Jul 1, 2008
12,164
38,545
I don't understand what's happened to him arriving into the box to score. That was his main asset and its completely disappeared from his game.
 

ajspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2007
22,987
31,167
I don't understand what's happened to him arriving into the box to score. That was his main asset and its completely disappeared from his game.

Even in the times when he does get in behind now I don't have the confidence that he'll put the ball in the back of the net. Just doesn't seem to strike the ball cleanly or convincingly enough in front of goal.
 

panoma

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Jan 16, 2012
3,901
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Personally i think he offers to little to keep playing as a number 10. Yes he have the occasional flash of brilliance, but for the most part he's very ineffective and slow in posession.

Need some proper competition and probably bench time to shake him up. Whatever happened to all those deep runs he used to to? Bagged a handfull every season that way.
 

Haddock

Captain
Oct 16, 2017
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6,357
I don't understand what's happened to him arriving into the box to score. That was his main asset and its completely disappeared from his game.

I do believe our quality drop in full backs have congested our attack in the middle. The huge Dembele shaped hole in the middle probably adds to that. Add the Kane injuries, who usually soaks up pressure when in form, and yeah Dele is much less effective.

He's an off the ball type of player and needs space in front of him to run in to. Right now he's constantly getting the ball on his feet and has 6 opponents in front of him.

He himself has been out of form but our overall play hasn't helped.
 

Hakkz

Svensk hetsporre
Jul 6, 2012
8,196
17,270
Personally i think he offers to little to keep playing as a number 10. Yes he have the occasional flash of brilliance, but for the most part he's very ineffective and slow in posession.

Need some proper competition and probably bench time to shake him up. Whatever happened to all those deep runs he used to to? Bagged a handfull every season that way.

I think the classical number 10 isn't really working atm. Either the playmakers are deeper, or more on the wing.
 

sidford

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2003
11,324
29,601
Between poch and some of the itk's there has been some talk about potentially selling some fan favourites, im not saying I would sell him after a very average season but could he possibly be one who Poch would consider selling? I would absolutely keep him if given a choice but if we are making the same comments after next season then I would sell him.

He has had some new stuff this year like splitting with missus and his new super agent, maybe his head isn't where it should be
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,905
78,642
I don't understand what's happened to him arriving into the box to score. That was his main asset and its completely disappeared from his game.
Change in style of play
Injuries
Lack of preseason

The lad needs a summer off and a strong preseason. He's still a big game player and he's still very young.

I'm absolutely certain he'll come back stronger.
 

dfree

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2018
259
1,194
I actually thought yesterday was the first time he's made those runs in behind in a while, if the ball into him was better a couple times it could've worked perfectly. Full summer off to rehab the hamstring injury and he should be fit and firing again.
 

Maske2g

SC Supporter
Feb 1, 2005
4,257
1,726
This is in summary to 2 poor seasons rather than last night.

On his day he is great but they are few and far between. I'm tired of flimsy performances. The flicks and tricks that came off 2-3 years ago rarely work.

He isn't getting in the box and scoring which was him at his best. You want him to play simple two touch football when things aren't coming off, but he goes the opposite side way and wants each goal to be a picture book where he is the main author.

He gets the hump when he is subbed when he has zero right to it.

Along with Dier, Eriksen, Trippier you have a player that has consistently let us down against good teams over this 4-5 years. It's always the same guys.

If Eriksen is gone, will be hard to sign 2 big attacking midfielders , but I wouldn't care if he went too now.

I don't however think there is a big club in the world stupid enough to pay what we would want for him.
 

Dannyspur

I just don't know anymore!
Aug 17, 2004
10,127
13,799
I do believe our quality drop in full backs have congested our attack in the middle. The huge Dembele shaped hole in the middle probably adds to that. Add the Kane injuries, who usually soaks up pressure when in form, and yeah Dele is much less effective.

He's an off the ball type of player and needs space in front of him to run in to. Right now he's constantly getting the ball on his feet and has 6 opponents in front of him.

He himself has been out of form but our overall play hasn't helped.

That is because of our turgid build-up from the back, where it takes 10 passes to get out of our box, then another 10 passes to get us to the halfway line, by this time, the opponents are nicely lined up in two rows of 5 and our forwards are marking all their defenders.
 

NinjaTuna

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2017
1,878
7,155
He's had a very average season imo, but I think with a long summer off after the nations league, if he puts the effort in during pre-season, he can get back to the form from his first two seasons with us
 

Woodham Wanderer

Active Member
Jan 31, 2013
115
194
I believe a summer off and clarity in his role will return him to form, need to appreciate what we have - WC and injuries have ruined this year
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
His drop off in goals is definitely in part down to where he plays. In his first 2 seasons he was mostly played right up top with Kane, almost as a second striker. He was a lot less involved in our build up, to the annoyance of some fans, but would pop up with goals all the time. Him and Kane had, statistically, the most effective partnership in Europe one season (combining to score).

This season Poch has elected to play Son or Lucas higher up, with Dele in a kind of half way house role, floating between midfield and attack. It works on occasion when he can be instinctive, like his amazing assists against Ajax, but I think he's pretty average playing in front of packed defences. He dawdles on the ball, runs down blind alleys and tries low percentage holleywood flicks that don't come off.

He's a classy footballer so Poch persists, but I think to get the best out of him we need to push him right up top again and let him rely on his brilliant natural goalscoring instincts. Hopefully some signings like Lo Celso and Ndombele who are fond of a forward pass can breathe a bit of life back into him.
 

dfree

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2018
259
1,194
I’m in the minority, but I thought he did some clever things that son and Kane were to slow to react too.
All of them looked on different pages the whole game, stuff like Son stopping his run just as Dele played the pass etc. The almost telepathic link that the front 4 had before just wasn't there yesterday for whatever reason.
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
My slight issue after 4 years I still don’t really know how I categorise him as a player. Is he a 10 ? A creative AM ? A wide CM in a 3 ? Honestly really don’t know. Say I was a manager with a lot of money building a team I wouldn’t buy him because I really wouldn’t know where he fits in.
 
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