Dembele discusses how he can be most effective at Tottenham

[garryparkerschest]

The enigma that is Mousa Dembele tries to solve the enigma that is Mousa Dembele.

Read the full article at Ham and High

I could solve it with one word. Consistency.

 

[VoteMe4Prez]

Love the guy

 

[Dave-F]

Does have some great games then also has games when he disappears or overun by opposition. With the current midfield issues he does have a chance to nail down a place. Could work well with dier as Dier will hold back and Dembele is more box-box.

 

[JoeT]

Problem is Mousa; you only seem to play a game like this when you are really under pressure, or when trade rumours are saying you could be leaving Spurs.

 

[UbeAstard]

Great attitude. No complaining and he understands why he isn't playing though he isn't satisfied with it. Would be unfair to drop him next weekend if others are back.

 

[garryparkerschest]

Personally I'd rest Alli and play Dier and Mousa next weekend.

Like others have said, I'd be intrigued to see Dier and Dembele play.

With Dier giving Dembele the freedom to express himself.

I hope he uses the Liverpool performance as a springboard and finally delivers the performances his talent promises.

For me, there isn't a better midfielder in our squad than a consistantly good Dembele.

When's everyone's fit those midfield positions are going to be the most contested positions in the team.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

I've never thought Dembele has been fully fit for us.
He's also had to play for AVB who couldn't motivate a rabbit to breed. Tim Sherwood. And now had his playing time restricted under Poch.

 

[theShiznit]

Don't think we ever play good football with Moussa in midfield, slows it down too much, and our creativity is based on quick interchange passing and movement. Just don't think he's capable of it his use of the ball is too slow and simple passes to feet, he cannot weight a pass into space or ping a ball to feet, and first time passes are not in his locker either.

He was good defensively at the weekend but barely showed for the ball, and it was probably the least we have created (and the least both CM's have seen the ball) all season.

 

[Nebby]

Would like to see Eriksen - Dembele - Son playing behind Kane.

Alli and Dier playing behind them.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Don't think we ever play good football with Moussa in midfield, slows it down too much, and our creativity is based on quick interchange passing and movement. Just don't think he's capable of it his use of the ball is too slow and simple passes to feet, he cannot weight a pass into space or ping a ball to feet, and first time passes are not in his locker either.

He was good defensively at the weekend but barely showed for the ball, and it was probably the least we have created (and the least both CM's have seen the ball) all season.

Most of our forward play on Saturday came through Dembele and that much was obvious. He also broke up plays from the Liverpool midfield. As the interview made quite clear he was playing in his strongest position.

As for him slowing the game down and lacking creativity, you do realise just how many games we have won this season with or without Dembele in the team. Dembele as a starter has cost us nothing this season and if anything has driven the team forward. That much was bloody obvious on Saturday.

 

[theShiznit]

Most of our forward play on Saturday came through Dembele and that much was obvious. He also broke up plays from the Liverpool midfield. As the interview made quite clear he was playing in his strongest position.

As for him slowing the game down and lacking creativity, you do realise just how many games we have won this season with or without Dembele in the team. Dembele as a starter has cost us nothing this season and if anything has driven the team forward. That much was bloody obvious on Saturday.

That's the worst creatively we have played all season. We have been playing some of our best stuff recently, and the interchange of the front 5 at times has been a joy to watch.

He plays and we are static for me, he just lacks football intelligence, I am sure his strength on the ball is purely a result of his inability to release the ball quickly, he turns into trouble a lot too not something I'm too keen on for a CM

Not sure of the stats but someone (I think BC) said he (and Alli similarly)received the ball 28 times.

Hardly what you want from a midfielder driving you forward.

There were occasions where the CB's had the ball and he just ran behind Liverpool players, I am not sure if he thought he could receive the ball in these positions or was hiding, but it was not creating any space so the CB's only had back or Full Backs as an option.

Would have him behind Mason, Bentaleb, Dier and Alli.

 

[DCSPUR]

That's the worst creatively we have played all season. We have been playing some of our best stuff recently, and the interchange of the front 5 at times has been a joy to watch.

He plays and we are static for me, he just lacks football intelligence, I am sure his strength on the ball is purely a result of his inability to release the ball quickly, he turns into trouble a lot too not something I'm too keen on for a CM

Not sure of the stats but someone (I think BC) said he (and Alli similarly)received the ball 28 times.

Hardly what you want from a midfielder driving you forward.

There were occasions where the CB's had the ball and he just ran behind Liverpool players, I am not sure if he thought he could receive the ball in these positions or was hiding, but it was not creating any space so the CB's only had back or Full Backs as an option.

Would have him behind Mason, Bentaleb, Dier and Alli.

I see this comment "he lack's football intelligence" from a number of fans on this site about a number of our players - I am pretty sure that it is not the player that is lacking in football intelligence...

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

"theShiznit, post: 4821407, member: 2267"]That's the worst creatively we have played all season. We have been playing some of our best stuff recently, and the interchange of the front 5 at times has been a joy to watch.

He plays and we are static for me, he just lacks football intelligence, I am sure his strength on the ball is purely a result of his inability to release the ball quickly, he turns into trouble a lot too not something I'm too keen on for a CM

Yup, all Dembele's fault.....oh hang on a mo...

As i said how many games have we won this season with or without him. The fault the team has isn't about Dembele's inclusion.




Taken from 365's 16 conclusions:

Dembele cements his reputation as one of the Premier League’s most infuriating players. Just as you feel he should be sold and a party arranged in honour of his departure, the Belgian offers a performance with excellent positional sense and discipline. I’d say that this could be the start of a chapter, but Dembele has turned more corners than Pacman. He invariably ends up back where he started.

Brought in alongside Alli, Dembele was superb against Liverpool. No player made more tackles in the match and no player won possession more often. More impressive still was his ball retention. Look at the total number of times the game’s midfielders lost possession of the ball (using Opta data):

• 
  
  • James Milner – 25
  • Philippe Coutinho – 23
  • Adam Lallana – 23
  • Clinton N’Jie – 23
  • Christian Eriksen – 21
  • Dele Alli – 20
  • Erik Lamela – 17
  • Emre Can – 17
  • Lucas Leiva – 15
  • Moussa Dembele – 8

Dembele is roundly criticised when he does things wrong, so merits praise when answering his manager’s call. He was utterly magnificent.[/QUOTE]

 

[Mullers]

Dembele is saying all the right things but he's got to back it up with consistent performances . Apparently a fee of 10 million and personal terms have been agreed for his departure, for a club like us that don't have corrupt oil money, that's too good to turn down for a 28 year old, who is inconsistent and according to some, playing with an injury.

If he turns out to be great until January and we decide to break the agreement and keep him, how do we know he won't go back to his old self once the pressure has gone?

 

[theShiznit]

Yup, all Dembele's fault.....oh hang on a mo...

As i said how many games have we won this season with or without him. The fault the team has isn't about Dembele's inclusion.




Taken from 365's 16 conclusions:

Dembele cements his reputation as one of the Premier League’s most infuriating players. Just as you feel he should be sold and a party arranged in honour of his departure, the Belgian offers a performance with excellent positional sense and discipline. I’d say that this could be the start of a chapter, but Dembele has turned more corners than Pacman. He invariably ends up back where he started.

Brought in alongside Alli, Dembele was superb against Liverpool. No player made more tackles in the match and no player won possession more often. More impressive still was his ball retention. Look at the total number of times the game’s midfielders lost possession of the ball (using Opta data):

• 
  
  • James Milner – 25
  • Philippe Coutinho – 23
  • Adam Lallana – 23
  • Clinton N’Jie – 23
  • Christian Eriksen – 21
  • Dele Alli – 20
  • Erik Lamela – 17
  • Emre Can – 17
  • Lucas Leiva – 15
  • Moussa Dembele – 8

Dembele is roundly criticised when he does things wrong, so merits praise when answering his manager’s call. He was utterly magnificent.

yep possession is great and all but what did he/we do with it? That stat just shows how simple his use of the ball is, and 28 times in possession is just not good enough for a CM
He doesn't get the ball quick enough to the players that can do something with it.
And what's this "The fault the team has"?
that was the worst we have played in a long while, the team has been creating a lot lately (hadn't we created most or second most chances in the league up until this weekend?)
No coincidence for me that Eriksen and Lamela were anonymous as they need the ball quicker without defensive walls up, and Dembele for all his skipping past one or two men just allows the wall to build again before doing anything with the ball.
Not a big problem, hopefully Mason will be back soon, and Dier will certainly be. Just hope Poch doesn't give Dembele a run at their expense.

 

[UbeAstard]

He was good defensively at the weekend but barely showed for the ball, and it was probably the least we have created (and the least both CM's have seen the ball) all season.

Nothing to do with a highly motivated and pressing Liverpool then.

 

[UbeAstard]

.........................., he just lacks football intelligence,...

I think I can disregard anything else you have said just on that one line.

 

[double0]

The bottom lines with Dembele 1 no end product. 2 when his playing DM (imo) he doesn't move the ball quick enough having to much touches on the ball.