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Dier will never be Pirlo but he may have solved England's problem position

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
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Not since the premature end of Owen Hargreaves’ career eight years ago have England boasted a genuine defensive midfielder of true international class.

Read the full article at Daily Mirror
 

gloryglory

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2004
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You would think from the way that this is presented that it was going to be a positive article about Dier, but it isn't really. Which is probably fair enough. He's a talented player and has been among the best in his position in the Premiership this season, but is he a world class defensive midfielder? Is he better than Carrick or Scott Parker in their prime? I don't know. What I know is that he is what Spurs need right now - but we have ball playing central defenders, a tank alongside him in Dembele, and creative stars like Eriksen and Alli. Stick Dier in an ordinary side and I don't know how good he'd be. But I'm not complaining!
 

Col_M

Pointing out the Obvious
Feb 28, 2012
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Just wondering, was Pirlo Pirlo when he was the same age as Dier? Pirlo got better with age.
 

Roscilous

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2004
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Why does he have to be a Pirlo? Why can't he just be a Dier? Some players may have similarities, but it doesn't mean they will be carbon copies. We are lucky to have Dier and his versatility will make him one of the most important in the squad. He will only get better with age too.
 

Azazello

The Boney King of Nowhere
Aug 15, 2009
6,965
5,069
Shame that Michael Carrick never cemented a place in the England team.

Still, well done The Dier.
 

DanielCHillier

Well-Known Member
Feb 26, 2014
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Was Pirlo ever a defensive midfielder ? Always thought he was more a modric type, the sort of player who'd be perfect next to Dier.
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
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18,013
Was Pirlo ever a defensive midfielder ? Always thought he was more a modric type, the sort of player who'd be perfect next to Dier.


He was a bit of both, though having seen him play for NYC i have to say his style of play and embarrassment of riches, are now just an embarrassment.
 

Col_M

Pointing out the Obvious
Feb 28, 2012
22,639
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He was a bit of both, though having seen him play for NYC i have to say his style of play and embarrassment of riches, are now just an embarrassment.

What does that mean ? Is he so good he is embarrassing the players around him? Or A shadow of his former self?
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
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What does that mean ? Is he so good he is embarrassing the players around him? Or A shadow of his former self?

The latter, one move, and two seasons too many. Off the pace and should really be off the pitch.
 

chico

Well-Known Member
Dec 2, 2004
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Glory Glory mentions Carrick and Parker, both very fine players for us, but neither really had great England careers. Carrick 34 caps and Parker 18 caps is not to be sniffed at. Dier is Dier, he is still developing and will continue getting better, he's only just 22. In some ways I see him as more of a Makele?
it's tough comparing someone so young to Pirlo, let's be fair he won 1 World Cup, 2 Champions Leagues and 6 Serie A titles amongst the many trophies he won. Very very few players could match that.
Anyway, he has made tremendous progress in a very short time period since moving from centre back to defensive midfielder, and we should be delighted he plays for us!
 

amardilo

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2004
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Pirlo??? Totally different players and are not really comparable. I get what the writer is trying to say but the headline makes it stand out way too much.

Pirlo is more of a playmaker and Dier is a defensive midfield player (well he is now). I think if you are going to compare Dier to a player from Italy's last World Cup winning team then Gattuso would be a better fit although they aren't exactly the same type of player either but it's a closer fit than Pirlo.
 

dickyid

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2004
1,449
142
Glory Glory mentions Carrick and Parker, both very fine players for us, but neither really had great England careers. Carrick 34 caps and Parker 18 caps is not to be sniffed at.

Carrick and Parker unfortunately had Stevie Me and Frank Lampard ahead of them both. And woe betide an England manager who'd drop either of those.

Remember those two also saw off England's most talented midfielder, Paul Scholes, who retired from international football early because he was so fed up with being played out wide? That was to make way for two players who were consistently proven to be entirely incompatible with each other (Barring the one match vs Germany where Steven Gerrard played an unusually restrained & positionally sound game..)
 
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