InterTim on Dembélé

[loaderspurs]

IMO, We would be making the best of the talent we have if we played with a mid 3 of a Defensive player (Sandro or Capoue) a Deep lying playmake/support mid (Bentaleb, Carroll, Holtby or Capoue) and a Box to Box type (Paulinho, Dembele, Holby or Bentaleb) behind two players with free roles, one slightly deeper than the other (Eriksen, Chadli or Townsend) and one who pushes up more (Lamela, Chadli, Sigg or Kane) behind the striker.

Problem with your suggestion is middle of pitch would be very crowded and we'd have absolutely no width, and historically we've looked absolutely sh*t without any width

 

[sunnydelight786]

Many of our fans, and members on here, never fully appreciated Carrick and Modric. They only realised how good they were after they left. I can see the same thing happening again with Dembele.....

 

[RichieS]

a 4-3-3....

with Sandro/Capoue sitting in front of the back four, and Paulinho and Dembele ahead with more licence to get forward...

That's the way I'd go for a lot of the bigger games.

That is exactly what I'd be doing against City next week.

 

[spurs9]

Problem with your suggestion is middle of pitch would be very crowded and we'd have absolutely no width, and historically we've looked absolutely sh*t without any width

The two players with free roles create the space. They will pull wide, run through the middle, what ever is required of the situation. Also the full backs will attack the wide positions. Also, the job of the box to box mid is to make runs into space and make runs creating space, which would include supporting the other free role player & striker when the other is out wide.

 

[Mr Pink]

That is exactly what I'd be doing against City next week.

Me to mate.

With a front three of Lennon, Ade and Eriksen.

 

[Cravenspurs]

Absolutely fantastic this.

Being saying for months that this guy needs to be let off the leash - like Yaya does for City.

Sherwood clearly gets it, but we'll finally see this guy deliver what he's capable of doing so if Sherwood frees him up more. He has everything you need to be grabbing games by the ball bag by driving forward to great affect.

Very encouraging to hear this.

Let off the leash, Yes! But he also needs to let himself off the leash. He seems to reluctant to try the through ball we need or the shot we need.

 

[Flashspur]

There is clearly not room in the first XI for Sandro, Paulinho and Mousa. They are all great players who we are very lucky to have, so it's a very good thing to have that level of competition. I'm sure Moyes is looking over with green eyes. But for me Mousa and Sandro are the strongest partnership. I have always liked Mousa, and I do feel the goals will come as he develops.

An average of 45-50 games per season based on PL, cups etc. Why on earth wouldnt we need all of them with injuries etc? I think all of them will be in Tim's squad, listed as important players and they will understand if they need to be rotated.

 

[nssmuckers]

I happen to be in the "I rate the ever loving shit out of this man" camp, but I also hope he stays forever if only because he's so enjoyable to watch.

I particularly like it when we're playing against physically weak opposition in Europa League. He's like a bear sauntering around shrugging off pesky gnats.

I know he's a flawed player, but he's also one of the most unique players in football IMO. It's like Yaya Toure and Iniesta produced a hybrid test tube baby but forgot to include the end product.

I fear that if he ever does develop a killer final ball or starts banging in 10+ goals per season, he won't be here long. If he had something at the end of all the hot sexual chocolate dribbling and possession recycling he would be world class.

 

[not_tenth-again]

a 4-3-3....

with Sandro/Capoue sitting in front of the back four, and Paulinho and Dembele ahead with more licence to get forward...

That's the way I'd go for a lot of the bigger games.

Yep, playing effectively a 4-1-4-1 would be my go.

 

[yankspurs]

That is exactly what I'd be doing against City next week.

I dont think starting 433 would be a good idea against City, but I agree that Sandro, Paulinho and Dembele should start. I'd go 4231 with Sandro and Paulinho/Dembele as the 2 holding midfielders, Lamela on the right, Eriksen on the left with Dembele/Paulinho behind the striker. Could easily go 433 with those players too and just have Eriksen on the left wing.

 

[SlunkSoma]

Interesting. Mousa certainly commands more respect with fellow players than he does with the fans.

Seemed to get a couple of disagrees on this which is interesting. It's my perception that Dembele is taken for granted somewhat by our fans - is this not the case?

 

[Kiedis]

If memory serves me correctly, AVB had some serious love for Dembele in an interview in Portugal last summer. Both Sherwood and AVB seems to rate him highly, so he must me doing something right.

 

[dagraham]

I dont think starting 433 would be a good idea against City, but I agree that Sandro, Paulinho and Dembele should start. I'd go 4231 with Sandro and Paulinho/Dembele as the 2 holding midfielders, Lamela on the right, Eriksen on the left with Dembele/Paulinho behind the striker. Could easily go 433 with those players too and just have Eriksen on the left wing.

Dembele behind the striker simply won't work imo.

I am not normally a fan of 4-3-3 and have always thought a midfield of Sandro, Dembele and Paulinho is too lacking in passing ability. Against City though I would definately be inclined to play that way. We can't go toe to toe with City in an open game. They will be too good for us. We need to get a grip in midfield, not let them play and starve their front men of service if possible.

 

[StartingPrice]

I have to disagree about Dembele playing further forward. As Sherwood says, his strength lies in his ability to beat his man and retaining posession by keeping the ball away from opponents.

To play further forward he would need to play with his head up, something he has never really done as demonstrated by his miss against Swansea. His general passing ability is also limited imo. He can't really switch the play, nor does he play incisive passes splitting the opponents midfield or between full back and CB either.

So even if he can get back to driving forward, if he can't really do anything with it then it becomes a bit redundant in the final third. Lennon gets critised for lack of end product but Dembele's is even less.

IMO if Dembele plays then it should be in a 4-2-3-1 alongside Sandro, where Sandro can be the destroyer, Dembele can retain posession and make the space. But he must have creative types in front of him and learn to release the ball quickly to them.

Maybe Sandro and Dembele with Eriksen, Lamela and Lennon behind Ade.

Problem is, this means no place for Paulihno, who I could think could really thrive under Sherwood's less restrictive tactics.

I don't think it was the idea, certainly not in my case, that MD should play further forward or as part of a significant formation change.

I was thinking more in terms of when he advances forward from midfield, usually having shrugged off about 8 oppos players, and then stops in that area 10 yards ahead of their box, slowing play down, looks hesitant, slowing play down even further, and then usually makes a pretty ineffectual pass, slowing play down even more. He has everything in his locker to drive forward, bursting through defensive lines, playing one-two's, shooting outside and inside the area, sliding passes in, etc.

I don't want to sound like I am slagging AVB off, but it is almost like he has been instructed to carry the ball no further, but to give and get back into his defensive position quick-sharp. Sherwood (or anyone else, for that matter), telling him not to worry too much about that, but if he gets into a decent position where he could do some damage to go for it, at least a percentage of times per game, may be exactly what the team needs, as hitherto the oppos have been able to keep tight on our forward players and haven't really had to worry about him. Obviously, all of this is going to be helped if his midfield partner maintains some discipline.

 

[StartingPrice]

Dembele behind the striker simply won't work imo.

I am not normally a fan of 4-3-3 and have always thought a midfield of Sandro, Dembele and Paulinho is too lacking in passing ability. Against City though I would definately be inclined to play that way. We can't go toe to toe with City in an open game. They will be too good for us. We need to get a grip in midfield, not let them play and starve their front men of service if possible.

Interestingly enough, we seem to have lined up with a 4-3-3 (Capoue/Sadnro/Paulinho starting in the midfield) in the training (un)friendly with the Spammers, today.

 

[Metalhead]

Tim sees things like I do - I like Tim. Keeps things simple and tells it straight. Pleasing.

PS Mousa ant bad ever'

100%

 

[dagraham]

I don't think it was the idea, certainly not in my case, that MD should play further forward or as part of a significant formation change.

I was thinking more in terms of when he advances forward from midfield, usually having shrugged off about 8 oppos players, and then stops in that area 10 yards ahead of their box, slowing play down, looks hesitant, slowing play down even further, and then usually makes a pretty ineffectual pass, slowing play down even more. He has everything in his locker to drive forward, bursting through defensive lines, playing one-two's, shooting outside and inside the area, sliding passes in, etc.

I don't want to sound like I am slagging AVB off, but it is almost like he has been instructed to carry the ball no further, but to give and get back into his defensive position quick-sharp. Sherwood (or anyone else, for that matter), telling him not to worry too much about that, but if he gets into a decent position where he could do some damage to go for it, at least a percentage of times per game, may be exactly what the team needs, as hitherto the oppos have been able to keep tight on our forward players and haven't really had to worry about him. Obviously, all of this is going to be helped if his midfield partner maintains some discipline.

Agree with all of that. Under Avb it was quite noticeable how most of the midfielders seemed shackled, including Paulihno and Eriksen as well as Dembele.

My only concern is whether Dembele has it in his locker to play with his head up. Technique, tactical awareness etc can be taught but often vision and awareness are qualities that a player either has or hasn't naturally got.

If Sherwood can coax out of Dembele the ability to release the ball quickly and see the runs of others, as well encouraging him to run beyond the ball into the box more often then he could become a real handful.

 

[StartingPrice]

Agree with all of that. Under Avb it was quite noticeable how most of the midfielders seemed shackled, including Paulihno and Eriksen as well as Dembele.

My only concern is whether Dembele has it in his locker to play with his head up. Technique, tactical awareness etc can be taught but often vision and awareness are qualities that a player either has or hasn't naturally got.

If Sherwood can coax out of Dembele the ability to release the ball quickly and see the runs of others, as well encouraging him to run beyond the ball into the box more often then he could become a real handful.

I think that's it, isn't it. We have seen it on occasion, but all too rarely. Part of the desire to see him get forward more is that he started out as a striker and, again all too rarely, we have seen that he has a shot on him. But if he could release the ball early, instead of playing the safe balls, he would be such a stunning player, because his mobility and strength get him into that zone ahead of the oppos area so often.
If InterTim is encouraging him to drive forward more, then I guess we will find out if he has it in him and was being held back under instruction, or if it is a blind spot in his game.