Theory on Mousa Dembele...

[dimiSpur]

So Mousa has come back into form in the last few matches, which is great to see as I think he's our best central midfielder in terms of ability.

We often complain about how he should offer more to the team given his ability. However, consider his start to the season up until the Man Utd match. He's been relatively fit (or been able to feature in most matches) and his performances have been indifferent. In the last few matches he's excelled and taken the reponsibility we crave to see him take and he's had injuries to his hip. We know he has a long term problem with his hip, so I personally think that there's a possibility that the reason for Mousa's sometimes lower standard performances are merely him trying to stay fit.

In these last few matches where the performance itself was crucial he's been fantastic, yet been injured, missing the Fulham match and coming off limping at Sunderland. Could it be that we're cursed again and we have another potentially top class player suffering from injuries preventing him from being at his best?

 

[absolute bobbins]

So Mousa has come back into form in the last few matches, which is great to see as I think he's our best central midfielder in terms of ability.

We often complain about how he should offer more to the team given his ability. However, consider his start to the season up until the Man Utd match. He's been relatively fit (or been able to feature in most matches) and his performances have been indifferent. In the last few matches he's excelled and taken the reponsibility we crave to see him take and he's had injuries to his hip. We know he has a long term problem with his hip, so I personally think that there's a possibility that the reason for Mousa's sometimes lower standard performances are merely him trying to stay fit.

In these last few matches where the performance itself was crucial he's been fantastic, yet been injured, missing the Fulham match and coming off limping at Sunderland. Could it be that we're cursed again and we have another potentially top class player suffering from injuries preventing him from being at his best?

I think there is a lot of merit in what you're saying and I feel that when the new additions have properly settled we'll be sending Mousa to get mended properly as there is no indication from the club that it's an injury that can only be managed (like King)

 

[Kiedis]

I love the Moose. A higlight for me was when he casually muscled man beast Altidore of the ball and shielded it from him for a while just to taunt him.

They had a falling out of sorts in the first half, and Dembele decided to win the argument in the classiest way.

Also remember how Benteke got absolutely man handled by him in the league match against Villa.

 

[Bulletspur]

. Could it be that we're cursed again and we have another potentially top class player suffering from injuries preventing him from being at his best?

Possibly, but lets hope this is not the case.

 

[ultimateloner]

I think you are overly optimistic.
Moussa appears better than our other CM because what he excels at is easy to see. He is strong on the ball and get take players on. So when he under performs its obvious too.
Against Sunderland he is playing against weaker defenders so he shines.
I doubt he would do equally well say against Debuchy or Sagna.

 

[Mr Pink]

Yep - I think the OP is definitely on to something here. He clearly has long running issues with his hip and managing that could impact his performance and specifically explain how erratic they can be.

It does feel he's playing within himself a lot of the time and then all of a sudden you see a more explosive side to his play and you wonder why he doesn't do on a regular basis when it looks easy for him to do so.

 

[Blake Griffin]

I think you are overly optimistic.
Moussa appears better than our other CM because what he excels at is easy to see. He is strong on the ball and get take players on. So when he under performs its obvious too.
Against Sunderland he is playing against weaker defenders so he shines.
I doubt he would do equally well say against Debuchy or Sagna.

debuchy? :giggle:

 

[Mr Pink]

Still one of my favourite players mind.

 

[mil1lion]

I was so pleased to see him play with more licence so get forward on Sunday. He is one of the best dribblers in the Premier League and it's about time we saw him use it further upfield.

I think the issue with his hip is more to do with the lack of recovery time between games. We've had our share of players who struggle to play 3 games a week and I think he may be on of them. It's always when we have a busy schedule or when he goes off for international duty when he gets injured.

 

[RButch]

An injury has a variety of consequences both physically and mentally. It could be possible that his hip injury is preventing him psychologically from reaching his plateau'd performances.

Look into the theories of stress and this directly correlates to his performances and his injury.. Too much stress and you become distressed affecting your performance, not enough stress and your become disinterested affecting your performances. And finally just the right amount of stress you reach the state of 'eustress', being able to perform at your maximum.

In conclusion he could be playing in the mental state of distress.

 

[Spurger King]

Could be the injury. He looked a different player after he came back from it last season. Before that he was performing consistently well.

Could also just be the case that he's been found out. There have been a few occasions where the opposition have put one of their more physical midfielders up against him, resulting in him being nullified.

 

[NEVILLEB]

He's got more to offer in the final third.

We need to play him in a more attacking area like he did for Fulham.

We've got Sandro, Paulinho and Capoue to win the ball.

Dembele is one of the best dribblers in the league. Get him on the last man.

 

[dagraham]

I like Dembele and him and Sandro would be my preferred pairing but even at his best his end product is still not good enough imo.

As for the injury, you could be right but it's not bad luck on our part. His hip injury was well known at Fulham apparently so we should have done our homework properly.

 

[walworthyid]

I was so pleased to see him play with more licence so get forward on Sunday. He is one of the best dribblers in the Premier League and it's about time we saw him use it further upfield.

I think the issue with his hip is more to do with the lack of recovery time between games. We've had our share of players who struggle to play 3 games a week and I think he may be on of them. It's always when we have a busy schedule or when he goes off for international duty when he gets injured.

I was thinking about his dribbling ability the other day. I'm not sure I've ever seen a player who is able to beat a player so easily. It's almost ridiculous the way he squares the man up and just goes past him like he isn't even there. Most players rely on pace or trickery but he just walks past opponents, it really is quite uncanny. Players know what he is going to do but just cant do anything about it. When you combine that with his sheer strength on the ball he has all the attributes you would need.
Seriously if he just took that next step and powered towards goal he would be as good as any midfielder in the world. He just seems to lack the belief to keep on going once he beats someone. I actually think that he has never developed the technique to beat players at pace and is far more comfortable slowing them up first.
I just hope he can still develop because he would be some player.

 

[carpediem991]

This ability to outmuscle player and go past them on the left is hilarious exciting. That move against Rooney was awesome.

He just has to find good decisions earlier to make his work fruit. Hopefully he can show his full potential and stay fit for a while now.

 

[Flashspur]

any news on the injury?

 

[beats1]

Could be the injury. He looked a different player after he came back from it last season. Before that he was performing consistently well.

Could also just be the case that he's been found out. There have been a few occasions where the opposition have put one of their more physical midfielders up against him, resulting in him being nullified.

This and he has been playing a more restricted role and has been a DM alot of the time and AVB confirmed what we have been suspecting. That Dembele's hip has been flaring up and giving him problems.

I think we have chose to avoid the hip surgery because we cant afford to lose him

An injury has a variety of consequences both physically and mentally. It could be possible that his hip injury is preventing him psychologically from reaching his plateau'd performances.

Look into the theories of stress and this directly correlates to his performances and his injury.. Too much stress and you become distressed affecting your performance, not enough stress and your become disinterested affecting your performances. And finally just the right amount of stress you reach the state of 'eustress', being able to perform at your maximum.

In conclusion he could be playing in the mental state of distress.

This, Lennon clearly feels his hamstring and even though he has recovered fully, he hasnt mentally imo and this is a common problem for hamstring injuries. He hasnt been the same he was before that injury in which he dominated fullbacks

 

[idontgetit]

Was he injured after Chelsea, he was a beast in that game and then seemed to be poor for a while after that? Can't really remember. Last season he was unbelievable until the QPR game, M'bia bullied him all game and after that his performances dropped off a bit. When he's playing badly he just seems to have this goofy stoned look on his face. I'd always just assumed he was collateral to Benny's ritual pre-match bifta but that wouldn't explain this season lol

 

[weststandvoice]

An injury has a variety of consequences both physically and mentally. It could be possible that his hip injury is preventing him psychologically from reaching his plateau'd performances.

Look into the theories of stress and this directly correlates to his performances and his injury.. Too much stress and you become distressed affecting your performance, not enough stress and your become disinterested affecting your performances. And finally just the right amount of stress you reach the state of 'eustress', being able to perform at your maximum.

In conclusion he could be playing in the mental state of distress.

Not a pleasing read, but a much appreciated one. Thanks, mate.

 

[ohtottenham!]

I was thinking about his dribbling ability the other day. I'm not sure I've ever seen a player who is able to beat a player so easily. It's almost ridiculous the way he squares the man up and just goes past him like he isn't even there. Most players rely on pace or trickery but he just walks past opponents, it really is quite uncanny. Players know what he is going to do but just cant do anything about it. When you combine that with his sheer strength on the ball he has all the attributes you would need.
Seriously if he just took that next step and powered towards goal he would be as good as any midfielder in the world. He just seems to lack the belief to keep on going once he beats someone. I actually think that he has never developed the technique to beat players at pace and is far more comfortable slowing them up first.
I just hope he can still develop because he would be some player.

Spot on, mate! Waltzes past the best stoppers at times! And he, more than anyone, has looked better with the added space since AVB's been stretching the park with regular wingers. Wish we could morph him with Holtby, who doesn't have his abilities, but who has a killer pass.