Dele Alli at Everton

[Ron Burgundy]

I've said it before, I don't mind if he was on the periphery in terms of scoring and assisting in an attacking sense if he could actually retain the ball, not dither on the ball and pass it well. If he did the simple things better he would earn a spot and then the team would improve and he would score more goals because we retain the ball better. However right now the flicks and bad lazy passes really don't help.

Fine, but that's not his game.

 

[Haddock]

- Dele regularly helps the team by scoring goals and providing assists
- Dele has flaws in his game regarding build up play

As I see it both claims ring true. I'm glass half full kind of person and I believe Dele can improve on the latter depending on how Dele is coached and how the team sets up when our new signings are fully integrated. I wasn't annoyed with his general build up play in his first years at Spurs so I consider it something that he can improve upon simply by reverting to how he used to play / the quality around him improves.

One thing I'm certain of is that Dele as much as possible, should play higher up the pitch, more or less as a shadow striker.

 

[spursfan77]

Imagine we're at a point in time where we're discussing two excellent footballers who play for us. Good times. Remember back to days when it was Acimovic and Oyvind Leonardson and be grateful for the times we have now.

And you havent even chosen two of the worst players from that time as your example!

 

[Timberwolf]

For me the whole story is in what Jose's done with him in the past few months:

1.)1st few games he plays him as a second striker, almost as high as Kane. Alli flourishes and looks like he did under Poch in the same role. Everyone is happy.

2.) Jose realises playing 2 up top with our squad is unsustainable as we're conceding at least 2 goals per game. He realises he has to drop Dele deeper to compensate.

3.) Back in his deeper role Dele reverts to late-era Poch form, giving the ball away cheaply and not moving the ball quickly. He gets the odd goal/assist but at a lower rate and the team (arguably) looks better without him in it.

He's excellent as a second striker/9 1/2 but you have to basically build the whole team around him and is he good enough for that? Personally I don't think so. In that slightly deeper midfield role I think we'd be far better served playing the likes of Lo Celso and Ndombele or someone who adds to the cohesion of the team rather than taking away from it.

I don't think we should necessarily sell him but I no longer think he should be a guaranteed starter. Especially in games where we're struggling to retain the ball. He should be used based on the opposition and we should play to his strengths, not shoe horn him into a role where he's not as effective to the detriment of the team.

 

[dtxspurs]

Was just thinking how Dele and Serge are complete opposites in terms of output throughout a game. Serge good majority of the time but that bad part can lose you a game, Dele bad the majority of the time but the good part can win you a game.

 

[nailsy]

.....If you can find me one player who has produced similarly in this league over such a period who cannot be described as good I will be astounded.

Harry Kane. He's nothing more than a one season wonder - in each of the last six seasons.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Was just thinking how Dele and Serge are complete opposites in terms of output throughout a game. Serge good majority of the time but that bad part can lose you a game, Dele bad the majority of the time but the good part can win you a game.

A very good example. The main similarity between them is that both deserve far more credit than they get, as do Sanchez and Winks.

 

[punkisback]

Fine, but that's not his game.

Ron, I can't tell if you're being critical of him or defending him! I just feel that if he did those simple things in the build up, but then exploded into life for the final ball or shot i would be much happier with him.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

I wonder what he himself would regard as his best/preferred position now. Didn't he come through MK Dons as a cm?

 

[fb9]

I can't believe the suggestions that Dele could play the "Firmino" role for us. They're absolutely world's apart in quality and he doesn't require any of the skill set required to play there.

Our play constantly breaks down going through him with his dithering on the ball and silly first time flicks and he seems unable to even make a simple pass these days.

His stats are incredible. He pops up with absolute madness goals like Palace and United that require elite level technique and skill But everything else he does seems so average to me and that crazy technique for the wonder goals isn't a true reflection of what happens most of the time from him in the rest of the game.

For me personally I'd much prefer a proper number 10 so we all link and run well as a team. For all the wonder goals and assists (unsure on assist stat it's often flawed) I'd prefer someone that can dictate the play and bring all the forwards in linking it up well so we fluidity to our attacks. It's hard to type this all down how I mean it to come across ?

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Ron, I can't tell if you're being critical of him or defending him! I just feel that if he did those simple things in the build up, but then exploded into life for the final ball or shot i would be much happier with him.

I'm doing both I suppose! It's a general feeling that those parts of his game need work, but also that by doing them, it stops him from being in the part of the pitch where he really comes alive - being the final third.

 

[philll]

It doesn't sound like he's injured, Jose said there's a chance he'll play against Southampton.

 

[spursfan77]

It doesn't sound like he's injured, Jose said there's a chance he'll play against Southampton.

yeah just saw that. Great news. Injury not as bad as first thought. He must have stronger ankles than the Harrys!

Jose Mourinho reveals Dele Alli's injury is 'not as bad' as feared

Alli limped off in the second half of Sunday's 2-0 win over Manchester City, having earlier been subjected to a reckless tackle by Raheem Sterling, who was lucky to escape a red card.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[double0]

Was just thinking how Dele and Serge are complete opposites in terms of output throughout a game. Serge good majority of the time but that bad part can lose you a game, Dele bad the majority of the time but the good part can win you a game.

Dele bad the majority of times.. really?

Honestly I wonder if I’m watch the same football as other

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Dele bad the majority of times.. really?

Honestly I wonder if I’m watch the same football as other

People?

 

[wrd]

Even though it should be obvious I'll spell it out, when people suggest that Dele should play the Firmino role, theyre not suggesting he will be as good as Firmino or play the same way Firmino does. They're simply suggesting a means to an end whilst our plan A is out and that it might be an idea to use Dele in a way where he plays in a role where two wingers can play off of him and he can hold the ball up which might be better than pinging a long ball up to Moura.

It shouldn't be that hard to comprehend that nobody is expecting him to the same level as somebody who's been doing it for years in the current worlds best team who has two of the best wingers in world football either side of him.

 

[mpickard2087]

Even though it should be obvious I'll spell it out, when people suggest that Dele should play the Firmino role, theyre not suggesting he will be as good as Firmino or play the same way Firmino does. They're simply suggesting a means to an end whilst our plan A is out and that it might be an idea to use Dele in a way where he plays in a role where two wingers can play off of him and he can hold the ball up which might be better than pinging a long ball up to Moura.

It shouldn't be that hard to comprehend that nobody is expecting him to the same level as somebody who's been doing it for years in the current worlds best team who has two of the best wingers in world football either side of him.

The way I see it is that who is more likely to be in the right place at the right time and be in the penalty area to finish? - Alli. Take that Norwich game the other week for instance, there were a few times when the wideman was on the overlap where the likes of Son/Moura are just not anticipating, stood still and in 'nothing' positions. The one time Alli finds himself as the most advanced player he's on the move giving his man something to hit and gets a simple tap in because of it.

He has by far the best instinct and nous to sniff goals and get on the end of things, particularly in a congested penalty area. So especially against weaker teams who will usually sit back against us I think you may as well play him in the 9 position as the most advanced player.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

It shouldn't be that hard to comprehend

You do know where you are, right?

 

[wrd]

The way I see it is that who is more likely to be in the right place at the right time and be in the penalty area to finish? - Alli. Take that Norwich game the other week for instance, there were a few times when the wideman was on the overlap where the likes of Son/Moura are just not anticipating, stood still and in 'nothing' positions. The one time Alli finds himself as the most advanced player he's on the move giving his man something to hit and gets a simple tap in because of it.

He has by far the best instinct and nous to sniff goals and get on the end of things, particularly in a congested penalty area. So especially against weaker teams who will usually sit back against us I think you may as well play him in the 9 position as the most advanced player.

I'd argue also that again that shows he would play the role differently to Firmino because Firmino although a striker isn't renowned in the same way Dele is for having those right place right time instincts. Personally it's the route I'd go and that would allow us to replace Dele in midfield with Ndombele.

 

[Shadydan]

It shouldn't be that hard to comprehend

lol