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Missing Dembele

lillywhites61

SC Supporter
Aug 11, 2009
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2,270
Apart from the obvious lack of desire that seemed to be shown yesterday, especially in the second half I think we missed Dembele hugely! There didn't seem to be the usual control we have in the middle of the park and in fact we were bypassing the midfield an awful lot with long balls.

I think it just goes to show for me just how important and influential he is becoming to our side now, we looked lost in the second half, his knack of hold up in midfield and knitting the play together was sorely missed.
 

Nocando

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2012
2,945
4,385
Funny old game. Rewind 11 months and people were clambering over each other for him to be sold.
 

worcestersauce

"I'm no optimist I'm just a prisoner of hope
Jan 23, 2006
26,891
45,040
You'd play Dembele over Carroll granted but worth remembering that we were winning when we took Tom off and in all honesty we should be beating Newcastle at home with or without Mousa.
 

lillywhites61

SC Supporter
Aug 11, 2009
3,538
2,270
You'd play Dembele over Carroll granted but worth remembering that we were winning when we took Tom off and in all honesty we should be beating Newcastle at home with or without Mousa.

We should be beating Newcastle agreed, and we can't just rely on Dembele but he really is important to us and I'm not sure we have anyone who can step in right now, I thought Tom huffed and puffed but by the time he can off he was looking a bit lost, missed place passes and making silly mistakes, maybe the two games took too much out of him. I agree bentaleb should have come on
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,389
Apart from the obvious lack of desire that seemed to be shown yesterday, especially in the second half I think we missed Dembele hugely! There didn't seem to be the usual control we have in the middle of the park and in fact we were bypassing the midfield an awful lot with long balls.

I think it just goes to show for me just how important and influential he is becoming to our side now, we looked lost in the second half, his knack of hold up in midfield and knitting the play together was sorely missed.



Certainly missed him. Not knocking Tom Carroll at all because I think he's one of our most creative passers, but playing against Dembele must be physically exhausting and Newcastle came on strong in the later stages.
 

shoggy33

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2007
1,354
4,538
Dembele can take the ball under pressure and hold onto it, which no one else seemed capable of doing the other night. He draws players into challenges, shrugs them off and free's up his team mates. He's absolutely vital for this team
 

Shanks

Kinda not anymore....
May 11, 2005
31,159
18,914
TBH I'd say we've had some of our best performances when Dembele has played behind Kane - further up the field, than alongside central midfield.
 

glospur

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2015
2,608
9,806
Bentaleb was available. Strange choice unless Poch was giving Tom a go to see if he could step up. Alas no.
Bentaleb was coming back from injury and probably wasn't completely match fit. Carroll was and had played very well against Monaco midweek. It wasn't strange at all; Carroll deserved his place and it creates a good atmosphere in the squad if players know they can perform well in the cups and get picked in the league side. In any case, he wasn't the reason we lost; he's been made a massive scapegoat by many people on this site.
 

double0

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
14,423
12,258
Lloris messed up.... and we never took our chances, we dominated the majority of the game.
 

Nigel Spinal

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2015
1,139
2,477
At the start of the season we improved when Dembele dropped out and Lamela came in, so it goes in roundabouts.

Personally I think we missed the drive and aggressive passing of Mason or Bentaleb further back more.
 
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