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Eric Dier

fishhhandaricecake

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2018
18,702
46,941
Think Dier can keep improving with more games at CB and has good potential but he's not quite at the top top class level that we need like when we had peak Jan and Toby. Great character and signed new contract so will get plenty of game time, Toby, Dier and Sanchez will be rotated according to tiredness and opposition. Definately think we need to purchase one top top class CB to transform our defence to be rock solid like Jose wants it.
 

Seafordian Spurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
2,157
4,141
What does Jose see in him? Jose is many things but he's not blind. He must see how bang average Dier is? The bloke simply hasn't pushed on. Sure, Jose wanted to sign him. About 3 years ago.
 

Real_madyidd

The best username, unless you are a fucking idiot.
Oct 25, 2004
18,792
12,448
Once we're up to speed/match fitness I hope it's Toby/Sanchez as it's a much better pairing and they ended last season well as a pairing.

Sanchez has to be a starter as the other 2 are too slow.


I think Toby has to be a starter, he is simply better than the other two. Sanchez being fast is useful- especially since his positioning is so poor.
 

dimiSpur

There's always next year...
Aug 9, 2008
5,844
6,750
It's a difficult one. He has all the ingredients to be a top CB. He's good enough on the ball for a CB, he's relatively quick for a CB, he's aggressive, he's tall, he's strong.

He lacks positioning and good decision making. The attributes Sanchez also lacks. They are both young for centre backs and Eric is a lot more inexperienced there given his playing time at DM/CM.

The questions therefore are can Eric learn and improve as required? How long will that take? Can we take the damage his learning period will inevitably bring?
 

BringBack_leGin

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2004
27,719
54,929
It's a difficult one. He has all the ingredients to be a top CB. He's good enough on the ball for a CB, he's relatively quick for a CB, he's aggressive, he's tall, he's strong.

He lacks positioning and good decision making. The attributes Sanchez also lacks. They are both young for centre backs and Eric is a lot more inexperienced there given his playing time at DM/CM.

The questions therefore are can Eric learn and improve as required? How long will that take? Can we take the damage his learning period will inevitably bring?
I think what you say is spot on. I have faith that Dier’s weaknesses will improve quickly so long as he keeps playing and learning as he’s clearly very dedicated and receptive to lessons. If it doesn’t, he won’t stay in the team most likely.

There’s something about a Tony Gardner about him in that he can be magnificent 90% of a match but always has the moment where he gets exposed for the deficiencies you listed. Difference is that Gardner was never fit long enough to play the successive games necessary to improve those aspects.
 

wrd

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2014
13,603
58,005
It's a difficult one. He has all the ingredients to be a top CB. He's good enough on the ball for a CB, he's relatively quick for a CB, he's aggressive, he's tall, he's strong.

He lacks positioning and good decision making. The attributes Sanchez also lacks. They are both young for centre backs and Eric is a lot more inexperienced there given his playing time at DM/CM.

The questions therefore are can Eric learn and improve as required? How long will that take? Can we take the damage his learning period will inevitably bring?

He doesn't seem aggressive when it comes to actual defending though which concerns me, now and then he will fly into a tackle but we're talking once every 20 games. I'd like to see more aggressive play defending long balls and corners and certainly getting tight to the strikers.
 

buckley

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2012
2,595
6,073
I get that lots dont rate Dier myself I rate him highly and feel that will be a cornerstone of our back four for years to come .
I have said before " one mans ceiling is another mans floor " and it proves that one man sees gold another man sees rubbish .
It all boils down to your own view of things .
 

Nebby

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2013
3,363
6,377
I get that lots dont rate Dier myself I rate him highly and feel that will be a cornerstone of our back four for years to come .
I have said before " one mans ceiling is another mans floor " and it proves that one man sees gold another man sees rubbish .
It all boils down to your own view of things .

I'm more worried about Sanchez than Dier. He has the pace and height to be immense, but he still looks clumsy and his heading can be all over the place. Is he one of the guys that's just too nice?

Still, I'm hoping that a more disciplined midfield will help to take the pressure off them both. If PEH can continue to win the ball back like he did for Saints, we should become a much harder nut to crack.
 

Scissors&Tape

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2018
259
1,007
Dier's positioning on Soton's first goal was woeful. What is he doing here? A moment earlier, he makes some sort of gesture towards Ings, suggesting he wants Hojbjerg or Sanchez to mark Ings. You can still see his arm pointing back. But why? Sanchez was already marking Adams, and compared to Hojbjerg, Dier was much closer to Ings and in front of him to boot. Dier goes into this space for no discernable reason, giving Ings this huge gap to run into. Dier then doesn't have the pace to make up the difference.

DierWTF.jpg


I hear a lot about Dier's "leadership" qualities, but being vocal is a positive attribute only when you have something intelligent to say.

BTW, some posters blamed Ndombele for giving KWP too much space to make the cross. Son had been pressing KWP most of the match, but here left KWP to press higher up the pitch. Ndombele rotated over, but was clearly -- and reasonably, I think -- anticipating KWP continuing up the sideline, instead of attempting a cross from near the midline. This one is on Dier, though credit should also be given to KWP and Ings for their inch perfect pass and shot.
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,907
78,649
Dier's positioning on Soton's first goal was woeful. What is he doing here? A moment earlier, he makes some sort of gesture towards Ings, suggesting he wants Hojbjerg or Sanchez to mark Ings. You can still see his arm pointing back. But why? Sanchez was already marking Adams, and compared to Hojbjerg, Dier was much closer to Ings and in front of him to boot. Dier goes into this space for no discernable reason, giving Ings this huge gap to run into. Dier then doesn't have the pace to make up the difference.

View attachment 74626

I hear a lot about Dier's "leadership" qualities, but being vocal is a positive attribute only when you have something intelligent to say.

BTW, some posters blamed Ndombele for giving KWP too much space to make the cross. Son had been pressing KWP most of the match, but here left KWP to press higher up the pitch. Ndombele rotated over, but was clearly -- and reasonably, I think -- anticipating KWP continuing up the sideline, instead of attempting a cross from near the midline. This one is on Dier, though credit should also be given to KWP and Ings for their inch perfect pass and shot.
Yeah can't criticise Ndombele as the reality is you are not going to stop every ball over the top.

However you are right. Dier needed to keep Ings within his eyesight (not moving behind him) and ensure that if Ings does beat him it's on the outside, not the inside.
 

SpursD22

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2017
4,682
8,929
Is the ball hitting your arm a mistake though?

The handball rule is stupid but we already know it. Why jump like that twice in the penalty area when the ball already hit your arm the last time

To be honest I might just talk shit on this topic I’m just mad. But it doesn’t take away the point that I don’t trust him as a starting CB
 

spids

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2015
6,647
27,841
The handball rule is stupid but we already know it. Why jump like that twice in the penalty area when the ball already hit your arm the last time

Try jumping for a ball and heading it without moving your arms. Plus it looked like he was pushed in the back too.
 
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