Ex-Player Watch Player Watch: Mousa Dembele

[DJS]

What was strange is that he started as a centre forward, then became a winger and then settled into an engine room midfielder.

And having been pretty tasty on our engine room alongside Sandro in first season under AVB, I’m pretty sure he wasn’t a regular there again for the next two seasons??? (under Sherwood and Poch first season where Bentaleb and Mason were regular starters).

Amazing considering how he went on to be the best player in the league in midfield and still such a miss.

 

[Romulus]

Anyone else feel that it started going downhill after we sold him?

man, I miss seeing him completely dominate the midfield by himself. at times he was unplayable

 

[Kiedis]

Anyone else feel that it started going downhill after we sold him?

man, I miss seeing him completely dominate the midfield by himself. at times he was unplayable

He didnt't really play much after april 2018. and I'd say that was just about the point where the quality of our play started to dip. That wasn't just because he started to really break down, but it's clear he was a player that gave the team confidence.

He wanted to leave for a less demanding league, and I don't know if he'd helped us much that spring in the state he was in. I think our main mistake was to not take up the offer to loan Tielemans who went to Leicester instead. He wasn't the player then that he is now, but it basically forced us to play one or two of Winks, Sissoko and the ghost of Wanyama for the run in.

 

[NEVILLEB]

Anyone else feel that it started going downhill after we sold him?

man, I miss seeing him completely dominate the midfield by himself. at times he was unplayable

He was our midfield

 

[AustroSpur]

Mousa was and still is one of my favourite ever Spurs player, if not the favourite. A Mousa Dembélé in full flow was a sight to see - no real end product but what a joy to watch him taking on the entire midfield of the opponent and take it out with a casual shrug of the shoulder. I remember a performance against Liverpool (a 0-0 draw if I remember correctly, sometime in 2016?17?) where he ran the show completely... man I miss him

 

[hellava_tough]

We certainly controlled games and that gave us the confidence to win matches; even if we went a goal down, you always thought that we'd grind out the result in the end.

That said, we had better full-backs as well, to provide the pace and width that was needed.

We messed up our recruitment (a tired old story) as we didn't sufficiently replace any of Dembele, Wanyama, Walker or Rose, the latter really falling out of favour/form.

And that was the spine of our team!!

It's pretty criminal tbh, that we didn't even get it right with one of those players' replacements. And it's the main reason, in my opinion, Levy should be criticised, as this is his biggest failing in recent memory.

 

[punkisback]

We certainly controlled games and that gave us the confidence to win matches; even if we went a goal down, you always thought that we'd grind out the result in the end.

That said, we had better full-backs as well, to provide the pace and width that was needed.

We messed up our recruitment (a tired old story) as we didn't sufficiently replace any of Dembele, Wanyama, Walker or Rose, the latter really falling out of favour/form.

And that was the spine of our team!!

It's pretty criminal tbh, that we didn't even get it right with one of those players' replacements. And it's the main reason, in my opinion, Levy should be criticised, as this is his biggest failing in recent memory.

As I said before. Teams upgrade on what they have already. We let players go and buy worse players. Or expect their backups to be as good.

 

[wrd]

Anyone else feel that it started going downhill after we sold him?

man, I miss seeing him completely dominate the midfield by himself. at times he was unplayable

There's a reason all the players named him as the best at the club.

 

[Nebby]

Dembele, Eriksen and Dele. Really miss those guys.

 

[tottenhamlad]

Cost us winning the Champs League selling him in the January.

Another wonderful decision by Levy & ENIC.

 

[bubble07]

Started with selling Kyle walker

 

[HildoSpur]

Anyone else feel that it started going downhill after we sold him?

man, I miss seeing him completely dominate the midfield by himself. at times he was unplayable

He did but people overrate him here a bit - I couldn't count how many times I would curse him in a match for not creating more - he would bully people in the middle of the park easily and move with the ball beautifully however as soon as he got forward he more than most didn't produce a killer ball or a shot. He actually wasn't all that productive and I found him incredibly frustrating as he was obviously incredibly talented.

 

[onthetwo]

Anyone else feel that it started going downhill after we sold him?

man, I miss seeing him completely dominate the midfield by himself. at times he was unplayable

anyone else? The entire fanbase.....? Hed have been more effective on one leg than Winks & Sissoko at bringing the ball out from the back.

 

[THOWIG]

Started with selling Kyle walker

100 percent this. We should have flogged Rose too at that point and majorly improved our recruitment.

 

[dontcallme]

Cost us winning the Champs League selling him in the January.

Another wonderful decision by Levy & ENIC.

His form by that stage had massively gone downhill and he'd even spoken publicly about his physical struggles. He was injured until January and we had no idea what condition he'd come back in. The fact that he went to China should be enough of an indication as to his level by that stage.

 

[tottenhamlad]

His form by that stage had massively gone downhill and he'd even spoken publicly about his physical struggles. He was injured until January and we had no idea what condition he'd come back in. The fact that he went to China should be enough of an indication as to his level by that stage.

Totally agree over a season but if managed properly he had 1 good game in him. Even 60 minutes would have made a MASSIVE difference.

Desperate for the 11 million quid.

I cannot see us winning a trophy under the current ownership, they only care about 1 thing and it isn't success on the pitch.

 

[dontcallme]

Totally agree over a season but if managed properly he had 1 good game in him. Even 60 minutes would have made a MASSIVE difference.

Desperate for the 11 million quid.

I cannot see us winning a trophy under the current ownership, they only care about 1 thing and it isn't success on the pitch.

I disagree with your first 2 sentences. The idea that we'd have won the CL if we'd managed Dembele in a way that he just played in the final is frankly ludicrous. Players need regular game time for match fitness. Dembele couldn't handle that.

Dembele himself said publicly he couldn't handle the physicality of the Prem by that stage so making out we sold him for £11m is an incorrect spin on his sale.

Your last sentence is just the typical ENIC rheotoric. Our results have improved since their takeover. Their model was great to get us to the top 6. Levy has shown an inability to run the football side of things and doesn't know how to get us over the line. But to frame that as he doesn't care about winning anything is unfair.

He clearly wants us to succeed, but his managing of the football side of things and his methods are the problem, not his desire.

 

[hutchiniho]

Started with selling Kyle walker

Some players will inevitably move on, especially if they have a chance at more money and more success.

The problem wasn't selling Walker, the error was not adequately replacing him.

Still not Walker but Maybe having Trippier was one of our better back up options!

Our signings have been shocking, no one imo, has met the huge price tag payed.

Dembele, Eriksen, Jan, Trippier have not been successfully replaced. Adding the players that have dropped off. Poor Lon term management

This is where we need to better model Leicester, their signings have been planned, progressive and excellent.

 

[tottenhamlad]

I disagree with your first 2 sentences. The idea that we'd have won the CL if we'd managed Dembele in a way that he just played in the final is frankly ludicrous. Players need regular game time for match fitness. Dembele couldn't handle that.

Dembele himself said publicly he couldn't handle the physicality of the Prem by that stage so making out we sold him for £11m is an incorrect spin on his sale.

Your last sentence is just the typical ENIC rheotoric. Our results have improved since their takeover. Their model was great to get us to the top 6. Levy has shown an inability to run the football side of things and doesn't know how to get us over the line. But to frame that as he doesn't care about winning anything is unfair.

He clearly wants us to succeed, but his managing of the football side of things and his methods are the problem, not his desire.

Sorry mate have to agree to disagree on this. Dembele could come in now after 18 months in China and still be a better player than the dross we have running around in our midfield.

There are numerous examples of Levy taking the money whenever possible not to mention a HUGE lack of investment in the first team sqaud which has seen us slide into mid table mediocrity.

The bloke tried to furlough staff after paying himself millions in bonus, was willing to sell the soul of the club for a 300 million super league payment. It is inexcusable money grabbing.

I don't think they have been bad owners and from a business/brand perspective we have clearly improved. Wouldn't dream of arguing against it.

I just don't see them taking us where I want/expect us to be. Always tugging on the apron strings of the real big clubs, champagne tastes orange juice pockets.

 

[SPURSLIFE]

He did but people overrate him here a bit - I couldn't count how many times I would curse him in a match for not creating more - he would bully people in the middle of the park easily and move with the ball beautifully however as soon as he got forward he more than most didn't produce a killer ball or a shot. He actually wasn't all that productive and I found him incredibly frustrating as he was obviously incredibly talented.

I agree and it's interesting that so many are shouting his praises now but he was constantly being derided for not passing and dribbling round in circles with no end product. I do agree that on a good day he ripped up defences but for me they were few and far between. Interesting how short football fans memories are.