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Ex-Player Watch Player Watch: Mousa Dembele

weststandyid

Well-Known Member
Jun 4, 2004
459
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Check out his opts stats on tackles won and fouls made. Sadly Mousa is losing it.

Also the players you've highlighted reg Kante, Henderson, Fernandinho share a midfield with more creative players. We already have Dier and Wanyama who do similar jobs to them so it makes Dembele even more redundant as he gets a little more creaky.

Personally I've loved Dembele but I think him staying for a further year, especially if he starts most of the time like he has will see us concede more fouls and see the game pass him by a lot more than we are used to.

With a year left of his contract, we really should be moving heaven and earth to proactively bring in his squad replacement

I've said, can't argue with those stats. It's fair to say that dembele shares the midfield with more creative players, too. I don't consider alli a midfielder in his usual position, but in him and eriksen we have two 'midfielders' who contribute a lot of assists.
 

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
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I've said, can't argue with those stats. It's fair to say that dembele shares the midfield with more creative players, too. I don't consider alli a midfielder in his usual position, but in him and eriksen we have two 'midfielders' who contribute a lot of assists.
And only one of those guys provides any sort of consistency.
 

ToDarrenIsToDo

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2017
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I've said, can't argue with those stats. It's fair to say that dembele shares the midfield with more creative players, too. I don't consider alli a midfielder in his usual position, but in him and eriksen we have two 'midfielders' who contribute a lot of assists.

Fair enough, I think Deles best qualities are used further forward where he gets to ghost into areas that defenders struggle to contain. Eriksen would make a good central midfielder but like Dele I do believe that Christian is so lethal picking an advanced pass or shooting from range that some of his talents would go more unused should he drop back into Dembeles position in the middle of the park.

I know it isn't popular but I'd really like our CM options this season be Ceballos, Winks & Skipp with Grealish coming in to sometimes chip in there if need be but mostly focus on being Eriksens understudy so he can properly learn the Premier League game
 

dtxspurs

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Dec 28, 2017
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depends what you consider consistency. alli's performances are massively inconsistent, but he will consistently provide goals and assists.
I want to see consistency in his performances. It drives me fucking crazy how many double teams he dribbles into.
 

weststandyid

Well-Known Member
Jun 4, 2004
459
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Fair enough, I think Deles best qualities are used further forward where he gets to ghost into areas that defenders struggle to contain. Eriksen would make a good central midfielder but like Dele I do believe that Christian is so lethal picking an advanced pass or shooting from range that some of his talents would go more unused should he drop back into Dembeles position in the middle of the park.

I know it isn't popular but I'd really like our CM options this season be Ceballos, Winks & Skipp with Grealish coming in to sometimes chip in there if need be but mostly focus on being Eriksens understudy so he can properly learn the Premier League game

I'm considering eriksen an attacking midfielder. I guess it could be argued that he's our deepest lying forward.

I think alli is best in a free role. he's weak and has a tendency to over elaborate and lose the ball. I think his best work is off the ball, finding space and in this way is our most intelligent player. for england people expect him to be a playmaker, but he's not that at all.
 

ToDarrenIsToDo

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2017
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I'm considering eriksen an attacking midfielder. I guess it could be argued that he's our deepest lying forward.

I think alli is best in a free role. he's weak and has a tendency to over elaborate and lose the ball. I think his best work is off the ball, finding space and in this way is our most intelligent player. for england people expect him to be a playmaker, but he's not that at all.

He's best the less he sees the ball if that makes sense? He's more a support striker/ AM that ghosts in which makes him very hard to Man mark.

I love his feet but we saw him at his best the final year at the Lane when he was absolute fire. He's a huge asset when trying to break deep defending teams down
 

Johnny J

Not the Kiwi you need but the one you deserve
Aug 18, 2012
18,124
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but we also need to physically dominate other midfields, which not many passers can do. he has a great mix of not just being a stopper and being able to transition. I don't see the issue in his lack of goals - dier, wanyama, kante, henderson, fernandinho (chips in with a few more) etc are hardly prolific.
I disagree strongly about his transitional play. It's so slow. He hardly ever plays incisive passes. Playing two physical but uncreative CMs in almost every game is a big part of why we look so solid and dominate possession, yet simultaneously often have no urgency or fluidity in attack.

If Dembele was younger then fine, play him and a ball playing CM. Or Wanyama and a ball playing CM. Or even Dier, if needed, and a ball playing CM. But not two out of those three every time.

Winks looked like he might be a HG solution, but his ankle injury is a big worry, clearly there have been complications.
 

yido-1989

Well-Known Member
Jun 29, 2013
591
1,302
He is.

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Where’s the stat that shows he rarely loses the ball and how he drags more than one player with him while he’s got the ball, making space for our attacking players
 

tiger666

Large Member
Jan 4, 2005
27,978
82,214
Where’s the stat that shows he rarely loses the ball and how he drags more than one player with him while he’s got the ball, making space for our attacking players

Probably in the same place as the stat that shows how he slows down our counter attacks. He is in decline, which is the question I was answering.
 

yido-1989

Well-Known Member
Jun 29, 2013
591
1,302
Probably in the same place as the stat that shows how he slows down our counter attacks. He is in decline, which is the question I was answering.

Was more of a rhetorical question, stats don’t show everything is what I’m trying to say, fair enough he’s on decline, but players around him are getting better and doing more each season, so that might also be a answer why his stats are in decline
 

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
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They'll only try and throw some cast off at us in part-exchange! Joao Mario or that other meh fella we have a player thread for.
At this point I would take a loan with a purchase obligation in a year. We clearly aren't going to get anything better.
 

Rout-Ledge

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2005
9,611
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Was more of a rhetorical question, stats don’t show everything is what I’m trying to say, fair enough he’s on decline, but players around him are getting better and doing more each season, so that might also be a answer why his stats are in decline

Mousa still offers a lot, and if nobody is knocking our door down to sign him then we should probably just hold on to him for another year. But if a decent offer comes in and we have a good replacement lined up, I say go for it.
 

BringBack_leGin

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2004
27,719
54,929
I would like us to keep Dembele as an option, but if he is to leave then I think Pochettino, judging by pre-season, is likely to make him obsolete via system as 433 looks like it’s hallening. Dier/ Wanyama at the base, then Eriksen and Dele in the pivot with Winks, Onomah and maybe even Skipp/ Amos able to step in. And let’s not forget (gulp) Sissoko!
 

yido-1989

Well-Known Member
Jun 29, 2013
591
1,302
At this point I would take a loan with a purchase obligation in a year. We clearly aren't going to get anything better.

I’d keep Dembele and I’m still optimistic that we’ll improve by the end of transfer window. Our squad is at a very high level now, so adding another CM and keeping him will only make us stronger.
 

Johnny J

Not the Kiwi you need but the one you deserve
Aug 18, 2012
18,124
47,907
I would like us to keep Dembele as an option, but if he is to leave then I think Pochettino, judging by pre-season, is likely to make him obsolete via system as 433 looks like it’s hallening. Dier/ Wanyama at the base, then Eriksen and Dele in the pivot with Winks, Onomah and maybe even Skipp/ Amos able to step in. And let’s not forget (gulp) Sissoko!
No, please, let's!
 

synththfc

Well-Known Member
Aug 24, 2017
3,740
26,716
Imagine wanting to sell Dembele in order to sign Cook or Grealish.

What a bloody joke!

Dembele is one of the best midfielders in the world.

Two years ago? Yes.

Now? Apart from that two week period in February, no. Watching him last season it was clear he's been declining, and stats back it up.

Definitely time to move on.
 
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