not a great article once you consider Dier was put in the defensive midfielder role at sporting Lisbon and excelled there for 2 months until he got injured.
After his tenure as a DM is finished, he'll end up as a top CD as King did.
This underestimates Dier's ability. He is comfortable on the ball, has a cool head, shows judgement and can pass the ball. Compare him to John Stones who is always trying party tricks to play himself out of trouble in defence and generally cocks it up.
I can't disagree, but I wonder who we might compare him to? And as for all-time ... Mackay, Sounness, Deschamps, Makelele? He's his own player, of course. Great positioning and discipline -- once that's second nature I'd like to see him develop the creative/attacking side of his game. He has technique.Dier is now a DM. This season probably the stand out DM in the league.
Short, but a nicely written piece.
Is this a creative writing thread I've chanced upon?I thought it was a terrible article. It starts with this as the opening proposition:
"Eric Dier is not a complicated player. The benefits Tottenham have derived from his conversion to a holding midfield role this season may be multi-faceted, but the job he does is actually relatively simple."
You then expect him to go on and form an argument. You expect him to clarify what he means - is he saying that the holding midfield role is an easy role, is he saying that Dier plays the position in a particulalry simple way? - and you expect him to provide some evidence to support his idea.
Instead he just goes on to list more vague assertions about which it is hard to say if they're incorrect or even of any interest, because the writer offers no further explanation of what he's actually trying to say.
"It’s interesting, then, to note that his new position doesn’t really rely on anything outside that pool of attributes." Is it really interesting?
"For someone who occupies the role he does, his statistical contribution is nothing special. At the time of writing, he averages just two successful tackles per Premier League game and just over two interceptions" Well what would be something special? There is no comparison or analysis whatsoever.
"But, ironically, that’s also a measure of his efficiency." Oh, so it is something special after all?
you have totally missed the point - the writer claims that putting Dier in that role.. "it’s arguably one of the most impressive coaching solutions in the Premier League’s history." - it's complete bullshit because the player had already excelled in that role at another club for 9 games or so before injury. Pochettino did not "shape" Dier to fulfil that role as he had already had experience of the role.2 months isn't exactly a long time to get used to a very demanding role is it?
you have totally missed the point - the writer claims that putting Dier in that role.. "it’s arguably one of the most impressive coaching solutions in the Premier League’s history." - it's complete bullshit because the player had already excelled in that role at another club for 9 games or so before injury. Pochettino did not "shape" Dier to fulfil that role as he had already had experience of the role.