Just a small, small mitigating consideration, but at least we have options in central midfield. Hope it's not too serious and he's back soon, but we shouldn't rush him.
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Might be a blessing in disguise as we need a change in the middle
It is a shame we will have to play Sandro instead....
Or holtby... or Capoue when he returns or or or gawd we're blessedIt is a shame we will have to play Sandro instead....
Ouch, looks like a nasty bit of swelling there on that left ankle....Not looking good...Injured during Belgium training.
It is a shame we will have to play Sandro instead....
Wish nothing but the best for dembele but I really think he needs a blow.
Mousa Dembélé is a classic footballer. When he picks up the ball in the centre of the pitch and gracefully pushes it forward – gliding past defenders with ease – he looks like a player from a bygone era. He brings his classy brand of calm to any midfield he plays in. The Belgian is the kind of player that most Premier League teams would love to have in their side. The only problem with Dembélé is that there is […]
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The usual stuff re: Dembele... great player, rarely loses possession, beats players for fun, but passes sideways.
Don't see the issue with the sideways pass to be honest, it changes the point of attack, and fits exactly into AVB's tactics of Slow, Slow, Fast build-up play.
He knows his role within the team and seems to play it well.
Don't see the issue with the sideways pass to be honest, it changes the point of attack, and fits exactly into AVB's tactics of Slow, Slow, Fast build-up play.
He knows his role within the team and seems to play it well.
Exactly. Let's keep in mind that he played as a forward at AZ Alkmaar and that he definitely has the ability to go for goal, I'm speculating, but I would think he'd like to if he was allowed. That's the issue however, he's likely been told to play a certain role, and the stats highlight that role and that he doesn't stray from his task.
Top top player, hope he'll be a yid for years to come.
Big fan. Out and out team player.
Wouldn't mind a few more efforts on goal though, he has the ability.
Wouldn't mind a few more efforts on goal though, he has the ability.
All of the above agreed. The key is more goal scoring midfield play. Can Dembele score - yes, just not atm, why ? I strongly believe the inverted wing play is taking away space and creativity for Dembele. So atm you would have to say it is AVB tactics. Perhaps AVB is happy, Dembele just sits in a oocket picking up secondballs centrally which he is very good at.
Have to say I don't think Paulinho's set the world on fire enough to be considered 'essential' as the article suggests (altho I think he looks like a classy player).
The shots stats are also misleading as when Dembele and Paulinho are playing together its natural that one has to be more defensively disciplined (which has been Dembele).
I can still remember how immense a midfield 2 the Sandro-Dembele axis was until Sandro's injury last season. Perhaps there's some merit trying that?
The shots stats are also misleading as when Dembele and Paulinho are playing together its natural that one has to be more defensively disciplined (which has been Dembele).
I can still remember how immense a midfield 2 the Sandro-Dembele axis was until Sandro's injury last season. Perhaps there's some merit trying that?
AVB's system has ruined Dembele's potential, if not his career ... atm.
I feel kinda sad for the fella. Almost everyone now wants him out of the starting 11. And it's not his fault.
He is capable of so much more ...
We all know he has to be playing further up, but for a start ... the least thing is that he should be relieved of the primary defensive duties in the midfield.
He was so good to watch last year, especially when he had the sort of freedom when playing with Sandro initially. After both Sandro's injury and Dembele's injury, the Moose is no longer the same.
What the fuck has AVB turned him into ... a pseudo-defensive midfielder??!!
Dembele was supposed to be our Yaya, and he still can be.
I just feel that maybe if Dembele had been playing under someone like Harry, he could have turned out to be one of the best midfielders in the PL.
Well, one thing is for sure: he needs to be playing alongside a DM, if we want him to reach his former highlights again. Get it straight, Mr. AVB ... the Dembele-Paulo combo does not work.
I feel kinda sad for the fella. Almost everyone now wants him out of the starting 11. And it's not his fault.
He is capable of so much more ...
We all know he has to be playing further up, but for a start ... the least thing is that he should be relieved of the primary defensive duties in the midfield.
He was so good to watch last year, especially when he had the sort of freedom when playing with Sandro initially. After both Sandro's injury and Dembele's injury, the Moose is no longer the same.
What the fuck has AVB turned him into ... a pseudo-defensive midfielder??!!
Dembele was supposed to be our Yaya, and he still can be.
I just feel that maybe if Dembele had been playing under someone like Harry, he could have turned out to be one of the best midfielders in the PL.
Well, one thing is for sure: he needs to be playing alongside a DM, if we want him to reach his former highlights again. Get it straight, Mr. AVB ... the Dembele-Paulo combo does not work.
I don't disagree with you on how he's being used. But this bit:
aulinhofacepalm:
:adelol:
aulinhofacepalm::adelol:
We saw just how good Dembele was in the second half against Chelsea this season. He is a phenomenal player sometimes. He just seems too passive to get rid of the ball to wings when he can glide past players and cause problems in the final 3rd. For me he can be better than Paulinho as even though Paulinho gets forward quote a bit (Dembele should be able to do that), his conversion rate is around 3% and he really can't finish.
On a side note I follow Dembele's girlfriend on Instagram (she's fit) and it came up on my feed that (I think?) she liked a picture of something to do with pregnancy. Maybe Mousa has been destroying her too many times and subsequently is knackered for our games.
Just a guess because I can't really quite understand why he's been so shit recently. His only good performances have been Cardiff and Chelsea
On a side note I follow Dembele's girlfriend on Instagram (she's fit) and it came up on my feed that (I think?) she liked a picture of something to do with pregnancy. Maybe Mousa has been destroying her too many times and subsequently is knackered for our games.
Just a guess because I can't really quite understand why he's been so shit recently. His only good performances have been Cardiff and Chelsea
AVB's system has ruined Dembele's potential, if not his career ... atm.
I feel kinda sad for the fella. Almost everyone now wants him out of the starting 11. And it's not his fault.
He is capable of so much more ...
We all know he has to be playing further up, but for a start ... the least thing is that he should be relieved of the primary defensive duties in the midfield.
He was so good to watch last year, especially when he had the sort of freedom when playing with Sandro initially. After both Sandro's injury and Dembele's injury, the Moose is no longer the same.
What the fuck has AVB turned him into ... a pseudo-defensive midfielder??!!
Dembele was supposed to be our Yaya, and he still can be.
I just feel that maybe if Dembele had been playing under someone like Harry, he could have turned out to be one of the best midfielders in the PL.
Well, one thing is for sure: he needs to be playing alongside a DM, if we want him to reach his former highlights again. Get it straight, Mr. AVB ... the Dembele-Paulo combo does not work.
God damn... When we didn't have Dembele last season we were a different team. When we didn't have Sandro we were a different team. AVB recognized this and went out and bought competition for both in Paulinho and Capoue. Capoue just came back from injury and played 60 minutes, he didn't even make the bench today. Sandro left his last game with a hamstring injury and isn't too far off his major injury - that is why he didn't start. It's pretty clear we have 2 CAMs - Holtby + Eriksen, 2 CMs - Dembele + Paulinho, and 2 CDMs - Sandro + Capoue. When we weren't able to start either Sandro or Capoue we needed to start 2 CMs. Give it time, Capoue is just coming back and Sandro is just making it back.
Que??
I have no idea how you are making this relevant with what I wrote.
I never said that Dembele, when absent, wasn't missed.
Yeah, I get we need 2 players per position (though I dont get how this ties in with my post)
And yeah, it's obvious that we have to start with 2 CMs when our DMs are injured.
The underlying theme I said was that Dembele is being used poorly; and this is during both situations when he is alongside another CM or to a lesser extent, alongside a DM.
Dembele was still used poorly last season too when he played with another DM: Scotty Parker.
I have a problem with Dembele being put so disciplined and thus assuming defensive duties, when he should have be doing what Parker often ended up doing in most games (be the creator, and trying to make things happen).
Today we obviously had a DM option on the bench (Sandro had to be fit enough, to be there the first place). And regarding Capoue ... who know's why he wasn't there. Maybe cause the injury, but maybe not.
There's only so many places on the bench.
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Haha ...I don't disagree with you on how he's being used. But this bit:
:adelol:
All I'm saying is that the Moose needs more freedom (not the Berba type, nor to an extent the Bale type freedom). But just that imo he's not suited to be used so disciplined
(Hence why I purposely exaggerated a managerial choice like Harry).
The reason he caught so many eyes was because Martin Jol allowed him to flow, whether he was used up front or in the midfield.