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The most surprising thing about that Dele performance is that people are acting surprised.
I stand corrected then. 51 times? You would have thought his team mates would have learnt their lesson and stopped passing to him by the end!
I can't figure out why he didn't play Bale in that time on the left. It's impossible he couldn't have seen him open and yet he didn't pass to him?
It's not even a difficult pass, it's like he had some mental block, just froze and couldn't release the ball.
Fucking weirdness you ask me. He's not right in the head.
It's not even a difficult pass, it's like he had some mental block, just froze and couldn't release the ball.
Fucking weirdness you ask me. He's not right in the head.
I think Poch over indulged him, he was in the team regardless of form and it possibly went to his head. Maybe became complacent and thought he was bulletproof, Poch leaves and Dele's been all at sea ever since. It's a bloody shame but like many others on here, i have no idea anymore what sort of footballer he is, doesn't seem to fit in the midfielder or striker category so some sort of hybrid of the two?
Perhaps he’s the sort of player who’s made to look better by being surrounded by other, better, players. With Eriksen playing through passes, or Walker and Rose giving hell down the wings, he had much more space to link up with Kane with his late runs. However, being pushed back into a more conventional MF, forces him to play the ball better - he’s not able to make flick passes which he loves as there are no runners as - essentially - he needs to become the runner.
what disappoints most is that he’s not trying to reinvent himself to fit the system he’s in - and has been in for the past two seasons. Kane comes deep to receive or to play through passes; Bale (slowly) switched over to the centre and made some overlapping diagonal runs...Dele was static, and if he did make a run, insisted on flapping his arms in exasperation before getting over it. Son and Lucas are similarly one-dimensional, but are much ‘busier’ (and Son is in a purple patch at the moment) so they fit the system.
TL/ DR Good players can play any position. Dele can’t (right now).
what disappoints most is that he’s not trying to reinvent himself to fit the system he’s in - and has been in for the past two seasons. Kane comes deep to receive or to play through passes; Bale (slowly) switched over to the centre and made some overlapping diagonal runs...Dele was static, and if he did make a run, insisted on flapping his arms in exasperation before getting over it. Son and Lucas are similarly one-dimensional, but are much ‘busier’ (and Son is in a purple patch at the moment) so they fit the system.
TL/ DR Good players can play any position. Dele can’t (right now).
I have suspected that the conversation in the documentary where that pointed dig at Poch where he tells Dele I don't want to be your dad. It kind of misses the issue he has lost a father in Pochettino and it has really hit him. He needs to learn a role because his natural game does not suit the way we now want to play. Needs a loan then to be sold.
He's a limited 2nd striker/10, his best asset is still ghosting into the box and once in a while he'll improvise something (assist to Lucas for his 3rd against Ajax, backheel to Son for Lucas at West Ham last season).
I keep saying he's not in anyway shape or form a midfielder because what aspect of play in the middle 3rd is he even decent at?! He's not mobile anymore, not physically engaging anymore, so he can neither tackle or press. His general passing is bad. His ability to resist the press worse.
Whilst he has declined as an individual, He needs what he's always needed, and something we are no longer able to give him; a world class 9 ahead of him who can stretch the channels (Kane has evolved), an elite winger who can keep the width (Son has evolved), an energetic, versatile AM who will look after the ball for him in the final 3rd and be the main creator(Eriksen declined and left), plus 2 physically dominating midfielders who can keep the opposition hemmed in so he can see lots of the ball and be productive despite his inefficiency (Dier, Wanyama and Dembele have all declined/left and Winks could never do that job), all within a high pressing system.
His value is sinking by the day to the point where we could sell him for a fee that if he lands in the right situation, could be considered cheap, and could deny the club the funds to buy a top class CB.
He's done here.
Son is way more versatile and can play any attacking position to a decent standard, Lamela can't touch Dele's peak, but his energy does make him more versatile, and therefore more useful.
Not very surprised that TFC forum thinks Dele was to blame for Thursday's result. In a game where not a single player had a good game, not even those superstars called upon in the second half played any better or effected the game in a positive manner and had zero impact we mUstHavEAscApeGOAt it's just not right not to have someone to shoulder the blame of SIXTEEN that took to the field.
He scored 8 in 25 in the PL last season - that was deemed to be a shit year for him
by comparison, Son was said to be 'on fire' last season and scored 11 in 30 PL games
The team was bad as a whole and I've been saying this about Dele prior to yesterday - he has to be sacrificed regardless. We've moved on from him and he needs to move on from us. That's the business.
I don't think he was "shit" last season. In the right situation he's still an excellent end product player, but that's literally all he has to offer. When his G/A numbers aren't there, what are you left with?
Dele is shite now. Accept it and close thread.
The same could be said for every attacking player
And he's certainly not going to score or assist if he never plays
nope.
Son can have an excellent game if he keeps stretching defences and turns them around with his runs and dribbling, plus his energy.
Kane can have an excellent game through his hold up and distribution.
They are better pure footballers than Dele.
Always value your opinion fella, I feel we see the same game.
But anyone calling out a player (singular) for Thursday is bonkers, especially if that player was playing better than all bar one of those hooked (I thought both Dele and Vinícius were on par). He was no worse than Kane, Son, Lucas, Lo Celso and Lamela.
The argument can be extended further in that do you think it would be easier to play well when partnered with players that you are familiar with playing, rather than strangers where you don't know their runs and they yours?
If we really, really need to single out a player (I don't think we should) then it's only fair to start on the worst player on the pitch, BALE.