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Dele Alli

braineclipse said:
Ndombele deep with Hojbjerg, Lo Celso on the right, 4-2-3-1. Loads of work rate in that attacking midfield three. Would need a quality right back and Ndombele to do the job deep, but he did so last season at times at least.

Probably wouldn't be the go to lineup for the bigger games, but in many others I think it could work.

Mourinho had a real preference (imo) for pace down the flanks, not sure Nuno has that so I think Lo Celso could be used in more of a creative, come inside wide role. I suspect that might have been part of the plan when he was signed originally. It would be good going forward, but I think it would leave us exposed defensively. Diamond formations very rarely last whenever teams try them. I think it requires extreme work rate and discipline from almost all of the midfielders with the possible exception of the #10.

For some games some of the time, yeah, would be a good option.
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This is the problem that always comes back with Dele, who doesn't play to accommodate him

Two options

- 4-2-3-1 -> back 4, PEH +1, Son, Gio, +wide, Kane = I think the +1 with PEH will be Skipp against better teams, Ndombele where we don't need as much cover. The wide player is probably going to be some variation of Bergwijn/Lucas
- 3-5-2 -> back 3, Reguilon, PEH, Nombele, Gio, RB, Son, Kane

Basically Dele is competing with either the forward CM (Gio) or a wide player (Bergwijn/Lucas), while individually some may say he's better, not sure it's best for the team.

I think he starts in rotation again, although he might get some play time based on how much rest we give Lo Celso.
 
Dele played some of his greatest football in a three at the back formation with him, Kane and Eriksen rotating up front. Hopefully Nuno can configure something by similar. Always felt Poch should have gone on with it longer than he did.
 
afsoc4life said:
His stock has fallen. It started falling in the last days of Pochettino and hasn't improved.
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Got the ability, just needs that fresh start I think. Hopefully he can turn it around at Spurs.

Since he got robbed at home he doesn't seem the same player let alone the same person.

That sort of thing can knock anyone at any age, hopefully he can move on and build his career back to being that undroppable player who used pull off a trick or two and wade in with the goals.
 
Mosquito_Coasting said:
Dele played some of his greatest football in a three at the back formation with him, Kane and Eriksen rotating up front. Hopefully Nuno can configure something by similar. Always felt Poch should have gone on with it longer than he did.
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This was my memory too, on the attacking side at least. There was a point where Dele and Eriksen were two roaming 10s and it seemed to be a period where we looked really fluid. Obviously Son has come in and and made himself a key player and we did well with the three of them too but I do remember having a conversation at the time about how those games with just the two of them really seemed to stand out.
I still think Dele is a quality player, never thought he was awful in his appearances under Mourinho either but he has declined from the great heights he reached. I just think he needs to rediscover that drive to be as effective, as it sometimes looks like he’s playing for his highlights reel.

Maybe a new style of play that is progressive and probing, rather than reactive and fearful of having the ball will help him with receiving or arriving in the box more, which is where those split seconds of magic result in goals and assists rather than opening up a bit of space on the halfway line or rising a cheer from an entertainment starved crowd.
 
MKSpur said:
This was my memory too, on the attacking side at least. There was a point where Dele and Eriksen were two roaming 10s and it seemed to be a period where we looked really fluid. Obviously Son has come in and and made himself a key player and we did well with the three of them too but I do remember having a conversation at the time about how those games with just the two of them really seemed to stand out.
I still think Dele is a quality player, never thought he was awful in his appearances under Mourinho either but he has declined from the great heights he reached. I just think he needs to rediscover that drive to be as effective, as it sometimes looks like he’s playing for his highlights reel.

Maybe a new style of play that is progressive and probing, rather than reactive and fearful of having the ball will help him with receiving or arriving in the box more, which is where those split seconds of magic result in goals and assists rather than opening up a bit of space on the halfway line or rising a cheer from an entertainment starved crowd.
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Dele had sown good games under Jose
He also had some games where he was singled out and subbed bit was far far from being the right player to sub IMO
The issue he has had is in the letter period with Poch he was being asked to play half way between midfield and attack and I’m not sure it was getting the best from him. Mason Mount in Sunday reminded me of dele playing that way too. You just end up with a player trying too hard and not being effective
Dele doesn’t have the passing range to play deep IMO. He is still very much a player who will make things happen in the final third with clever or possibly higher risk and reward passes. Nuno will be fine with that I’m sure. In fact he will IMO encourage that
I do think that dele, Kane and son with able support form midfield and will backs could still be brilliant for us as their all quite different players.
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Dele had sown good games under Jose
He also had some games where he was singled out and subbed bit was far far from being the right player to sub IMO
The issue he has had is in the letter period with Poch he was being asked to play half way between midfield and attack and I’m not sure it was getting the best from him. Mason Mount in Sunday reminded me of dele playing that way too. You just end up with a player trying too hard and not being effective
Dele doesn’t have the passing range to play deep IMO. He is still very much a player who will make things happen in the final third with clever or possibly higher risk and reward passes. Nuno will be fine with that I’m sure. In fact he will IMO encourage that
I do think that dele, Kane and son with able support form midfield and will backs could still be brilliant for us as their all quite different players.
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I agree with all that. But I'll add, you either get that working successfully exactly like that, if not, Dele should go. No point effing around with things he doesn't do very well.
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Dele had sown good games under Jose
He also had some games where he was singled out and subbed bit was far far from being the right player to sub IMO
The issue he has had is in the letter period with Poch he was being asked to play half way between midfield and attack and I’m not sure it was getting the best from him. Mason Mount in Sunday reminded me of dele playing that way too. You just end up with a player trying too hard and not being effective
Dele doesn’t have the passing range to play deep IMO. He is still very much a player who will make things happen in the final third with clever or possibly higher risk and reward passes. Nuno will be fine with that I’m sure. In fact he will IMO encourage that
I do think that dele, Kane and son with able support form midfield and will backs could still be brilliant for us as their all quite different players.
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But there in is the problem

- Kane and Son are guaranteed starters for good reason (55 goals, 34 assists between them last season)
- If you put Dele in (in his best position running beyond Kane), you put a lot of pressure on the midfield and you probably sacrifice width (likely hence needing the FBs)

For the last couple of years (Eriksen decline and leaving, plus Dembele leaving) our midfield gets outnumbered and overrun too easily, I just don't see how Dele helps that problem.
 
Raziel said:
But there in is the problem

- Kane and Son are guaranteed starters for good reason (55 goals, 34 assists between them last season)
- If you put Dele in (in his best position running beyond Kane), you put a lot of pressure on the midfield and you probably sacrifice width (likely hence needing the FBs)

For the last couple of years (Eriksen decline and leaving, plus Dembele leaving) our midfield gets outnumbered and overrun too easily, I just don't see how Dele helps that problem.
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He doesn’t
The 3 midfielders behind him do
Instead of playing 2 you play 3 and do what pool did
 
Bedfordspurs said:
He doesn’t
The 3 midfielders behind him do
Instead of playing 2 you play 3 and do what pool did
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Liverpool combat the lack of width by both playing a genuine 433 and getting width from very attacking FBs and wide forwards.

We have Son for one of the wife positions and possibly Regulion for one FBs but we lack 2 of the four players and I don't see how Dele would fit into the Liverpool system. There isn't a natural berth for him.
 
Bishop said:
Liverpool combat the lack of width by both playing a genuine 433 and getting width from very attacking FBs and wide forwards.

We have Son for one of the wife positions and possibly Regulion for one FBs but we lack 2 of the four players and I don't see how Dele would fit into the Liverpool system. There isn't a natural berth for him.
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The firmino role
The guy who doesn’t score as much and drops deep
We can get a right back too
 
Bedfordspurs said:
The firmino role
The guy who doesn’t score as much and drops deep
We can get a right back too
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Still don't see it

Put your team out, lets see it.

Thing is while he could play in some of those roles, typically we have a better player than him in each of those positions, including his best, i.e. the attacking AM next to Kane (Son)
 
Bishop said:
Firminho plays in the centre, so nominally Kane's position. Doesn't quite with Dele there for us. [emoji848]
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Firmino plays central and balls deep
Hence why be doesn’t get many goals
I agree it’s nominally Kane’s position but Kane is Versatile and can play deep with goals
The key is where the width comes from. For us that would need to be with the wing backs. We are well suited on the left for that but need to fix the right
 
Raziel said:
Still don't see it

Put your team out, lets see it.

Thing is while he could play in some of those roles, typically we have a better player than him in each of those positions, including his best, i.e. the attacking AM next to Kane (Son)
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The two formations that Dele can find his ideal position (and the only position he should play to get the very best out of him) is 4231 (middle of the 3) or the tip of the diamond.

Or a new one...given Nunos preference for 3 at the back a 3412
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Firmino plays central and balls deep
Hence why be doesn’t get many goals
I agree it’s nominally Kane’s position but Kane is Versatile and can play deep with goals
The key is where the width comes from. For us that would need to be with the wing backs. We are well suited on the left for that but need to fix the right
Click to expand...
I think we would need a player for the right hand attacking role, the Salah position. As well as the RB. Not insurmountable problems but enough that o don't think Liverpool is a realistic template for Dele who doesn't really fit that system anyway.
 
ricky2tricky4city said:
The two formations that Dele can find his ideal position (and the only position he should play to get the very best out of him) is 4231 (middle of the 3) or the tip of the diamond.

Or a new one...given Nunos preference for 3 at the back a 3412
Click to expand...

Or could you not play Dele in a front 3 with Kane and Son? Lots of rotation and movement, but they all play well off each other

In terms of formation, it would either be in in a 4-3-3 or in a 3-4-3...
- If its 3-4-3 then its difficult to find a spot for Ndombele, but that would be a choice which you would have to take. CMs would be Skipp and PEH, unless its against a weak team at hom
- if its 4-3-3 then depending on who the opposition is, you could play PEH plus 2 of GLC, Skippy and Ndombele
 
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