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Dele Alli

Two weeks off and needing to get his hamstring rehabbed. Hope he's in good hands.

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Should we not be slightly concerned that Kane, Toby and Alli have all had hamstring strains in the past 2 weeks?
 
Should we not be slightly concerned that Kane, Toby and Alli have all had hamstring strains in the past 2 weeks?

Nah. They've had to play most of the games in this run, and they've come up against top sides and London rivals - which all necessitate running a lot harder than you normally would against Huddersfield, Brighton, West Brom et al. Only natural that we're seeing some quite convenient hamstring injuries now.
 
Getting worried about Dele's increasing tendency to try and take on three or four players rather than make an early pass to a team mate. Thought Neville got it spot on today in the game at the Emirates in saying that, rather than playing 'in the hole' he'd probably be better off dropping back deeper into midfield so that he can make those runs into the box on the blindside of defenders.

Playing just behind Kane there are inevitably going to be more occasions when he's confronted by two, three or four defenders so if he continues to insist on attempting to take them on then he's going to keep on coming a cropper.

Whereas I've noticed that whenever he has played deeper he always seems to really relish the challenge. He seems to prefer the chance to be that bit more involved and certainly has the engine for it.

Thoughts?
 
Agreed he needs to play deeper and use him stamina better and be more of a box to box player and style himself like Lampard. His little clips through a crowd of players rarely come off and he slows down the play to such an extent that he gets surrounded and falls to the floor claiming a foul.

Let Eriksen play in the hole and I'd be happy for him to run with the ball from deeper where there's more space and he's less likely to get crowded out.

To be fair this is what his 3rd season so it's expected he'll have a dip and come up against new challenges, maybe a few games out to let Son get more game time or start Llorente up with Kane a bit might be worth a go.
 
Agreed he needs to play deeper and use him stamina better and be more of a box to box player and style himself like Lampard. His little clips through a crowd of players rarely come off and he slows down the play to such an extent that he gets surrounded and falls to the floor claiming a foul.

Let Eriksen play in the hole and I'd be happy for him to run with the ball from deeper where there's more space and he's less likely to get crowded out.

To be fair this is what his 3rd season so it's expected he'll have a dip and come up against new challenges, maybe a few games out to let Son get more game time or start Llorente up with Kane a bit might be worth a go.

Play him deeper and play Winks up higher.
 
Play him deeper and play Winks up higher.

I'm open to trying Winks a bit higher but I think he's better playing deeper where most of the game is ahead of him, no 10 is possibly the most specialist position in the game. He did make one lovely pass today out to Davies that cut out 2/3 Arsenal players in one but generally he seems to be better at shorter range passing that keeps the ball moving and making small yardage gains up the pitch.
 
I'm open to trying Winks a bit higher but I think he's better playing deeper where most of the game is ahead of him, no 10 is possibly the most specialist position in the game. He did make one lovely pass today out to Davies that cut out 2/3 Arsenal players in one but generally he seems to be better at shorter range passing that keeps the ball moving and making small yardage gains up the pitch.

Well, if he's better at shorter-range passing, then he should be playing higher, surely (assuming you're talking about Winks). Long balls are most useful from further back - quick passing is preferred up front, surely?
 
Well, if he's better at shorter-range passing, then he should be playing higher, surely (assuming you're talking about Winks). Long balls are most useful from further back - quick passing is preferred up front, surely?

Yes talking about Winks, I wouldn't say his passes are incisive though. Similar to Modric who doesn't generally pass long but is able to receive the ball in tight situations and maintain control and release it as well as move the ball quickly when required. I see Winks as a player more in this mould than someone like say Ozil or Mata.
 
Yes talking about Winks, I wouldn't say his passes are incisive though. Similar to Modric who doesn't generally pass long but is able to receive the ball in tight situations and maintain control and release it as well as move the ball quickly when required. I see Winks as a player more in this mould than someone like say Ozil or Mata.

Ah, I see. Makes sense. But then, if we play Alli deeper, he'll have to rotate with Dembele *and* Winks in that role - while we'll be one short higher up the field.
 
Ah, I see. Makes sense. But then, if we play Alli deeper, he'll have to rotate with Dembele *and* Winks in that role - while we'll be one short higher up the field.

But I see Alli as someone who can genuinely run from deep and arrive in the box later for the pull back and rebounds if he plays that role. I think playing that role for a while will also make him a better player in the longer term. It seems like it's unlikely Dembele will play many games this season anyway given his current injury issues.
 
Getting worried about Dele's increasing tendency to try and take on three or four players rather than make an early pass to a team mate. Thought Neville got it spot on today in the game at the Emirates in saying that, rather than playing 'in the hole' he'd probably be better off dropping back deeper into midfield so that he can make those runs into the box on the blindside of defenders.

Playing just behind Kane there are inevitably going to be more occasions when he's confronted by two, three or four defenders so if he continues to insist on attempting to take them on then he's going to keep on coming a cropper.

Whereas I've noticed that whenever he has played deeper he always seems to really relish the challenge. He seems to prefer the chance to be that bit more involved and certainly has the engine for it.

Thoughts?
There was a moment in the game where he had the ball on the corner of the goon box, surrounded by goons. Sissoko was square on the edge of the box in acres of space, not a player near him - a pass would 100% have resulted in a clear shot on goal. Alli turned into three players in order to see who else was available.

Now most would put that down as an Alli mistake, I think it's a shrewd and speedy analysis of risk and he took the better (but still very low percentage) option.
 
There was a moment in the game where he had the ball on the corner of the goon box, surrounded by goons. Sissoko was square on the edge of the box in acres of space, not a player near him - a pass would 400% have resulted in a clear shot on goal. Alli turned into three players in order to see who else was available.

Now most would put that down as an Alli mistake, I think it's a shrewd and speedy analysis of risk and he took the better (but still very low percentage) option.

what about the other 3000 times he’s done that this season irrespective of who the hot is?
 
what about the other 3000 times he’s done that this season irrespective of who the hot is?
I don't think he's turned away from anyone clean through on goal before - at least not for anything other than a shot of his own.

He often does it further down the pitch (for some reason seems to prefer it when he's penned in against the line) but not to an unmarked player with an easy shot on.
 
Sucked yesterday. Majorly. Overrates his dribbling ability.

Yep he was all over the place.
My thoughts. He is very young guy who has a very rapid and meteoric rise.
I’m actually surprised he was so good this season as he has been.
He will be up and down at his age remember he is younger than the much vaunted Ruben Loftus-Cheek!

I also think he is understandingly under a lot of strain from the whole transfer gossip business.
 
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