Mousa Dembele

[Jordinho]

I don't think we need to rest anyone against Fiorentina, just make sure none of our key players completely exhaust themselves. After the cup final we have a week off before playing QPR.

 

[braineclipse]

Yes he should play in this match. Off the bench in league Cup.

Are we expecting Fiorentina to start the game like they did against us in the first leg. If so Dembele is probably a great option. If they go for a more contained style I don't think he is.

I think his style will fit the Chelsea game much better.

I don't think the number 10 role against a packed midfield and against a well organized hard working team when we're chasing the goal is a good fit for him.

I don't think we need to rest anyone against Fiorentina, just make sure none of our key players completely exhaust themselves. After the cup final we have a week off before playing QPR.

How do we make sure none of our key players completely exhaust themselves?

Still chasing the tie with half an hour to go, time to take off Kane, Mason and Eriksen?

Edit: Also. We have a mid-week game against Swansea in between the LC final and the QPR game. Presumably the fixture originally planned for the weekend.

 

[Raziel]

I don't think we need to rest anyone against Fiorentina, just make sure none of our key players completely exhaust themselves. After the cup final we have a week off before playing QPR.

Disagree, I actually think Eriksen/Kane/Bentaleb/Vert/Walker should not travel ...

Now is the time to bet, put it on the line

- Make sure out absolute best players are just as rested as Cheat$ki's
- Tell the players that go to Italy, that the best players in that game (if we win) will get a play in the final

 

[Gutter Boy]

then the same at Wembley?

Yes.

My preference would have been full strength team vs Fiorentina H, reserve team vs West Ham and Fiorentina A

But now we didn't kill off the tie at H, I would play Lloris, Walker-Fazio-Verts-Rose, Mason-Bentaleb, Lamela-Eriksen-Chadli, Kane in both the next two games.

My concession would be to take off Mason, Eriksen and Kane between 60-70 mins in Florence if at all possible.

 

[90291Spur]

I think Dembele might have played himself out of first team contention for the final on Sunday. Wet Spam was perhaps his worst appearance for us.

 

[glorygloryeze]

I don't think we need to rest anyone against Fiorentina, just make sure none of our key players completely exhaust themselves. After the cup final we have a week off before playing QPR.

Don't we have a game at home to Swansea in the midweek after the League Cup final and before the QPR game?

 

[Jordinho]

Don't we have a game at home to Swansea in the midweek after the League Cup final and before the QPR game?

Yes, I forgot. QPR has been moved back, not forward. That Swansea game has loss written all over it anyway

 

[thfcsteff]

I think Dembele might have played himself out of first team contention for the final on Sunday. Wet Spam was perhaps his worst appearance for us.

I think he played himself into the side for Fiorentina, thus yes, I suspect you might well be right...the one thing which could kibosh that is that Chadli has really not had any form at all since coming back from 'leave'...I hope he can find his form quickly as he was really developing into his fuller potential.

 

[Pirate55]

Dembele had a shocker against Wet Spam there is little doubt about that, but I feel there were reasons for that. First, the Spammers played with a packed Midfield allowing him little space. Second, they hassled him relentlessly. He is better doing that role and therefore would be better against Chelsea than Fiorentina. Finally, there were few outlets for him. Eriksen seems to flourish and find more space when Dembele is causing opponents to be drawn to his mazy dribbles. I think they make a better pairing than being apart.

Conclusion, don't start either Dembele or Eriksen tomorrow. Keep them fresh for Chelsea. Dembele played well against them in the PL.

 

[Spurmac1974]

Wonder does the fact he wasnt in the squad mean he will start on Sunday or has been banished for his horror show against that lot

 

[ledleyisking]

Can someone explain why this guy isn't playing anymore? I know he had a shocker against West Ham but those kind of games at home he isn't ideal for, its Burnley away and United away which he's made for yet we get Paulinho. Dembele has hardly played since Liverpool yet he was one of the best players on the pitch.

Have to think its an attitude problem and poor training which holds this guy back?

 

[braineclipse]

Can someone explain why this guy isn't playing anymore? I know he had a shocker against West Ham but those kind of games at home he isn't ideal for, its Burnley away and United away which he's made for yet we get Paulinho. Dembele has hardly played since Liverpool yet he was one of the best players on the pitch.

Have to think its an attitude problem and poor training which holds this guy back?

Impossible to know for sure.

- He's been very inconsistent this season, it might just be that Pochettino doesn't trust him.
- His weaknesses are problematic, and it might be that Poch doesn't see him as a long term solution so he's only been a fringe player.
- He might not be putting in the expected effort in training.

"Yet we get Paulinho" - Paulinho did rather well against Leicester when he came on, no huge surprise that he was chosen again against Burnley.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Can someone explain why this guy isn't playing anymore? I know he had a shocker against West Ham but those kind of games at home he isn't ideal for, its Burnley away and United away which he's made for yet we get Paulinho. Dembele has hardly played since Liverpool yet he was one of the best players on the pitch.

Have to think its an attitude problem and poor training which holds this guy back?

There have been no indications that there are off-field issues. I think it's just overall lack of compatibility with the quick-transitioning system

Although he's my least favourite player at the club, I do still think he performs a useful role - coming on for a winger when we are ahead to kill off a match - and I would have him on the bench for that option.

 

[Jordinho]

Don't think he was particularly good against Liverpool either. Still too much aimless dribbling that leads to nothing and takes far too long to release the ball, missing a lot of good passing opportunities. Just doesn't fit into the team and expect to see him leave in the summer.

 

[Cochise]

As much as I like him, his style does seem counter to everything we need. I reckon he'll be sold this summer to another Prem club and he'll probably do well, likely somewhere like West Ham.

 

[Kandi1977]

Lots of "flashing" about, no end product. He sure can keep hold of the ball, but in 95% of the time he keeps it too long and he slow the game and kills every attack. IF he actually started doing something useful with the ball, he'd potentially be a world beater, but it's just not gonna happen. We'd be better off getting rid of him and getting a team player that's not only there to show off and beating players only to turn around, go backwards and do it all again.

 

[DTA]

Lots of "flashing" about, no end product. He sure can keep hold of the ball, but in 95% of the time he keeps it too long and he slow the game and kills every attack. IF he actually started doing something useful with the ball, he'd potentially be a world beater, but it's just not gonna happen. We'd be better off getting rid of him and getting a team player that's not only there to show off and beating players only to turn around, go backwards and do it all again.

But some of our best performances have come with him in the team.

 

[braineclipse]

But some of our best performances have come with him in the team.

And some very poor performances. And we've also had some very good performances without him.

Inconsistency defined, still lacking in key aspects that we need. If he can iron out some of those problems he could be a fantastic player for us, come the summer Pochettino will have had a year with him and will have a good feel for how likely that will be.

 

[Gutter Boy]

But some of our best performances have come with him in the team.

As a 'defensive AM' option he is useful. But we pay him far too much to be a bit-part option for a handful of situations. It's much better to replace him with someone more capable of providing direct cover for Mason.

 

[Kandi1977]

As a 'defensive AM' option he is useful. But we pay him far too much to be a bit-part option for a handful of situations. It's much better to replace him with someone more capable of providing direct cover for Mason.

COVER for Mason? I sure hope we sign someone that is miles ahead of Mason, and Mason being the cover! Anything less would be utterly pointless!!