I have never been a Dele Alli fan. Whatever delights were threatened, few were ever truly delivered, and I spent most of his supposedly great times in a Tottenham shirt calmly pointing out the gaping deficiencies. To which end, I’ve heard it all. He was only 18/19/20/21/22/23/24, and now he’s only 25.
I was called a racist; I was someone who didn’t know what he was talking about, and perhaps the funniest of all was when presenting evidence from his stats, the usual intellectuals informed me that the numbers didn’t tell the whole story and his running off the ball was mind-blowing. You could not invent such swivel-eyed devotion to a lost cause.
My conclusion was that some people enjoyed watching him – even though they clearly weren’t watching anything seminal – and that they were entitled to hold that view. Just like the people that believe that Mrs. Brown’s Boys is funny.
Those protesting against (let’s call it the truth) with their feelings have been in a gradual decline. The weight of evidence has been building. Dumped by England, Dele was then ignored by José Mourinho, and even Nuno gave up within a few games. Antonio Conte started Dele in his first Premier League game this week – but only after Spurs had hit double figures in COVID infections.
Dele’s fan club was enchanted by his return against Liverpool. But what I’m asking is, based upon the evidence, were they right to be so pleased?
Let me be clear to the point of absolute bluntness. Fans are perfectly entitled to claim to have enjoyed staring into an empty cardboard box for 83-minutes, but what did the cold, unfeeling, nasty numbers say?
Yes, 35% of all the boy’s actions were good. I’ve been stunned by those defending his usual efforts, but anyone wanting to support this substandard nonsense needs help!
I went looking for when Dele produced a comparably poor performance – in any competition. The ‘best’ game I could spot was the 83 minutes played against Liverpool UEFA Champions League final on 01.06.2019. This was his worst total successful action display produced since his abysmal contribution in our Champions League final loss!
Dele’s passing wasn’t stellar at 70%, it failed to match his mean average of 81.4%, although there was a key pass.
This was as close as we got to a successful dribble.
Dele made 12 interceptions. Cause for cheer.
By the same token, he lost possession 21 times, 12 times in his own half. Hold my beer.
Lastly, we have this cherry on the cake, or is the cake beneath the cherry? I keep watching it and still can’t tell.
If you enjoyed this performance, I might suggest that is how you express your feelings. Opposed to seeking to pass off this performance as one that stands up to any scrutiny. These aren’t my interpretations or feelings, just facts.
My considered opinion is that the boy remains … a time waster.
What did Mourinho win without Salah and De Bruyne..
I think he has scammed a wage for 3 years has been a disruptive influence in the dressing room..didn’t train hard enough and is less than bang average. Would have sold him when he was acting up under Poch…don’t rate him , if he improves now where are the 3 seasons he owes us. One of Levy’s pets .
Eriksen made Dele. Simple as. Dele’s exceptional figures were down to world class creativity behind him and some early talent. Dele went off the boil as Eriksen did and has never recovered. Even if Dele was performing at an average level now, or something close to his past – you would need better creative talent than we have playing him in.
This blog is very much the Mrs Browns Boys of Spurs analysis
I agree with younabout Dele he is clearly not the sharpest tool in the box, his social media stuff is an embarrassment. However if you are doing the business on the pitch you get the benefit of the doubt if not you look like a clown.
I am pleasantly surprised how Conte is getting some sort of tune out of players whom many of us had written off.
Sky pundits thought he was good, Conte thought he was good! Me? He missed a sitter and fluffed a simple pass to Kane. Players are defined in big moments, he failed and has done for a considerable amount of time.
Truth be told, I think it still bore down to managers tactics and availability of right players. I still say it, Poch is still the successful manager under ENIC regime and I’m surprised most people fail to spot the changes and differences between our style of play from Harry redknapp regime till present.
Looking at Poch career, he’s successful in transforming average players to good or world class players examples are when he was at espanyol and Southampton. He really got the best our of fringe players and he’s best midfield was pairing dembele with dier back then. The only reason we didn’t win any trophy was because the players were inexperienced and there was no true leader to lead and motivate the team and he failed because levy refuses to back him when required.
Mourinho is a manager who is defensively minded and only subscribe to experience and proven players which affected the future of lukaku, debruyne, salah, mata and even Oscar at Chelsea though Oscar was sold in January by the next manager.
Dele only performs when played innit the striker position and I wasn’t surprised because we had a lot of magic footed players then in Erikson, lamela, dele, dembele and the towering presence of HK which distracts opponents and opens the door for dele to thrive.
All managers after Poch are defensive minded, and I don’t which result you expect when you play dele along with sissoko, ndembele and holjberg.
You can’t bench him or keep him out of the team for 5 games or more and suddenly bring him back and expect wonders from him.
Though, he also doesn’t help himself and engaging in things that is really distracting him from football.
Perfectly said. When you are commenting on and about football to describe Dele, that so true. In my post above. He is a CAM and since the wingbacks are so high in the attack, Moura and Son occuping the inside channels there is nowhere left for Dele to be but inside under the Kane where Erikssen use to roam.
Ps// no player should want to go to Newcastle on a permanent move. They are relegation bate right now and if a player goes there are do well it makes them more attractive for a summer sale. I see all these names being touted, bit what if they go down?
By stupid I assume people like Neville and Carragher players who played the game at the highest level and have probably forgotten more about football than you will ever know. It strikes me as breathtaking arrogance and complete delusion to suggest you know more about the game than they do.
Sorry you weren’t entertained by the game on Sunday I’m aware you preferred the sterile fayre served up by the previous Portuguese incumbents.
In the instance of Souness Bill Nicholson picked Perryman ahead of Souness. They were both coming through at the same time. As manager Nicholson made the decision and allowed Souness to leave that’s a managers call. Some decisions they get right others not. It’s debatable whether he made the right call given that Perryman gave such stellar device to the club.
In the case of De bruyne and Salah Mourinho made the call in not picking them and allowing them to leave. You can speculate about the reasons why he didn’t pick them and then allowed them to leave but the facts are he did. I think it would be fair to say they could be put in the one that got away box
Graham Souness was a young player at Spurs in the early 70s, but didn’t get picked ahead of Mullery, Peters, Perryman. Does that mean Bill Nicholson couldn’t get anything out of him, or that he picked top quality established players ahead of him?
Of course there are a lot of ‘perhaps’ in my comments. I don’t know what went on behind the scenes at Chelsea. However, I’d say my ‘perhaps’ are rather more likely than your assertion that Mourinho couldn’t get anything out of Salah or De Bruyne and binned them.
For someone so married to numbers now, why do you dismiss his amazing numbers earlier in his career? Weird geezer
People just can’t be happy can they? We finally have a coach who actually coaches, and have seen a few players have an uptick in fortunes – yet rather than look at the potential positives we see this agenda-based drivel
Superb
I don’t care what stupid people might think. The numbers aren’t there, no was I entertained. He’s junk.
He had two marvellous years with us.. He’s been 💩 ever since… He’s had two ‘ok’ games with us this season against City and Liverpool, but he still gave the ball away far too often. He also should have assisted one and scored one against the scouse…. The ‘press world’ are constantly wrong, over half of the press are clowns and liars.
Argeed.
Jose favours experience generally, if Salah and KDB were around 19-21 years old then they were never going to get a run if he had more experienced players there. Which is part of the reason why he’s slightly out of step with the way clubs like their squads to have a fair chunk of youth in the mix these days…
No, but funny how it was his best period so far in his career playing that role though innit. He and Kane had a very good understanding. He can’t play in a midfield 2 but in a three (or a four with someone tucked in off the flank to support his runs) I still feel he could be effective. He just has to grow up but he might never do, some don’t..
dele, could he potentially play the 8 in the Conte system? I think it’s possible as he Conte could heavily coach him in performing in a certain way. Late runs, routines and systems of play would get the most out of the lad and he could get 10 to 15 goals a season.
But the lad has to make Conte believe he’s worth that effort.
With the greatest respect the fact you think he is sh.ite doesn’t make it true it’s just your opinion which carries no greater weight than anyone else’s. Your view of his performance was not shared by the wider broadcast and press world who might be considered to have greater insight than you.
No I didn’t say Mourinho was at fault for Deles decline. It was clear from the outset when Jose got the job the first thing the wanted to do was resurrect Deles career. I believe the line was are you Dele or his brother.
In the early part of Pochettinos era Spurs found a system that clearly suited Deles game and he certainly benefitted from Eriksens creativity. Had we sold him four years ago we would have got 100 million or so for him so that’s how the wider world saw him.
In all sports you have to keep working at it and clearly for probably a series of reasons it’s all gone wrong for him. The interesting thing for me on Sunday was that we played with a system similar to that we had under Poch that suited him.
If Conte persists with this system there is a possibility there is a future for him at Spurs.
All I am saying is that Conte has a limited number of players to work with and he has to find a system that gets the best of what’s available. We won’t make many if any signings in January so he has to get the best out of what he’s got. There’s no youth coming through so it’s just the established players he’s got.
Sundays performance was encouraging they were short but we didn’t have our best team out given how many on here hate Dier,Sess, winks and Dele.
From my point of view it was the first time since the good Pochettino era that I enjoyed watching Spurs play. It is only one game so it may well turn out to a false dawn
Lots of perhaps in your comments. The truth is the two best players in English football passed through the hands of the self proclaimed special one
I’ve not said he wasn’t a good player. I’m saying that for at least 3 seasons he’s stolen his wages. You said it was Jose that is responsible for Dele being poor which is simply not true. Jose called him out he told him what was required and for a short time he changed his attitude. He then reverted back.
Like I say. 4 managers can’t all be wrong. All the contributors in this thread who also agree, can’t be wrong. You’re a lone voice on this one. That must tell you that on this occasion you’ve got it wrong.
Your finger-pointing at Mourinho might hold water if it weren’t for the fact he hasn’t performed well for the managers preceding and succeeding Mourinho.
As for Salah, he was at Chelsea for a season under Mourinho and was competing for a places with Willian, Hazard, Oscar and Schurrle. Perhaps he just wasn’t ready to break past those players back then. As for De Bruyne, Mourinho seems to have had him for half a season in 2013-14. Like Salah, he was competing for a place with the likes of Hazard, Oscar and Lampard. Perhaps not that Mourinho couldn’t get anything out of him, but rather there were more advanced players in the squad and the time wasn’t right for him.
Did Micky Hazard not get as many games for us as he might have done because Burkinshaw and Shreeves couldn’t get anything out of him, or because for most of his time at Spurs he had to compete against the likes of Hoddle and Ardiles?
And what is your point. Beyond the that. Fans knew that.
Lol
He wasn’t considered fit enough to start. As he’s played all the games under Conte you have to assume he had COVID and was less than 100%
I thought Dele was going to kick on like Kane and become world class too… But he didn’t.. H was calling him out the whole time and has been proved right over time… Deles goal return was impressive but he was never really a midfielder under Botch. He was a fake striker, a drifting number 10.
He’s really not the same player he was… When he was 21 he was worth 90 million and scoring goals. His numbers were high. He was record breaking… Now hes worth 26 million.. If he doesn’t wake up now then Dele will become a one or two season wonder.
He was blowing out of his a*** after 45 minutes. I was just shocked to see him run around a bit. Still get rid, hopefully.
15.6 million in wages for very little..
He has had 3 seasons picking up a wage being a poor trainer and a a malevolent around the place. It is a mark of where he has been that by completing 90 mins without puffing like a train he is achieving such plaudits.
For me 100% effort is the minimum required for anyone wearing a Spurs shirt.
Any agenda has been created by Dele Alli himself ….he has a shed load of making up to do..could he be playing for a transfer…who knows the trouble with him is if you praise him he turns into a tart.
Skipp cane on second half
Used the right way, I still think he can be useful player. Not player to build any team around but as a box to box player, under the right management and system he could be handy. Last chance saloon.
Train these players hard and you get them focused, Poch, Conte. Expect individual responsibility like Jose and possibly Nuno and you lose them…
Plateaued 🤣
He’s sh*te, and your sorry attempt to misdirect readers has failed.
‘Just like the people that believe that Mrs. Brown’s Boys is funny.’
F*ck that show is bad…
Well if I recall Dele did create two of the goals against Ajax so he wasn’t a complete spend force. The team under Poch plateaued due to a seasons non investment and the fact they played two seasons without a break. We had players who due to England France and Belgium getting to the semi finals of the World Cup had a two week close season.
The point that the article attempts to make is that Dele was a never was which is rubbish. Had Spurs wished to sell they would have been knocked down in the rush. Even Sir Alex made the comment to Jose about get Dele.
One swallow doesn’t make a summer so one relatively good game doesn’t mean that Dele has been reborn. However the article attempts to suggest that he had a poor game which people in both broadcast and written media in the wider football community would appear to disagree.
When the final whistle blew I had this article in my head, but man this is sumptuous. Going back to articulate all that for one game in which he showed some progress and seem receptive to a manager who decided he is not a striker, a #10 or even is what I look at. He is a CAM with some goals and canny abilities to arrive in the box or that run for the ball over the top. He should be given every opportunity to fail or succeed there. He was coached or talk out of his nasty streak and put in every position up front than where he should be playing. While I agree, I do not think he played as well as he is made out as the bar is so low him running with effort and tackling again seems like a beautiful thing to Spurs fan. I just do not get the statistical slaughtering of him from one game he was asked to perform and he did with the competence of a premier league player. While I see it that way his level of consistency and effort is not acceptable for me. The team overall is moving in the right direction with effort. Everyone seems to know what they were doing, where to be and recognize the opponent but not in awe. If we are a big club or aspire to be when these games roll around we should not be settling for a point.
Mrs Brown’s Boys not funny??? Blatant racism 😔
But towards the end of Poch’s reign, well, a season and half’s worth , Dele had already started to under perform. Poch couldn’t get him playing, neither could Jose and to make the hat trick neither found NES. If it walks like a duck quacks like a duck… it’s a duck. I get it. You hate Jose Mourinho. But to blame him for Dele is plainly absurd.
it should also be noted he lost his England place also. So that’s 4 managers if you include Southgate.
No he had plateaued before Jose darkened our door. However the special one whose coaching skills are second to none his words not mine got nothing out him as in truth he did with the rest of the squad. Don’t say and Kane and Son they were as productive if not more in the Poch era.
He’s not the sharpest tool in the box and fame and easy money have clearly become a distraction. You’ve told me on past occasions you are an ex coach so I’m sure you’ve seen this all before.
Conte had to work with what his got at least till January and probably till the end the end of the season. So on. Sunday probably due to injury and illness he had to find a place for him. On another day he might have contributed to three goals.
One swallow doesn’t make a summer but those with an agenda against Dele perhaps should have kept their powder dry for attacking on this performance when the wider world both broadcast and press saw his performance in a different light.
We were missing PEH our best midfield and had Skipp unavailable probably due to COVID as well as Romero who is arguably our best defender.
Scholes was never an attacking midfielder? Really he was a converted centre forward, As for the blessed Jose tell me what what De bruyne and Salah achieve after he binned them? Let me know
But it is not just Mourinho that hasn’t got anything out of Dele. He was poor towards the end of Pochettino’s reign and showed nothing much when he played for Nuno. Of Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes, I’d say that the only one he is truly comparable to is Lampard and he’s not a patch on him. Scholes was never an attacking, goal scoring midfielder in the mould of Dele, so it’s hardly surprising he didn’t get to 50 goals nearly as quickly.
No I don’t but to say that Dele never showed any potential is bollox. His goal return for a midfield player was exceptional 6
So, in truth you think it’s Mourinho who’s to blame not Dele himself. You deliver a counter argument but neglect to recognise that Dele’s poor form was evident long before Mourinho set foot in Hotspur way. NES didn’t fancy him either and I’d venture to suggest had we not had a Covid outbreak Dele wouldn’t have been anywhere near the squad on Sunday.
Dele’s sudden rise to fame and what came with it are what’s done for Dele. Stupid handshakes and other ridiculous stuff from computer games have all been a distraction from what his core skill is. He became a social media wh*re and we are where. Naff all to do with Mourinho
I dont know what a Raumdeuter is, but I’m pretty sure Dele Ali is very much NOT “like Thomas Muller and Ronaldinho”!!!
“Just like the people that believe that Mrs. Brown’s Boys is funny”
Megalolz, this has baffled me for years!
I think you might find they have faced worse midfields than even a weakened Liverpool midfield and had far worse games
Him and Winks…..one swallow doesn’t make a summer!! Just sell the deadwood and let’s move on with Conte.
Dele made a real impact in his first two seasons but those top performances tailed off to almost a non existent level since and although it was an ok performance against Liverpool, I hope Levy and Conte don’t see that as a reformed character who will now come good.
He is top of my list to move on and I hope it comes this January, it’s exactly what needs to happen to this squad to make them realise the times are’a changing.
For all the top pundits to say Dele has been well of the mark surely suggests they believe and there are many of them that there was a
mark to hit
of course it is about opinions but there are a lot of people that think a good Dele is a very worthy player to which i totally agree
However you are bang on about Mrs Browns Boys
My tuppence halfpenny on Dele is that he didn’t have a top class coaching education at MK Dons and wasn’t surrounded by top coaches and top young players.
He was at his best always playing up to and beyond his technical ability. That couldn’t last, add in off field distractions mix in the too much too young syndrome and you have a player at 25 with his best years behind him.
Context is everything, our midfield did well and we gave Liverpool a good game, but they had Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago missing from the midfield and Van Dijk out.
Let’s see how Dele does (if he is still here) and how the rest of the team perform at Anfield.
It was no coincidence that Dele and Winks had decent games against maybe the worst mf they’ll face in Keita, the kid and Milner. I think it would have been different had any of Fabinho Tiago or Henderson played. The fact that Tanguy did nothing except the one pass reveals that there’s really no hope for him at all.
Liverpool’s midfield was missing Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago and Van Dijk was out.
Our midfield did well but against what?
For someone who claims that his opinion is based on stats not agenda based you overlook several facts about Dele. He is the fastest midfield player to 50 goals in premier league history eclipsing Scholes, Gerard and Lampard who I assume you consider talented players which is no mean feat. So to say there was no potential in Dele is I would suggest side of the mark. I remember his performances against Chelsea and Real Madrid for Spurs and his debut for England against France which were truly excellent. The fact that Jose got nothing out of him is true though this is the same Jose who binned de bruyne and salah whatever happened to them?
I totally accept that his career has tailed off massively and his early promise has evaporated and it might be time for him to seek pastures new. However Conte has to work with what his got in straightened times and on Sunday he gave a performance that merited respect not derision. He could/should have scored, created a great chance for Harry and may have won a penalty. A performance in which you may have been involved in three goals against a top class side is no mean achievement.
You clearly have an agenda against him, I’ve seen your Twitter feed. Your view of his performance is in sharp contrast to that of both the broadcast and press media who I suggest have a greater grasp of things than you.
while a given that most pros have a natural stronger side, dele has almost single-handedly elevated ‘nah mate, i only use it for standin on!’ to exotic new heights.
it was telling to read the footnotes which followed the minutes of a recent premier league chairman’s meeting:
*responding to an off-agenda point concerning salary caps, d.levy (thfc) remarked: “ow about we arve their salary if they are proven monopods?”
or sell sell sell….either way, call Newcastle quick…
yep, “lets keep Winks”…what utter crap….he’s an average player and I don’t want average players…Liverpool had a style, we sat deep and got them on the break a few times…doesnt change the fact we couldn’t keep the ball or pass it out without Dier’s long balls…..sale sale sale…they will both be bang average again in the next game…Conte got his tactics right, that is all…..
I think his performances have been so poor for so long that even the slightest improvement is ramped up by people beyond reality. The miss in front of the goal which could have given us the momentum to win that match said it all. Yes, it was a good save by the Liverpool keeper but he should never have been allowed to get anywhere near the ball. My opinion. Get rid in January!
Can’t argue with stats. All I would like to say is that I remember a couple of decent moves which when comparing to the above seem to be missing. As an example he did a bit of a dribble from the bottom corner and made an attack into their box. It doesn’t show on the map under successful or unsuccessful based on its position. I find it really hard to decide how I feel. He did excite me the other night and I wonder if with a bit of match sharpness he would have come away with some decent output. Who knows. Always happy to have my mind changed either way.
So frustrating watching him. There was one moment when he was trying to dribble everybody aimlessly on the left wing, when he could have just passed after he managed to luckily squeezed through two Liverpool players and then having 3 more awaiting for him.
First sentence: “Dele Alli was never my friend” – Dana Hotspur
Word.
Hopefully the Newcastle scouts are as easily impressed as these Spurs fans.