A useful piece from Charlie Wyatt for The Sun this morning, highlighting the crossroads Dele Alli is currently standing at. The young man who once had the Premier League at his feet is now facing the challenge of how to stay relevant.
Apologists for Dele will have their well-rehearsed list of excuses, but the reality of the situation is precisely as Wyatt points out. At 24, the boy can no longer claim to be wet behind the ears. This is an England international who has lost his place in Southgate’s squad and needs to raise his game in order to stand still in the top flight.
The Dele Alli rap sheet is comparatively endless, but instead of dwelling on the past, it’s more concerning that the boy is failing to improve, as was exposed during a pair of hissy-fits earlier this season.
Once after being subbed against Watford in January – where he punched the dugout – and then again after being substituted in February against Red Bull Leipzig, where a boot was hurled.
James Maddison, Mason Mount, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all poised to leave Dele in their dust.
Mount has a lot to learn, but he has naivety as an excuse. I think he was picked by Southgate far too early though. Maddison is a decent player, but he hasn’t amazed me yet in anything he has done. He’s just a tidy footballer. Would be interesting how he copes in a top side, no disrespect to Leicester. Oxlade has been really unlucky with injuries at both Arsenal and Liverpool. I like him as a player, if only he could stay fit. On form, Dele is better than all 3 in the CAM. If he starts playing grown up football and avoid injuries Southgate can’t ignore him.
Agreed. The flicks and attempted nutmegs drive me crazy. The training video a week or so ago that had him in a rondo just trying to meg his team mates. Don’t get me wrong, I love a nutmeg, but not every time. He’s the lad who loses 3-0 but brags about megging the centre back!
Better than the other three put together, just needs to be fit, listen to the coaches and work as hard as possible, and cut down on those flicks.
I keep hearing this narrative about Dele, repeated by all the brain dead journos and redtop scribblers. “He lost his way, he’s not good anymore, he’s too young for excuses anymore, he’s only got xyx time to regain his form”.
It’s boring, and it’s nonsensical. The kid was injured, repeatedly. Hamstring injuries can be hard to shake. Got back to full fitness, looked like a world beater again. More injury, more cycles of getting fit and match sharp again.
The stats at the top of this blog tell the story – and the story isn’t this goofy take that those stats show Dele to be subpar – he has more goals and assists than either of them, while playing 1/3 less minutes, and often playing out of his best position. Goals win games.