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Eric Dier

the dza said:
For me, the 3421 we played for most of the season we finished 2nd to Chelsea is the best we have played. We haven't looked as strong since that season. Dele in particular has never looked so good, he was magnificent that season (18 league goals, 22 in all comps). That system was perfect for him.
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I think we're talking about the same formation.

The flexibility of Dier, Alli and Eriksen meant that the back 2 could become a 3 whenever required and Alli/Eriksen could move between midfield and further forward depending on where the numbers were needed.

If you have 3 players as flexible and intelligent as that, then the two formations are very fluid.
 
scaramanga said:
I think we're talking about the same formation.

The flexibility of Dier, Alli and Eriksen meant that the back 2 could become a 3 whenever required and Alli/Eriksen could move between midfield and further forward depending on where the numbers were needed.

If you have 3 players as flexible and intelligent as that, then the two formations are very fluid.
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For what it’s worth, an opinion on tactics:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1123340601301327872
 
scaramanga said:
I think we're talking about the same formation.

The flexibility of Dier, Alli and Eriksen meant that the back 2 could become a 3 whenever required and Alli/Eriksen could move between midfield and further forward depending on where the numbers were needed.

If you have 3 players as flexible and intelligent as that, then the two formations are very fluid.
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Definitely a different formation, because a midfield of Wanyama and Dembele (with Dele and Eriksen infront of them) didn't need Dier joining it. Infact, it was Vertonghen and Toby who stepped into midfield from the back more than Dier did in that system, which became quite a strong feature of it as well.
 
the dza said:
Definitely a different formation, because a midfield of Wanyama and Dembele (with Dele and Eriksen infront of them) didn't need Dier joining it. Infact, it was Vertonghen and Toby who stepped into midfield from the back more than Dier did in that system, which became quite a strong feature of it as well.
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Wanyama didn't play that season - played about 5 games from memory
 
scaramanga said:
Wanyama didn't play that season - played about 5 games from memory
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When we finished 2nd to Chelsea was the 2016-17 season. He played 36 league games (and scored 4 goals, surprisingly). He was a beast that season and for most of it, it was him and Dembele in central midfield in a 3421 system. We got 86 points, only lost 4 league games and only conceded 26 goals (scoring 86 in the league). It's the best we have been under Poch for wins, points, goals for and against.
 
the dza said:
When we finished 2nd to Chelsea was the 2016-17 season. He played 36 league games (and scored 4 goals, surprisingly). He was a beast that season and for most of it, it was him and Dembele in central midfield in a 3421 system. We got 86 points, only lost 4 league games and only conceded 26 goals (scoring 86 in the league). It's the best we have been under Poch for wins, points, goals for and against.
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In which case that's not the season I'm thinking about.
 
the dza said:
When we finished 2nd to Chelsea was the 2016-17 season. He played 36 league games (and scored 4 goals, surprisingly). He was a beast that season and for most of it, it was him and Dembele in central midfield in a 3421 system. We got 86 points, only lost 4 league games and only conceded 26 goals (scoring 86 in the league). It's the best we have been under Poch for wins, points, goals for and against.
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That was our best season/team so far under Poch, no question
 
I remember that season we beat City at home and actually played a 4-1-4-1. Wanyama gave one of the best midfield performances I've seen in that game. Played in there by himself and absolutely ran the game.
 
fernadez said:
I remember that season we beat City at home and actually played a 4-1-4-1. Wanyama gave one of the best midfield performances I've seen in that game. Played in there by himself and absolutely ran the game.
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We also smashed Hull away 7-1, I think in the last game, with Dier and Wanyama in a 4231 (I think Dembele was injured or suspended).

So as always with Poch, we could mix and match our systems depending on who was available. Think we started going with the back 3 mostly around December and into January. I remember Chelsea were on that great run of wins, they came to The Lane and we matched their system 3421, beat them 2-0 in a very controlled performance. And we seemed to stick with the 3421 for most of the season after that.

We finished so strongly that season, won 12 of the last 13 games. Such a contrast with this season.
 
the dza said:
I have only been talking about the season we finished 2nd to Chelsea, which has been our best level of performance under Poch so far.
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I think the season I'm thinking of is the one where Leicester fluked it and we deserved to win it up until the last few games.
 
fernadez said:
I remember that season we beat City at home and actually played a 4-1-4-1. Wanyama gave one of the best midfield performances I've seen in that game. Played in there by himself and absolutely ran the game.
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That game was early in the season September’ish if I remember right it was Guardiola’s first loss, we only started playing the 3421 against the rent boys at the Lane over Xmas, and I’ll go as far as to say those 5 months were the best I have consistently seen us play in my time(since the late 80s) never mind under Poch, and it was actually Davies and Walker that we’re the wing backs, Rose got injured away at Sunderland while still in the festive period.

IMO the problem this season as been the fact we have been playing either the diamond or 3 at the back most games just chopping and changing game to game, both systems require the full backs to provide the width, and with the lack of quality coming from Trippier, Rose and ironically Davies it’s made us easier to defend against, all our best performances this season have come when playing the 4231.
 
That was the only time we've really looked good playing a back three. Since then it seems to take away from our attack now then it benefits, we end up changing to a back four mid game and playing better, don't know why we just don't start that way.
 
fernadez said:
That was the only time we've really looked good playing a back three. Since then it seems to take away from our attack now then it benefits, we end up changing to a back four mid game and playing better, don't know why we just don't start that way.
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I think as much as we talk about systems etc. our players just aren't playing to the same level. Rose isn't as good now imo, neither are Toby or Vert. Dele hasn't been (possibly down to system, but his general play hasn't been at the level of that season either). But I really do think our defenders have all dropped, it's why we have lost so many games.
 
DeanoAustin said:
I probably land somewhere around where @nayimfromthehalfwayline is on Sissoko but maybe I rate him a bit higher.
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Careful mate, keep posting things like that and the mob will be after you....


Dier? absolutely-fudging-exhausted IMHO. Not fit either.

Much like Eriksen he has been massively over played these last few years, such is his importance to us. And I think its all just caught up on him.

The illnessness speak to fatigue as much as anything, but also so does his head not being in the game as much.

He has been poor this season, particularly by his standards, but I dont look at him thinking he deserves selling off or anything.

Still one of our most important players, IMHO - but in need of rest, and a proper pre season. And maybe some sort of "reset" mentally.
 
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