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Mousa Dembele


Great article, and just to highlight one part regarding stats when Kane and Dembele are in our side:

"Since October 2015, Spurs are unbeaten in 25 Premier League games when the two start together with a win percentage of 64 per cent. In contrast, they've lost five of 17 where one of the pair has been missing - a win percentage of only 29 per cent. Over the course of a full season, that's the difference between winning the title and finishing outside the top 10."
 
He was outstanding on Sat in CM and outstanindg last year in CM. Why would be move a player who is so good in his position? It makes no sense.

He played in more advanced roles when he joined Spurs and wasnt that great there. His finishing isnt good enough and, in a Poch world, he doesn't run enough to press the opposition like Lamela, Son, Kane etc do

Let's not try to fit square pegs into round holes and if we're weak in a given position, we should sign someone who is good there, not try to patch things up and in doing so weaken ourselves elsewhere

No he didn't! His first season, when he joined under AVB, he played CM alongside Sandro in a fantastic partnership. He's only played further forward (in the 3 behind the striker) a handful of times to my mind. Saudi Sportswashing Machine away a couple years ago under Sherwood when we hammered them and he was brilliant, he played a few games in that position around this time. When he came back in to the team in Poch's 1st season after injury he also had a few games further forward and looked very good again, "coinciding!" With an up turn in the teams form that season. At the start of last season he played there vs Villa at home and played very well (and scored) again.

I can't think of many times he's played there and been so poor that's it's warranted such a definitive idea in your mind, would like to know an example or two maybe?
 
With Dier and Wanyama in the squad and the current lack of that by the three in behind the striker, I think playing him in there at times isn't a bad shout. He's not going to score that many, but he'll beat players and open up space. For instance with how Ericksen was playing prior to yesterday, swapping him for Dembele wouldn't make us any worse. A player that can beat opposition in a central area, and drive into the box every team would love to have.
 
He is a GHod. Love his ability to glide and hold off 3-4 hangers-on. Its just easy for him. Once he has had a real run of games going into Dec then we are going to be having this discussion weekly because once he is in his flow and is plying regularly then h is virtually unstoppable.
 
We should have a set move i.e. when Dembele decides to surge forwards, someone from the 3 drops back in to cover, as we don't want Dimples to pass anyway, we want him to dance into the box until someone trips him
 
We should have a set move i.e. when Dembele decides to surge forwards, someone from the 3 drops back in to cover, as we don't want Dimples to pass anyway, we want him to dance into the box until someone trips him
I particularly liked you calling him "Dimples." Bet you wouldn't say that to his face!
 
Dembele has always been a beast, dribbling past players at will.
What's changed ?
Not a whole lot IMO except that he releases the ball a bit earlier when he gets past the opposition player, and the pass goes forward more frequently rather than sideways/back. It is a small enough change really but it makes him way more effective.
 
I always feel the way we start a game often dictates how the rest of the game will go. Against Leverkusen and Arsenal we nearly got caught out at the back from kick off (think Dier v Arsenal). The opposition sniff blood and could completely swarm us, but Dembele in one moment picked up the ball and just shot past Ozil and 2 or 3 other players and pierced through their "press" putting us on the offensive. That and Son roasting Mustafi meant Arsenal suddenly became a lot more cautious.

Dembele is so key for us. Football is often about space. Tactically you can close space, but players like Mousa have the ability to beat a player for fun and completely open up a game creating oceans of space.
 
I think we have a new sick note. ( before anyone says Anderton played a lot of games i agree and the sick note handle was unfair in his case).
 
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