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Mousa Dembele

SPURS' RECORD WITHOUT DEMBELE
WINS
DRAWS
DEFEATS
WIN RATE
LOSS RATE
1
2
4
14%
57%
SPURS' RECORD WITH DEMBELE
WINS
DRAWS
DEFEATS
WIN RATE
LOSS RATE		15
5
2
68%
9%

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/03/17/3830855/-

Even from his very first appearance in midfield against Chelsea, it is his defensive qualities that have continually impressed most. Fierce in the tackle and with an intelligent awareness of danger, Dembele's partnership with Brazilian destroyer Sandro, sidelined for the rest of the season, had become arguably the most indomitable and powerful in the division.

It is in this respect that the Belgian is far superior to Modric. In the Croatian's 36 games for Spurs last year, he attempted 56 tackles with 71% success. In just 22 appearances this year, Dembele has already engaged in 67 tackles with 82% success. The Belgian has also won more 50-50s (on the ground and in the air) and has been dribbled past just 12 times compared to Modric’s 32. Tottenham even concede fewer goals when Dembele is on the pitch.

But what Modric lost in bite and tenacity he made up for in vision and creativity. Both players average a pass a minute, but a far higher percentage of the Croatian's passes were forwards (39%) or in the final third (35%) compared to Dembele (22% and 25% respectively). Modric also created nine clear-cut chances (one every 357 minutes) compared to the Belgian's two (one every 881 minutes).

Nice article there comparing Modric and Dembele. Both very good players, but it seems overall that Modric spent more time up front compared to Dembele.
 
Those stats are meaningless, as our results are affected by so many variables. Might as well blame Bale for all those poor results when he started playing. Look at what the man does, or doesn't do. I don't know what he brings to the side. He does not break up the play. He does not creates and does not score. He does look good, sublime in fact. However there is rarely any discernible end product. On occasions he is far too easily knocked off the ball, he hangs onto it too long and his dribbles usually end up in blind alleys. What he does, is to flatter to deceive. I'm not overwhelmed by him, Dempsey or Siggurdson.
 
When Dembele is on the ball i feel that something may happen. When he's not, it means that Parker or Livermore is and all we have to looked forward to are "rampaging" runs into a dead end or an overhit pass out to touch.

If Dembele gets injured between now and the ned of the season we really may as well all pack up and go home.
 
Gilzeantoscore said:
Those stats are meaningless, as our results are affected by so many variables. Might as well blame Bale for all those poor results when he started playing. Look at what the man does, or doesn't do. I don't know what he brings to the side. He does not break up the play. He does not creates and does not score. He does look good, sublime in fact. However there is rarely any discernible end product. On occasions he is far too easily knocked off the ball, he hangs onto it too long and his dribbles usually end up in blind alleys. What he does, is to flatter to deceive. I'm not overwhelmed by him, Dempsey or Siggurdson.
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Gilzeantoscore said:
Those stats are meaningless, as our results are affected by so many variables. Might as well blame Bale for all those poor results when he started playing. Look at what the man does, or doesn't do. I don't know what he brings to the side. He does not break up the play. He does not creates and does not score. He does look good, sublime in fact. However there is rarely any discernible end product. On occasions he is far too easily knocked off the ball, he hangs onto it too long and his dribbles usually end up in blind alleys. What he does, is to flatter to deceive. I'm not overwhelmed by him, Dempsey or Siggurdson.
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I do agree partially the 'I dont know what he bring to the side' comment but I do love how he rarely loses the ball and his retention of the ball is really second to none. I guess that helps us to keep the ball therefore we dont allow the opposition to have the ball to hurt us.

I certainly agree about the 'stats are meaningless' comment. I fudgein hate them and you rightly say that there are so many variables - one of them could be that he didnt play against the big sides which we lost, or the tactics are all wrong etc. This works both ways by the way.

I mean when Bale went through his streak of us not winning when he (is it) started - was that Bales fault? Doubt it.

Anyways I like Dembele and enjoy watching him play. His defensive contribution is certainly underrated as I think he is very good at that side of play.
 
Gilzeantoscore said:
Those stats are meaningless, as our results are affected by so many variables. Might as well blame Bale for all those poor results when he started playing. Look at what the man does, or doesn't do. I don't know what he brings to the side. He does not break up the play. He does not creates and does not score. He does look good, sublime in fact. However there is rarely any discernible end product. On occasions he is far too easily knocked off the ball, he hangs onto it too long and his dribbles usually end up in blind alleys. What he does, is to flatter to deceive. I'm not overwhelmed by him, Dempsey or Siggurdson.
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this is the Dembele thread, not the Jake Livermore thread ;)
 
Gilzeantoscore said:
Those stats are meaningless, as our results are affected by so many variables. Might as well blame Bale for all those poor results when he started playing. Look at what the man does, or doesn't do. I don't know what he brings to the side. He does not break up the play. He does not creates and does not score. He does look good, sublime in fact. However there is rarely any discernible end product. On occasions he is far too easily knocked off the ball, he hangs onto it too long and his dribbles usually end up in blind alleys. What he does, is to flatter to deceive. I'm not overwhelmed by him, Dempsey or Siggurdson.
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Meaningless?

No that's a load of bull. Those stats say that we have a far better record when Dembele is in the side compared to when he isn't. That sounds like a pretty clear meaning to me.


Doesn't break up the play? He's been excellent defensively.

Create or score? I'll give you that, but in the system we seem to be playing that's not what he is there to do.

Easily knocked off the ball? :ross:

His dribbles are usually pretty good, not blind alleys. He takes on a man or two and then passes the ball off to someone better placed.


I look forward to seeing Dembele progress in the side, as with Siggurdsson who has impressed me recently. Dempsey is a puzzle, as a starter i'm not sure, but as an option on the bench when the game is scrappy he is a good option to have.
 
Gilzeantoscore said:
Those stats are meaningless, as our results are affected by so many variables. Might as well blame Bale for all those poor results when he started playing. Look at what the man does, or doesn't do. I don't know what he brings to the side. He does not break up the play. He does not creates and does not score. He does look good, sublime in fact. However there is rarely any discernible end product. On occasions he is far too easily knocked off the ball, he hangs onto it too long and his dribbles usually end up in blind alleys. What he does, is to flatter to deceive. I'm not overwhelmed by him, Dempsey or Siggurdson.
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This is the Dembele thread not the Tommy Carroll thread
 
It's clear to see that he is a talented player and could potentially be fantastic all-round midfielder, good defensively, strong, excellent on the ball. But he needs to learn when to release the ball and when to hold on to it, frustrates the life out of me seeing him trying to hold on to the ball and run up blind alleys when there is a simple pass on, or holding onto it when there is a clear through ball on that everyone in the stadium can see.

If AVB can coach that out of him or he can learn it himself he will be an absolutely fantastic player.
 
I think that to a degree you have to accept that when you have a midfield dribbler it often doesnt come off: if it did we'd score 78 goals every game. His strength is dribbling, therefore he needs to get on the ball and move forwards with it at his feet. This sort of play obviously carries with it a reasonably low success rate, but your not going to turn a dribbling midfielder in his mid 20's into an intricate passer so some sort of acceptance of the limitations associated with his style is required, imho.
 
Millsy_Yiddo said:
It's clear to see that he is a talented player and could potentially be fantastic all-round midfielder, good defensively, strong, excellent on the ball. But he needs to learn when to release the ball and when to hold on to it, frustrates the life out of me seeing him trying to hold on to the ball and run up blind alleys when there is a simple pass on, or holding onto it when there is a clear through ball on that everyone in the stadium can see.

If AVB can coach that out of him or he can learn it himself he will be an absolutely fantastic player.
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There is a certain amount that can be coached but it is obviously his natural inclination to play as he does, nor would it be good to suppress his natural dribbling ability entirely. This is what he is good at after all.

What might serve us better is to compliment Dembele with a player who's strength is to pick an early pass. Parker has qualities but that is not one of them. In my opinion there are 3-4 first team players who are guilty of overplaying on a regular basis. Parker, Defoe, Bale and Dembele are the culprits in my mind. It must have a knock on effect to other aspects of the team's play and by this I mean our poor off the ball movement. How demoralising must it be to make countless runs into space and never receive a pass. Surely at some point you either consciously or unconsciously stop making these runs.
 
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Gilzeantoscore said:
Those stats are meaningless, as our results are affected by so many variables. Might as well blame Bale for all those poor results when he started playing. Look at what the man does, or doesn't do. I don't know what he brings to the side. He does not break up the play. He does not creates and does not score. He does look good, sublime in fact. However there is rarely any discernible end product. On occasions he is far too easily knocked off the ball, he hangs onto it too long and his dribbles usually end up in blind alleys. What he does, is to flatter to deceive. I'm not overwhelmed by him, Dempsey or Siggurdson.
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A bit harsh, but I don't disagree with that. The problem with Dembele is that he just doesn't do enough in two thirds of the pitch. He is great at keeping things ticking over in the centre of the park and retaining possession but we need to see more of that in the final third. Parker is better at retaining possession with simple passes and turning away from trouble in the centre of the pitch than Dembele and we don't need two players in there doing that. One of the two needs to get forward and try and draw defenders out to them. Parker tries it more than Dembele, but Parker is poor at it and just runs into trouble or has no end product. I want to see more from Dembele, but sadly I don't think he'll live up to the hype and I doubt he'll be a Spurs first team regular in two years time.
 
Old Bill said:
I hope you're right. But I don't think you are. He isn't world class and never will be.
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It depends on your definition of World class, it differes greatly from person to person.


However if Dembele isn't on your list, then very few from the Premier League central midfield are. He's one of the best in our League, which is what matters most.
 
Well we're not a world class team so that's not a problem. Any team in the league would love to have Dembele in their side.
 
If he could spot a pass we'd have a £30m player on our hands. And he also probably wouldn't be with us lol

What i actually miss most is his defensive contribution when he isn't in the side. He's fantastic at disposessing the opposition.
 
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