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Nabil Bentaleb

We could have done with him against Saudi Sportswashing Machine. How many games did he and Mason start last season? He was a key player. So we know he has something. A loan might be the best option for him to play regularly next season however. Otherwise he's likely going to be playing in cups and as cover.
 
SpurMeUp said:
We could have done with him against Saudi Sportswashing Machine. How many games did he and Mason start last season? He was a key player. So we know he has something. A loan might be the best option for him to play regularly next season however. Otherwise he's likely going to be playing in cups and as cover.
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He should get gametime, particularly if we don't buy a 4th CB (other than 2CV), so Dier might get used there too. I like to see him given more try at LB too, as I think he could be a more like-for-like with Rose than Davies is.
 
Gutter Boy said:
He should get gametime, particularly if we don't buy a 4th CB (other than 2CV), so Dier might get used there too. I like to see him given more try at LB too, as I think he could be a more like-for-like with Rose than Davies is.
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I don't see him as being a natural defensive player at the moment, although I guess he could become one. Dembele is the player I would like to see him covering/competing with. I don't see Bentaleb as being anything other than an emergency full back. He doesn't seem like the sort of player who would get forward on the overlap and provide us with width as is essential from the fullbacks in our system.
 
Finney Is Back said:
I don't see him as being a natural defensive player at the moment, although I guess he could become one. Dembele is the player I would like to see him covering/competing with. I don't see Bentaleb as being anything other than an emergency full back. He doesn't seem like the sort of player who would get forward on the overlap and provide us with width as is essential from the fullbacks in our system.
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And yet he was by far and away our defensive midfielder last season. Remember it was him and Mason first choice central pairing for most of last season and you could not call Mason a defensive midfielder
 
Finney Is Back said:
I don't see him as being a natural defensive player at the moment, although I guess he could become one. Dembele is the player I would like to see him covering/competing with. I don't see Bentaleb as being anything other than an emergency full back. He doesn't seem like the sort of player who would get forward on the overlap and provide us with width as is essential from the fullbacks in our system.
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He's never going to be a Dier. But he could very easily become a Carrick
 
NaijaSpurs said:
And yet he was by far and away our defensive midfielder last season. Remember it was him and Mason first choice central pairing for most of last season and you could not call Mason a defensive midfielder
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Which is the main reason that I thought we looked rather frail defensively last season. Neither Bentaleb, nor Mason want to defend. They are not natural defenders like Dier is. They both want to get into good attacking positions and have the ball at their feet. It is quite hard to force such players into playing a defensive game. The shield that Dier has given our back four this season has been hugely more effective than the one that Bentaleb gave us.
 
I'm still on the fence about Bentaleb, but I think he may be able to be coached into being a Dembele-type player ("type" being the key term here, as he will not be a like-for-like replacement). He has the skill on the ball and, if Poch can make him more disciplined defensively, he could be the additional CM we need.
 
NaijaSpurs said:
And yet he was by far and away our defensive midfielder last season. Remember it was him and Mason first choice central pairing for most of last season and you could not call Mason a defensive midfielder
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And if you remember and saw the games you would see how wide open we were in CM, a lot of fans were slagging off our back four last season but in all honesty the pairing in CM offered little ( if any) protection, cover for them. I sit behind the goal and we were wide open in many games.
 
Finney Is Back said:
Which is the main reason that I thought we looked rather frail defensively last season. Neither Bentaleb, nor Mason want to defend. They are not natural defenders like Dier is. They both want to get into good attacking positions and have the ball at their feet. It is quite hard to force such players into playing a defensive game. The shield that Dier has given our back four this season has been hugely more effective than the one that Bentaleb gave us.
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This, neither Mason or Bentaleb have a defensive mind set and were missing more often then not leaving our back four with runners coming at them from all over.
 
parklane1 said:
This, neither Mason or Bentaleb have a defensive mind set and were missing more often then not leaving our back four with runners coming at them from all over.
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I did also highlight at the time that they had no cover from the players in front of them and that has changed massively. We're defending from the front properly and it helps but I can't argue that Dier an Dembele have been a big upgrade
 
Bedfordspurs said:
I did also highlight at the time that they had no cover from the players in front of them and that has changed massively. We're defending from the front properly and it helps but I can't argue that Dier an Dembele have been a big upgrade
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Yes you did I remember you saying that, I was not impressed that much by Bentaleb last season as I do not think he was played in a position that suits him. However he is still young and he may improve I suppose its down to him to show what he can do.
 
Rorschach said:
Mason is a number 10 as far as I can see.
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You are probably right but ( imo) he is not good enough to play for a side that is aiming for the top, he may fit into a middle table team but not for one that wants to be in the champs Lge on a regular basis.
 
Roy1983 said:
He is and trust me if he was given a run there he'd excel. Problem for him is Eriksen plays there.
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Yeah I'm pretty sure he'd do well there. It would certainly be a better fit for his talents IMO, but the current incumbents (Eriksen or Alli) are hard to dislodge as you say.

I don't think Mason really has the presence required for the CM role in much the same was Eriksen can only carry it off when we are firmly on the front foot, and playing him there is not helping him nor Spurs for that matter.

Does he have a future at the club Roy?
 
Rorschach said:
Yeah I'm pretty sure he'd do well there. It would certainly be a better fit for his talents IMO, but the current incumbents (Eriksen or Alli) are hard to dislodge as you say.

I don't think Mason really has the presence required for the CM role in much the same was Eriksen can only carry it off when we are firmly on the front foot, and playing him there is not helping him nor Spurs for that matter.

Does he have a future at the club Roy?
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Mason? I posted in his thread that Poch has assured him he has a big part to play next season.
 
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