There's a short article on the OS featuring Tim Sherwood's thoughts on Mousa Dembele, following his 50th league appearance for us, the 3-1 win over Swansea on the weekend. He praises his ability, his character and his physicality, but it was this part that stuck out for me: “We’re trying to get him further forward to play in and around the penalty area because he has the capability of creating and perhaps scoring more goals. We’re getting him into the areas to achieve that. I agree with the idea that he could do a lot more damage if he got forward more and used his ability to virtually drift past players in more dangerous positions. I don't agree that we're getting him into those positions and I don't see how our current system helps him to do that, as he's often our deepest midfielder. I'd quite like to see him used out on the left against City, with his place in the centre being taken by either Sandro, who's back in training or the apparently unfavoured Capoue. He played wide for us last season and he's featured on the wing for Fulham in the past too, but I'm pretty sure it's always been down the right. Using him on his natural side might allow us to pack the middle of the park when City are attacking, but still have a mobile, powerful outlet down that side when we're on the ball. He'd offer far better cover than anyone that we've used out there this season and I think it would help Danny Rose, who often doesn't get much support. Here's a link to the rest of the article: http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/timand39s-praise-for-mousa-220114/ There's some pictures from training on there today too, which feature Vertonghen and Sandro: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image It'll be good to have them back.
I think we used him on the right at Anfield, and I didn't like it, before or after the game (though I thought it was fine when we were up.) Granted, I haven't seen him on the left, but I'd rather he stay in the middle. He's our big game player to me. His contributions are hard to quantify, but he seems to have a lot of influence in the middle of the park in games he's up for. Getting him forward looks like a good idea, and got us a couple of goals so far, but I don't know. I would have felt a lot better if he'd put away his chance against Swansea. I'd settle for him continuing to do what he's been doing, dribbling into the box a bit more and shooting from range a bit more. He's got one of our more dangerous shots, and almost never uses it.
To play further forward, a player needs to play with his head up. I don't see that Dembele does that.
Agreed. His habit of going on a great run then ending it by stopping dead and passing the ball sideways or backwards, when there was a forward pass on instead, infuriates me. There was a classic example of this highlighted on MOTD a few weeks ago where I think it was Lennon had run past him on the outside and a simple forward pass would have put him in behind the defence, but instead he stepped on the ball and passed it backwards. And as for Sunday, the least said about that the better!
No , no, no , no! I give up, what the fuk is he on about? did he not see Dembele's effort last Sunday, all that work and a **** shot, he's been no different for years, its not going to change... .....fuk all this ,said it all before, cannot shoot for ****, don't care who's opinion thinks otherwise. Maybe he's just encouraging MD to double his usual tally and try and hit 4 goals for the season!
[video=youtube;UwOmi-651q0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwOmi-651q0[/video] This is what he used to do
I think Dembele's better off where he is. He's brilliant at helping to the ball out of defence and getting it into the final 3rd but from then on, I'd rather he give the ball either to Eriksen or someone out wide. His shooting is well below average and as evidenced by Sunday's miss, he's just not a cool finisher. Superb player on his day though, finding form again.
The left flank does seem a problem area for us so I wouldn't mind seeing him out there if Townsend's not back for City. He does need to start doing more with the ball though, well that or accept being a defensive midfielder because he's pretty good at breaking up play and bringing the ball our of our half.
It's funny how he's gone from a good CAM to a good not-quite-box to not-quite-box midfielder. What he's been good at is getting the ball from our end to theirs, and preventing them from doing the same. Two kicks, two missed nets in the Man U Sunderland Cup game. Extraordinary. I could do better. I could also have stopped Sunderland's late goal with my age eight kickball skills.
Dembele is a short burst performer, that's why in the past if he played deep he would look amazing in short spells or if he pushed forward would cause havoc for a moment but can't see him offering any sustained performance further forward. Although I've said this before he was a striker, Fulham signed him as a striker. He was a striker in Holland. Dirk Kuyt was also a striker in Holland and adjusted his game in our league to a hard working forward or winger. What Dembele has is strength, ability to shield the ball, can dribble and short burst of pace so on paper he could play a support type role but he would be useless being positioned up top so breaking from midfield and driving forward does have potential yet he needs to work on his decision making when opting to shoot or pass.
He doesn't offer much in end product but a player like Demebe can open up space through his dribbing and strength, so if that leads to a goal or a chance then thats fine with me, but in terms of actual end product he is 26 now and he isn't suddenly going to become highly effective in terms of goal return. if Sherwood wants him to push up further and and works on this with Dembele then maybe for the first time in his career he can nail down a position or excel in breaking from midfield. He started off as a striker, moved to winger for Fulham, has played Defensive midfield and Central Attacking Midfield for us (aswell as Fulham), Jack of all trades, master of none and hasn't consistently excelled in any of these roles, that should tell you he is a player that has struggled to find a role within a team. If Sherwood can find his ideal role and then get him performing then he can offer something different or it may turn out that he no longer becomes a fixture in the team. Either way Dembele has to work out his best role if he wants to fulfil his potential.
I's much rather MD continues as he is, win the ball back, keeps possession, and sets us off moving forward, preferably give it to Eriksen or anyone else really that 'can' shoot/create, we've bought enough of them for god sake!....use them instead of wasting time flogging a dead horse.
Yeah that is what hes been best at so far, good role for Dembele in a 4-2-3-1. Although Sherwood is now going to annoy a large section of the fanbase (and possibly Adebayor) by giving Dembele licence to attack! So better be prepared!
We seem to forget that he has scored some very good goals for us, especially in the Europa. His lack of goal return is probably more to do with the role he's had as part of the 2 in front of defence. AVBs system didn't get many goals out of our strikers, our DMs had no chance.
The basic law of averages says he'll score at some point, those goals he has scored have been very good shots agreed, a few shots in a hundred are bound to be, but there have been more dreadful row Z'ers than goals.
