Dele Alli is England's best young midfielder playing in Turkey

InLevyITrust said:
Yeah it was his rashness but even at that the comparison is harsh surely?
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For sure but we don't see the player with same glasses isn't it?

balaks said:
He is a top level talent, the discussion about his position is kinda pointless and only done because people keep bringing up Pogba.
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More like Spurs fans bringing up Pogba, a player playing as CM and comparing his numbers with attacking midfielder.
 
roonster09 said:
For sure but we don't see the player with same glasses isn't it?



More like Spurs fans bringing up Pogba, a player playing as CM and comparing his numbers with attacking midfielder.
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Well whoever keeps doing it should stop as it's utterly pointless. Both very different players. To stay on topic, Alli has the potential to become one of the very best players in the world, I really do believe that.
 
RooneyLegend said:
He doesn't play in the same areas as Pogba, its to be expected. Don't tell me you watch united matches and think Alli plays where he does. If we were to sign him, Martial's role in our team would be more under threat than Pogba's. In midfield, Alli is genuinely mediocre. His ball retention is poor and his passing is erratic. Toss him further up the pitch he's highly creative and is a massive goal threat. His positioning and movement is out of the top drawer. Only a few months ago i had a argument with someone on here claiming that Muller was on a completely different level to Alli, i totally disagree.

BTW why does any spurs fan have a problem with him being labelled a second striker? doesn't take away from his ability or his level of performance this season at all.
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Because it's not an accurate description of his role and positioning. In our last league game, for example, we started with Janssen, Son, Alli and Eriksen - so it's completely arbitrary to cast Alli (rather than Son for instance) as "2nd striker".

The truth is that our attacking players interchange a lot during a game - as Alli's average heatmap shows.

When Alli arrived at Spurs he played in CM for a while and was then shifted into AM. And the latter remains the best description of Alli IMO: attacking midfielder - part of an inter-changeable and fluid 3 that usually plays mostly behind Kane.
 
GlastonSpur said:
Because it's not an accurate description of his role and positioning. In our last league game, for example, we started with Janssen, Son, Alli and Eriksen - so it's completely arbitrary to cast Alli (rather than Son for instance) as "2nd striker".

The truth is that our attacking players interchange a lot during a game - as Alli's average heatmap shows.

When Alli arrived at Spurs he played in CM for a while and was then shifted into AM. And the latter remains the best description of Alli IMO: attacking midfielder - part of an inter-changeable and fluid 3 that usually plays mostly behind Kane.
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So you don't see how Eriksen plays deeper in the spurs system?
 
Thunderhead said:
for me he's bloody brilliant and only going to get better, I'd love him at City. People rave on about Leroy Sane but Alli is already a level above and if I had a vote for PFA player of the year I'd be giving it to him
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As a Spurs fan I have to say Sane reminds me exactly of Bale before he skyrocketed. I think you have an absolute unreal talent on your hands
 
RooneyLegend said:
So you don't see how Eriksen plays deeper in the spurs system?
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Eriksen does generally play deeper than Alli these days, tho' not by that much. But so what? If you are calling Alli a "2nd striker", what are you calling Son ... who is certainly more of a forward or striker (and less of an attacking midfielder) than Alli.
 
This guy has the "United factor" written all over him and I simply cannot wait for the day we sign this little gem. I am have no doubt in my mind that he is ready for the step-up to a bigger club, it's now just a matter of when to go in for him. Hopefully Jose can sort the transfer early this summer, if only to give us the fans enough time to come up with a catchy song for him.

Dele Alli - ready for the big leagues!
 
Random Task said:
I maybe slightly drunk
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Random Task said:
This guy has the "United factor" written all over him and I simply cannot wait for the day we sign this little gem. I am have no doubt in my mind that he is ready for the step-up to a bigger club, it's now just a matter of when to go in for him. Hopefully Jose can sort the transfer early this summer, if only to give us the fans enough time to come up with a catchy song for him.

Dele Alli - ready for the big leagues!
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You must drink a lot mate.
 
Snow said:
Alli is bascially a 2nd striker. Most of his work comes inside the box. Outside the box he doesn't fit in any way how Barca play currently. You rightfully point out how Rakitic is a better fit for them, even Gomes who's lambasted by their fans. As for being an aerial threat, that hardly matters because Barca don't start crossing the ball unless they're a bit desperate. Also not sure how much of a threat he is when marked. His goals are mostly because he's unmarked in the box.

As for OP, don't think it's a question really. Probably England's best midfielder overall, never mind the young one. He should always be playing behind Kane for England with Sterling on the right and someone else on the left (problem position as always for England).
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Agreed with all this, except I think Barcelona are often "a bit desperate", since for big games they have to play both Madrid sides and then the CL and against weaker teams the other side is often parking the bus. I've long thought they could use a replacement for Larsson as a bench striker even though Suarez does a ton of that work. Alcacer for instance, I think will help them less over this year and the next couple then a big but clever player like Giroud would have, coming off the bench as a threat to link up on the ground for others and be an aerial threat for Neymar, Messi and the fullbacks to pick out.

I think Sterling will play on the left cutting in, and England will need to find a right winger, which won't be any easier. Rashford might end up winning the job because he works hard and can cross, even if that's nowhere near his best position. I'm surprised Oxlade-Chamberlain never became a proper player. Maybe if he finally get a move he can develop.
 


That's a forward holding his position (tip of the formation) & run behind the defense! I am not taking away his brilliance as a player: great scoring instinct, finishing technique, the composure, intelligence..., just put evidence that the "midfielder" tag is inaccurate how Alli has been developed for while sometimes now.
 
Womp said:
He's not a cm ffs, hasn't been for a while, he's an attacking midfielder.
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I am saying he's second forward. Not third midfielder or a no 10. He is leading the line at time which is what forward does.
 
ti vu said:
I am saying he's second forward. Not third midfielder or a no 10. He is leading the line at time which is what forward does.
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Ye, he's no centre midfielder though. He was being compared to Pogba and Kante who play different positions/roles.
 
ti vu said:


That's a forward holding his position (tip of the formation) & run behind the defense! I am not taking away his brilliance as a player: great scoring instinct, finishing technique, the composure, intelligence..., just put evidence that the "midfielder" tag is inaccurate how Alli has been developed for while sometimes now.
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One of the best passes I've ever seen.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
One of the best passes I've ever seen.
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IIRC I read earlierly today that Eriksen is now top assisters (all competitions) in Europe. He's definitely the best attacking midfielder/ no 10 in PL this season.
 
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ti vu said:


That's a forward holding his position (tip of the formation) & run behind the defense! I am not taking away his brilliance as a player: great scoring instinct, finishing technique, the composure, intelligence..., just put evidence that the "midfielder" tag is inaccurate how Alli has been developed for while sometimes now.
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Agree he is playing as a forward and has been for a while. Great stats just yet to be dazzled by him although maybe he's not that type of player and over the course of the season his input is brilliant overall. Not someone that gets me on the edge of my seat unless it's a sweet strike I guess.
 
He's pretty much Frank Lampard 2.0. Second striker down as a midfielder.

Good one for fantasy football.
 
Is anyone really doubting that in 5-10 years time that the discussion could be "Who was best; Lampard, Scholes, Gerard or Alli"?

Every time I see Spurs play he's among the best players on the pitch. He's got the lot.

He really does have the talent to have a career that goes to the Champions League and League title winning level.

He's got a nasty streak. I'd have to suggest that manifests off the field too. I can't see him staying at Spurs unless they start winning things next year. He's going to be a top player. Really exciting to see such a talented English lad.

[Please note that my first line reads COULD]
 
It would be weird to compare him to those guys since he is a full time attacking midfielder while the other 3 only played a season or 2 in that role.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
Is anyone really doubting that in 5-10 years time that the discussion could be "Who was best; Lampard, Scholes, Gerard or Alli"?

Every time I see Spurs play he's among the best players on the pitch. He's got the lot.

He really does have the talent to have a career that goes to the Champions League and League title winning level.

He's got a nasty streak. I'd have to suggest that manifests off the field too. I can't see him staying at Spurs unless they start winning things next year. He's going to be a top player. Really exciting to see such a talented English lad.

[Please note that my first line reads COULD]
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It's more appropriate to compare him with Rooney. He's just not the same type of player as the other three, especially Scholes and Lampard.
 
RedCurry said:
It's more appropriate to compare him with Rooney. He's just not the same type of player as the other three, especially Scholes and Lampard.
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Lots of people seem to be doing it, but for me it's horseshit. He's a midfielder. An attacking midfielder. He plays exactly as Lampard did. As Scholes did when he broke through.

His manager has harnessed his best attributes and told him to get in the ball as far forward as possible. But he's a midfielder. He has a responsibility to tackle and he creates a lot.

If you want to draw a Rooney comparison, feel free. You can even call Early Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard, and Alli '10's'. But Rooney was a center forward that dropped off. As Cantona or Sheringham did. The others are all midfielders that push on.

Irrespective of that, if people want to call him anything, they can. He's looking like he's going to be world class.
 
Keeps It tidy said:
It would be weird to compare him to those guys since he is a full time attacking midfielder while the other 3 only played a season or 2 in that role.
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We can compare his seasons as an attacking midfielder to Lampard and Scholes seasons playing there. Alli won't play a whole career there. Certainly not if he stays in England. Scholes had a 1 in 2 season early in his career I believe. Alli may never do that. I don't think the comparison will be unfair in 10 years time.

Also need to clarify that I'm not actually comparing the players. More the fact that I fully believe he has the ability to get to that level in the coming years.
 
Alli is playing a position that's something a bit unique in modern British football, but very familiar to South American or Italian football (no coincidence that his manager is Argentinian). Italians would call him a trequartista or mezzapunta and be comparing him to players such as Totti and Baggio - players who scored large numbers of goals, never truly led the line but also didn't play in what would be considered the midfield either. The definition of players who existed "between the lines".
 
vadimivich said:
Alli is playing a position that's something a bit unique in modern British football, but very familiar to South American or Italian football (no coincidence that his manager is Argentinian). Italians would call him a trequartista or mezzapunta and be comparing him to players such as Totti and Baggio - players who scored large numbers of goals, never truly led the line but also didn't play in what would be considered the midfield either. The definition of players who existed "between the lines".
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A number 10?
 
Would much rather spend a feck load on money on this guy than Griezman (yes, yes, they play different positions).

He would improve us considerably more.

It's a fecking scandal this guy slipped through our net, ah I remember now, we were too busy trying to prove to the world we are still a 'big' club by luring Di Maria.
 
Decomposing In Paris said:
A number 10?
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A #10 in Britain is generally applied to players like David Silva or Özil or Eriksen, players who are creative "lock pickers" but not expected to necessarily score too many. The last trequartista / mezzapunta type I can remember in the PL is maybe Dennis Bergkamp or Matt Le Tissier, players who were expected to score more goals than they created but also didn't lead the line. Alli has that DNA, whatever you want to call it.
 
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