[2011-11-06] Mousa Dembélé - Fulham vs Tottenham Hotspur

Boxing Day, 2011. Fulham travelled to Chelsea on the back of a 5-0 home drubbing by Manchester United. Manager Martin Jol decided to change things around, handing central midfielder Danny Murphy a new partner in Mousa Dembélé. Fulham came away with both a point and the birth of one of the most dynamic midfielders in the Premier League. Jol had previously used Dembélé off a lone striker, usually in a 4-4-1-1 or a 4-2-3-1 formation.

So when Tottenham had travelled to Craven Cottage the previous month, Dembélé played in one of his final games as a number 10. He played off Bobby Zamora in a 4-4-1-1, with the more defensive Steve Sidwell partnering Danny Murphy in central midfield. Clint Dempsey and Damien Duff played on the left and right wings respectively. Tottenham had Scott Parker and Luka Modrić in the middle of their similar 4-4-1-1, with Younès Kaboul and Ledley King the centre back pairing.

Despite losing 3-1, Fulham performed well and deserved at least a point from the game, having three times as many shots as their visitors. Dembélé had a good game, but it's interesting to compare him to the other number 10 in the game (formation wise), Rafael van der Vaart. A good game for the Dutchman usually involves a lot of incisive play from inside and around the box, but Dembélé instead played a more withdrawn role, coming deep for the ball to instigate attacks.




Of course van der Vaart used to do similar at times, but his intention was always to get in the box afterwards, unlike the Belgian.

Because of Dembélé's tendency to drop deep, he was rarely running at Tottenham's back line, instead finding himself out on the wings. This led to Zamora being largely isolated up front, especially in the first half, with only Dempsey coming in from the left to support him. When Dembélé did receive the ball in advanced positions, he displayed his dribbling skills to good effect.




His dribbling has always been his best attacking strength; most of his 10 league goals at AZ Alkmaar (a career best) involved him running with the ball.

Dembélé's defensive work was outstanding throughout the game. His energy and athleticism won Fulham possession on numerous occasions; it was easy to see why he was only a month away from being put in a more central and involved role.




During Tottenham's recent striker injury crisis, Dembélé said that he would be willing to play up front if called upon. And with none of Spurs' midfielders really able to hold down a place alongside Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon in André Villas-Boas' 4-2-3-1, some fans were calling on Dembélé and his dribbling abilities to be given a chance there (less so since Sandro's injury). Perhaps he would benefit from better players around him in a more advanced role, but he would still play his own usual style: dropping deep towards the midfield. It seems counter intuitive to position a player further back to attack more, but being less shackled in midfield means his temamates ahead of him can make room for his marauding dribbles - and this is where Dembélé threatens best.

[2013-04-14] Christian Eriksen - PSV vs Ajax

Christian Eriksen's Ajax travelled to title challengers PSV on Sunday afternoon for a crucial match at the Philips Stadion. The Amsterdam club lay three points clear of their rivals, but a win for PSV would put them top with four games remaining. Alternatively, an Ajax win would see them almost certainly pick up their third consecutive Eredivisie title. Eriksen has recently said that he won't extend his contract, which only runs to 2014, so the Dane will be hoping to leave the club on a high.

Eriksen took up a central midfield position in a 4-3-3 formation. Beside him was captain Siem de Jong, with Christian Poulsen behind them as a holder. Fellow Danes Lasse Schöne and Viktor Fischer took up positions on the right and left wings respectively, while Kolbeinn Sigþórsson operated as the lone striker. Kevin Strootman and the evergreen Mark van Bommel were PSV's central midfielders in a 4-4-2 formation.

Eriksen proved to be the difference in an entertaining game, playing a vital part in all three of Ajax's goals (and one of PSV's). After a bright start by the home side, Ajax gradually came into the game, with Eriksen at the heart of a number of attacking moves. He played several one-twos with teammates; they usually involved simple passes and runs, but he still displayed a good appreciation of space, as well as an eagerness to take responsibility and bring the game forwards.



(Eriksen is the one putting in the cross above)

As mentioned, Eriksen was involved with all of Ajax's goals. For the first, he showed a nice turn of pace on the right wing before pulling the ball back for what eventually led to the opener. The second goal came from the left flank via another one-two, followed by a fine run and finish. For Ajax's third, the Dane played a good through ball for a quick counter attack (although PSV defender Erik Pieters should have done better).




Eriksen was allowed to roam forward because of disciplined performances by de Jong and Poulsen. While de Jong and Eriksen took it in turns to get forward, Poulsen put in a terrific defensive performance behind them, dropping so deep at times that he became a third central defender. PSV seemed to be aware of his importance coming into the game, as they spent the first 15 minutes trying, somewhat embarassingly, to get Poulsen an early yellow card. Eriksen himself was competent defensively, heading off the line from a corner in the first half and making a couple of interceptions in midfield.



Eriksen did have some poor moments in the game however. He was caught in possession on a few occasions, most notably for PSV's first equalizer. If he were to move to England next season, he could find himself in similar situations should he struggle to adapt to the frenetic pace of the English game.


But even in criticism there's praise: Eriksen sought the ball on those occasions he was caught, and he could have simply hoofed forward when pressured (of course for the PSV goal, he should have). Even after being at fault for PSV's goal, away in the biggest game of the season, he responded by putting his side ahead again, almost single-handedly. With numerous Premier League clubs reportedly interested in Eriksen, the mental toughness he displayed on Sunday will have impressed them as much as his technical skills.

[2013-04-14] Danny Rose - Newcastle United vs Sunderland

Paolo Di Canio became the third Premier League manager that Danny Rose played under in the space of a year. With a fourth tracking his progress in North London, Rose's next club is as uncertain as Sunderland's next division. The left back will be playing for more than the professional pride of not being relegated: he is playing to impress. As mentioned in a previous Danny Rose blog, he feels that he is ready for first team football, be it at Tottenham or elsewhere.

With his side needing three points against their fiercest rivals, Rose was looking to replicate his form from a similar occasion on Sunday afternoon, as his side travelled to St James' Park. Despite the managerial upheaval at Sunderland, Di Canio's team, on paper, is quite similar to that of O'Neill's side. Rose continues at left back in a 4-4-1-1, with James McClean ahead of him on the left flank and John O'Shea as the left sided central defender. For Newcastle, Sylvain Marveaux played as the right attacker in a 4-3-3, with Mathieu Debuchy the opposition right back.

Rose was terrific throughout the game, defensively solid throughout. As a winger-cum-defender, playing his first full season in a new position, it was doubly impressive. After Di Canio's first game in charge against Chelsea, the Italian commented on Rose's rawness, feeling that there was room for improvement in his defensive game. Against Newcastle, Marveaux tended to drift inside from the right, leaving full back Debuchy with the responsibility of running the flank to provide some width. Rose was almost flawless against the French international, constantly using his pace and strength to shield the ball and shepherd it out of play.




Rose not only defended well on his own flank: he also covered for his teammates on a couple of occasions. His best moment of the game came when his blistering pace foiled a Newcastle counter-attack from a Sunderland free kick.


He also showed some good awareness in other instances, tracking players well and also showing some good aerial ability.



In the second half Sunderland faced few threats down their left flank, with Newcastle instead looking to the returning Ben Arfa on the opposite flank for the last half an hour. The hard-working James McClean also offered good protection to Rose throughout the match.

But if the two linked up well in defence, they offered little as an attacking threat. Against Manchester United, the duo also failed to combine well in attack. With a classic touchline hugging winger ahead of him (Di Canio implored McClean to use his right foot more in training this week), Rose, an inexperienced full back and former winger, seemed unsure about how to contribute when attacking. Today however, it seemed as though Rose was simply told not to go forward (as was Bardsley on the opposite flank), with Di Canio preferring to use the pace of his wingers and Stéphane Sessègnon on the counter instead. It took Rose until injury time to even cross the halfway line, taking on a couple of players and earning a corner.


The only blemish on Rose's game was when he dived in for a tackle on Debuchy in the first half. It was a rash tackle, committed in a part of the pitch where it wasn't necessary. Rose stood still for a good 20 seconds after the tackle, probably having flashbacks of his red card for a similarly reckless tackle on Alan Hutton last season at Villa Park. He only received a yellow this time.


It was a moment that could have undid all his previous good work and put his team under immense pressure. Hopefully, his decision making will improve with more games, as other than that moment his performance was fantastic. If he finishes the season as strongly as he played today, there'll be more than a manager in North London monitoring his progress.

[2013-03-16] John Bostock - Montreal Impact vs Toronto FC

John Bostock started his second game for Toronto FC last month away to their Canadian rivals Montreal Impact. Bostock had impressed in his debut match, winning a penalty to help the Canadians win their first game in 16 attempts. This awful run stretched back into the previous season: the match against Montreal was only the third game of the new MLS season. As that streak suggested, Toronto finished last in the combined 2012 MLS table, with Spurs' affiliate club San Jose Earthquakes finishing top (although they later lost in the play-offs). After the Earthquakes decided not to sign Bostock after a short trial, Ryan Nelsen, Toronto's eighth manager in seven seasons, swooped in, hoping to unlock his ex-teammate's dwindling potential.

Nelsen thus joins a growing list of managers that have tried to develop Bostock's talents. The midfielder has had four previous loan spells, mostly at League One clubs. All showed initial promise but, somewhat tellingly, three of the four clubs opted to terminate his deal before it was due to end. After he returned early from his first move to Brentford, then Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp hinted that it may be due to a lack of commitment from the youngster. Now perhaps a little more mature at 21, Bostock lined up against Montreal on the right wing of a 4-4-1-1, with former United trainee Richard Eckersley behind him and former City trainee Terry Dunfield beside him in central midfield. Hogan Ephraim played off striker Robert Earnshaw in attack.

Toronto impressed against their more fancied rivals, but went down 2-1 due to some sloppy defending and a lack of clear-cut attacking opportunities. Bostock had largely a poor game. His touch was off, with many of the away side's attacks coming to a disappointing end down his flank. He failed to take on his man much throughout the game, instead opting to cut inside onto his more favoured left foot to play a hopeful ball into the box. None of them caused Montreal a problem.




If Bostock's crossing was poor, so too were a number of his first touches. His opposition full back was Dennis Iapichino, an average Swiss, most likely in the MLS due to playing under Toronto coach Marco Schällibaum in his home country; hardly a world beater. The artificial pitch wasn't an issue either, with Bostock saying before the game that he enjoyed playing on Tottenham's all-weather training surfaces. Being a left-footed player on the right, Bostock had little choice but to come inside when he received possession. Eckersley did not get forward much to support him, while Earnshaw is a good finisher but offers little else. Ephraim didn't really get into the game, so it was only Terry Dunfield, a tidy ball player, who linked up at times with Bostock. Even taking this into consideration, he still needlessly lost possession quite a few times.





The most impressive part of Bostock's game was his physical strength. Given that it was his technical skills that made him stand out as a youth, it's indicative of how his career has progressed in that it's his physical strength that makes him stand out today. When he did retain possession, he used his body well in shielding the ball before offloading it.



The rare times he did beat his man on the wing also owed much to his strength rather than any technical ability or raw pace, leading to Toronto's best chance of the first half. Both runs shows the difficulty Bostock had playing the role of an inverted winger: he beats his man but then has to cut inside again.



So, a poor performance from Bostock in a team that's still finding its feet. Leaving England and the enduring weight of being a child prodigy is probably just what Bostock needs at this stage in his career. Away from the media glare and at a club with less ambitions than others in the MLS, he can concentrate purely on playing. His future remains unclear, even in the short-term. His Tottenham contract ends in July, with Ryan Nelsen saying that he expects the player to join Toronto (or the MLS) permanently. But, given how long Tottenham persevered with Simon Dawkins, there's a chance that he'll maybe stay under contract with Spurs, if only for a potential transfer fee.

[2013-04-01] Massimo Luongo - Doncaster Rovers vs Swindon Town

Massimo Luongo started his second game in four days as Swindon Town travelled to league leaders Doncaster Rovers on Monday afternoon. Along with Tottenham teammates Nathan Byrne and Dean Parrett, Luongo only joined Swindon the day before his debut last Friday, resulting in the trio having to skim the match day programme to learn their new teammates' names. A disappointing 1-1 draw at home to relegation threatened Oldham was played out, leaving the side with only one win from their last five games. Manager Kevin MacDonald was pleased with the youngster's performance, saying that the Australian got stronger as the game went on (three minutes into the audio interview).

Luongo previously had a loan spell at Ipswich Town this season, which was cut short due to a change of manager. During his time at the Championship club he relished the battle of first team football and was eager to show his less heralded attacking talents, describing himself as a box to box midfielder rather than just a defensive one. The player admitted to being disappointed with his performance on the ball against Oldham in his debut, which was watched by Tim Sherwood, Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsay. In Monday's game, Luongo lined up in central midfield beside holder Alan Navarro, with Dean Ferry and Adam Rooney on the right and left flank respectively. Tottenham teammate Parrett played ahead of the midfield, just off striker James Collins.

Doncaster were the better side throughout the game, in particular the second half. As the home side piled on the pressure, Luongo performed two exceptional blocks in the area, displaying immense agility and positioning. He may have wanted to display more of his ability on the ball before the game, but his primary role was illustrated brilliantly here.



Another feature of Luongo's defensive game is how tenacious and deceptively strong he is. Both attributes were needed, as throughout the game Swindon were often outnumbered in midfield. Parrett contributed little defensively, nor did Rooney on the left (a striker by trade). Swindon would often win possession deep with no immediate out-ball available, leading to the central midfielders being put under immediate pressure (James Coppinger, playing off the striker in a 4-4-1-1 formation for Doncaster, worked tirelessly off the ball). Luongo showed great strength on numerous occasions, using his body to shield the ball well before offloading a pass to retain possession.




Because of this pressure, it was difficult for Luongo to show much attacking ability on the ball. However, there were still glimpses of his talent, particularly in the first half before Doncaster began to take a stranglehold on the game. Again Luongo used his physical strength, moving past players before passing to a teammate. In this respect, he looks a bit similar to Mousa Dembélé, albeit without the Belgian's even bigger physicality and much better technique. But at only 20 years old, it's a very promising ability for a younger player to already have.




So, in difficult circumstances it was an impressive performance by Luongo. There were moments where he was crowded out or chose the wrong option, but his team were outclassed on the day. The Tottenham trio were signed to boost Swindon's squad after they picked up a few recent injuries, but will they keep their places once the injured return? Luongo was easily the pick of the three, but with veteran Tommy Miller returning from injury soon, a player who can now focus solely on playing rather than having to decide substitutions with Darren Ward in the middle of matches, his position may be under threat. But given Luongo's performance on Monday, plus the fact that Swindon's five remaining matches coming within nineteen days of each other, the Australian will surely have a large part to play.

Elsewhere in the game, Nathan Byrne had a torrid time up against one of the division's best wingers in Dave Cotterill. The Doncaster man had an impressive 18 assists this season (more than anyone in the top four divisions), along with 10 goals. Byrne seemed to have been targeted by the Doncaster players with a few physical tackles early on, but he recovered his composure and mostly kept Cotterill quiet for the first 45 minutes. But in the second half Cotterill showed his class, beating his man time and time again. With Byrne 21 in the summer and Adam Smith impressing in the Championship, it's doubtful that he'll get much of a chance at White Hart Lane in the near future.

Dean Parrett was tasked with linking play between the midfield and attack. With striker James Collins well marshalled by Rob Jones throughout, it was a difficult game for the 21 year old. He did display an admirable directness at times, dribbling at the Doncaster defence, but those runs usually yielded very little. He also drilled a couple of shots over the crossbar, showing decent technique, but he was anonymous for large parts of the game. To be fair, Swindon were away to the league leaders and Parrett was playing a difficult role in a new team, but it would be surprising to see him in a Tottenham shirt again.

[2013-03-30] Danny Rose - Sunderland vs Manchester United

In what turned out to be Martin O'Neill's last game in charge of the home side, Sunderland took on Manchester United in Saturday's early kick-off. Danny Rose has been one of Sunderland's few bright spots from an otherwise dismal campaign, his attacking thrusts down the left flank earning him plenty of plaudits. His good form has also led to speculation over his future, with the player stating that he's unwilling to return to Tottenham to just sit on the bench.

Hamstring injuries against Bolton in January and Arsenal in February have led to a frustrating 2013 for Rose, but he played the full 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw versus Norwich earlier this month. Against United he lined up at left back in a 4-4-1-1, next to captain John O'Shea, with James McClean ahead of him on the left flank. United lined up in a similar formation: Antonio Valencia started on the right, with Rafael operating behind him. Valencia has been poor all season, as he himself has admitted, but with Rafael's threat and Shinji Kagawa's tendency to drift inside it would be a decent test for someone playing their first full season in a new position.

Defensively, Rose had a very solid game. Valencia's slump continues for at least another game, while Rafael's substitution after half an hour, moving the less threatening Smalling to right back, meant that United targeted Sunderland's right flank instead. Rose pressed Valencia quite aggressively, leading to a number of interceptions.




Positionally Rose was also good, covering a ball over the top on the opposite flank to clear in the first half, before deftly flicking away a cross into the box ahead of Valencia in the second half.


Rose also won a couple of aerial duels against the taller Valencia, while matching him for pace throughout the game. There were a few small defensive errors however, such as getting his body between Valencia and the ball yet still losing possession, but overall Rose had a good game defending.

Offensively however, he was poor. It seems strange that a winger-cum-defender had a good defensive game and a poor offensive one, but a lot of that can be explained by the negative tactics employed by O'Neill. Until United went a goal ahead, Rose wasn't involved in any meaningful attacking move, barely crossing the halfway line. Adam Johnson had now been switched to the left for the rest of the first half, but as he did with McClean, Rose failed to have much interplay with the man ahead of him. Rose's attacking game seemed to be based on dribbling from a deep position, rather than overlapping the winger. Only one dribble was successful, leading to an overhit cross.


The problem for a lot of attacking looking duos on one flank is that they are often too similar in styles. Both McClean and Johnson like to hug the wings, giving an inexperienced full back and former winger a problem in how to contribute when attacking. Rose's only overlapping run in the game even went infield. Hence Rose did what he knows best: dribbling, but doing so from deep with nobody behind you is asking for trouble. Of course, United were superb defensively too. Valencia is going through a poor patch of form but he still protects his flank well, while Carrick positioned himself well on the right flank at times. When Rose was faced with this red defensive wall ahead of him, he did manage to spread the play extremely well with a couple of crossfield passes.



In January, André Villas-Boas said that the chances of Rose being sold were 'completely impossible'. As mentioned, Rose has said that he wants first team football and as he turns twenty-three in the summer it's understandable. Even in 2011 he was talking about playing youth football against the likes of Mesut Özil and Sami Khedira; seeing how their careers have blossomed since he can't be blamed for wanting to really begin his own.

So if he were to return to Tottenham, how would he fit in? With Bale now moved into a central position, the problem of having a touchline hugging winger ahead of him wouldn't exist, assuming that Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurðsson continue to vie for position ahead of him. Rose certainly seems to have improved defensively from his last showing in a Spurs shirt, but there were still moments of indecision against United. That's understandable for a player playing his first season as a defender, but given his rawness and desire for first team football it's unlikely that he'll be at White Hart Lane next season.