Why do you disagree with me? Post match the pundits said Poch made a mistake not taking off Alli because of the potential ban.
What about Alli's temperament has told you that he could easily see out the rest of the game without getting a yellow? He's a firebrand. The needle on the pitch was already starting to spill over. Minutes after my tweet he got a yellow.
Facing Chelsea without Alli? Not good. Now we will only win by two goals instead of three. Alli's momentum was fantastic and he will be missed.
What I really think we will miss is his pace. If you take away pace from this team, things can get pretty leaden in the midfield. It's not just his pace, it's the amount of running he does.
That card did us no favors. Chelsea will be dangerous until we run them into the ground. Alli is a massive part of our endless running that wear teams down. Even games we did not win like Utd and the Gooners in the cup they were at deaths door at the end due to Bentaleb etc running them ragged. It's genetic stallions like Alli that we need to run circles around a creaking Chelsea in the final third. Not taking him off was shortsighted. I'm Dembele's biggest fan, but he struggles to last 90. Mason will struggle due to fitness. Bentaleb the same. Eriksen can last but he can be a non event off the ball. Lamela can be a liability off the ball.
I think you are underplaying the importance of what happened.
I disagree with you, simply on the premise that Alli is responsible for his behaviour on the pitch, not Poch. Sure, you can make a prediction he might get booked (as you did), but it's hardly a dead cert to happen. You know there is a betting market for yellow cards these days? You could make a fortune if you get them right every time.
Alli was on 4 yellow cards. One more and he's banned. Now how many games do you want Poch to ask Alli to tiptoe round the pitch avoiding another yellow before he's 'allowed' to miss the next game? What game is it acceptable to almost admit 'I don't need you for the next game, feel free to get booked today'? It's the Premier League. We ideally need our first team players for every game. But it's not going to happen.
Lamela has been quality this season. He was banned for West Ham, we slotted Son in and we didn't miss him. We can do the same with Alli. He can be replaced. We have the depth to cover his absence and not miss him, in my opinion. All the while he is a valuable first team player and I'd expect him back the following week.
Rose and Walker have to work harder, because they are wingbacks covering the whole field, often having to quickly backtrack when there's a change in possession. Centre backs are pretty stable in their position, and don't need to run half as much. Completely different roles in the team. And they're given that licence because Dier plays the DM role so bloody well, he can cover either side as needed if they counter our wing when Walker/Rose are out of position.If there is a weak link off the ball it's them, usually resulting in Rose and Walker having to do too much compared to what Jan and Toby have to deal with (which is understandable).
And it isn't Lamela and Eriksen that cause more work for them. They both do an excellent job tracking. I'd say Chadli and Son are weaker 'defenders' of the 4.
Poch has clearly spent hours on the training field with the boys working on our defensive shape, and it's working wonders.