Eric Dier

[Aaron Manc]

Spot on.

Just because Wanyama has been better in central midfield and Dier was goof last year doesn't mean we have to shoe-horn him into the team. Depth and competition is crucial for success. Rose and Walker have clearly upped their games since Trippier and Davies have signed. Dier and Wanyama should be competing for central midfield and he should stay well clear away from centre back unless it's last resort and three of our four actual centre halfs (Vert, Toby, CCV, Wimmer) are all injured.

Wanyama clearly stifles Dembele, so his 'good' performances have been counter-productive. Yes he makes a lot of tackles and runs hard, but Dier naturally reads the game better and more importantly plays the ball forward and quicker. To neutralise Wanyama's primitive passing game, he should only be paired with Winks, with Dier-Dembele the alternative.

Dier would be perfect for United, and if Pocchettino doesn't give him a fair crack in the midfield he might be tempted by any one of the elite clubs that would take him with open arms. It isn't hyperbole to suggest he could become the very best in his position within a couple of years, and it's important that he isnt wasted in a utility capacity.

 

[Boltonspur]

Wanyama clearly stifles Dembele, so his 'good' performances have been counter-productive. Yes he makes a lot of tackles and runs hard, but Dier naturally reads the game better and more importantly plays the ball forward and quicker. To neutralise Wanyama's primitive passing game, he should only be paired with Winks, with Dier-Dembele the alternative.

Dier would be perfect for United, and if Pocchettino doesn't give him a fair crack in the midfield he might be tempted by any one of the elite clubs that would take him with open arms. It isn't hyperbole to suggest he could become the very best in his position within a couple of years, and it's important that he isnt wasted in a utility capacity.

I have a United supporting mate who lives up north & has had a season ticket since 1978. He raves over Dier & cant believe he gets played "out of position" or sometimes not at all. He says categorically that him & a few of his mates are literally begging over their beers to recruit Dier. Whilst I hate that scummy club, they know a player (ok, I'll give you Pogba & Fellaini, but so would a lot of their fans too)

I like big Vic & he's not done much wrong at all (he's been excellent at times), but the Dier/Dembele axis was much more attractive to watch & as controversial as it may sound, I'd stick Wanyama in the 3 at the back & put Dier back alongside Dembele.

 

[gibbs131]

He just seems low on confidence and down, not sure why.

Eriksen took a corner and he just stood there staring at the ground, not even aware of what's going on around him.

It's nothing to do with confidence. It's physics.

Dier is one of our slowest players. Eriksen is even slower in front of him and Dembele and Alli are also (relativity for prem midfielders) slow physically (not mentally). Poch fields the slowest midfield/attack/spine in the prem and managers know they can turn him.

There is nothing wrong with Dier. It's just a blind spot in Poch's game that he put the slowest outfield spine in the Prem out and expects to win the title:

Kane/Eriksen/Dembele/Dier AMAZING players. Just slow players buched up ready for a through ball and a pacy winger/striker to undo. On the flip side we can be predictable because the same spine is often slow to play out from the back. It's why we take SO MANY shots from outside the box.

Poch has done everything I've asked. He's put steel all over the picth to support Eriksen...Walker and Rose have been stunning in attack in midfield. Our last fig leaf is pace in the final third.

I love Poch, but the pace thing is really frustrating me. He's even praising players like Siggy and that worries me.

Dier is fucking amazing. It's just sad to see him being a victim of poor team tactics. Well not poor. Poch is young and thinks heart etc can overcome everything. He's still green/idealist. But praising the Carroll's, Siggy's etc suggests the penny isn't going to drop this season. But he always gets there in the end.

 

[mouse]

Wanyama clearly stifles Dembele, so his 'good' performances have been counter-productive. Yes he makes a lot of tackles and runs hard, but Dier naturally reads the game better and more importantly plays the ball forward and quicker. To neutralise Wanyama's primitive passing game, he should only be paired with Winks, with Dier-Dembele the alternative.

Dier would be perfect for United, and if Pocchettino doesn't give him a fair crack in the midfield he might be tempted by any one of the elite clubs that would take him with open arms. It isn't hyperbole to suggest he could become the very best in his position within a couple of years, and it's important that he isnt wasted in a utility capacity.

Agree with the second paragraph. But not the first.

Wanyamas passing is a lot better than i expected it to be, but both him and Dembele have been guilty of conceding possession so far this season

The conundrum is that we expect these players to make more adventurous forward thinking passes (which by their nature have a greater chance of being intercepted) but then berate them for losing possession in a high risk area.

One of the beautiful things about our current squad / system is that we expect nearly every player / position to be adept at both defensive and attacking play. Be proficent at passing the ball creatively but also effective at pressing and tackling and being prepared to put their neck on the line. Its a high level of expectation, but I think we should remember that some players will always be better at being "complete players" than others

 

[suburbanexile]

It's nothing to do with confidence. It's physics.

Dier is one of our slowest players. Eriksen is even slower in front of him and Dembele and Alli are also (relativity for prem midfielders) slow physically (not mentally). Poch fields the slowest midfield/attack/spine in the prem and managers know they can turn him.

There is nothing wrong with Dier. It's just a blind spot in Poch's game that he put the slowest outfield spine in the Prem out and expects to win the title:

Kane/Eriksen/Dembele/Dier AMAZING players. Just slow players buched up ready for a through ball and a pacy winger/striker to undo. On the flip side we can be predictable because the same spine is often slow to play out from the back. It's why we take SO MANY shots from outside the box.

Poch has done everything I've asked. He's put steel all over the picth to support Eriksen...Walker and Rose have been stunning in attack in midfield. Our last fig leaf is pace in the final third.

I love Poch, but the pace thing is really frustrating me. He's even praising players like Siggy and that worries me.

Dier is fucking amazing. It's just sad to see him being a victim of poor team tactics. Well not poor. Poch is young and thinks heart etc can overcome everything. He's still green/idealist. But praising the Carroll's, Siggy's etc suggests the penny isn't going to drop this season. But he always gets there in the end.

The pace for the side comes from the fullbacks. This means they can be both an attacking force as well as a defensive asset, as to put it crudely, they can get from one end of the pitch to the other very quickly (incredibly fitness levels also required).
As our game is about possession, and dominating the other side in their own half, we don't need fast players in midfield and upfront, just technically good ones, who create space with their off the ball movement. There is an argument though for having a Pedro type player who we can bring on in the last 30 mins against park the bus opposition.

 

[CJJ]

Kane/Eriksen/Dembele/Dier AMAZING players. Just slow players buched up ready for a through ball and a pacy winger/striker to undo.

Eriksen was in the top 10 fastest players in the league last season, statistically.

I don't think it's that we don't have fast central players, I just don't think it's in our tactic to risk losing possession in the middle. Kane isn't a slouch, and often beats an offside trap.

The illusion of "no pace" by observants is daft. I've lost count of the amount of times people label Rooney as fat and slow, yet he's often recorded amongst the fastest players in world football.

 

[benjomess]

Eriksen was in the top 10 fastest players in the league last season, statistically.

I don't think it's that we don't have fast central players, I just don't think it's in our tactic to risk losing possession in the middle. Kane isn't a slouch, and often beats an offside trap.

The illusion of "no pace" by observants is daft. I've lost count of the amount of times people label Rooney as fat and slow, yet he's often recorded amongst the fastest players in world football.

Spot on. It's all bollocks. Being able to run fast is nothing if you don't have the ability to beat a man - at whatever speed - and retain possession.

 

[Jurgen's Binnman]

I wonder if Eric regrets that "curtains" haircut he had at the start of the season, now on every line up image at the start of the game.

 

[trifficTotnum]

Poch must have his reasons but I would consider our midfield of dembele and Dier from last season much better than Wanyama & dembele, maybe the latter combo is better defensively but Dier distributes better and is being wasted in a back 3.
it's not a surprise many teams want him, he is basically the english 'philip lahm'.

 

[1882]

I often wonder whether a team might go for Dier to encourage Alli to follow.

Don't say that out loud... you don't know who's listening!!

I don't think Eric is being played 'out of position' at all.. in fact I think he has the intelligence to become a modern day Gary Mabbutt...
A composed Central Defender... but equally comfortable as a DM... it works on SO many levels!

I also think he should be Captain one day... and definitely has the potential, and respect to do so.

 

[koppel]

He's very, very good in a 3 or in midfield.

In a back four he's very shaky. It's weird.

 

[Totti]

He's very, very good in a 3 or in midfield.

In a back four he's very shaky. It's weird.

Was it not his fault for Everton's second? Didn't seem tight enough to his man.

 

[koppel]

Was it not his fault for Everton's second? Didn't seem tight enough to his man.

I didn't notice but it was a set play and no one really seemed switched on.

 

[Totti]

I didn't notice but it was a set play and no one really seemed switched on.

It just sort of summed up his season - lack of concentration.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

It just sort of summed up his season - lack of concentration.

Yet he was totally switched on to spot and react to a run of theirs in the first half (can't remember who), and make a tackle on Davies in the box to prevent the move form coming to anything. He was excellent today.

 

[Totti]

Yet he was totally switched on to spot and react to a run of theirs in the first half (can't remember who), and make a tackle on Davies in the box to prevent the move form coming to anything. He was excellent today.

Yeah, that shocked me a bit too. Poor positioning aside for those chances, he was good. But I said he was good in a back three. It's when he's in a back four as part of a two man central defence where he struggles.

 

[gibbs131]

The pace for the side comes from the fullbacks. This means they can be both an attacking force as well as a defensive asset, as to put it crudely, they can get from one end of the pitch to the other very quickly (incredibly fitness levels also required).

Yep I know. It was something I wanted ages from Rose/Walker/Trippier.

But that's predictable right? If our only pace in attack is from the wings, that is easier to prepare for. If we had pace from all angles it gets less predictable.

 

[gibbs131]

Eriksen was in the top 10 fastest players in the league last season, statistically.

I don't think it's that we don't have fast central players, I just don't think it's in our tactic to risk losing possession in the middle. Kane isn't a slouch, and often beats an offside trap.

The illusion of "no pace" by observants is daft. I've lost count of the amount of times people label Rooney as fat and slow, yet he's often recorded amongst the fastest players in world football.

Those statisticians also said the same thing about Bebtley being our fastest player.

You think Eriksen is top 10 fastest players in the prem? Because of a stat?

 

[gibbs131]

Poch must have his reasons but I would consider our midfield of dembele and Dier from last season much better than Wanyama & dembele, maybe the latter combo is better defensively but Dier distributes better and is being wasted in a back 3.
it's not a surprise many teams want him, he is basically the english 'philip lahm'.

I don't agree that they were a batter pairing than Dembele/Wanyama. BUT it kinda illustrates my point about the mix.

Dier had Pace behind him in Toby and at the side from Walker when he shone in midfield.

Pace was mixed through the spine.

Not slow slow slow slow in a row.

Like I said IMO Diers form is all to do with physics.

Look at our winning streak at WHL. Then look at our games at Wembley. WHL has a much narrower pitch. Less room for the opposition to take advantage of a slow spine.

At Wembley there Is more space that needs to be covered when it comes to defending etc. IMO on the larger pitch at Wembley or the disasterous CL away games Poch needed pace in that spine. Wanyama pushed back into the 3 may even be enough to break it up.

Just swap Dier and Wanyama could be the answer. Then you have Dier of 2015. Pace behind him and to the side.

 

[CJJ]

Those statisticians also said the same thing about Bebtley being our fastest player.

You think Eriksen is top 10 fastest players in the prem? Because of a stat?

I'll be honest, I'm now not 100% convinced you know what a statistic is.....

Like I said IMO Diers form is all to do with physics.

Next up, Professor Gibbins details his findings on how football is finally moving on from magic and conforming to the laws of physics