Hoof_It_Nev

I thought I would take a look at some Spurs forum (The Fighting Cock")to see what they were saying about Alli because I am really struggling to work him out. There are a lot of well wishers and appreciation for what he did at the club but ultimately they all think his time has been and gone. Here are some of the main comments:
"I have a feeling Dele peaked a good few years back. He was instinctive, something you cannot teach, and he lost that and seems to not be able to get it back. Worse still he thinks Fat Frank is an “Amazing” manager? Seems he’s just gone there for an easy ride where he will be the centre of attention and the big man again. I suspect the established stars at the club won’t like it. He’s all mouth no end product"
"Lost his pace and suffered from doing a job in MF for most of the season when we were bare bones. Since then always expected him back but been disappointed. I never thought it was attitude but physical, hope he works out around it. On the upside fat Frank never had the burst of pace so may help."
"I thought he was done, upset but no regrets... Other than the finishing against Liverpool he looked almost old Ali... Then nothing.

I hope he can rediscover old Ali but if not discover a new Ali."
"He will have games where he looks good again. But he can't consistently do it. The little edge he had the fast twitch muscle exceleration its been hurt by the injuries. Whilst never quick it was substantial enough to get him away from people once he had tricked them. I loved the kid. Id love for him to be his old self even for the Toffess but I genuinely don't think it's possible."
"Can't watch any more of these videos. It hurts remembering how good he was at making those runs, taking a delightful touch and finishing, to seeing him this past couple of years. It's such a decline it's almost untrue. I often think that we remember players' past triumphs more fondly than we probably should. It strikes me though that I've forgotten just how damn good he actually was."
"To be honest I haven’t been this sad about someone leaving Spurs since Poch was sacked. This just feels wrong. The fact is Dele is a victim of Mourinho’s management style and social media. I hope Dele regains that magic."
"So touching, right? Sucks to see a player move on, especially one that was part of some really good times as Dele was. However, Dele's real (net) usefullness ended many seasons ago and for those that recognized it this occasion is a relief.

Game after game of expecting and receiving shit displays after shit displays gets old real fast. And beyond that you have to deal with the ignorant apologists spouting their ignorance about this player that we have now had to give away...FOR FREE!!!! That's how bad he's been!!!! So bad in fact that folks are looking at this and saying "wow, we gave him away for free but it feels like a good deal". That's bad but really encapsulates the nonsense of certain supporters. There are still some that think he should be starting for us yet we gave him away for free. Can you believe that?

Some folks might think me a little churlish 'dancing on his grave' like this but A) it's only because they've not realized for 4+ seasons that this player has been hurting us and everyone 'dances on graves' but folks get holier than thou when it's the grave of someone they like. We all danced on Mou's grave but it was 'ok' then, right? Happy to see the back of this player and no desire for folks' hypocrisy. Sorry in advance if you've gotten your hopes up for htis player.
 
Fire away. I will give you a very unvarnished take on this player that you will not receive while folks are busy crying over a player that has truly sucked for going on 4+ seasons but most think he will return to 'his best' of 5 seasons ago if we do 'X', 'Y', or friggin 'Z'. And what they will also not tell you is that when he is not scoring he is of little other value. Even during his salad days he was a moments player...and the rest of his game was league 1 shit.

Trust me on this, we have given him to you for free but you have still gotten taken to the cleaners...for multiple reasons. One is that Dele can only play from the left half space and truly struggles anywhere else on the field...and he's not great shakes in the LHS either if you expect him to do other footballing things besides goal-hanging cherry picking.

Second issue is that your LHS is occupied by Richarlison and there is no way Dele supplants that player. You don't play with a #10 but perhaps Lampard will look to do so. But then that brings us to a third problem because VDB has just been brought in and Dele will have to fight for a place...something he has shown little desire or character (and even less ability) to do here. If you are lucky, your club will figure this out in the next 18 games and not compound a bad decision by making it worse/permanent.
 
You will hear many a story as to what caused Dele's 'decline' (all bullshit tribal revisionism by those that have little idea what they're talking about but don't want to say bad things about a player) but the truth of the matter is, and you will realize this very, very soon, he is not a very good all around footballer. As a matter of fact he is not much of a footballer at all. Most folks on this board, and quite a few more than is remotely reasonable at this stage considering the preponderance of evidence, ignored the clear signs of deficiency in this player's game and focused on the shiny objects that he would occasionally provide. Thankfully these FIFA playing dilettantes are not in control of decision making at the club and this player is gone to Merseyside. Thank you (and sorry), Everton!

To call Dele's current predicament a 'decline' is to miss the fuller story of this player. He is a nothing player in the main and you will see that before the end of this season. I guarantee you this! His technical ability is severely lacking and this causes him to take way too many touches at times where quicker movement of the ball would be beneficial. His inability to control a ball also causes him to miss windows for other players and passes. And his movement, such as it is, is basic (recycled run in behind over and over) and easily defended because his technical deficits preclude him from going into spaces requiring decent technical ability...the exact spaces you'd expect a #10/SS/creator to be at his best. Dele plays in the direction he is facing because his has no ability to control and turn on a man. You will see him 'going left' a lot. You'll know what I mean when you see it. And you will see it.

So, decline is not what we are seeing. Yes, we see a frustrated player. Yes, we see his stats are down. But truthfully what we are seeing is a player that is now relying on his very threadbare skillset. There is nothing there to this player and there never really was beyond the goals that a finely tuned machined served up for him to tap in. If you guys are expecting the same then prepare to be disappointed. He does have a nose for goal but that is at the expense of everything else you'd expect of a player. Can you carry such a player? And unlike Richarlison he can't make his own goal. He can't beat a man or strike a ball...or properly control a ball for that matter. Good luck!
 
As I've said he can ONLY play in the LHS. He is going to drive you mad with his stupid flicks which he attempts ANYWHERE on the field. What most on this board really don't understand is that he does them because he can't control a friggin ball. You will see this. And now that you know, you will not unsee this...and it will frustrate you.

If you put him deeper in MF you will suffer. He has zero defensive instincts and little understanding of danger. He used to get around and blindside folks while pressing but in the traditional defensive sense he is a liability.
 
All conjecture from folks round these parts. We have no clue what goes on in this player's life. What we should know is that it doesn't really matter if he abandoned fortnite or whatever the hell else he does he would still be the same player devoid of any discernable, intrinsic footballing talent. But I do hear that he is Messi-like in the work he does offscreen and in spaces they don't show on TV.

Folks are looking for any excuse to justify why they had it wrong for so many years!!!! We gave him to you for free beacuse he's been awful and the last 3 managers have wanted rid of him. Good luck to you folks. Perhaps Lampard, a similarly goal-scoring but useless all around footballer, can get him back to scoring goals and thus justify his presence. I doubt it because A) Lampard is a shit coach who should not be managing a club the level of Everton at this point in his career; Dele is truly an awful footballer; and C) your team needs more work. Mark my words, you will see.

You will be very disappointed in this player, in your board, and Lampard for wanting him. But you will be happy when you realize that he won't cost you any money if your folks are smart.

And make sure to pop back in to let us know how things are going. I look forward to that. And again, sorry."
"You've picked up a busted flush mate."
"Give him freedom behind the main striker I assume DCL and he is a very effective player in and around the box. Stick him in a fixed system in CM and he just sits on the ball and does very little. He is a very specialist player, he doesn’t suit most systems but if Lampard is clever he will play him in a free role off the main striker. Really that more than anything will determine his use to you. He will either be a fans hero or crap, there is little in between."
"He looked like a world-beater here for a couple of years but I think a mixture of things stopped him in his tracked. His attitude and focusing on other things outside of football definitely played a part. He used to play with such aggression but he's not had that in his game for a long time now, and it's what elevated him as he's not the most naturally gifted player around.

I've been saying he needs to move for his own sake (and ours) for a couple of years now. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him do well and score goals again under Lampard."
"Sad to see him go. Really hope Everton works out for him.

Think the attitude stuff is massively overblown. What did for him were the hamstring injuries. He lost the zip from his game."

Same. I was expecting a cocky, arrogant guy, hinting at stepping down from playing at a 'super 6' team (lol) alongside Son and Kane to little old Everton. He comes across as shy, nervous, and not media trained, like someone straight out of the academy. You really have no idea what goes on in anyone's head, but if his decline is literally a lack of confidence for whatever reason then fuck me, get his confidence back and this might be an absolute masterstroke. Best of luck to him. 

Same. I was expecting a cocky, arrogant guy, hinting at stepping down from playing at a 'super 6' team (lol) alongside Son and Kane to little old Everton. He comes across as shy, nervous, and not media trained, like someone straight out of the academy. You really have no idea what goes on in anyone's head, but if his decline is literally a lack of confidence for whatever reason then fuck me, get his confidence back and this might be an absolute masterstroke. Best of luck to him. 

Same. I was expecting a cocky, arrogant guy, hinting at stepping down from playing at a 'super 6' team (lol) alongside Son and Kane to little old Everton. He comes across as shy, nervous, and not media trained, like someone straight out of the academy. You really have no idea what goes on in anyone's head, but if his decline is literally a lack of confidence for whatever reason then fuck me, get his confidence back and this might be an absolute masterstroke. Best of luck to him. 

Same. I was expecting a cocky, arrogant guy, hinting at stepping down from playing at a 'super 6' team (lol) alongside Son and Kane to little old Everton. He comes across as shy, nervous, and not media trained, like someone straight out of the academy. You really have no idea what goes on in anyone's head, but if his decline is literally a lack of confidence for whatever reason then fuck me, get his confidence back and this might be an absolute masterstroke. Best of luck to him. 

Same. I was expecting a cocky, arrogant guy, hinting at stepping down from playing at a 'super 6' team (lol) alongside Son and Kane to little old Everton. He comes across as shy, nervous, and not media trained, like someone straight out of the academy. You really have no idea what goes on in anyone's head, but if his decline is literally a lack of confidence for whatever reason then fuck me, get his confidence back and this might be an absolute masterstroke. Best of luck to him. 

He's not a gobshite, he loves the club, lifted us up before Carlo came in, always been there for us as a player and a coach.
I don't think he is anywhere near ready to be our manager, and to be fair that's what he said. He probably needs to go for his own development and I think we need to clear house of the old coaches.
But to insult a person who loves the club and has done his best is wrong in my book.

Purely hypothetical but... 
 
Maybe he gives 100% in training 
Maybe he loves the club and really wants to play for us
He did well when he first came in and maybe he's convinced he can still play with the same returns if given a lengthy run 
Maybe he sees the revolving door of managers and he's waiting for one to give him a chance
On the outside it might look like he's a mercenary because he's not moving away, but there's always the possibility of any combination of the points above, we really don't know. 
 
Or maybe he's laughing at a company paying him millions a year to sit on his arse... Probably seems more likely after writing this 😅

Purely hypothetical but... 
 
Maybe he gives 100% in training 
Maybe he loves the club and really wants to play for us
He did well when he first came in and maybe he's convinced he can still play with the same returns if given a lengthy run 
Maybe he sees the revolving door of managers and he's waiting for one to give him a chance
On the outside it might look like he's a mercenary because he's not moving away, but there's always the possibility of any combination of the points above, we really don't know. 
 
Or maybe he's laughing at a company paying him millions a year to sit on his arse... Probably seems more likely after writing this 😅

Found his level against Bolivia! 

Found his level against Bolivia! 

Pereira managerial history:
 
2002–2003: Padroense (juniors)
2003–2004: Porto (juniors)
2004–2005: Sanjoanense
2005–2007: Espinho
2007–2008: Porto (juniors)
2008–2010: Santa Clara
2010–2011: Porto (assistant)
2011–2013: Porto
2013–2014: Al Ahli
2015: Olympiacos
2015–2016: Fenerbahçe
2017: 1860 Munich
2017–2020: Shanghai SIPG
2021: Fenerbahçe
 
Can't exactly see how he's the manager to sort us out and build us back up for the long term. This is just going to be another manager bringing in a couple of players then getting sacked 6 months later isn't it. 

So with no manager and no DOF, I guess the squad we have is the one we have for the rest of the season. Would have liked a few more additions but not if it means Moshiri making the decisions! 

Allardyce

This didn't age well

This didn't age well

This didn't age well

Why would any team try to avoid playing us at the moment though 😂

Why would any team try to avoid playing us at the moment though 😂

Why would any team try to avoid playing us at the moment though 😂

Why would any team try to avoid playing us at the moment though 😂

Knew he'd miss that. Typical 

100% should have been a booking. Blatant cheating... 

Brave boy, but gotta admit it's nice to see some people getting triggered 😂
 
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWEA9DlI_Yk/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_mid=B520E4A2-2FCB-4B90-85C1-AB501CC3E731