2 revealing stats tell the truth about Dembélé

Player Assessment: Mousa Dembélé

With plenty of news lately the player assessments have taken a back seat so it's about time I squeezed another one in. I have looked at the full-backs, central defenders and defensive midfielder players (links are below), now I continue the look at the more attacking players of the defensive midfield pair. Ryan Mason has already been covered, now it's the turn of Mousa Dembélé.

Mousa Dembélé

The Belgian international arrived from Fulham in August 2012 for £16.72 million (US$25.98m - AUS$33.65m - €23.09m) and has frustrated head coaches ever since.

Dembélé is 27-year-old (28 in July) and has a contract until 2017 so next season will be a big one. Unfortunately he stays in his comfort zone, he just produces what he does and doesn't build upon it. He could have been a world star if he wanted, he has the ability, but he doesn't improve his game to go to the next level.

As Les Ferdinand said he has the talent, he could have played for Real Madrid if he would develop it, but he hasn't. It's a frequent theme with Dembélé and it continues. Pochettino has got tough with him, improve, play the way I want you to play within the system and you have a future, don't and you won't be picked. He hasn't played enough games because he is too interested in 'doing his thing' beating a man and then giving responsibility to someone else to create something.

He scores 1 Premier League goal a season and he is a former striker, then again he has admitted he doesn't like shooting, he rather dribble past a man and that's the key. That shows his mentality, when you watch him play, that's what he wants to do, he wants to make himself feel good rather than do what is best for the team. The two in the right system are aligned and we have played in a manner that suits him before but now we have a more high energy style he has to adapt, he hasn't.

The question you have to ask him is how have you improved as a player since you have been at Tottenham, then how did you improve last season? I don't think he has, he doesn't shoot, he doesn't create around the box, he doesn't score, Lampard and Gerrard scored 20 goals a season every season, Dembélé one.

The fastest way to move a football is to pass it, the slowest way is to dribble, Pochettino want to play quicker, Dembélé wants to dribble. Can he be fitted in the system, yes, does he want to be, question mark. Will he grasp he has to add to his game or will he say I'll just go and indulge myself elsewhere. I know this sounds a harsh assessment for a very good player, but that's the problem he shouldn't be a very good player, he should be a great one.

If he would move the ball as quickly as Ryan Mason does then his name would be playing every week, he has everything. He won't change unless he decides to change. Dembélé is a player who would definitely benefit from seeing a sports psychologist regularly, his mindset needs changing, then the real Dembélé would be seen, alas I fear we will never see him though.

Premier League Games Only

Mousa Dembélé
Played: 26
Minutes: 1,160
Total Passes: 826
Pass Completion: 89.35%
Forward Passes: 54.36%
Key Passes: 21
Key Pass Time: 1 every 55.24 minutes
Chances Created: 23
Chance Creation Time: 1 every 50.34 minutes
Shots: 11
Shot Accuracy: 33%
Goals: 1
Assists: 1
Positive Attacking Action: 1 every 20.35 minutes
(Total Minutes divided by Shots, Goals, Assists, Key passes, Chances Created combined)
Tackles: 51
Tackles Won: 39.22%
Blocks: 1
Interceptions: 6
Clearances: 12
Take On Success: 75%
Header Success: 45.45%
Defensive Action: 1 every 61.05 minutes
(Total Minutes divided by Blocks, Clearances, Interceptions)
Next season Mousa Dembélé needs to move the ball quicker, in the way Ryan Mason does, no more gently rolling the ball wide, pass it wide at pace, part of his role is to switch play as quickly as possible not as slowly as possible. He need to take more responsibility and be more creative around the box instead of abdicating the responsibility to someone else.

His forward passing statistic speaks volumes, he has the lowest forward passing percentage of all the central defensive midfield players. Dembélé 54.36%, Ryan Mason 69.40%, Paulinho 57.06%, Nabil Bentaleb 61.74%, Benjamin Stambouli 63.96%, Étienne Capoue 67.05%.

He needs to shoot more and get in the box move, he is good in the air, how many headed goals has he scored, can you remember one?

Dembélé shoots once every 105.45 minutes, Ryan Mason shoots once every 56.49 minutes, Paulinho every 43.42 minutes, even the more defensive Nabil Bentaleb shoots once every 84.38 minutes.

His shot time and his forward passing percentage tell the frustrating Dembélé story.

Previous Assessments

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