Spurs reaping benefits of Dembele's new approach
There are plenty of questions doing the rounds on Twitter about rejuvenated Mousa Dembele after his winning goal in the UEFA Europa League against Belgian side Anderlecht last night.
The last time Dembele scored a goal in three consecutive games was in September 2006! That rather tells you how much he shoots and questions were asked tongue in cheek as to why he hasn't shot in his last three years at Tottenham.
He is a player who has been happy in his comfort zone doing what he does and not bothering to push himself. You only push when you have the motivation to do so and last year was a shock for him, a wake-up call. He came across a manager in Pochettino who wouldn't just pander to him and let him do what he wanted. That could have gone either way.
Fair play to Dembele he has taken it the right way, unlike Townsend or Capoue or Adebayor. I his interviews at the end of last season he said he was disappointed how much he had played which, of course, the popular press latched on to as meaning he would be leaving. Regular readers will know there were positive signs in his words as he took responsibility for a lack of game time saying it was totally down to him.
I commented at the time that those were the seeds of a mental shift towards a winning mentality, where a player takes responsibility, doesn't blame others and works to improve each day. The early season was encouraging, even though he was being played out of position, then came the injury, an improvement in Lamela's form, the arrival of Son and Njie. You wondered where he would fit in the team.
A suspension to Eric Dier and he played in the more defensive of the two defensive midfielders roles brilliantly before moving forward in the next game. Pochettino recently spoke about Townsend telling him that he must take his chance when it is given and prove him wrong for leaving him out, that is exactly what Dembele was doing when he played for Dier. At the moment, he is saying to Pochettino you can't drop me.
That is exactly what Pochettino wants all his players to be doing. It makes it tough, of course it does, but if Tottenham want to be a winning club then that is the attitude we must have, perform or else. Players have to know they must perform to stay in the side with hungry wolves waiting to take their place.
This season Mousa Dembele has had 10 shots, 8 in the Premier League in 520 minutes and 2 in the Europa League in 82 minutes, scoring 3 goals. Last season he had just 11 shots in 1,160 minutes of Premier League football and 4 shots in 351 minutes of UEFA Europa League football, a total of 15 shots all season in 1,511 minutes compared with 10 in 602 minutes this season. He scored just 1 goal last season and has scored 3 already this season.
Statistics can tell you what you want, but it is undeniable he is shooting more this season and surprise surprise he is scoring more goals. Lamela is getting is goal scoring positions and doing the same. Mason made a last ditch blocking tackle and played a superb, but simple, first time ball sweeping it to the other side quickly to give us space to take on the full-back one-on-one. It is simple things like that that make a difference and often go unseen bu many who complain about him. The point is everyone was trying to say you can't drop me to the manager within the team environment.
As Ugo Ehiogu said of his Development Squad players, we are looking fair them to play as a team and they have to find a way to stamp their mark on a game within that. Dembele is doing that right now, players like Townsend need to take note. You change your mentality or leave.
I'm delighted Dembele has changed his mentality this season which is resulting in us looking to offer him a contract extension if the popular press are to be believed.
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