Dier: "we'll shut them up"... | Page 2 | Vital Football

Dier: "we'll shut them up"...

Curiosity killed the cat. I had to look at this. Total appearances over last 3 seasons (Wiki)

Wanyama Toby Jan Dier Sanchez
55 33 51
47 39 42 48
24 21 38 46 40

When you think of Dier covering for Vertonghen's injury in the 15/16 season and playing on the right of Toby in the 16/17 season in a back 3. It was clear that he was starting to get way more games in the back line than he did this last season. Then we buy Sanchez and suffer from Wanyama's injuries, so Dier has no choice but to stick in centre mid. I have a feeling that won't change this season either, so not sure how Dier is supposed to become an accomplished centre half.

I don't think it's actually about Poch or Dier agreeing or disagreeing about his best position. That's somewhat moot when Poch looks at his match day options every week and Dier defaults to centre mid. I just wish the guy could get that form back. I also wonder sometimes whether changing his body shape might help. He's strong as an ox and his stamina is great but just that little more pace over short distances could take him up a level. Be interesting to see his body weight 2 season ago when he was at his best as a 22 year old.
 
lol - damn formatting on VS. Should have read

Wanyama 0, 47, 24
Toby 55, 39, 21
Jan 33, 42, 38
Dier 51, 48, 46
Sanchez 0, 0, 40
 
If, if, if Ex

Not really, Dier was careful to use the Royal 'we' which of course implies that the players had or were still openly discussing it - or why else even mention it?

Unless of course you believe that Dier is some sort of toe-the-line lackey for the club?
 
Last edited:
He does seem to have lost some acceleration since we first got him. He ambles about, when he goes on a long run you can see why he's one of our fastest players at full pace but those runs are few and far between and too often he comes across as slow. Agree with whoever said maybe he should shed some bulk, he's not ever going to be Dembele so lean muscle and pace would be more helpful.
 
Dier is what happens when you confuse players by playing them all over the goddamn pitch while they are still growing.

He gave us a massive season in DM then was pushed aside for Wanyama, playing backup DM, RCB in a back 3 and backup left/right CB when Toby/Jan were injured.

Give him a good run of games, trust him, and he'll do just fine.

As a DM he needs to start by focusing on getting possession and passing it short to a CM, the rest he can build on from there.
 
Dier is what happens when you confuse players by playing them all over the goddamn pitch while they are still growing.

He gave us a massive season in DN then was pushed aside for Wanyama, playing backup DM, RCB in a back 3 and backup left/right CB when Toby/Jan were injured.

Give him a good run of games, trust him, and he'll do just fine.

As a DM he needs to start by focusing on getting possession and passing it short to a CM, the rest he can build on from there.
I agree with your comments, I would be inclined to instruct Eriksen to come short to him every time he has the ball.
Personally I think he's a CB, but he's going to look shaky if he's only playing the odd game in that position.
 
Dier is what happens when you confuse players by playing them all over the goddamn pitch while they are still growing.

He gave us a massive season in DM then was pushed aside for Wanyama, playing backup DM, RCB in a back 3 and backup left/right CB when Toby/Jan were injured.

Give him a good run of games, trust him, and he'll do just fine.

As a DM he needs to start by focusing on getting possession and passing it short to a CM, the rest he can build on from there.

Surely Dier has had more than enough long periods of playing DCM for club and country to not use that as an excuse for his current form. He was exclusively a DCM for the whole of last season from what I remember.

Unless Wanyama recovers both fitness and form, I'm not sure we have a choice but to let Dier continue in DCM and get his own form back. We could try the Winks / Dembele combo and see where that takes us. There's also a curiosity whether Foyth could step up into midfield.
 
Dier is what happens when you confuse players by playing them all over the goddamn pitch while they are still growing.

He gave us a massive season in DM then was pushed aside for Wanyama, playing backup DM, RCB in a back 3 and backup left/right CB when Toby/Jan were injured.

Give him a good run of games, trust him, and he'll do just fine.

As a DM he needs to start by focusing on getting possession and passing it short to a CM, the rest he can build on from there.

We have better options at both DM and CM than Dier in my opinion.
 
Dier was never ever a CM, and with Wanyama injured he is the only option we have.

So we are effectively one deep at an extremely critical position. That is no-bueno.

Any of our young players?

Of we were counting on Wanyama to stay healthy, that is very risky logic with his history.
 
Dier was never ever a CM, and with Wanyama injured he is the only option we have.

Dembele did a better job shielding the defence than Dier did when he came on so if fit he is an alternative option at DM in a pinch.

Actually think Dier's not bad at long passes, he often finds Trippier on the wing with a decent diagonal or clips balls over for Dele when he makes a run. Sure he misses some but so does everyone.

My issue is moreso his concentration and positioning seem to be amiss atm, but as mentioned that might just be due to a loss of acceleration. He's getting caught in possession too often, or having basic passes cut out... He also doesn't to my eye seem to be winning the ball back as much as he used to, but I've not checked stats to see if that's true.
 
Dembele did a better job shielding the defence than Dier did when he came on so if fit he is an alternative option at DM in a pinch.

Actually think Dier's not bad at long passes, he often finds Trippier on the wing with a decent diagonal or clips balls over for Dele when he makes a run. Sure he misses some but so does everyone.

My issue is moreso his concentration and positioning seem to be amiss atm, but as mentioned that might just be due to a loss of acceleration. He's getting caught in possession too often, or having basic passes cut out... He also doesn't to my eye seem to be winning the ball back as much as he used to, but I've not checked stats to see if that's true.

His key problem last and so far this season, isn't that he's muscled up or slowed down as he's playing the anchor, the key issue is his speed of thought, when he's receiving the ball moreoften than not he passes back to the direction it came from then jogs towards the ball, this causes slow triangular play that stops a fast transition; he simply isn't shaping is body to let the ball run across/infront of him on the turn that can open up space for the quick forward ball - hence why so many fans are now calling him slow and ponderous.

His body shape when receiving the ball is just wrong and I cannot understand why Poch and the coaches can' see it.

It's literally driving me nuts now.

Watch the recording, which I've just done and you'll see exactly what I mean arrgghhhhhhh grrrrrrr!