Player Focus: Display Against Liverpool Reinforced Dembélé's Worth to Spurs

The Jürgen Klopp love-in was in full force on Saturday when he took charge of his first match as Liverpool boss last weekend. The German was appointed as Brendan Rodgers’ successor over the international break after the Northern Irishman was relieved of his duties at Anfield following an underwhelming start to the season. History was on Klopp’s side when he travelled to White Hart Lane to face an in-form Tottenham team for his Premier League debut in the early kick off, with Liverpool winning the previous five league meetings between the two sides. 

If there was a script, however, Spurs certainly didn’t read it. An intriguing 0-0 draw was played out in North London as the hosts ensured Klopp did not enjoy a winning start to life in England. A solid showing from the home side, who could have secured victory had it not been for Simon Mignolet between the sticks, saw them extend their unbeaten run to eight games, currently the longest of its kind in the Premier League. It was certainly a mature performance from a young team, though it was an experienced head in the middle of the park that exuded composure to help Mauricio Pochettino’s side claim a point. 

Mousa Dembélé made his first competitive start on Saturday since Spurs’ 0-0 draw with Everton back in August, with an ankle injury sustained in the stalemate ruling the Belgian out for over a month. However, with Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason injured and Eric Dier suspended, Dembélé returned to the starting XI alongside Dele Alli and did so with aplomb. The Belgium international’s WhoScored rating against Liverpool (8.90) was enough to land him the man of the match award, his first since picking up the accolade against Everton in February 2014. 

A combined total of 15 tackles and interceptions contributed to the award and has been bettered only once in a Premier League match this season - Yohan Cabaye’s 16 in Crystal Palace’s 1-0 defeat at Spurs last month - further reinforcing his statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘defensive contribution’. An average rating of 7.27 is the fifth best of all Spurs players in the Premier League this season as Dembélé looks to re-establish himself in Pochettino's plans.  

While he started off brightly, Dembélé’s time at Spurs has been blighted by injury. The number of league starts he has made has dropped with each passing season, with the 28-year-old making only 10 last term, many of these coming in a more advanced role or on the wing, deployed in the latter at the beginning of the campaign with mixed results. The emergence of Alli, Bentaleb and Mason has forced him down the pecking order as a result, while Dier’s impressive form in the middle of the park has further limited his starting opportunities. 

However, his display against Liverpool suggests the Belgian is willing to fight for his place in the starting XI. Klopp may have instilled a sense of purpose in his new side early on, with his ‘gegenpressen’ system evident from the outset, but Dembélé was largely unfazed by the pressure exerted on him. 5 successful dribbles from the unassuming Belgian was the most of any Spurs player in a Premier League match this season, beating the previous record of 4 (vs Leicester) - incidentally by Dembélé - with the midfielder easily able to withstand pressure from opposition players. 

A player his size should not be able to move across the pitch the way he does. Yet, with a smart drop of the shoulder, Dembélé is capable of gliding through midfields with ease, an aspect that has seen him gain a WhoScored strength of ‘dribbling’. His physical standing means he is an able performer when it comes to protecting the ball and retaining possession, an asset for a player any manager would want in his team. As such, it comes as little shock to see his dribble success rate (76.5%) rank among the top 10 Premier League players to attempt 10 or more dribbles this term. 

Furthermore, his pass success rate (88.3%) is the best of all Spurs players to make two or more league starts this season, further amplifying his ability to successfully keep hold of the ball. However, Dembélé is often criticised for the way he retains possession, in that he favours a safer option rather then looking to thread a more adventurous pass for his teammates. A total of 0.7 key passes per game ranks below Mason (1.6) and Alli (0.9), two players competing for the same spot in the starting XI. As such, Dembélé has just five league assists to his name since signing for Spurs. 

Given the player’s driving ability when on the ball, Dembélé should be pressing forward and supporting the attack much more than he does at present. Nevertheless, he remains an extremely handy option for Mauricio Pochettino in the middle of the park, particularly when the odds are stacked against Spurs. A calming influence is exactly what is needed at times for the club, which was true of the 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Saturday.

Do you think Mousa Dembélé still has a role to play for Tottenham? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below