2021/22 Dele Alli

[Cool_Blue]

Cottee was a strange one. He "hit the ground running" in the sense that he had a dream debut, but he was never really regarded as a roaring success despite scoring 99 goals for the club (72 league goals in 184 league appearances). Richarlison has 37 in 123. The side Cottee played in was, obviously, better than the one Richarlison played in, but it was a side in steep decline and, let's be honest, not that good. But the comparison of their scoring stats definitely illustrates how overrated many of our better modern day players are. Cottee is ninth in the all-time Everton scoring charts and is considered a bit of a failure. We had higher standards then.

Failure? Not by me. Perhaps I’m in the minority, but I liked Cottee, he knew where the net was, a bit like Lineker after him, and Jimmy Greaves if you like, not great team players, but very good poachers

 

[Drico]

Failure? Not by me. Perhaps I’m in the minority, but I liked Cottee, he knew where the net was, a bit like Lineker after him, and Jimmy Greaves if you like, not great team players, but very good poachers

He was a very good player, a proper penalty box poacher, but he was considered a disappointment given the fee paid for him. The likes of Neville Southall were less than complimentary about him, for example...

 

[Gilbert..]

He was a very good player, a proper penalty box poacher, but he was considered a disappointment given the fee paid for him. The likes of Neville Southall were less than complimentary about him, for example...

Thought he was a very average player meself. Poor first touch. Couldnt run with the ball.
He was a goal poacher is right. He was often moving inside the box when other players were watching. He had that natural instinct to get a bounce off the keeper etc.
But outside the box. Really average.

 

[bebo86]

I thought 4-3-3 was the answer, now we’re binning it off already?

Sorry meantaybe play him a little deeper. Just can't see where else he fits at all

 

[DL100]

I’d like to see him start on Sunday. Richarlison as the striker with Gray on the right wing and Dele as a 10 / left side.

I can see Gordon sub as he looked pretty beat up at Spurs.

Have to play a mid 3 of VDB / Doucs / Allan

 

[Drico]

Thought he was a very average player meself. Poor first touch. Couldnt run with the ball.
He was a goal poacher is right. He was often moving inside the box when other players were watching. He had that natural instinct to get a bounce off the keeper etc.
But outside the box. Really average.

He was similar to Lineker: useless outside the box. But he was a very good player inside the box - and that is where he operated. Some of the greatest players of all time were poor outside the penalty area, Gerd Müller being the prime example.

 

[Baines' left foot]

We don’t need top players, we need a base level of players who are on an upward trajectory and have the attitude and willingness to work hard and improve. Dele Alli is not that.

I don’t disagree. But sometimes it’s worth taking a risk on a player who has his level of ability. I think we should have probably signed a defender instead, but he’s here now and he isn’t the problem.

 

[Gilbert..]

He was similar to Lineker: useless outside the box. But he was a very good player inside the box - and that is where he operated. Some of the greatest players of all time were poor outside the penalty area, Gerd Müller being the prime example.

but a very very different level. Cottee wasnt anywhere near a lineker.

 

[davek]

We needed fullbacks, we sold a fullback and bought 2.

We had 5 CBs, clearly nobody wanted to buy them, so yes, im saying we had no money to bid for a decent CB.

Just remind everybody who signed the 2 fullbacks Dave.

We needed FBs and paid for two duds by the looks of it. That's besides the point though. A CB was crucial...much more crucial than getting a RB in for sure.

 

[Drico]

but a very very different level. Cottee wasnt anywhere near a lineker.

I never said he was. It's clear as day that Lineker was different class to Cottee and that Gerd Müller was different class to both of them, but they all were poachers who basically didn't exist outside the box.

 

[Kever10]

Its an utter joke.

Gordon runs around the pitch and does nothing for a whole season and gets lauded as a King, yet Dele Alli gets blamed for us being in a relegation fight by playing about 40minutes.

He's undroppable at the at the moment. People will call for Lampards head for doing it. But I'm honestly not seeing what the majority seemingly are. It's a bizarre feeling. Watching us be God awful and people lauding someone for being as average as the rest.

If he was a fraction of what people think he was, he'd have had a much more positive impact on the side. I've got no problem with him getting minutes and people giving him support, but it's always just so over the top. Again, not to be comparing him to Rooney, because that would be incredibly unfair, and maybe the impact he had at 16 has spoilt it for me, but Gordon's impact is closer to what Davies impact was. Not even close to Barkley level which some have suggested.

It genuinely does make me question myself at times because the reactions from others to what I'm witnessing with my own eyes is practically night and day. I will always cut a younger or newer player some slack, but this is someone who made his debut under Allardyce. Someone who was playing PL games pre covid. And he doesnt/hasn't really made the side better, despite how much effort and heart he has.

It makes me feel like I'm being overly critical of someone I should be supporting, but it's because it's in the face of so much over exaggerated praise compared to the reality.

He is OK. He is young. He will improve. He's not there yet, nowhere near. I certainly wouldn't be building a side around him yet. The fact that people are, only makes me think things are much worse than I've been ready to admit so far.

 

[Gilbert..]

I never said he was. It's clear as day that Lineker was different class to Cottee and that Gerd Müller was different class to both of them, but they all were poachers who basically didn't exist outside the box.

Yeah i think that needed to be established for those who never saw them. Some on here wouldnt have seen cottee or lineker play for Everton. Or other clubs for that matter.

 

[degsy]

Bolasie, Walcott, Iwobi, Alli?

 

[NathDogg]

We needed FBs and paid for two duds by the looks of it. That's besides the point though. A CB was crucial...much more crucial than getting a RB in for sure.

Isn't that on your chum tapastits?

Regardless, I'm not sure you can call either myko or Patterson duds when they have hardly kicked a ball for us.

I hope Lampard gives them their head now - the usual suspects are done.

I would like to see Dele get more game time - that only problem is we don't really have the luxury to allow him or DCL to play themselves into fitness.

 

[BlueInNZ]

His time will come of that Im sure. Might be in the next two home games when we will surely be more aggressive than that surrender at spuds.