Jose Mourinho has preferred a centre-back pairing of Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez in the Premier League restart. Both the player and the manager have spoken of how well the centre-back role fits Dier.
Eric Dier a Perfect Fit at Centre-Back for Tottenham Hotspur
Origins
It is important to recall that Dier joined the club as a centre-back from Sporting Lisbon. From there he moved to right-back and then had a midfield lynchpin role. Since then, under Pochettino, Dier fell out of the team with crippling appendicitis and illness issues.
Mourinho has provided a new life for Dier. But, he will no longer play in central midfield. Instead, he will return to the centre of the Spurs defence.
Dier Always Happy at Centre-Back
Dier recently took an interview with the club, where he reaffirmed how he has always felt as though he could do well at centre-back.
“It’s not something that changed overnight for me, it’s a feeling I’ve had for a long time,”
“That was always my feeling, where I saw myself and where I thought I could excel the most.”
‘A Great Position for Eric’
Jose Mourinho spoke after the West Ham United victory, admitting that Dier “is playing really well and adapting very well to a position that he thinks, and personally I also think, is a great position for him.”
His initial return against Manchester United was perhaps ruined by those closing moments of the match. Paul Pogba skinned Dier, beating him to the by-line before Dier tugged him down. It was a soft penalty. But, nevertheless, the Spurs centre-back gave him an excuse to flop in the box.
Regardless, his performances in his two first matches back have indeed been impressive. He looks to have shaken off the weakness and lethargy of his illness. At centre-back, he competes well in the air and usually makes good decisions on and off the ball.
It is perhaps no surprise that he makes a good centre-back with his proficiency across multiple positions; he reads the game well because he has played in midfield and as an attacking full-back.
Dier will be hoping to consolidate his first-team spot at Spurs. Furthermore, the player will no doubt want to break back into the England set-up.
Main Photo
