To say that Dele Alli’s career has come to a crashing halt would be an understatement. The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has gone from producing moments such as THAT volley against Crystal Palace, to featuring in just 23 of the last 54 Premier League games. The fact that Dele Alli has struggled for game time under not one, not two, but three managers in the last year speaks volumes about his undeniable fall from grace. A move has also felt inevitable, and Alli is set to get exactly that in January, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic.
Dele Alli Must Get Next Move Right if Career is to Be Resurrected
Talent Not the Issue
Alli has become one of the most frustrating players to watch in the Premier League; he’ll show us all glimpses; send us all reminders of his talent, and then go onto drift through the next run of games. It is clear that talent is not the issue here. Alli has that in abundance – you don’t have seasons like he did in his early 20s without any ounce of world class ability. Yet, here he is, in No Man’s Land – lost amongst what could have been unless he can save his career in January.
With the World Cup coming up in the winter of next year, there is still time for the Englishman, who hasn’t made an appearance for the Three Lions since the semi-final heartbreak of the 2018 World Cup against Croatia. All it takes is one look at Jesse Lingard for some inspiration. The Manchester United man made the loan move to West Ham last season, and flourished, and, has since then been reintroduced to the England setup.
At 25, and supposedly in his prime, Alli has reached somewhat of a crossroads in his career; a period of uncertainty for the first time. He will know more than anyone that the next move must be the right one.
Where Did it All Go Wrong for Dele Alli?
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where it all went wrong for Dele Alli. Did his downfall coincide with Mauricio Pochettino’s exit, and, therefore, Jose Mourinho’s arrival? It always seemed as though the 25-year-old failed to adapt under Mourinho, having gone from the pure love and free flowing football of Pochettino to the tough love and tough football of the former Chelsea boss. Perhaps that also explains the struggle under Nuno Espírito Santo, who similarly struggled to implement an offensive style.
With the intensity that Antonio Conte implements, not many even gave Alli a chance. And rightly so. He has seemingly lasted less than a month before being written off as a discardable member of the squad. Yet, it must be said, that’s no fault of the Italian. As harsh as it sounds, either adapt or get out is usually the motto used by managers. And Alli has once again failed to adapt.
Such is the talent that the Englishman possesses, there is still hope that a January move will revitalise his career. If it doesn’t, then we could quickly see a dying star become a forgotten star.
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