2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers & Internationals ** Spoilers ** [9th - 13th June 2017]

Associate
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Our midfield is crying out for a Wilshire like player to drive forward. All Dier does is pass sideways and backwards. I hope Jack Butland is the number 1 in the near future. Good free kicks but I personally think that a high calibre of goalie (Neuer, De Gea) saves both of them.
 
Soldato
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What's with the criticism for Dier?

We've been crying out for an age for a calm, composed CM who mops up play and breaks it up.

He does that perfectly. His distribution needs work but that will develop over time.

Some people just want to whinge.
 
Associate
Joined
8 Aug 2011
Posts
1,942
What's with the criticism for Dier?

We've been crying out for an age for a calm, composed CM who mops up play and breaks it up.

He does that perfectly. His distribution needs work but that will develop over time.

Some people just want to whinge.

Not a whinge, just an observation. I much prefer a more dynamic midfield and am not a huge fan of Dier.
 
Don
Joined
9 Jun 2004
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46,312
What's with the criticism for Dier?

I didn't watch much of the game but generally speaking he's pretty useless and quite possibly the most overrated player ever. Hugely limited on the ball and for a defensive player he's not very good defensively, often making silly mistakes that gift chances to the opposition. The only things he's got going for him are his versatility and his size means he's useful to have in the side when attacking or defending set-plays.
 
Don
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Dier optimises the state of English CM's coming through the ranks, don't give the ball away regardless and only pass square or backwards. Pair that in with an un-agile, slow Livermore who does the same but worst, it was a stupid lineup by Southgate. Need someone with some intelligence that can hold the ball but also pass forwards.
 
Soldato
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Dier optimises the state of English CM's coming through the ranks, don't give the ball away regardless and only pass square or backwards. Pair that in with an un-agile, slow Livermore who does the same but worst, it was a stupid lineup by Southgate. Need someone with some intelligence that can hold the ball but also pass forwards.

He's not there to be a creative midfielder, he's there defensively to
Shore up the team and similar to his job for Spurs on the whole he does a good of that.

Typical of England fans, we could have Makele (for the record Dier doesn't hold a candle up to Makele) and people would whine that he isn't scoring a goal a game and spraying the ball round like Beckham.
 
Caporegime
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33,188
He's not there to be a creative midfielder, he's there defensively to
Shore up the team and similar to his job for Spurs on the whole he does a good of that.

Typical of England fans, we could have Makele (for the record Dier doesn't hold a candle up to Makele) and people would whine that he isn't scoring a goal a game and spraying the ball round like Beckham.

I would say it's a typical english fan who remembers Makelele as someone who refused to pass forward. He was someone who rarely if every burst forward with the ball, but he was exceptional at protecting the ball and he was extremely happy to get the ball forward quickly. All the best DM's I can think of were people who could make a great forward pass to launch a counter attack. Gilberto was absolutely brilliant at that and he was much more happy than Makelele to burst forward, I think he scored 11 one season and went completely mental yet was still one of the best defensive midfielders the league has yet seen.

Being a defender doesn't preclude you from being a great passer or choosing to pass forwards. Makelele stood out as a player who almost never went forward, not a player who never passed forward.
 
Soldato
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10,058
I think you should blame Hart for both goals. They were decent free kicks but neither had swerve, neither were near the post and after being done once like that you assume the same. Both times he stood practically on his opposite post, using the wall to cover one side and both times he couldn't reach and got caught out. Should have been closer to the edge of the wall. The first, forgivable. The second, joke.
 
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Associate
Joined
29 Aug 2014
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710
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Glasgow
That's why he had a wall though, to protect the side of the goal he wouldn't be able to cover. They were good free kicks and I'm not just saying that because I support the team Griffiths plays for. For the record, I prefer Dembele to play when they're both fit.
 
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