If we’re going to write a list of those who failed to perform against Bayern Munich then all you need to do is copy out the Tottenham teamsheet, with the exception of Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Kane and maybe Heung-Min Son depending on how forgiving you’re being.
One man who certainly won’t be getting a free ride, though, is Dele Alli. What on earth has happened to the once raved about midfielder? In Dele’s first two season’s as a Tottenham player the midfield man scored 28 and assisted 18 in the Premier League, although in the two season’s following that he only managed 14 goals and 14 assists, as per Transfermarkt.
Last season was his worst ever campaign for combined goals and assists, and it doesn’t look like this season is going to be much better. In truth, we’re not sure if the midfield man is going to get many more chances or if he even deserves to be given.
Against Bayern Munich, much like the rest of the Spurs team, he looked bright in the opening 25 minutes before falling away in spectacular fashion from then on, and when he was hooked for Lucas Moura midway through the second half he had become anonymous.
This is just another tough match that Dele will want to forget and he can add it to the list that he’s building up this season, with Colchester and Olympiacos also behind him and well and truly in the below-par pile.
This is a midfielder who was once so deadly in front of goal, feared by teams in both the Premier League and Champions League having bagged braces against Real Madrid and Chelsea, yet now he’s a shadow of his former self, and after having plenty of chances to show what he can do and recover some form, he simply will not take the opportunities.
The last time Dele found the back of the net was way back in January. The 23-year-old’s header against Fulham in a 2-1 win was also the last time Tottenham won an away game in domestic competition, but that’s another issue for another day.
Since that back post header from a Christian Eriksen cross at Craven Cottage, Dele has turned out 17 times without hitting the back of the net, and that’s a run that really doesn’t look like coming to an end anytime soon.
Meanwhile, Erik Lamela is looking brighter than ever, and it certainly looks to be in Mauricio Pochettino’s interests to drop Dele in favour of the more experienced Argentine, as the former MK Dons man is very quickly running out of chances.