Ousmane Dembélé

[gregorrin10]

As an attacker, he is useless. Loses balls and organizes counterattacks of the opponent. Why does Xavi need him?

Because Xavi just loves wingers that stay out wide hugging the touch line and being no goal threat what so ever, basically playing as extra midfielders, to rack up that possession stats. You look at how Pep or even Arteta train their wingers, and then you look at Xavi...all you need to know about their managerial ability really. And we're basically playing 4-5-1 flat every game.

 

[OVI9323]

Stop it guy, this player is ELITE

 

[blaug]

Raphinha>>>Dembele

 

[iniestaGOAT]

Raphinha>>>Dembele

All facts

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Maybe World Cup messed up with his head

 

[Gnidrologist]

It had a good match for his standards. Even scored a goal, which is atypical.

 

[MagIX]

Maybe World Cup messed up with his head

I didn't even notice he was playing for France until he fouled Di Maria

 

[te amo barca]

Ousmane Demb?l?: "I'm happy, and I'm going to continue working to continue the journey at Barcelona. I renewed just four months ago." [eleven sports]

Demb?l?: "Doesn't the Eiffel Tower interest me? No, I feel good here and I have a good life here."

 

[Zebulun]

Raphinha>>>Dembele

jeffren suarez > dembele

 

[Bobo32]

Because Xavi just loves wingers that stay out wide hugging the touch line and being no goal threat what so ever, basically playing as extra midfielders, to rack up that possession stats. You look at how Pep or even Arteta train their wingers, and then you look at Xavi...all you need to know about their managerial ability really. And we're basically playing 4-5-1 flat every game.

Pep has played like this with his wingers, f.e when he had Sterling and Sane. Henry goes on about how genius Pep was for giving him this instruction back then too.

Problem is when you rely too much on creativity from there, and are too soon to get the ball there.
Dembele is a cul de sac, he is intelligent enough to be able to stand still on a side line to bring width if that's his instruction, but not more intelligent than that - and he is fast and can dribble if he gets space. He should play the way he does, can't do any better or get better instructions, but the team should play much differently.

 

[JamDav1982]

Nah Pep has varied how his wingers play all the time.

To think he played Henry in same way he would a David Villa type is nonsense.

 

[JohnN]

Legit question. Can Dembele provide runs behind the defense or only expect the ball at his feet to make plays? So you think it's due to instructions or it's just his way of playing.
With such speed and explosiveness he would be a great asset if he just move his ass and made some runs, to open up space or give options to the midfielders for a through ball.

 

[feggydinho]

Legit question. Can Dembele provide runs behind the defense or only expect the ball at his feet to make plays? So you think it's due to instructions or it's just his way of playing.
With such speed and explosiveness he would be a great asset if he just move his ass and made some runs, to open up space or give options to the midfielders for a through ball.

Doesn't have an issue with runs, he can do that and made plenty in the last game (from the top of my head, he made a run for Depay's cross, for the goal he scored, and even for Fati's goal you'll notice that he made a run as a striker and drew defenders off Fati).
He made many runs when Koeman used him as a striker back then, but his issue was finishing which was highlighted in the PSG second leg when he was used as a striker.

 

[serghei]

Players that are great at doing runs are usually pretty intelligent, and as a result they usually score a lot. Not so sure Dembele fits this category.

 

[JamDav1982]

Dembele timed his runs quite well when played CF for that brief spell of the teams top form when Koeman was in charge.

Maybe a 352 with Lewa CF and Dembele running channels worth a go at some stages when team push up to pressure the midfield.

Never happen though.