Like cricket umpires, the Fifa puritans have raised a collective finger and banned Alli for one game for his 'rude' gesture supposedly aimed at a colleague.
I get the idea that Fifa officials in whatever capacity have got the right hump with anything English.
So players can (e.g.) spit wherever and whenever they want, wave imaginary penalty cards in the hope of getting opponents dismissed or booked, surround and badger referees and that is perfectly acceptable. Seems all out of proportion to me
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Fifa could have been their usual bastard selves and really thrown the book at him but decided to accept England's explanation and did one game for basically being rude .
Accepting it was aimed at a teammate means a ban seems harsh but it could have been worse.
Also can't believe that anyone thinks him and Kyle Walker have some sort of special communication of 'giving each other the finger' (watch it Mehmet!).
He was obviously swearing at the ref, and is lucky to only get a one match ban.
between mates swearing at each other is on the main acceptable and occasionally a hand gesture might be introduced.
now apparently walker and him arnt mates. also it seems he was aiming it at the ref which shows unless he's chummy with the ref he actually meant the finger, and when he did it he had his screwed up deli is angry face on so you know full we he sadly did.
which just shows not only should he banned for inappropriate behaviour but also for being a right little meanie.
By the way I'm being a little tongue in cheek on all this and I know it's gross. But I really do have awful allergies (Jewish) so I will blow my nose while out jogging. I understand it is disgusting.
We'll add them to the same "English persecution complex" list as the EU, UEFA and the Eurovision Song Contest (actually the latter might be true!).
I assume that Alli is one of the players (in addition to the likes of Eriksen and Vertonghen) that Pochettino was talking about when he said "we have an unsettled group for different reasons and different personal circumstances".
In his defence, he spent a large proportion of last season injured. He's just coming back from injury now.
Nope, not Alli AFAIK. Eriksen, Vertonghen, Alderweirald, Wanyama and Aurier as far as we are aware. Oh and Dier who apparently is now out of favour according to the press (despite him suffering injury pre-season and just coming back into the fray now!)
The main issue with Alli is his attitude. I've watched every game bar 2 or 3 over the last 5 years so am probably best placed to judge. When he came into the team, he pressed, he worked hard and got his rewards.
Since, he's been given pay rise after pay rise, his attitude is that he has made it. He no longer works hard, he spends most of his time doing the double tea pot but that is reflected by how the team has changed in the last couple of seasons. I'll come on to that in a minute.
I dont think you can say his touch his awful. You only have to look at the goal he scored against Chelsea season before last to see that isn't the case. However, he does turn over possession again and again. Thats down to his inability to pick a pass.
Since Jan, Poch has tried to play a different way. I don't know why, we had a few injuries and lost Dembele but its more like a 4-3-3 now. Midfield has been Winks, Sissoko and one other. Usually Eriksen. Dier and Alli has been injured for the most-part. Kane plays central then he plays Son and Moura wide. When Alli broke into the side, it was a clear 4-2-3-1 system. He played the 10 role with Son and Eriksen beside him.
Alli was odd man out when Southgate switched to 4-3-3 and its happening again with Poch. He's a goal scoring 10 who offers very little else.
There's a great article in the Telegraph today about Spurs, showing that we don't press like we used to. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/09/25/tottenham-no-longer-recognisable-team-mauricio-pochettino-built/
Not sacked but all feels a bit end of an era, Klopp at Dortmund type winding down, and with a few out of contract at the end of the season too.
Have to admit he does seem to currently be living off past glories, but the formation changes that @JohnBoyUK mentions affecting his form does make a lot of sense. If he performs well in a certain formation and the team stops playing that way, then naturally it will affect him.
Poch looks tired. Can't blame him for that, thats what working under Levy does to any manager.
I can't see Levy sacking Poch. He's got too much credit in the bank for that but I can see Levy letting him go when the first opportunity comes. OGS is on rocky ground at Old Trafford, Zidane seems to be wilting at the Bernebau. Who goes first will likely dictate where Poch ends up in my eyes.
Seems like we're walking like a zombie into the realms of a club managed by a Levy yes man, maybe a Eddie Howe or Chris Hughton.
Levy should go all out for someone like Mourinho, Ancelotti or Allegri but he wont.
I think Levy's got more to answer for the current mess than Poch tbh with you.
[EDIT: I note Brendan Rodgers is the current favourite. IIRC, Levy was after Rodgers before he went to Liverpool].