Tottenham 2017-18 Player Preview: Eric Dier

HotspurHQ’s player preview pushes forward with a look at what to expect from Tottenham utility man Eric Dier.

Now, it might be that fans of the player — or perhaps the player himself — might resent the “Tottenham utility man” label. It is not meant as a slight however — far from it.

As recently as two years ago, this seemed like Dier’s future at the club — at least until Jan Vertonghen aged out of the team and freed up space for the Englishman to play in his preferred centre-back position.

This assumption was based on his debut season in 2014/15, where he covered for injuries at both centre-back and right-back. It’s safe to say he didn’t exactly thrive in either position — while also not proving disastrous. He was young yet, though, and it seemed likely he would fill a variety of holes before eventually settling into a position.

No one — save perhaps Mauricio Pochettino — quite expected him to end up where he did however. Deployed in defensive midfield for lack of better — read: any — options, he broke out. Suddenly Tottenham’s leaky defense looked tightened up, and opposing teams could not longer count on a direct route through the center of the park when counter-attacking.

Dier held onto that position throughout the season, only missing a match through an accumulation of yellow cards. He was deemed Spurs’ defensive midfielder of the future, and he seemed unlikely to be dislodged anytime soon.

Only depth was still required, just in case Dier didn’t prove quite as sturdy going forward. Victor Wanyama was brought in from Southampton and, shockingly, had stolen the defensive midfield spot by the end of September.

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That remarkable turnaround is a testament to Wanyama’s particularly suitability in Pochettino’s system — we’ll get to that more in a future article — and not so much any decline in form from Dier himself. It was simply a matter of a purpose-built defensive mid dislodging a player — however talented — that was really only moonlighting.

After some uncertain months spent mostly on the bench, Pochettino found another good use for Dier. He was returned to a centre-back role, albeit as the wide right of a three-at-the-back system. That switch’s immediate and dramatic success ensured Dier’s place in the side right through the end of the season.

So why does Dier remain a utility man?

Quite simply: while he is neither the best centre-back, the best right-back nor the best defensive mid at Tottenham, he is versatile enough to fade in and out of each of those roles over the length of a single 90 minute match.

That role in the back three last season was unique because, especially toward the end of the season, Dier’s role would change depending on the phase of play.

Out of possession, he lined up to the right of Toby Alderweireld and just behind and inside of Kieran Trippier. If Spurs were in position though, Dier might push up into midfield and become a defensive mid. Or, if he was feeling particularly adventurous, he might bomb up the pitch as a sort of auxiliary right-back.

Next: Tottenham player preview: Eriksen out for more goals

That fluidity made it possible for Spurs to adapt their tactics on a nearly second-by-second basis. It proved especially effective against an Arsenal side attempting to duplicate Spurs’ own tactics over the course of the last North London Derby at White Hart Lane.

Expect Dier to continue that evolution this season. He might be second best across the pitch, but his mobility and in-game awareness are arguably the best in the team. Along with Christian Eriksen, he very much keeps the wheels of Pochettino’s machined greased and moving.