Three promising takeaways from Tottenham’s FA Cup defeat
By Gary Pearson
3. Dele is back in action
Dele is obviously still short on confidence, with out-of-sorts midfielder making his return after an injury layoff. Somewhere deep inside the old Dele lurks, awaiting his chance to showcase his rare skill set. We’re not there yet, however. Dele was slightly lumbered in possession, often holding on to possession for too long.
He was dispossessed on a few occasions. Other times, it was clear he didn’t have the confidence to take defenders on, instead deciding to go backwards or wait for support. His fitness is another concern. It will take Dele a desperate effort in training along with consistent game time to get back up to snuff. Whether Jose is patient enough to allow Dele to come back from the dead may be another thing entirely.
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Dele hasn’t influenced first team proceedings since the start of the season, and, even with mixed results, will be elated to get back onto the field against Premier League opponents. Hopefully it’s just the first of many occasions we see Dele back to contributing against top sides. I’m tempering my expectations, though, especially with Dele being out of the mix for so long.