Stuart Pearce claims Dele Alli’s lack of form could be down to exit of former player

Stuart Pearce has identified Christian Eriksen’s departure from Tottenham as one of the reasons behind Dele Alli’s lacklustre displays in recent weeks.

Dele came into a brilliant run of form when after Jose Mourinho replaced Mauricio Pochettino as the Spurs boss back in late November.

The Portuguese coach played the 23-year-old closer to Harry Kane and he seemed to be back to his best chipping in with goals and assists.

However, his form has dipped considering in recent weeks and found himself starting on the bench in the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.

Pearce feels that the former MK Dons man looks to be a frustrated figure on the pitch and believes that his drop in form might be down to the lack of quality delivery from midfield after Eriksen departed North London to join Inter Milan last month in a deal worth around £16.9 million (Sky Sports).

Speaking to talkSPORT (23/02/20 at 11:35 am), the former England assistant coach said: “Well, he (Alli) had a real upturn in form when Jose Mourinho walked through the doors. And you thought, ‘maybe it’s the arm around him that he needs at this stage of his career.

“I think there is frustration in there when I see him playing. I think he is frustrated with others around him, as he is with himself, Dele Alli. I think he’s beating himself up that his form is not as it would be.

“I spoke with somebody in the week about it and I think he misses the form of Eriksen, to supply them balls. When you roll the clock back a couple of years, Dele was effective arriving late in the box to passes.

“I don’t see anyone in Tottenham’s midfield now to supply the balls into the box. On the right timing and with the right vision that Eriksen used to.”

Spurs Web Opinion

While Pearce’s point about the lack of quality deliveries into the box is valid, I think the much bigger contributor to Dele’s loss of form is the injury to Harry Kane. The midfielder has struggled to get into the game in advanced areas without Kane holding the ball up and bringing him into play.

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