A year after Mousa Dembele left Tottenham to sign for Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F, some Spurs fans have taken to social media to voice their regret at the club’s decision to let the 32-year-old leave.
Dembele enjoyed seven and a half amazing years at the club after signing from Fulham in the summer of 2012. He went on to establish himself as the mainstay of Spurs’ midfield during that time.
He performed well under three different managers and built great partnerships in the middle of the park with the likes of Sandro, Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama.
Since his departure in January, Tottenham’s form in the Premier League has been extremely poor, which eventually led to Mauricio Pochettino being sacked by the club in November.
However, the team’s fortunes have failed to improve dramatically since Jose Mourinho’s arrival and many Spurs fans believe the club’s troubles could be traced back to the decision to let Dembele leave a year ago.
Remarkably, Spurs have not kept a clean sheet away from home in the Premier League since the Belgian left North London.
I miss @mousadembele @SpursOfficial #COYS
— Lee Mayes (@Mezzy14) January 6, 2020
The Athletic understand Manchester United are interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks in the summer transfer window. #THFC pic.twitter.com/HanwWo7fMB
— Talking THFC (@TalkingTHFC) January 6, 2020
@mousadembele please come back to Spurs Moussa ?
— Richie Rich (@Bushman225225) January 6, 2020
I miss @mousadembele.
— Father Nick of the Cheeseroom Spurs (@Clueless_Yank) January 6, 2020
We lack loads in midfield dude. We never replaced Mousa Dembele and for me our slide started with his injuries, rotation and eventual sale so you are spot on. Mousa did all the hard graft for the others to shine. His tackling, ball retention and game control was immense.
— FPL Chieftain (@FChieftan) January 5, 2020
I miss @mousadembele so much. Our midfield isn’t a fraction of what it was when he was on the pitch.
— Spicy P ? (@SpicyP_43) January 5, 2020
Since Dembele left we haven’t been the same club, we have 0 (ZERO) away clean sheets since he left in January 2019. We still haven’t found a midfield partnership that is effective, and we force long balls, because no midfielder wants to receive the ball.
— Tøm (@TomCOYS) January 4, 2020
@mousadembele when you coming back to sort out this mess at Tottenham. We need you back!
— Justin Wells (@justinjdwells) January 5, 2020
Poch had us punching above our weight and @mousadembele was a god #coys
— Lucy (@lchaperlin) January 5, 2020
@mousadembele please come back to Spurs, we need you!!
— Zain (@zain_qureshi7) January 5, 2020
Spurs Web Opinion
While I was as devastated as most Spurs fans were when Dembele left a year ago, we have to remember that he started having major injury problems. It was clear that his body couldn’t cope with the intensity of the Premier League any longer which is why the club had little choice but to let him go. I am hopeful that Tanguy Ndombele will grow into Mousa’s shoes and start dictating games regularly once get gets accustomed to the Premier League.