Dier return to centre-back could save Tottenham and England career

"Centre-back is where I see my future and I think where I can be the best I can be." Eric Dier wasn't mincing his words when asked of his ideal position going forward in the wake of Tottenham's 3-2 defeat to Wolves a week ago. The north London side may have succumbed to defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez both excelling, yet Dier drew praise from Jose Mourinho following the loss. 

When the Portuguese boss was appointed as Mauricio Pochettino's successor in November, Dier was set to be the biggest beneficiary in north London. Mourinho had wanted to sign Dier for Manchester United on the back of an impressive 2015/16 Premier League season, where the 26-year-old had formed a fine midfield partnership with Mousa Dembele as Spurs pushed for the Premier League title, only to see their chances come to an abrupt end in a 2-2 draw at Chelsea, a match infamously dubbed The Battle of the Bridge. 

That campaign marked Dier's best rated Premier League season to date as he returned a WhoScored rating of 7.06. Impressed with his versatility, Mourinho pushed and pushed for United to sign Dier, but was rebuffed by Spurs. The north London side signed Victor Wanyama in the summer of 2016 and it should have seen the player develop accordingly as a centre-back, yet the Kenyan's knee issues after an excellent debut campaign in north London meant Dier has been unable to really nail his colours to a mast. 

A series of unfortunate illnesses and injuries haven't helped the England international in his quest to consolidate a regular starting spot in recent months - Dier endured back-to-back bouts of tonsillitis and appendicitis and required surgery in pre-season, which didn't aid his cause - yet he started Mourinho's first league game in charge in midfield alongside Harry Winks. 

However, his first Champions League appearance with Mourinho at the Spurs helm saw him withdrawn from action after 30 minutes as they went on to secure a 4-2 home win over Olympiacos, suggesting a false dawn for his first team chances in the capital. Dier has been in and our of the side since, but looks to have forced his way back into Mourinho's first team plans following his recent admission. 

Having featured from the heart of the defence in the 1-1 draw at Burnley, Dier has started back-to-back league matches at centre-back, and played the full 120 minutes in Spurs' penalty shootout loss to Norwich at the back, where, despite their FA Cup exit, he put in a notable showing in a match made famous by his confrontation with a fan at full time. Of course, there has been a tinge of luck at his deployment at centre-back with Mourinho not favouring Juan Foyth in any capacity and Jan Vertonghen struggling, but Dier has looked far more comfortable at centre-back than in central midfield. 

And at his age, it's crucial Dier continue his development in a set role rather than as a versatile commodity able to play in three different positions. By focusing on improving as a defender, there is a clear plan on where Mourinho needs to invest in the summer and would ease Vertonghen's expected summer exit. The Belgian is out of contract at the end of the season and a move to Inter has been mooted and his departure would have previously hurt Spurs and potentially left them short of centre-back options. 

Previously a lack of contentration has impacted Dier in the middle of the park and it resulted in plenty of Spurs fans hoping for the club to sell for the former Sporting CP man. The defence was exposed, particularly following his separate spells on the sidelines, with Dier struggling with the pace of the game in midfield. However, when starting at centre-back, the extra time Dier is afforded both on an off the ball benefits the 26-year-old as he isn't pressured as regularly by opponents and he has the precious extra seconds to pick his pass, with his passes per 90 increasing from 52.1 in midfield to 69 in defence. His pass success rate also rises from 76.1% to 79.7% when playing at centre-back. 

What's more, Dier's concentration levels actually improve as he focuses on what's in front of him more than what is both in front of and behind him and it's reflected in his WhoScored rating rising from 6.75 when he starts in midfield to 6.84 when he features at centre-back. It's a not a hefty increase, but a promising sign for Dier and at a time when he can prove to be a huge asset for Spurs in the final weeks of the season. 

With January arrival Steven Bergwijn joining Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane on the sidelines, Mourinho is short of attacking options, starting with Tuesday's trip to RB Leipzig, and this is likely to see the Portuguese boss adopt a more reactive approach and while Spurs are up against it in Germany, an improving Dier is a boost as they aim to counter the physical threat of Patrik Schick. 

And not only does this increase Dier's likelihood of consolidating a starting spot in this Spurs setup in the long run, but also raises his chances of an England return. The Three Lions may not be overstocked with central midfielders as is, yet he has more opportunities to force his way back into Gareth Southgate's thoughts by playing at centre-back where, outside of Harry Maguire and Joe Gomez, in-form options are thin on the ground and having not featured for the national side since last summer's UEFA Nations League finals, a decision to focus on starring at centre-back is a plus for player, club and country 

He has come under scrutiny from quarters of the Spurs fanbase in recent months. His decision to charge into the stands to defend his brother certainly improved his stock among fans, yet it is his performances on the pitch, particularly in a fairly disappointing spell for Spurs, that has seen him viewed in a positive light of late, and perhaps for the first time in months. Dier's far more confident and, importantly, commanding when he plays in defence and it's no surprise that centre-back is a position he himself admitted: "That's where I see my future."