Next month will mark a year since Dele Alli played his last match for MK Dons in League One. The following 12 months has been fairytale stuff for the 20-year-old. He has become one of the first names on the teamsheet for Tottenham in the Premier League and has proven the heartbeat to their title challenge. Not only that, but his impressive displays have also forced his way into Roy Hodgson’s England squad and many believe he should be similarly important to the Three Lions at the Euros this summer.
Alli looks the real deal. He can score all types of goals, create chances and he has shown he isn’t afraid to get stuck in despite his tender age. However, while his work in attack has been lauded, there have been signs in his game that should breathe caution over his talent. He is arguably the most exciting English talent since Wayne Rooney broke onto the scene as a 16-year-old for Everton more than a decade ago.
Like Rooney, Alli also has a bit of a nasty streak. The Tottenham midfielder has shown in patches that it can sometimes get the better of him. In fact, only Erik Lamela (59) has committed more fouls than Alli (50) in the Premier League this season for Tottenham and only Eric Dier (9) has picked up more bookings (Alli - 7).
He was fortunate not to have been sent off in a Europa League encounter with Fiorentina when he kicked Nenad Tomovic on the floor earlier this season. While he escaped with a booking on that occasion, his punch on Claudio Yacob went completely unpunished on Monday in their 1-1 draw against West Brom.
Some of the fans hadn't even taken to their seats when Alli clashed with Yacob in the penalty area after just 30 seconds. Alli was caught on camera swinging round and punching the tenacious Baggies midfielder, which evaded the vision of referee Mike Jones. No punishment was given on the spot but he is expected to be pinged retrospectively and miss the remaining three matches of the season. The concern now is that Alli could have his David Beckham moment in a major tournament for England.
Just as Beckham kicked out at Diego Simeone at France 98 and was made accountable for England’s elimination from the World Cup, many fear the red mist may come down upon Alli and the same could happen to our next generation star.
Whether fairly or not, much of our hopes have been pinned on Alli this summer following his breathtaking campaign for Spurs. He only turned 20 at the start of this month, but his ability to adapt from League One to the Premier League in just one summer has been remarkable. It may not end with Premier League silverware, but he was voted the PFA Young Player of the Year in Sunday’s annual bash. In fact, of players aged 21 and under, none have played a direct hand in more goals in Europe’s top five leagues than Alli this season (19 – 10 goals, nine assists).
Nothing should be made of Alli’s latest lashing out. He will accept the inevitable three-game ban and have to watch Spurs’ title challenge from the stands until the end of the season. A quiet word from manager Mauricio Pochettino should be all that is needed, but there will be no hiding place for the youngster if he fails to keep his temper in check this summer.
Is Dele Alli’s temperament a concern for England this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
