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da lvbet： Eric Dier made his first Premier League start of 2019 on Saturday afternoon as Spurs suffered a 2-1 defeat away at Southampton.
What’s the word?
There was a time when Dier was regarded as one of the best young players in English football.
Combining a rugged hard-man attitude with a percentage-based approach to passing football, the midfield enforcer was regarded as a player with the potential to establish himself as the first-choice option in England’s pivot role.
His exciting development even prompted Premier League icon and serial trophy winner Xabi Alonso to label him as his favourite young English player in 2017, as per The Times, citing his versatility and composure as two defining characteristics of his game.
That a player of Alonso’s immense standing in the game chose Dier as his favourite young player spoke volumes about the enormity of the former Sporting Lisbon man’s reputation at the time.
But nearly two years on it’s fair to say that Dier has struggled to match the hype which surrounded the formative stages of his career.
Huge point still to prove
The 25-year-old, who is valued at £36 million by Transfermarkt, can be brilliant on his day. Every side needs a player to crunch into challenges and keep things ticking over between the lines of defence and midfield, but Dier has struggled to develop in the manner which many predicted him to.
Cutting-edge through balls are stashed away in his locker but not released regularly enough, while his lack of mobility often leaves him vulnerable in one v one situations.
Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko have established a formidable midfield partnership this season and Dier will face an uphill battle to win his place back when both players are fully fit.
And with Declan Rice staking the strongest claim to slot into Gareth Southgate’s midfield anchor role, it’s clear that Dier has failed to justify why Alonso singled him out for such esteemed praise in 2017.