Dembele subbed after 60minutes...

[One Martin Thomas]

He'll be pretty down about being subbed.  Let's do a twitter charm and bring him home where he's appreciated !

I know...  :dft004: he'll never come back, but I can't help but dream every time Spurs sub him.

[grandad]

He´s not half the player since he left for greater things. Happened to a certain American as well. As you sow you reap.

[One Martin Thomas]

He´s not half the player since he left for greater things. Happened to a certain American as well. As you sow you reap.

True enough.  Grass is not always greener and I think he could have gone to greener grass than Spurs anyway.  But what a Xmas present it would be from Khan !  He'd find his spark again playing for us !

[RidgeRider]

He´s not half the player since he left for greater things. Happened to a certain American as well. As you sow you reap.

I don't agree with this sentiment. Seems personal sour grapes because those players left Fulham. Player's performances come down to how they are used in game situations (tactics), overall coaching (practice, fitness, etc), and team confidence.

There is something not right at Tottenham. They have a manager under pressure and the players know it.

Look at our players. There were Fulham supporters just a few weeks back, on this very board, who were claiming we didn't have a single Prem quality player on our squad. That's just plain rubbish.

Claiming players aren't what they used to be, when they aren't well into their 30's and are playing for a side whose manager is under fire, seems a bit short sighted. Just my opinion.

Oh, and I would love him back and wish he had never left, though I fear he would have started to struggle here as well, under Jol's management, as did the rest of the team.

[MasterHaynes]

I just think they play Dembele too deep just in front of the back four and has less freedom and under utiliise his talents. Would love him back running at defences drawing players out of position before slipping the ball through, his tracking back was excellent, his tackling stats were better than any defender in the league when he was with us. Would be very interesting to see what a Ruiz Dembele partnership could do.

[btings]

What still stings about this is that he would be such. a. good. fit. for Fulham right now.

[L-Wizzy]

We have never replaced him

[HatterDon]

Too many people on here live in a dream world where Dempsey and Dembele have been abject failures at Tottenham and that it just goes to show that they got too big for their boots when they left Fulham. In the real world, their performance at WHL was and has been excellent.

[HillingdonFFC]

Too many people on here live in a dream world where Dempsey and Dembele have been abject failures at Tottenham and that it just goes to show that they got too big for their boots when they left Fulham. In the real world, their performance at WHL was and has been excellent.

Remember Spurs legend Graham Roberts being interviewed last season saying Dembele has been a massive bonus for them, doing a lot of unnoticed stuff and never giving the ball away. Problem is Spurs have signed about three of those, personally think he's wasted there, they play him so deep, needs to push on more to use that fantastic ability to go past people. Think AVB is very rigid and that's probably going to cost him his job

[FFC1987]

A few misguided comments in here i'll try and pick up on. Dembele is playing too deep, right infront of the defenders simply isn't true. They play Sandro or Capoe in that role and it's that role where Moussa shines. He's not creative enough to be a play maker and not clinical enough to be a goal scoring midfielder. He a dictator of the play, and the tactics for him have been totally wrong.

As for the Demps was a success for Spurs, I wouldn't say he was a flop but he was far from a success! Yes he scored a few goals but the fact still remains, he left with the idea he would go on to champions league football, and thought at Spurs he could achieve this. In this respect he flopped and in my eyes, to fulfill his dream he should of moved abroad to clinch his dream as he simply isn't a top 4 EPL player.

Regardless of the squabble, the (spurs)fans don't appreciate either of players who went to them. Consequently Demps was shipped out which after his first season and in theory the players they brought in were of a higher calibre was a justified move in there hope to create a squad good enough for top 4. As for Moussa, everyone knows he made the wrong choice. He should have stayed one more year and h'd have got a move to one of the big clubs for sure. If anything, the move has taken him one step back.

[filham]

It would be just great to have Dembele back at the Cottage but I don't think it will happen.
1. He would want a bigger club than Fulham.
2. We wouldn't pay the transfer fee he would command.
3. Spurs are more likely to change their manager before transferring any more of their players.

[RaySmith]

Oh, and I would love him back and wish he had never left, though I fear he would have started to struggle here as well, under Jol's management, as did the rest of the team.
[/quote]

Well, it was under Jol's management that he came good, after having  a Ruiz reputation as a 'luxury' player, with no end product.

But i think it would be great for the club if he came back, but I doubt if it will happen. Dembele himself probably still has ambitions beyond Fulham, and he would also be be too expensive for us.

[Forever Fulham]

A few misguided comments in here i'll try and pick up on. Dembele is playing too deep, right infront of the defenders simply isn't true. They play Sandro or Capoe in that role and it's that role where Moussa shines. He's not creative enough to be a play maker and not clinical enough to be a goal scoring midfielder. He a dictator of the play, and the tactics for him have been totally wrong.

As for the Demps was a success for Spurs, I wouldn't say he was a flop but he was far from a success! Yes he scored a few goals but the fact still remains, he left with the idea he would go on to champions league football, and thought at Spurs he could achieve this. In this respect he flopped and in my eyes, to fulfill his dream he should of moved abroad to clinch his dream as he simply isn't a top 4 EPL player.

Regardless of the squabble, the (spurs)fans don't appreciate either of players who went to them. Consequently Demps was shipped out which after his first season and in theory the players they brought in were of a higher calibre was a justified move in there hope to create a squad good enough for top 4. As for Moussa, everyone knows he made the wrong choice. He should have stayed one more year and h'd have got a move to one of the big clubs for sure. If anything, the move has taken him one step back.

Rated the 4th best player in the league by the soccer press but "not a top 4 EPL player"?  Your predisposition is showing.  "He was far from a success [at Spurs]."  Really?  Second in assists and goals, no time to get ready for the season -- a late addition; and having to acclimate to a brand new team and new teammates (but for Moussa).   He took 4 points from ManU when still under SAF.  They finished 5th, just out of CL, but it took the last game of the season to determine their fate.  Then, though he was offered a record-breaking long term contract with Seattle, you write he was "shipped out", as if expelled for poor play.  Interesting choice of terms, that: "shipped out."  Full of rich but inaccurate imagery...  And since he's left, with Moussa remaining, how has Tottenham fared?  Are they likely to end up at least as high (5th) as last season?  No.  He may very well have taken the measure of AVB and that may have contributed to his decision to jump to bigger money.  We romanticize the game as fans; he's in his 30s now; this is his livelihood.  Professional sports is odd in that the typical model of wealth accummulation over time is turned on its head.  It's just as much about wealth preservation.  You have to make as much as you can early on in life, and then preserve it for the better part of your lifespan. As to Moussa, I agree with most of your comments.  AVB is misusing him.  Also, he must have been exhausted from midweek play--that has to explain him coming out at 60 min.  Look, like or dislike Clint, we need the goals and the assists to stave off relegation.  Donovan came over to Everton and was player of the month, remember?  You CAN make an impact in a short period.  This is a win-win.  If he isn't productive, Rene will quickly find out.  If he is productive, then give him some respect for coming back.

[tonynorton]

I think we would of had a slight change of getting him back if AVB had stayed but not now the club will reassess and he will have a change to establish himself again!

[Twig]

Too many people on here live in a dream world where Dempsey and Dembele have been abject failures at Tottenham and that it just goes to show that they got too big for their boots when they left Fulham. In the real world, their performance at WHL was and has been excellent.

At last a sensible appraisal devoid of sour grapes and bias.

[FFC1987]

A few misguided comments in here i'll try and pick up on. Dembele is playing too deep, right infront of the defenders simply isn't true. They play Sandro or Capoe in that role and it's that role where Moussa shines. He's not creative enough to be a play maker and not clinical enough to be a goal scoring midfielder. He a dictator of the play, and the tactics for him have been totally wrong.

As for the Demps was a success for Spurs, I wouldn't say he was a flop but he was far from a success! Yes he scored a few goals but the fact still remains, he left with the idea he would go on to champions league football, and thought at Spurs he could achieve this. In this respect he flopped and in my eyes, to fulfill his dream he should of moved abroad to clinch his dream as he simply isn't a top 4 EPL player.

Regardless of the squabble, the (spurs)fans don't appreciate either of players who went to them. Consequently Demps was shipped out which after his first season and in theory the players they brought in were of a higher calibre was a justified move in there hope to create a squad good enough for top 4. As for Moussa, everyone knows he made the wrong choice. He should have stayed one more year and h'd have got a move to one of the big clubs for sure. If anything, the move has taken him one step back.

Rated the 4th best player in the league by the soccer press but "not a top 4 EPL player"?  Your predisposition is showing.  "He was far from a success [at Spurs]."  Really?  Second in assists and goals, no time to get ready for the season -- a late addition; and having to acclimate to a brand new team and new teammates (but for Moussa).   He took 4 points from ManU when still under SAF.  They finished 5th, just out of CL, but it took the last game of the season to determine their fate.  Then, though he was offered a record-breaking long term contract with Seattle, you write he was "shipped out", as if expelled for poor play.  Interesting choice of terms, that: "shipped out."  Full of rich but inaccurate imagery...  And since he's left, with Moussa remaining, how has Tottenham fared?  Are they likely to end up at least as high (5th) as last season?  No.  He may very well have taken the measure of AVB and that may have contributed to his decision to jump to bigger money.  We romanticize the game as fans; he's in his 30s now; this is his livelihood.  Professional sports is odd in that the typical model of wealth accummulation over time is turned on its head.  It's just as much about wealth preservation.  You have to make as much as you can early on in life, and then preserve it for the better part of your lifespan. As to Moussa, I agree with most of your comments.  AVB is misusing him.  Also, he must have been exhausted from midweek play--that has to explain him coming out at 60 min.  Look, like or dislike Clint, we need the goals and the assists to stave off relegation.  Donovan came over to Everton and was player of the month, remember?  You CAN make an impact in a short period.  This is a win-win.  If he isn't productive, Rene will quickly find out.  If he is productive, then give him some respect for coming back.

Well, talking of wild imagery and wildly taking things out of context.....

I love Dempsey, always have, always will. I will gladly have him back. I never said otherwise, something that you seem to allude me to.

BUT. He isn't top 4 standard and saying he was rated top 4 USA player means nothing. John Pantsil was rated No.1 Ghana player yet he certainly wasn't top 4 standard. Its a ridiculously flawed argument.

Demps played his part in a team that I feel did and currently do underachieve with the players they had. Having watched Spurs a good few times (live and on the telly/streamed) I felt Demps didn't fit in. His goals certainly did but overall his play didn't. I will say I think this was due to tactics and the players around him but nonetheless I think Demps leaving was wanted by the club more than Demps waltzing for a move himself whch you allude to. Whilst also speculating that since Demps left, Spurs have been poorer and this having anything to do with him leaving is nothing short of fantasy. I've never heard such drivvle as an argument on this forum.

Again, not a flop but he failed in his own ambitions to get his next team CL football which in my eyes went hand in hand with Spurs ambitions in which he failed. (obviously not down to him but a failure nonetheless). That was my key argument, one that is objective in its method but subjective in my opinion. One I find hard to pick holes in truth be told.

We will have to agree to disagree but for someone who thinks this is an accurate portrayal is nothing short of blindness on perspective.

[Forever Fulham]

No, he wasn't "rated top 4 USA player".  He was voted fourth best player in the entire Premier league.  http://www.stroock.com/SiteFiles/Pub1053.pdf
Your key argument is not objective in its method.  His goals fit in, but his play didn't, eh?  He was the one player at Fulham asked to play three (or was it four) different field positions.  I call that versatility.  I'd say that's an indication that his play did indeed fit in.  Well, as you say, we'll agree to disagree and move on.  The all time leading goal scorer whose goals fit in, but whose play didn't.  Sigh.

[epsomraver]

If you read it again he is saying he did not fit in at Spurs, you are talking Fulham, he is not.

[Forever Fulham]

You're right.  With respect to that point, I stand corrected.  Thanks. 

[Logicalman]

I appreciate that AVB is now ex-spuds as well, but if Demps was that much of a success, then I still cannot understand why he left WHL. As for Dembele, great player for us but, perhaps, hasn't fit into the spuds team as well as he did for us, mebbe the AVB replacement will find a better player in him. Personally, I didn't hear of many 'top 4' teams queuing up for either's signature this past transfer window, or likely I could be wrong - and someone here will remind me.

Both players were great for Fulham, and either would walk back into the team if they were to return, but don't get me wrong, that doesn't make either a top class Prem player either, it just makes them valuable to those teams that they fit in to.