Ian Wright has given the blunt verdict that he wants to more from Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli and urged him to reach the top bracket of world-class players.
The 21-year-old has been criticised from several areas this season and many feel that he has dipped considerably from previous years.
He has scored nine goals and supplied 11 assists in 30 games this campaign, but there is a suggestion he has not been as involved in matches.
The England international has big pressure on his shoulders after bursting on to the Premier League scene recently and has won the PFA Young Player of the Year in the last two seasons.
Wright believes that Alli can still raise his game this season and is desperate for him to make the next jump in his career.
“I want to see far more from Dele Alli,” Wright wrote in his column for the Sun.
“He burst on to the scene and then some people expected him to keep up that unbelievable start. But we will now see whether he becomes a world-class player or if he plateaus.
“Dele has changed his agent, yet he has to focus on being a top footballer. I want to see him get to the World Cup and playing his best football. Dele has still scored and created this season — but he can do more.”
OPINION
Alli has received some unfair criticism this campaign given the numbers he has produced this campaign and is certainly still a key player for England’s national team heading into the World Cup in the summer. However, Wright’s point is that he wants to see the creative playmaker really grab games by the scruff of the neck and start showing on a regular basis he is an elite player. His teammate Harry Kane has made the next step already and is rightfully regarded as one of the best centre-forwards in world football. Alli, who is three years younger than Kane, certainly still has time on his side and it quite often gets overlooked how inexperienced he is. The attacking midfielder is a vital player for Spurs and will continue to grow into a top star under the guidance of manager Mauricio Pochettino.