Chris Sutton has said that he doesn’t think Dele Alli has “really been at the races” for Tottenham this season.
Having scored 14 goals and assisted 17 others for Mauricio Pochettino’s side last season before playing a starring role for England at the World Cup in the summer, the 23-year-old has only managed to score seven goals and lay on eight others in 38 appearances this time round.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live ahead of the Three Lions’ Nations League semi-final against the Netherlands on Thursday, Sutton said that the midfielder’s poor form should lead to him missing out on a starting spot in Porto.
“I don’t think Dele Alli should start [on Thursday],” the BBC pundit said. “If you look at his numbers all season in terms of goals and assists, it’s down.
“I think in terms of his impact this season for Spurs, I don’t think he’s really been at the races – albeit a beautiful touch in the game against Ajax which sent Lucas Moura in for the all-important goal.
“But it’s been too few and far between. It’s an interesting one, because Gareth [Southgate] does back his young players and I think he likes to get behind his young players.
“But I think you’d have to say Ross Barkley is in better form, I think you could play [Jordan] Henderson up one and he could play Rice sitting. That’s the three I think it should be.”
??????? Should Dele start for England?@chris_sutton73 says he's not been good enough this season.
? What are your thoughts?
Listen ?
??: https://t.co/0kUniX6SeW #bbcfootball #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/Qm3KfABZwS— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) June 4, 2019
OPINION
Sutton is right to say this about Alli’s form and the statistics back it up. Admittedly, the midfielder has played 12 less games this season than he did last term, but for a player of his quality, to drop from 14 goals to seven and from 17 assists to eight is quite a big fall. He is one of Tottenham’s best players on his day, but he has not shown it enough this term. However, we saw last summer just how important Alli can be for England, and there is still every chance that Southgate will still pick him because of how well he fits into the system. Having said that, Barkley has enjoyed something of an international resurgence this season and has played himself back into the fold having gone completely off the radar. Either way, it is a crucial game as the Three Lions look to move one step closer to winning their first piece of silverware since 1966, and this is one position which is definitely up in the air.