Strengths and Weaknesses of Tottenham's Transfer Signing Dele Alli

These are exciting times for Dele Alli. Having seen out last season with his first club Milton Keynes Dons, Tottenham Hotspur's winter transfer-window signing has now joined up with his new Premier League team-mates.

As of now the only addition to Tottenham's attacking ranks, fans of the north London club will be keen to see how the 19-year-old fares in upcoming pre-season fixtures. So too will head coach Mauricio Pochettino as he looks to examine where Alli's strengths and weaknesses are in the context of his prospective place in the team.

The headline attribute gleaned from the teenager's three seasons in League One with MK Dons is a finishing touch that produced improved numbers every year.

At only 16, Alli's first time on the scoresheet came in the 6-1 FA Cup second-round thrashing of Cambridge City in November 2012. After a handful of appearances in that campaign, he made 37 in 2013-14 and netted another seven goals in the process.

His 16 goals this past season (plus a healthy nine assists) were all the more impressive for the part they played in helping the Dons to promotion.

Alli's growing on-pitch maturity evidently contributed to Tottenham's readiness to bring him into a top-flight environment. Indeed, you suspect his Milton Keynes manager Karl Robinson would not have delivered the following expectation-raising appraisal—to the London Evening Standard's Mihir Bose—if he did not believe in the player's ability to back it up:

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He’s six foot two, a natural eight and there’s something about him: tremendous athleticism, tenacity and drive. He does most things. He’s ready. He has 13 goals and five assists, above any 18-year-old this League has seen. He also dominates games at an international level for his own age.

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That blend of athleticism and drive is intrinsic to Alli's ability to grab goals. He can get up and down the pitch comfortably, and crucially has the determination and confidence to chance runs into the penalty box.

Alli often got the jump on lower league defences, both in the area and approaching it from a variety of angles. His daring and considerable opponent-baiting skill has a good chance of translating to taking on Premier League sides too.

He is not easily knocked off his stride and the ability to figure a way out of trouble should stand him in good stead too. One of the most exciting questions over Alli is the prospect of how he will do connecting with the considerable talent he now finds around him.

Rob Griffith/Associated Press

Harry Kane up front will relish having someone able to quickly get in proximity to him, for aerial knockdowns and lay-offs when holding the ball up among crowded areas. The likes of Nabil Bentaleb and Christian Eriksen should enjoy having a fellow midfielder who can create and finish off moves with them. Spurs' wide men will be given an additional target with sufficient height to search for.

If the picture painted of Alli so far is primarily a rosy one, that is because immediately noticeable defects in his game are minimal.

The biggest concerns around him are not so much to do with his talent, but the unknown of how the young man will adjust making the step up. For all his clear attributes and enviable potential, until he plays there is no telling how he will fare against some of the country's top footballers.

At least initially it may take Alli some time to get into rhythm with the often frenetic pace of the Premier League. Carefully managed substitute and cup appearances should help here if that proves the case (at the least they will give an indication of if he will benefit from a more gradual integration into the first team).

How quickly he can realise his adventurous instincts within the demands of Pochettino's system will also be something the coaching staff keeps a keen eye on.

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

As discussed, Alli is well equipped to be a notable component in an already talented attack. His mobility should also help him to contribute to those match scenarios where the instruction is to force opponents onto the back foot.

But he will need to be focused positionally in those moments when Spurs are the ones being driven backwards. That turnaround can happen very quickly, sometimes imperceptibly suddenly, at the top level. A moment where Alli thinks he and the team are in control can quickly give way to danger if not careful (for instance Bojan Krkic's goal in the home loss to Stoke City last season, or the way Spurs were continually pegged back at Manchester United).

Defensive duties will not be chief among his responsibilities, but in the central-midfield role he is likely to occupy, he will still need to contribute here. Varying midfield opponents such as Santi Cazorla, Cesc Fabregas, James Milner and Morgan Schneiderlin will give Alli more to think about than he ever has before.

It seems Alli is set to get that opportunity to test himself. A tenuous indicator it may be, but he was one of those included in green screen filming for television productions this season (see above).

In an interview with Four Four Two magazine's Tom Farmery he also spoke confidently about his anticipation of featuring:

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As far as I’m concerned I’m at Tottenham to play and I’m going to work hard to make sure that happens.

We've got a great team here with some great players who I’m really looking forward to working with. I’m just going to train as hard as I can, work as hard as I can and wherever I’m needed that’s where I’ll play. 

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With less than a month until the start of the season, we will soon begin to find out how ready Alli is.