UK Edition
Dele Alli: This was a season of learning for me – I'll be better next year
Dele Alli has described this season as one of “learning” and is confident he can get back among the goals for club and country next term.
Having only scored seven goals in all competitions for Tottenham Hotspur this season, Alli finished the campaign without netting once for England.
He headed one great chance over the bar in the Nations League game against Switzerland on Sunday and saw another header well saved by goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Alli managed six assists all season for Spurs, but pointed to the fact that he believes other aspects of his game, including defensive work, have improved.
Asked to assess himself, 23-year-old Alli said: “It’s been a great season for learning for me. It’s been the first season when I’ve had muscle injuries, so that was difficult but I’ve kept working hard. It’s been a bit stop-start, but overall I think it’s been another great season to learn from and I’m excited for next season now.
“I haven’t scored as many goals or got as many assists, but other parts of my game and the other side of my game, defensively, in possession, not just getting on the end of things and finishing chances, I think I’ve improved on that. So next season, hopefully, it will all come together and I’ll get the goals, assists and keep the other parts of my game in the build up play.”
Alli insisted that he does not obsess over his numbers, but did point to the high standards he set for himself at such an early age that prompted Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino to describe the MK Dons graduate as being the best young player in the world.
“Overall in my career, my numbers have been good,” said Alli. “I’m still young and I’m still improving, so, as a player, I don’t look too much at the stats, just on the field whether it be scoring or assisting or helping the team defensively, or being involved in the build-up play.
“I think that’s important, not to look too much into it. I’ve set my standards high in my first few seasons in the Premier League and some people think if I’m not scoring or assisting then I’m having a bad game, but that’s not always the case.
“As a player, it will keep driving me on. Obviously, I want to be involved in goals and assists, but that’s not the only thing. As a midfielder, you don’t just look at that, you look at all round game. It’s important I do have my own standards and I want to be scoring and assisting, but that’s not everything. Hopefully next season it will all come together.”
Alli is no longer an automatic starter for England and faces competition from Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi, when they return to fitness.
“It’s important to have that,” said Alli. “Nobody can get too comfortable. We’ve got Ruben and Cal who have had some bad injuries but I’m sure they will come back stronger. They are great players. The squad, the starting 11 isn’t secure, everyone wants to keep working hard and that’s important to keep pushing on as a team.
“Every game you play, you want to get into the starting 11 and into the team, but you know if you take your foot off the gas there’s players, even in the Under-21 and who are doing well at their clubs, who are ready so you have to keep working hard.”