Stats Enough

Exclusive Interview With Our England Ace Dele Alli, Who Is Ignoring the Statistics and Just Concentrating on His Football.

- Jon Rayner

It’s difficult not to read a Dele Alli interview these days without his impressive career statistics being mentioned, but the player himself insists the only number he is concerned about is the three points available each game.

And it’s exactly that narrow-minded focus and determination to win that has enabled the magical midfielder to effortlessly ease his way into our starting XI on a regular basis since joining us from hometown club MK Dons.

As he approached his 21st birthday on Wednesday, Dele’s stats were once again headline news as people continue to compare him to some of the great midfielders of the modern era. Just to recap, the England international has been involved in 40 Premier League goals before the age of 21, more than the combined totals of Frank Lampard (15), Steven Gerrard (13), and David Beckham (12) at the same age. Dele has scored 26 times in the division and assisted a further 14 goals, his latest involvement coming last weekend with that stunning opening goal against Watford at the Lane.

But the Milton Keynes-born star refuses to let the numbers weigh him down and says he just concentrates on his football.

“Obviously you see those figures and you hear and read people talking about it, but I don’t think about it all too much,” he said.

“I’m pleased that I’m doing well of course and it’s always nice to be acknowledged like that, but I’ve still got a lot more to achieve in my career as an individual and as part of this team as well before I can even be mentioned in the same category as those fantastic players.