England midfielder Dele Alli is self-critical even after all the euphoria behind England’s solid run to the FIFA World Cup 2018 semi-finals. Ahead of England’s clash against Croatia, Alli feels he needs to do more with the ball.
Alli has scored just one goal in the World Cup so far — England’s second in their quarter-final win over Sweden two days ago.
As Gareth Southgate’s men prepare to play England’s first semi-final since 1990, Alli honestly admitted that he was not very happy with his performance in the quarter-final.
In an interaction with the media, Alli said that he had spoken to his coaches and his family and he did not feel like he was playing as well as he wants himself to.
“Personally, I spoke to the manager and some of my team mates, I didn’t feel like I was playing as well as I should have been,” Alli told reporters.
“Even speaking to my family, I didn’t feel like I was playing well, especially in the first half,” he added.
Alli is often given an advanced role at his club Tottenham Hotspur supporting his England captain Harry Kane, but in Southgate’s formation he has more defensive duties, helping out Jordan Henderson in midfield when England are without the ball.
Ironically, Alli says he felt he did better with the less familiar tasks than with his usual forte, making penetrating runs and providing a threat in the box. “Defensively I did my job, did what I needed to do, but I felt like in possession, obviously you want to be on the ball creating chances and being a threat. I felt like my movement was good, but on the ball I wasn’t sharp enough, I didn’t keep it as much as I should have,” he said.
“So to score, it gives you a lift. But I’m my own biggest critic. I know I can play better than that.”
Alli, who missed England’s final two group games due to a thigh injury, dismissed the notion that nerves may have got to him in the quarter-final.
“I didn’t feel nervous or anything like that. I don’t really ever get nervous anyway. As players, we know that sometimes you can have games where your control isn’t as good as it should be or your decision making isn’t as sharp – and I felt like it was one of those games,” he said.
“But when it happens like that you have to make sure you are still benefiting the team and helping them as much as you can, off the ball. I helped the side like I always do and won the ball back as much as I could. I was in the right positions, so when it’s like that you have to make sure you are doing the basics right,” added the 22-year-old.