Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino admits Dele Alli has gone off the boil but will stick with him for Barnsley clash
Spurs chief knows the England midfielder is yet to hit the heights he did last season but warned it will only be a matter of time before he is back firing on all cylinders
MAURICIO POCHETTINO will start Dele Alli against Barnsley tonight, despite admitting the England ace has gone off the boil.
The Tottenham boss will rest several top stars for the Carabao Cup third-round clash with the Tykes at Wembley.
But Dele will play after a mediocre start to the season.
The 21-year-old has failed to hit the heights after being crowned Young Player of the Year for two years running.
He still has two of a three-match ban to serve in the Champions League after his red card against Gent in last season’s Europa League.
And the hot-headed prospect is also under investigation by Fifa for a middle-finger gesture during England’s win over Slovakia this month.
Pochettino said: “He is still very young. His potential is massive.
“He did very well in the last two seasons and it’s not easy for a young player to keep this level in every game.
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“It is about maturity and finding a balance in training, competing, life and everything.
“The player is not only what we see on the pitch. He is not a number or furniture.
“There are a lot of things that affect them and are around them when they are young.
“Dele has gone from zero to 100 like that. You need to find your balance.
“I am happy with his performance. He is doing very well.
“His potential is massive but we need to know he is still young and we need to help him to find that balance to sustain his career.”
Dele has become an international superstar since joining Tottenham for a bargain £5million from MK Dons in January 2015.
Having quickly broken into the Spurs and England sides, he is now considered one of the most highly-rated young stars in world football.
And it is a testament to his talent that, despite netting twice in Tottenham’s opening five Premier League matches, he is still considered “rusty”.
But Pochettino is as honest as they come and, like the rest of us who have watched Dele this season, knows the player has not maintained the standards he has set himself.
Spurs fans should rest assured their manager will nip it in the bud, though.
Asked if he will have to put an arm around the youngster he treats like a son, Poch said: “I try to be fair with everyone and try to help every player in the squad.
“Either me or my coaching staff will try to help him.
“But we cannot arrive at every single space or situation.
“He needs the freedom to be natural and to express himself.
“The most important thing is to be there if he needs us and, sometimes, to try to help before he asks.
“But I think it’s only time before he finds his balance because he is still 21. He is so young.”
Pochettino hit back at claims Dele was not as effective this season because opponents had worked out how to play against him.
He said: “It’s not the case. I think it’s about him and the player he is.
“It’s about finding the balance to affect his performances.
“If you analyse our first five league games of the season, in all of the games we were better. We created more chances.
“Dele has scored a couple of goals and has had more possibilities to score.
“He would have done had he been sharper, but that happens in football.
“We just have to help him, support him and push him every day.
“Then, with the talent that he has, I am sure he will come back again.”
