Dele Alli Quotes

In football, you don't hold on to the ball just to hold on to the ball. When you have it you need to be dangerous, create opportunities and score goals. And when you don't, you make sure the opposition doesn't.

In the Premier League you need creative players to open games up.

Anytime you get good service to the box, it's always great as an attacking player because it gives you more opportunities to score.

If the spaces open up in the attack, then of course I'm willing to take it because I love to get involved; I love to get crosses in. I love to do combinations and just bring a different aspect to our game.

My teams have always been dominant about having the ball but having the ball to create opportunities. That's always been the clear way of my work.

I don't think it's a problem if you play well and don't score, when you are creating chances.

You have to attack to get corners, no? Winning by scoring strategic goals doesn't bother me - it's part of the game.

As England manager I always felt we needed an extra man in midfield to retain the ball, but that was more as an attacking ploy to help create opportunities. It came from my experience playing international football in a 4-4-2 and spending half my time chasing the ball.

The only thing I would like is to have more control of the game in terms of possession.

People always see the goals, and for me, strikers are not only about scoring goals.

So if one day the result becomes 3-3, for me it doesn't change my mind, because it's football, it's normal. What is not normal is that we haven't been scoring enough goals playing such good football as we've been playing in the last few weeks.

I don't say we are a defensive team. I say we are a strong team in defensive terms, but at the same time lacking sufficient fluidity in attack because that will take time to come.

I'm still going to have to go out and score, but defensively hopefully I can make them a little bit better.

I'm not out there to be blocking shots or fighting guys. I'm out there to produce offensively.

The lower you go down the levels, the more players think they need to hang on to the ball to prove how talented they are, but that's not football.

As a No. 9, I have to be there to score goals, but that isn't the only thing. I also participate in the build-up and help my team-mates, but, above all, it's about scoring goals.

I don't want Kylian to play like Neymar and keep the ball. Kylian is incredibly dangerous in the final move, and I want him to stay that way.

It's not easy to create chances or a game when you're just receiving long balls.

I don't like to go through games not doing anything and then getting a goal. Obviously that's my job as a striker, but I feel almost wasted. I want to do more.

I like to be in contact with the ball, have possession, to play.

I'd say my main quality is keeping the ball and my passing.

It's not just about getting the ball and figuring out every time how you can keep possession, because there are plenty of players who can do that. That's just not how I view my performances. It's about, What can I do to change the game and the attacking aspect of the game?

I thrive on quick players getting to the byline and sending over crosses. I just have to be quick enough to get on the end of things. In that regard, my job has always been the same, but if we have more wide, quick players, that can only be good for me.

To score goals, you need to receive the ball in advantageous positions.

When you don't give the forwards the service, then it's difficult for them to score. Not everyone's a Gareth Bale.