Scouting Tyler Dibling: Strengths, Weaknesses & Tactical Fit for Tottenham Hotspur

We have seen the Australian head coach at the helm at Hotspur Way deploy a fluid yet attacking system which gives a certain importance to positional play, high pressing, and quick transitions. And Dibling can add a bit to every facet of the game. He can play in an inverted wing role on the right flank where he goes from outside to inside, coming onto his preferred left foot. He will be trying to create shooting opportunities or make some channel-breaking passes when he cuts inside, and this is more like the role that Dejan Kulusevski has been playing.

Then he can also feature along the middle, where Ange can use his vision and ball control and allow the teenager to operate more centrally, where he is linking the midfield and attack.

Dibling also has that defensive work ethic given how he is always engaged in pressing and tracking back (both the things that come essential in Postecoglou’s high-intensity system).

Strengths

Given how he is slick with his ball control, he can add a lot of pausa in that final third area complemented by his dribbles and feints. Moreover, he does have that capacity to wiggle out of tight spaces that could help Tottenham get the better of right-side overloads (when he plays as a right winger).

Then comes his versatility, given how he can play as a winger or on both flanks or even as an attacking midfielder. Given how he has matured beyond his age, Ange can rely on him to make apt decisions on the pitch (be it offensively or defensively).

Dibling thrives when it comes to getting the better of low-block defences, and his presence will bring some much-needed tactical flexibility to the current roster given how the teenager has different dynamics from Brennan Johnson, who excels in counter-attacking situations. And then you put in the fact that he will be counted in the homegrown quota, which should help the North Londoners with their squad balance for a long time to come.

Weaknesses

Given how he is still young and silky, it reminds me a lot of Bryan Gil, who failed to come through with his potential in the Premier League because of his frame. And this lack of physicality can work out against him. So I think Ange and the backroom staff will need to work hard bringing some physical layer to his game while he keeps his centre of gravity.

Moreover, while Dibling is creative, when we look at the numbers, his goal and assist stats are modest, which does show that there is still a lot of improvement when it comes to final-third contributions from the 19-year-old.

Author Opinion

To us, Dibling looks more like a strategic investment that Levy can make than an immediate impact signing. He is someone that does align with the tactical philosophy that Ange has been operating with at Tottenham, and if you look at his technical abilities and work ethic, it does make him a promising addition to the current roster at N17.