How does Dembélé play: what are his qualities and is he right or left-footed?
His pace and dribbling skills are clearly his biggest strengths, helped by the mystery over whether he is right or left-footed
The Frenchman is one of the best young players in the world but has plenty he can improve
Barça have been missing someone to carry the ball forward ever since Neymar’s departure. Now, with the arrival of Ousmane Dembélé Barça once again have one of the best in the world. In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the Frenchman is currently the best possible replacement for Neymar.
Dembélé’s game is based on pace and dribbling. These are the youngster’s main strength, enabling him to beat four or five players with one move. What also sets him apart is his ability to use both feet to the same level. This means defenders do not know which way he is going to go. In this regard, he is a bit like Pedro, who took full advantage of this uncertainty.
In an interview during his time at Rennes, even Dembélé himself was unsure if he was left or right-footed. This is how the interview went:
- Journalist: Are you left or right-footed?
- Dembélé: Hmmm… left.
- Journalist: Are you sure? You also score with your right.
- Dembélé: Yeah, yeah, I’m left footed.
- Journalist: But you take penalties with your right?
- Dembélé: Hmmm… Yes.
- Journalist: Why?
- Dembéle: Because I can shoot better with my right.
He can be devastating on the counterattack. The Frenchman often drives forward with the ball seemingly a long way ahead of him, but such is his pace he gets to the ball first. He is also fouled a lot as a result.
Dembélé also works hard off the ball. He gets involved in applying pressure and tracks back when he has to. It could even be said that he likes to get the ball in his own half and try to ‘take on the world’ himself.
But this individuality is not the main aspect he has to improve. Like other players who love to dribble, Dembélé often overdoes it, waiting for the defender to get back before going past him again.
He also has similar to numbers to the ones Neymar had when he first joined Barça: last season he only scored six goals in the Bundesliga. That said, he did make 13 assists in the league and 21 in total.
