Dembele’s return to form spells danger for Griezmann

Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

The winger was excellent for Barcelona against Sevilla

Ousmane Dembele has to be one of the most frustrating players at Barcelona.

Why? Because when he plays like he did against Sevilla he is simply unstoppable.

When he plays like that.

The issue that most have with the Frenchman is his commitment, both on and off the pitch, but there can be no argument as to his talent.

Seeing him stretch those legs is like watching a gazelle ease through the gears, so fluid and natural.

When he adds goals to his armoury, he more than justifies his place and such a return to form spells danger for Antoine Griezmann.

OH YES! OH YES! OH YES! OH YES! OH YES! OH YES! OH YES! OH YES! OH YES! OH YES! @Dembouz slots in with aplomb! pic.twitter.com/pt2O5J2K8L

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 6, 2019

The new signing has had his moments this season, but has disappointed for large parts of the campaign.

That could be attributed to having been played out of position of course, because there’s little doubt that his countryman is a better fit out wide.

Further, his associative play with Messi and Suarez isn’t as forced as Greizmann’s has become at times.

The issue for Ernesto Valverde moving forward is whether he can harness what we saw from Dembele against Sevilla, and have him apply it in subsequent fixtures.

For now, I’d like to enjoy what was one of the youngster’s better performances in a Barcelona shirt. Where everything he touched turned to gold (except maybe for the ball sent into orbit just after the hour mark and his discipline to earn a red card).

Ousmane Dembélé has just put a Sevilla defender on his backside and finished immaculately into the bottom corner past the goalkeeper.

The most impressive part? I’m not sure he even broke a sweat.

One of the most naturally talented footballers I’ve ever seen.

— totalBarça (@totalBarca) October 6, 2019

What was most impressive was his desire to get back and work for the team. Putting in a shift is something we’ve rarely seen from him, so perhaps the penny has finally dropped.

Although there will be some supporters and commentators that will suggest that it’s ‘only’ Sevilla, a team who’d lost on 13 of their last 14 visits to the Camp Nou, drawing the other, that takes the shine away from what was a superb team performance - and in Dembele’s case, a great individual one too.

Amusingly, it wasn’t that long ago that there were genuine questions as to whether there was a crisis at the club.

I'll say it again for whatever it's worth: Ousmane Dembele has the skillset and talent to be the best player in the world. A one-man nuclear weapon.

— Deji Faremi (@deejayfaremi) October 6, 2019

Three good La Liga wins on the bounce, and a comeback win over Inter Milan in the Champions League, have put an entirely different complexion on things.

Going into the international break, Barca can look back on a fabulous couple of weeks, and ahead to an El Clasico at the end of the month which might offer the chance for the Blaugranes to overhaul Los Blancos, should the status quo remain the same in the meantime.

If Dembele and his colleagues continue with their current rich vein of form, you wouldn’t get against that would you.

Neymar who?

Source: barcablaugranes.com