Analysing the sharp rise and steady decline of Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli 

2019-20

Alli has improved slightly in 2019-20 but has found himself out of favour at times with Spurs and England

After the disappointments of the previous season, there has been some improvement in Alli's performances in 2019-20 even though he has continued to fail to hit the heights of his earlier career.

At the time of writing, he has made 33 appearances this season in all competitions and has scored 8 goals meaning he has already surpassed his total from the previous season. He also has five assists.

His season has also been one of upheaval at his club, with the manager who signed him, Mauricio Pochettino leaving the club after a poor run of form at the start of the season.

Alli's own poor run of form ultimately played a part in the Argentine losing his job and when Jose Mourinho was announced as Pochettino's replacement he asked him, "Are you Dele or Dele's brother?"

This loss of form had led to Southgate dropping him from the England squad for the first time and Mourinho's motivational pep talk did result in a brief return to form for Alli as he scored four goals in three games in late November and early December. However, that form has once again tailed off.

Alli has also found himself in trouble off the pitch after joking about the coronavirus outbreak on his social media channels. He also reacted petulantly to being substituted against RB Leipzig and was then left out of Mourinho's starting eleven in the club's following league match against Chelsea.

It is clear that Alli's career is now at a crossroads. Will he get his head down, work hard and fulfil the rich potential he highlighted in the early seasons of his Tottenham career? Or will his career plateau and be mired in the frustrations and petulance that have followed him on and off the field for the last couple of seasons?

The decision really is up to Alli.