Dele Alli: Spurs and England star vows to control his aggression but never take it out of his all-action game
Tottenham midfielder copped a three-game ban last season for a punch on Claudio Yacob but is aggro-free this season
DELE ALLI is under orders to stay out of bother — but that will not stop him from putting a foot in.
The tough-tackling Spurs No 10 claims he has learned his lesson after frequently falling foul of referees last season.
Dele was under strict orders from new England boss Gareth Southgate to stay high up the Wembley pitch against Malta and not allow himself to get sucked into the midfield battle.
Dele, wearing No 8, played in the No 10 position and his disciplined approach to his more attacking role was rewarded by the goal which secured victory against dogged but unambitious opponents.
Now Southgate must decide whether to persist with Dele at No 10 or shift him back out wide to accommodate Wayne Rooney in Slovenia on Tuesday.
Dele is in no position to make demands about his starting role but is relishing his new-found licence to thrill.
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He said: “The entertainer? I hope so. I like to enjoy the game, to have fun and to express myself.”
The 20-year-old is the first to admit there are still some rough edges to his game.
He caused controversy last term when he kicked grounded Fiorentina star Nenad Tomovic and appeared to stamp on Crystal Palace’s Yohan Cabaye.
But the penny finally dropped when he got a three-match ban for violent conduct after punching West Brom’s Claudio Yacob in the stomach.
Dele insisted: “Aggression is a part of me and I’m never going to take it out of my game. I need to control it more but I had to make the mistakes I did last season in order to learn from them.
“It was my first season in the Premier League and it was a lot different to what I was used to in League One.
“Against Malta it was important not to get carried away and drop too deep.
“I was under instructions to stay high up the pitch and work with Daniel Sturridge. Obviously, that worked for us because we both scored a goal so we’re happy with that.
“But I can still play in a deeper position if that’s what’s required and I will continue to tackle back.
“I want to assist the team as much as I can and if I need to get back and help to defend, that’s what I’ll do.”
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