Eric Dier (30, Bayern Munich) has definitely changed. Even when faced with an opponent that would highlight his shortcomings, he was unflappable.
Dier played the entirety of Bayern Munich's 2023-24 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Arsenal at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on Monday (June 18). Dier, who also played the entire first leg, did not take a minute off against Arsenal.
When Arsenal were initially drawn as Bayern Munich's quarterfinal opponent, Dier was seen as a weakness. Dier, who has faced Arsenal frequently since his days at Tottenham Hotspur, has always been a weakness in terms of speed. With Arsenal being such a pacey team, both individually and in the buildup, the expectation was that the slower Dyer, who avoids contests, would be a liability.
Dyer, who played both games, was the opposite of what was expected of him. He never faltered in his defense. His stats from the second leg, in which he completely shut down Arsenal's attack, show a good defensive performance: four ground balls won, two aerial balls won, two clearances, three interceptions, and four tackles. He was also strong in the buildup, with a 92% pass success rate (71/77).
Dyer's favorable ratings continued. HooScore.com gave him a high rating of 7.5, while Sofascore gave him 7.4. His center-back partner, Matthias der Licht, was rated in the sixes by both outlets, indicating that Dier was a rock in the defense.
Sky Sports noted that Tottenham's Dyer and Harry Kane led the charge to eliminate Arsenal. "It was Kane who stole the spotlight before the game," said Sky Sports, "Kane is a longtime nemesis of Arsenal from his time at Tottenham. Kane 카지노사이트 has been a longtime nemesis of Arsenal since his days at Tottenham," and praised Dyer, saying, "But it was Dyer, not Kane, who played a big part in Arsenal's elimination."
Dier's role as a defensive leader made for an interesting scene. In the 31st minute of the second half, he was seen adjusting his position for Kim Min-Jae, who came on for Nusair Mazrouei. As Dier scanned the area to defend an Arsenal free kick, he realized that Kim was a bit far away and gestured for him to join him.
It was a sign of Dyer's confidence and his current position in the team. Dier joined Bayern Munich on loan last winter. At Tottenham, he was classified as a non-first-team player, so it wasn't a big deal. From the moment he arrived, he was not considered a mainstay. He was supposed to be a backup center back to take some of the pressure off of Kim Min-Jae, but now he's the number one.
Results are guaranteed. Bayern Munich have won more games since Dier and Der Licht joined forces last month. This was the basis of the German media's argument in favor of Dier over Kim Min-jae ahead of the quarterfinal against Arsenal.
At the time, 'Spox' wrote: "In the five games in which Kim played in the second half of the season, they drew one and lost four. Conversely, we won eight of the 10 games without him. Against Arsenal, they will have to rely on Dyer and Der Licht." 'Sport1' also added: "The duo of Dyer and Der Licht have won six of the seven games they have played together. With Manuel Neuer back in goal, the Arsenal game should be more stable."
Now they have more wins. With wins over FC Koln and Arsenal, they've now won eight games with Dyer in goal. It's hard to doubt Dier anymore. Dyer's ambition to "reach his peak" in a Bayern Munich shirt has become a reality.
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