Player Watch - Tanguy Ndombele

[JayB]

Ali Gold reporting that we have no plans to sell Ndombele, that without a DM to protect him he's currently competing against Lo Celso for the role of creative midfielder in the side, and that we plan to bring in a DM over the summer so that both can line up simultaneously as No. 8s in a 4-3-3. That has the ring of truth to me, although I wouldn't mind seeing Ndombele given a go in place of Dele who is not performing.

Either way, with the games coming thick and fast starting next Thursday there will absolutely be a need for rotation. If Ndombele continues to not get picked during that period it'll be a big concern, but if what Ali is saying is true then Lo Celso is rightly being picked ahead of him at the moment and not necessarily indicative of a major rupture behind the scenes.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

No, I don’t think you hate him. I haven’t said that. It’s clear you see he has talent.

You keep saying he showed up unfit. But that was 9 months ago through to about 5 months ago. He has worked well during confinement.

It’s not a question of deserving a second chance. He hasn’t cheated on his wife. You dont give up the right to play like it’s some moral privilege. That’s terrace talk not the realities of professional football.

Mourinho is a professional coach and he has one job - to deliver the best possible team on the pitch. Given our means and our squad, Ndombele is a key part of that.

The question is, how do you get the best out of him?

I think he needs more time on the pitch (even if it’s just 10 minutes) and some love.

You think Ndombele needs to work harder to earn that place. But he has been working hard according to Mourinho. And so he deserves a chance to play. There is nothing to suggest he is a Mario Balotelli.

The team would benefit from seeing him play like he did at Lyon. It is up to a highly paid coach to find that solution. I solve far more difficult human relations problems at work for a fraction of Mourinhos pay.

I think this is where we diverge, I don’t think working hard now after previously being so unfit does mean he deserves the chance to play, at least not until the manager believes he will enhance the side more than the alternatives, which is now purely in the managers hands.

 

[HedgieSpur]

I can't believe that was trotted out to fans

Almost as bad as trying to get fans to fork out £10k on there Opus and offering finance terms also!

 

[nailsy]

14 pages after not getting on. We'll probably get to a thousand pages if he comes on for the last ten minutes of the next game.

 

[MR_BEN]

Ali Gold reporting that we have no plans to sell Ndombele, that without a DM to protect him he's currently competing against Lo Celso for the role of creative midfielder in the side, and that we plan to bring in a DM over the summer so that both can line up simultaneously as No. 8s in a 4-3-3. That has the ring of truth to me, although I wouldn't mind seeing Ndombele given a go in place of Dele who is not performing.

Either way, with the games coming thick starting next Thursday there will absolutely be a need for rotation. If Ndombele continues to not get picked during that period it'll be a big concern, but if what Ali is saying is true then Lo Celso is rightly being picked ahead of him at the moment and not necessarily indicative of a major rupture behind the scenes.

you want to bring Ndombele in for Dele? ????

You’ve seen this guy play right? Or you just seen his price tag?

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Ali Gold reporting that we have no plans to sell Ndombele, that without a DM to protect him he's currently competing against Lo Celso for the role of creative midfielder in the side, and that we plan to bring in a DM over the summer so that both can line up simultaneously as No. 8s in a 4-3-3. That has the ring of truth to me, although I wouldn't mind seeing Ndombele given a go in place of Dele who is not performing.

Either way, with the games coming thick starting next Thursday there will absolutely be a need for rotation. If Ndombele continues to not get picked during that period it'll be a big concern, but if what Ali is saying is true then Lo Celso is rightly being picked ahead of him at the moment and not necessarily indicative of a major rupture behind the scenes.

That all sounds like the wishful thinking of a fan masquerading as a journalist, pretending to have inside sources at the club...

Which is funny really...

 

[SuperPav10]

Maybe Mourinho feels he can't cut it in the Prem, either the mentality or his work-rate. Maybe instead of calling that out explicitly & letting potential suitors know he doesn't have what it takes at the top level (and risking a future fee) he's decided to use a 'personality clash' as the reason to get rid? I always felt that's what he was trying to do with Pogba -- people would still spend top money on him and he's not really been consistently impressive since going back to Utd. Mourinho gets the blame for that. Maybe it was Pogba all along

 

[JayB]

you want to bring Ndombele in for Dele? ????

You’ve seen this guy play right? Or you just seen his price tag?

Yes, I've seen that he's got amazing vision, unbelievable natural ability to beat a man and perfect weight of pass. I've also seen that his fitness and work rate are a disgrace. Putting him in the attacking midfield (where, it's worth noting, he played in the warm-up match against Norwich in the buildup to the restart) would relieve him of some of the defensive responsibilities he has in central midfield. Dele brings goals and assists and little else, and at the moment is not scoring or assisting much. I wouldn't mind seeing Ndombele given a go there.

 

[Jamturk]

Modric didn't throw a tantrum when he wasn't picked though. Leaking stories to papers rather than proving to the manager in training that you deserve to start is just the totally wrong attitude.

Even though Modric struggled he was never dropped and allowed to play himself into the Premier league to become one of the best midfielders of his generation. So no need to throw a tantrum as you put it.

p.s Modric started to play up when we denied his move to Chelsea though did'nt he.

 

[ItsBoris]

Even though Modric struggled he was never dropped and allowed to play himself into the Premier league to become one of the best midfielders of his generation. So no need to throw a tantrum as you put it.

p.s Modric started to play up when we denied his move to Chelsea though did'nt he.

Yeah I guess so, I just think it's not a particularly good sign when a player acts so entitled to play. There are numerous good players in the same position, so to play you have to prove yourself. The fact that he's leaking stories out to the press just because he hasn't played for TWO games is ridiculous. It's not like Jose is a manager who hates a good box to box midfielder. I'm sure if he was showing world class skill in training that he wouldn't be sitting on the bench not starting or being brought on as a sub.

Reminds me a bit of Naby Keita at Liverpool. Supposedly a top class box to box midfielder but he's not getting games ahead of Wijnaldum, Henderson, etc.

 

[fridgemagnet]

Depends Jose sees in training, is Tanguy one of the first to head to the dressing room/his car when the staff say "we'll call it a day there lads" or is he staying back for an extra 30 mins - an hour to work on something/anything? Extra shooting drills, free kicks anything that shows he's listening/learning.
During the match did he have ample opportunity to take it upon himself to go warm up on the touchline rather than wait to be told? (TBH I don't know the rules on this currently)
Little things like that are sometimes the signs a manager is looking for, at some point you have to let them put their big boy pants on and stop wet nursing them.
If you're not picking up the little signals then you sit there until the penny drops.

Then again it could be purely tactical at the moment and he's busting his hoop on the train ground.
I've said it before but I think he'd better suited as competition to Dele's position at least in the short term, so he's just seen Alli come straight back into the team or what Lo Celso has done to get Jose to change his opinion, he should be looking at them and saying to himself what are they doing that I'm not and how do I fix it?

Hell get Sissoko to show him what he was like when he first arrived and what he did to go from a zero to most peoples player of the season in what 2 years 3 years?
Someone should sit him down in a locked room with a box set of Luka Modric's Tottenham career (together with all those pundits soundbites proclaiming him to be too small/weak for the PL) give him a notepad and pencil and instructions not to come out until he's watched the lot. Then quiz him on what he's learnt and what he's going to change.

I don't think it helps that Aurier seems to be his best mate and he gets away with no tracking back and is still a first pick, so it's contradictory to say everyone must track back or you'll be dropped. (another reason I want shot of Aurier) I know I'm being petty but I can't help it with him.

 

[walworthyid]

You just know he'd go there and be ridiculously good for them. He was also linked to Barca, who have just accepted a bid of £70m for Arthur, so that's also a possibility.

Cant believe they are selling Arthur. The lad looks absolute class.

 

[fridgemagnet]

Even though Modric struggled he was never dropped and allowed to play himself into the Premier league to become one of the best midfielders of his generation. So no need to throw a tantrum as you put it.

p.s Modric started to play up when we denied his move to Chelsea though did'nt he.

His agent certainly did and his soon to be wife did as well but Modric soon knuckled down as soon as it was clear "we won't be selling you to Chelsea" and he still trained IIRC it was roughly a month afterwards he wasn't at his greatest then he went on to have one of his best seasons for us I think. Some will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[fridgemagnet]

Luka's outside of the boot range of passing is sublime I don't think there's many better (RM pulled our pants well down on his transfer fee and went in dry)
Criminally under appreciated by RM fans too (I don't know if they ever changed their tune on him)
Absolute gem of a footballer.

 

[walworthyid]

He's clearly talented but Jose and some of our fans have decided that he's "lazy" (not true imo) "doesn't care" (also not true imo). Its the stereotype that was regularly trotted out for certain types of players in the past and continues to be the case. If I was his agent, I would get him to move to a club where his skills and talents are appreciated by the manager and the fans.

At the end of the day, Jose is entitled to run the squad as he sees fit. I personally think he's got this one wrong (as his did Salah and De Bruyne) and that Ndombele has a good chance of going to play in a CL team. That would work out more preferable for him anyway, given that we are going to have a very tough time getting back into CL.

Either way, Jose will stake his reputation on certain players that he likes (Dier, Alli) and we will see how successful we end up being under him. Way too early to make any meaningful judgement either way on that yet.

Its difficult to say whether he is lazy or doesnt care. What can be said is that if he is trying is hardest, his conditioning is as poor as I have seen from a premier league player. He was literally breathing out of his arse after 30 minutes in one game that he started. He looked like a sunday league player following the ball around. It is actually difficult to become that unfit, it doesnt just happen if you are training regularly. It means that he is not pushing himself in training and when he has to push himself in a game he just doesnt have it in the tank.

He has shown flashes of real talent, elite level talent, but without the fitness to go with it he will never reach his potential for us or anybody else.

Currently, he doesnt deserve to play.

 

[Fittster]

Has Mourinho ever come out on top when he falls out with a player? It's him rather than the players that seem to move on.

 

[nedley]

Ali Gold reporting that we have no plans to sell Ndombele, that without a DM to protect him he's currently competing against Lo Celso for the role of creative midfielder in the side, and that we plan to bring in a DM over the summer so that both can line up simultaneously as No. 8s in a 4-3-3. That has the ring of truth to me, although I wouldn't mind seeing Ndombele given a go in place of Dele who is not performing.

Either way, with the games coming thick and fast starting next Thursday there will absolutely be a need for rotation. If Ndombele continues to not get picked during that period it'll be a big concern, but if what Ali is saying is true then Lo Celso is rightly being picked ahead of him at the moment and not necessarily indicative of a major rupture behind the scenes.

Fuck knows why that wasn't done in the summer.

 

[cozzo]

If we do sell him and Villa get relegated Grealish would be a must.

A million percent he would fall out with Mourinho

 

[DJS]

Ali Gold reporting that we have no plans to sell Ndombele, that without a DM to protect him he's currently competing against Lo Celso for the role of creative midfielder in the side, and that we plan to bring in a DM over the summer so that both can line up simultaneously as No. 8s in a 4-3-3. That has the ring of truth to me, although I wouldn't mind seeing Ndombele given a go in place of Dele who is not performing.

Either way, with the games coming thick and fast starting next Thursday there will absolutely be a need for rotation. If Ndombele continues to not get picked during that period it'll be a big concern, but if what Ali is saying is true then Lo Celso is rightly being picked ahead of him at the moment and not necessarily indicative of a major rupture behind the scenes.

That would be rather darn sexy.

 

[C0YS]

Modric could'nt play CM when he came to us so what did the manager do?

He bedded him in on the left because he knew and understood the dynamic such talents bring to a team.

When our other left wing options were Jamie O'Hara and Dos Santos it is hardly such a big decision.

Yes he couldn't play left wing but it was a different team, with a different style. Ndombele could play, but at the moment I just don't see why you would play him ahead of options. Ok, some people have issues with Dele but he has actually scored 8 goals and assisted 4 this season and is a way more proven, reliable and, yes, more disciplined. Meanwhile, Lamela has looked like a man on a mission this season and is clearly pushing Dele quite hard for that starting position. Ndombele has never played in the hole and I am not sure how well he would do there.

Ndombele is still a useful option to have, and I am sure we would have seen him come on as a CM were we having to chase a game. He is genuinely a game changing player. But, we are actually looking very solid and compact right now, and these last two games we actually have looked like a Jose team. Ndombele, hasn't shown himself to be that player yet.

But he shouldn't stress, quality and dedication wins out in the end. Lamela didn't get a look in in his first season. Sissoko looked like a massive waste of money in his first two. Dembele, what a player, was actually only used as an impact sub in his first season with Pochettino before learning what Poch wanted out of him.

More. Eriksen barely played in the first 4 months of his time at spurs before really pushing on around christmas. Lloris also had to wait to get into the team. Danny Rose had to fight from being considered a player who could never make it as a top quality left back and became the best in the league. Trippier had to play second fiddle for two seasons before establishing himself towards the end of the first. Gareth Bale was a curse and took years to really break through, Assou Ekotto was a liability before he adapted to the league so well he became a fan favorite. Son had a difficult first season were he came in and out of the side and Lamela, Dele and Eriksen were first choice.

That's the thing, he is a young player who needs to adapt to his managers needs, as well as those of the league. If he can takes his time he could easily become another Son, Dembele or Sissoko. But you become that by being patient and working on your game. If he wants to leave to get more games, fair enough, we should explain the situation and tell him to stay put, rumours are Son was pretty keen on going after his first season. If he doesn't accept that and still pushes for an exit. Good riddance, it's as simple of that, because he wouldn't have the mentality required for us moving forward. It would be understandable if he was 27 and at the peak of his career, but he is 23. We didn't sign him for this season. We signed him for the next 5.