Player Watch - Tanguy Ndombele

[nico97531]

I fear he will be the one we sell to raise funds

It wouldn’t surprise me if Jose is going to be here next season, he just doesn’t seem to be a Jose type player but no chance if Jose is getting the sack.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

I love him and think he is so much fun to watch and unpredictable. I just hope we get the chance to build a good midfield and side around him. I really do think he is going to be one of the continent's best players in the not too distant future

I understand what you are saying, but that doesn't make him effective. He could become more effective for us, but he's never going to be one of the continent's best players. There isn't another team out there with a player like Ndombs, and I don't see another team wanting one, either. He's another of our idiosyncratic purchases that we'll have to live with for ages, because no one would want him for the price we paid.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I would ask the following question:
- who is the most talented player in the squad?

Probably Tanguy, right?

Second question:
- How many times has he been MoM this year?

Hardly any

God knows if that's him, the system, the other players - literally no idea. But he's just not there yet, or at least not where he could be.

I hope we build the side round him. I question if he has the appetite or the patience.

 

[GutBucket]

I would ask the following question:
- who is the most talented player in the squad?

Probably Tanguy, right?

Second question:
- How many times has he been MoM this year?

Hardly any

God knows if that's him, the system, the other players - literally no idea. But he's just not there yet, or at least not where he could be.

I hope we build the side round him. I question if he has the appetite or the patience.

It's hard to get MoM with Son having historically great stretch with his finishing and Kane outplaying De Bruyne creatively and still being a goalscoring machine. He's not dominating games yet but tactics certainly don't help, also his lack of fitness in the first half of the season.

 

[HodisGawd]

I understand what you are saying, but that doesn't make him effective. He could become more effective for us, but he's never going to be one of the continent's best players. There isn't another team out there with a player like Ndombs, and I don't see another team wanting one, either. He's another of our idiosyncratic purchases that we'll have to live with for ages, because no one would want him for the price we paid.

I completely agree with this.

There's something about what Ndombele has shown thus far. He's like the kid at school who you think is by miles the most skillful player in the playground, but for some reason unknown to you is never picked for the school footie team. I knew a kid like that. In Primary we had a one-man team that was just him. In Secondary, he still twisted everyone up but he was nowhere near the school team which won the London Cup (I think) three years in a row (and included Sean Davis).

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

I hope we build the side round him. I question if he has the appetite or the patience.

If he didn't have the appetite, I'd imagine he'd have jumped ship last summer when he was ostracised and cast aside by Mourinho. But (after a talk from Levy) he knuckled down, got himself in better shape & fought his way back into the team.

I think we're all being unfair to judge any non-defensive player under the current manager. Let's see how they can perform if/when we've got a manager who has a desire to utilise a system that actually suits our squad.

 

[holmesy]

For me, he doesn't show enough for the ball.... To many games i watch, hes not running into space and creating angles for the pass into him. When he gets the balls he can be devasting, but he has to get more involved in the build up play.... to much pointing fingers etc going on by him... he needs to dominate games and get on the ball more

I think this is why is better when played at 10, but i still prefer him as an 8

 

[thebenjamin]

For me, he doesn't show enough for the ball.... To many games i watch, hes not running into space and creating angles for the pass into him. When he gets the balls he can be devasting, but he has to get more involved in the build up play.... to much pointing fingers etc going on by him... he needs to dominate games and get on the ball more

I think this is why is better when played at 10, but i still prefer him as an 8

Agree but also think it's a symptom of the clear fact the team is not coached to play out from the back. There are no set passing lanes, no practised movements, no combinations. The whole thing is totally free form, no structure to our play whatsoever. Every time we have the ball it's a case of: what do we do now? Personally think TN would benefit from a team that knows its movements in possession and he knows exactly where he's supposed to be receiving the ball.

 

[Japhet]

Agree but also think it's a symptom of the clear fact the team is not coached to play out from the back. There are no set passing lanes, no practised movements, no combinations. The whole thing is totally free form, no structure to our play whatsoever. Every time we have the ball it's a case of: what do we do now? Personally think TN would benefit from a team that knows its movements in possession and he knows exactly where he's supposed to be receiving the ball.

You also greatly decrease your options passing out from the back when you set up with 2 in CM instead of 3. Hence, we struggle playing out and often have no control in midfield.

 

[alfie103]

Agree but also think it's a symptom of the clear fact the team is not coached to play out from the back. There are no set passing lanes, no practised movements, no combinations. The whole thing is totally free form, no structure to our play whatsoever. Every time we have the ball it's a case of: what do we do now? Personally think TN would benefit from a team that knows its movements in possession and he knows exactly where he's supposed to be receiving the ball.

I don't think it should be up to Mourinho to coach a premier league standard midfielder how to show for the ball. It is a fairly basic requirement.

 

[TheRevolution]

He definitely is the best footballer in the squad and hasn't been playing to what he's capable of. Remember his first half in the 7-2 loss against Bayern last year? He was slicing them to ribbons with his through balls, we need to see more of that (Altho less of the scoreline).

 

[Zlatan]

I just came here to say that I think he will be one of the absolute best central midfielders in the world. There are very few players that can do what he does, if any. If he was to play in a system that excel those attributes rather the diminish them, with a coach that lets him play a bit more freely, rather than restrain him (as the interview released a month ago or so alluded), I think every club in world football will want to sign him.

I'd go as far as saying that he is already now world class. He just needs to get som continuity, keep his fitness levels, and a solid base around him (as any player need to reach their best, bar very few) for that to show every minute on the pitch. His last season in Lyon, especially in the CL against Man City was at a silly level. We've seen glimpses of that extraordinary level here as well, but we must keep in mind that he hasn't played in a team that has worked for periods longer than a few months, and these periods has coincided with poor fitness levels for Tanguy.

I cannot understand how we managed to sign him. I respect the view that it could be because other clubs were vary of some eventual issues, that some could argue we have seen with us, but my opinion - for now at least - is that they missed a massive trick.

This is all my opinion of course. Not me saying anyone who disagrees and think Tanguy needs to be more effective or is a luxury player or something like that is per se wrong. I think that comes with the player he is. Everyone can see how incredibly talented he is and that comes with expectations.

 

[Shadydan]

I don't think it should be up to Mourinho to coach a premier league standard midfielder how to show for the ball. It is a fairly basic requirement.

The hunger isn't completely there yet which is why it's so frustrating, he has so much potential that can be unlocked - I'm convinced a more progressive coach who promotes playing between the lines and high risk football will get the most out of him.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Of the players that started, Ndombele had:

• 6th highest touches per minute behind Dier, Reguilón, Aurier, Højbjerg (most) and Lo Celso. There is a lot better to suggest that our tactic was to just win the ball deep and then play through the flanks, but extrapolated across the entire match including injury time his touches would still have been a respectable 58 when you consider he was in a three man midfield. Doesn’t suggest someone who was hiding from the ball or not showing.​
• As usually follows his passes per minute we’re also 6th, behind all the same players. On the positive note, he completed 97% of these, by far our best (wasted one pass all match), but on the negative note, he tried only one through ball, which was his one wasted pass. So while he got on the ball a decent amount, unusually for him he didn’t do much with it. I suspect that, where previously he’s been part of a 2 feeding a number 10 through the middle (Lucas lately), v Utd he didn’t have that option any more and we out wide Son and Lucas never seemed able to move behind their markers, meaning Ndombele didn’t actually have an opportunity to put the ball in front of a runner as he usually would.​
• On the defensive side he attempted only 1 tackle and made no interceptions. If he were in a two this would be unacceptable, but generally this season he’s been second only too Højbjerg in most matches that he’s played in a 2. He played in a 3 with Lo Celso and Højbjerg here and of course, Lo Celso was the player who was 2nd to Højbjerg in terms of combined tackles and interceptions.​

Now I’m not saying he played well (though first half I thought he was fine), but within the structure I felt he was far from the reason we didn’t get it right v Utd. As far as you can expect from a fairly untested midfield 3, for half the match they did a very good job. I think vs a United they were hindered by

1. Too deep a starting position.
2. Not enough movement from the players or wide or in front of them.
3. A lack of clarity/ training as to quite who had what responsibility (obviously this one is guessing).

I think that exact same midfield looks much better in both directions if the line is 15 yards higher (and Rodon is eating fast enough to bail out Dier when necessary), the fullbacks actually running off the ball in the knowledge that Højbjerg will make a third centre back if necessary, and Bale instead of Moura who would actually look to drag Shaw out of position and drift between the flank and the middle.

So basically, what every other side with that level of attacking talent is doing.

 

[fortworthspur]

midfield has been a shambles since Dembele left. I think there is a place for Ndombele but we arent getting the best out of him yet. He's got loads of skill but seems to go missing when we need him the most. Id like to see him take more control and responsibility when things arent going well.

 

[JCRD]

I think we arent utilising him properly and he doesnt have the players in front of him to allow him to utilise his skill set.

 

[Jamturk]

I think he would look a lot better in a possesion based team.

 

[razzmaster]

I think he would look a lot better in a possesion based team.

Pretty much ALL of our players would. So frustrated with the way we set up.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

When he gets the balls he can be devasting, but he has to get more involved in the build up play.... to much pointing fingers etc going on by him... he needs to dominate games and get on the ball more

I think this is why is better when played at 10, but i still prefer him as an 8

To be fair, can we expect much else from a guy who's basically been mentored by Moussa 'pass it there, not here' Sissoko, since he came to the club?

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

He definitely is the best footballer in the squad and hasn't been playing to what he's capable of. Remember his first half in the 7-2 loss against Bayern last year? He was slicing them to ribbons with his through balls, we need to see more of that (Altho less of the scoreline).

He is mustard and can do things other players can't but Kane is definitely the best footballer in the squad without a shadow.