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Player Watch - Tanguy Ndombele

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
17,094
22,286
bear,you are in the wronglish business mate,you need to be a stand up comedian, the punch line was brilliant.
Tell me seriously,how many bad passes did NDombele make? How many times was it to the opposition? And yet most of the other players do that every week or...er..havent you noticed?
I don’t base games on completed passes Ron, you’re confusing me with my brother, BC. And again, I’ll reiterate this is the Ndombele thread, I’m not interested in talking about any of the others or trying to use them as a yardstick.

If you wanted to do stats, he attempted 32 passes, that’s not a great deal in 45 mins when you’re supposed to be the engine room of the midfield, to me it’s what I saw, hiding from the ball, lolloping around and not trying to get involved. The opposite of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck if you will.
 

Joely

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2011
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4,648
He has an obscene amount of skill and vision. I doubt you can coach how he sees things. Really hope he sorts out his attitude and fitness, because he'd be world class.

Yup, the way he sees and pulls off things, not sure you can coach that..... just a natural talent he is blessed with. Almost Coutinho like in the way he can jink past players and play an incisive pass into someone. Really hope between now and the start of next season, the penny drops with him and he can fulfil his huge potential.

Mourinho is probably well aware of his ability but if the other parts of his games don't pick up, not sure he is the type of manager to wait around too long for him to turn up.
 

Guernman

Well-Known Member
Aug 24, 2013
1,507
7,838
Ian Wright on MOTD: It was totally unfair of Jose to lay into Ndombele who really wasn't that bad... but in the second half Spurs were so much better once Lo Celso was on because in the first half they didn't have anyone to get on the ball to then control the game, to feed the runners. Spurs should have started with Lo Celso.

Ok... kind of the point though isn't it Ian
 

VegasII

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2008
9,750
16,670
Ian Wright on MOTD: It was totally unfair of Jose to lay into Ndombele who really wasn't that bad... but in the second half Spurs were so much better once Lo Celso was on because in the first half they didn't have anyone to get on the ball to then control the game, to feed the runners. Spurs should have started with Lo Celso.

Ok... kind of the point though isn't it Ian

Lol good old chicken tonight
 

arunspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
8,807
35,543
bear,you are in the wronglish business mate,you need to be a stand up comedian, the punch line was brilliant.
Tell me seriously,how many bad passes did NDombele make? How many times was it to the opposition? And yet most of the other players do that every week or...er..havent you noticed?

Ndombele seems to pick & choose his game when he wants to be involved. For a side thats struggling with injuries, that not good enough. Yesterday's first half , he didnt mispass because he simply didnt showup for the ball. Our CBs had to go long to noone up top, because Ndombele was not moving. As a 2 man CM, you got to keep moving into space to get the ball from CB and play. He simply didnt do it yesterday. No wonder he was subbed in first half - this is not the first time that has happened.

Moment, GLC came on, he showed up.Gave that extra bit to find space and receive the ball. More Gio did it, more Burnley players dropped off him and didnt press him. Ndombele for me - picks & choses moments or games he wants to shine. Thats great from putting up Youtube compilations from certain games but not good enough for a team who is struggling to fill players in XI due to injuries...
 

LeParisien

Wrong about everything
Mar 5, 2018
3,212
8,169
Literally he said in press conference that will be better when Bale will leave?
Hes commented on an ongoing transfer negotiation during a transfer window. That’s not the same as saying « it will be better when he leaves » in eg Early March, months away from a deadline.

Bale and Zidane have had a tempestuous relationship but Bale continued to play an important role in an extremely successful team. That is not what’s happening at spurs. Ndombele has a marginal role in a team low in confidence and low on results. Context matters and a more robust approach is normal to keep players on their toes when results are good. Harder to justify in our position imo.
 

Ronwol196061

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2018
3,925
3,646
I don’t base games on completed passes Ron, you’re confusing me with my brother, BC. And again, I’ll reiterate this is the Ndombele thread, I’m not interested in talking about any of the others or trying to use them as a yardstick.?
If you wanted to do stats, he attempted 32 passes, that’s not a great deal in 45 mins when you’re supposed to be the engine room of the midfield, to me it’s what I saw, hiding from the ball, lolloping around and not trying to get involved. The opposite of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck if you will.

I don't base games on completed passes but it is a point of discussion unless you just want to highlight the things you want to highlight. He didn't do much more than pass the ball yesterday that's for sure but most were completed.I think its fair comparing players because you have to have something relative to compare if you don't talk about percentages (completed passes) and you don't talk about anything relative they are just opinions based on what. You just mentioned 32 passes. How many passes would Winks make in a half or Dier? Not that that really matters. But I cant see where he was that bad yesterday.
I would agree with the 'lolloping around and not trying to get involved. The opposite of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck if you will' bit for sure. Ive mentioned many times he has the skill to do that and thats whats frustrating with him and pisses me off as he is talented. But I dont like to demonize players so when I think they didnt play bad I call that out too.
 

Ronwol196061

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2018
3,925
3,646
Ndombele seems to pick & choose his game when he wants to be involved. For a side thats struggling with injuries, that not good enough. Yesterday's first half , he didnt mispass because he simply didnt showup for the ball. Our CBs had to go long to noone up top, because Ndombele was not moving. As a 2 man CM, you got to keep moving into space tthereo get the ball from CB and play. He simply didnt do it yesterday. No wonder he was subbed in first half - this is not the first time that has happened.

Moment, GLC came on, he showed up.Gave that extra bit to find space and receive the ball. More Gio did it, more Burnley players dropped off him and didnt press him. Ndombele for me - picks & choses moments or games he wants to shine. Thats great from putting up Youtube compilations from certain games but not good enough for a team who is struggling to fill players in XI due to injuries...

He usually gets involved when he can go forward and dazzle. I think in this game Mourinho told him to not venture too much. He played more compact that virtually every other game (probably because of his energy coming back from a run) and they fact that Mourinho probably likes to be sure that there are players back there...its his game. Im not sure but he definitely played within a 25 -30 yard space most of the time
 

matthew.absurdum

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
3,732
10,120
Ian Wright on MOTD: It was totally unfair of Jose to lay into Ndombele who really wasn't that bad... but in the second half Spurs were so much better once Lo Celso was on because in the first half they didn't have anyone to get on the ball to then control the game, to feed the runners. Spurs should have started with Lo Celso.

Ok... kind of the point though isn't it Ian

I always did that when I did not want to criticize my ex but I want to implicitly explain why she was wrong
 

LeParisien

Wrong about everything
Mar 5, 2018
3,212
8,169
You remember when Guardiola literally gave a young Bayern Munich player a bollocking ON THE PITCH after the whistle right...?

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with the sensitivity issue but you’re not even close to being the only one.
A bollocking does not equal discord and upset. Mourinho leaves the latter. The other 3 managers have not. Mourinho is notorious for it and it is wilful blindness not to see that.

But in any case, Bayern were a very confident, successful team and Kimmich came out and said positive things about that interaction afterwards. Spurs are a team low on confidence and getting mediocre results in 2020. Not the same thing at all.

Édit: it’s not really so sensitive to look at someone’s history and suggest the future might hold similar things. Kane has not been a world class striker for the past 12 months but it’s not unreasonable to suggest he might be when he gets back to fitness ... Mourinhos past 8/9 years are not a glowing reference in terms of man management. That was built 2004-10
 

arunspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
8,807
35,543
He usually gets involved when he can go forward and dazzle. I think in this game Mourinho told him to not venture too much. He played more compact that virtually every other game (probably because of his energy coming back from a run) and they fact that Mourinho probably likes to be sure that there are players back there...its his game. Im not sure but he definitely played within a 25 -30 yard space most of the time


Jose specifically said 'There was no midfield in first half'...which means he wanted Tanguy to play in CM but he didnt do his job...And thats exactly what I saw as well. Rewatch the 45, even however painful it could be...Tanguy never shows up for the ball from back line. Two Burnley players surround him near center of circle. But never tried to shake them off, move into space and drag them. GLC did this first minute he came on...Burnley players didn't go with him, maintained their position - and GLC then picked the ball and dictated play.
 

InOffMeLeftShin

Night watchman
Admin
Jan 14, 2004
15,104
9,113
He is so frustrating. What I’ve noticed is how much of a reactionary player he is. When the ball comes to him he can make a nice spin and dribble or a first time pass that many others couldn’t do. But watching back the game yesterday it’s like he doesn’t understand football. When someone else has the ball he makes the wrong movement and rather than showing for the ball he almost hides away. When defending he is almost never in the right places, so it’s even hard for him to press because he’s too far away. Even going forward, if he’s not the one on the ball he doesn’t make the right movements or even commit to being part of the team attack.

I’m struggling with him right now, the ability is there but I’m not sure the football intelligence or mentality are there. I can imagine in a team that is playing well and on good form he can be a difference maker but when the team is struggling so badly he’s not the guy for the battle.

I don’t see him being involved much and I’m not sure he’s just suddenly going to learn positioning, movement and football basics over the summer.
 

Havre

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2019
829
1,065
What I don´t get is why Mourinho is getting flak for calling N´Dombele out without considering how it would look to the rest of the team if he just accepted the way N´Dombele is playing. Not to say Mourinho has to talk about this to journalists of course, but to be fair to him he kept the door well open saying he expects N´Dombele to be much better next season.
 
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Spurslove

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2012
6,627
9,281
Like Jose, I'm far from being convinced about him as a Premier League player. If it were up to me (and thank God it isn't) if he doesn't prove himself by the end of the season, I'd get rid and find an upgrade.
 

WiganSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
15,974
32,682
Hes not toxic because he is never positive about players. He is toxic because he creates enemies wherever he goes.

This isn’t an inevitable byproduct of success. Klopp, Guardiola and Zidane have all achieved significant success more recently than Mourinho without creating discord and upset. Maybe I’m sensitive to his recent words but his last three clubs all show a clear pattern ...
Where's your evidence that he's created discord and upset here? The players seem to be saying the opposite, and I don't think it's a case of "Well they would say that". Earlier in the season a number of players came out in defence of the atmosphere when they could have just stayed tight lipped.

Funnily enough now Mourinho is our manager I feel like I understand him better and why he does certain things. By digging out Ndombele he's simply telling it how it is and trying to get a reaction from him which is needed right now especially when the chips are down. Is it too much to expect to want players to give 100% every match at a minimum regardless of your talent? We also have no clue about how many times he's tried to warn Ndombele privately. I suspect he already has told him multiple times so these comments won't shock him. He is doing it for Tanguy's own good. If he wants to lay blame at something for the poor run of results then couldn't he easily point to the Kane and Son injuries or the referee without upsetting anyone?

As has been said previously. Klopp did it with Lovren, Pochettino did it with Sissoko and you could even argue that Poch took a dig at Ndombele after the game at Anfield earlier this season. Are they toxic too?

With the Pogba, Martial and Shaw situations, the reality is we don't know the situations because most of us i'd wager don't watch every United match. None of them have exactly looked like consistent world beaters since Mourinho's departure, that's what I would say.
 

Littleharry

Well-Known Member
Jun 26, 2013
167
586
This chap will come good, he is young and in anew country and playing in a much harder league. He has only had two seasons of top flight football and his earlier career was quite different to most. I don’t expect to see much more of him this season as it looks like Mourinho has drawn the line in the sand now and it is up to the fat boy to come good. I’m clinging onto the hope that next season will be a new dawn (probably misguided when we lose our first game of the season 2-1 to a newly promoted team).
This club needs players with the mentality to win at all costs and the ones that don’t show it will be chucked aside by JM. Levy loves him and he has had numerous wet dreams (due to his age, probably he is more of a sand blower) about him being his manager for years. I think he will be backed and see him being here for a while yet. The football will be dull attritional shit but the fucker has the ability more than most to make this club actually winners and not chokers as they have been for decades now.
 

pelayo59

Well-Known Member
Jun 28, 2019
1,035
4,588
Hes commented on an ongoing transfer negotiation during a transfer window. That’s not the same as saying « it will be better when he leaves » in eg Early March, months away from a deadline.

Bale and Zidane have had a tempestuous relationship but Bale continued to play an important role in an extremely successful team. That is not what’s happening at spurs. Ndombele has a marginal role in a team low in confidence and low on results. Context matters and a more robust approach is normal to keep players on their toes when results are good. Harder to justify in our position imo.

I see that Zidane commented that he doesn't Bale in his team and wants him to leave, Jose said nothing that Ndombele will leave but that he's not playing well atm but he wants Ndombele in his team in the future?
 
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