- May 7, 2004
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You know Ndombele coming good is not that far fetched. First off he probably hated the brand of football we played under Jose, Nuno and Conte. A player who is happy will work harder so we have to consider this aspect. I also think about the players who responded well to Redknapp as an example. Bentley being one of those who looked much more engaged with the whole squad when he came in for Ramos. He scored that wonder goal in the NLD , proved to be a useful squad player, was throwing the bucket over Redknapp when we got CL football. After his spell with us he dropped off massively and then retired early. The same is happening with Dele who was great under Poch.It just amazes me that you could have that level of talent and not be willing to put the effort in to be all that you could be. Seems like such a waste to me and I will never understand that mindset in a top level athlete, especially given how competitive it is, and what's required, to get to the prem in the first place.
It makes me question if it is more a physical limitation than mental. Could he benefit from a couple of months of intense physical prep, working on his aerobic fitness and athletiscm? I don't know the answer but it is such a shame, and incredibly frustrating, to see all the talent go to waste in a squad that is crying out for somebody with his technical capabiltiies.
Sometimes certain players just click with a certain manager and the whole vibe of a club. If we start to play more on the ball I could see Ndombele thrive because he will probably love the attacking style It's just a lot of fans are already done with him now so probably don't want him to even get a chance. I think Ange will no doubt try his out but if he doesn't work for the team he won't last. I'd give him pre season to see those early signs of change. I do think if he works for the team he could be a very good player for Ange. More likely to be a sub though given the competition in midfield especially if we sign Maddison.