Player Watch - Tanguy Ndombele

[Sandros Shiny Head]

He used to be considered very reliable. Must've had some bad calls.

Most of the replies seem to be saying things like "who did you copy that from" or "old news" etc. Pretty typical replies to a journalist

 

[WiganSpur]

Biggest question for me is if we're lining them both up in case one falls through so that we'd be at an advanced stage with our other top choice, or if we genuinely want to bring in both. The latter option would signify a shift to a CM3 setup IMO.

We could play both easily, and if we didn't sign a holding player on top i'd actually argue a 4-2-3-1 would be the optimal setup. The problem though would be a lack of flexibility that any opposition could exploit. A good holding player who can operate in a two or three is absolutely crucial in my eyes.

 

[Yiddo100]

Imagine the scenes IF we signed Lo Celso and ndombele after being told we’d have no money to spend because of the stadium by every man and his dog, especially Merson

 

[JayB]

We could play both easily, and if we didn't sign a holding player on top i'd actually argue a 4-2-3-1 would be the optimal setup. The problem though would be a lack of flexibility that any opposition could exploit. A good holding player who can operate in a two or three is absolutely crucial in my eyes.

I agree that we could play both easily but disagree that 4-2-3-1 would be optimal for it. I think the two of them would be extremely well-suited to a 4-3-3 with a footballing No. 6 playing behind them -- Ndombele as the physically dominant box-to-box player and Lo Celso as the playmaker providing the rhythm, tempo, and throughballs.

My gut feeling is that Poch always wants to play with a DM if he can, but this season the form and fitness of Dier and Wanyama meant that playing the CM2 of Winks and Sissoko was the best (or, more often, only) option. It's hard for me to see him planning for life without a DM in his ideal first XI.

 

[mark87]

We can't be spending circa 140m on two players right?....right?

 

[Ron Burgundy]

We can't be spending circa 140m on two players right?....right?

Feels too exciting to be true

Would be sensational

 

[midoshairband]

I like Ndombele but we've been linked to Diawara again for just 20m euro and i'd be absolutely delighted were we to pull off Lo Celso and that one.

I still think Diawara is a hidden gem who can't get in a team with some super midfield players. Good defensively, decent engine and passes forward impressively. He would be perfect for a team that needs to switch midfield numbers during a game. He is like a Winks/Wanyama hybrid.

My concern with Ndombele is probably a lack of restraint. That's not necessarily a bad thing but i'm not sure he would be able to operate as a holding midfielder.

don’t forget we’ve got to replace Dembele and probably Wanyama & Eriksen. and who knows if Dier will get back to what he was (or may be shunted back to CB).

we could be after as many as 3 CM’s.

 

[Spartan Spurs]

I was with you up until the last bit. Camels are herbivores .

Have you seen their camels?

 

[worcestersauce]

The money is there, we know that.

 

[WiganSpur]

I agree that we could play both easily but disagree that 4-2-3-1 would be optimal for it. I think the two of them would be extremely well-suited to a 4-3-3 with a footballing No. 6 playing behind them -- Ndombele as the physically dominant box-to-box player and Lo Celso as the playmaker providing the rhythm, tempo, and throughballs.

My gut feeling is that Poch always wants to play with a DM if he can, but this season the form and fitness of Dier and Wanyama meant that playing the CM2 of Winks and Sissoko was the best (or, more often, only) option. It's hard for me to see him planning for life without a DM in his ideal first XI.

Yeah we have to sort out DM. What team has ever won the Premier League without a holding midfield player?

 

[JayB]

don’t forget we’ve got to replace Dembele and probably Wanyama & Eriksen. and who knows if Dier will get back to what he was (or may be shunted back to CB).

we could be after as many as 3 CM’s.

I could really see us going for all of Ndombele, Lo Celso, and one of Berge/Diawara. Winks and Sissoko both played at the base of the midfield diamond this season as well as further forward in a double pivot, so those five players along with Lamela backing up Lo Celso would give us a perfect mix of options and cover for a CM3 setup.

 

[robertgoulet]

I could really see us going for all of Ndombele, Lo Celso, and one of Berge/Diawara. Winks and Sissoko both played at the base of the midfield diamond this season as well as further forward in a double pivot, so those five players along with Lamela backing up Lo Celso would give us a perfect mix of options and cover for a CM3 setup.

 

[WiganSpur]

I could really see us going for all of Ndombele, Lo Celso, and one of Berge/Diawara. Winks and Sissoko both played at the base of the midfield diamond this season as well as further forward in a double pivot, so those five players along with Lamela backing up Lo Celso would give us a perfect mix of options and cover for a CM3 setup.

With those three signings we could exercise control in pretty much any game. The crucial aspects are the balance, the overall quality and the versatility. The three fundamentals of any world class midfield.

 

[Flobadob]

Ideally we sign Ndombele as Dembele replacement, Lo Celso as Eriksen replacement and a DM like Diawara or Berge to replace Wanyama.

If we did all that I’d be absolutely over the moon. Winks, Sissoko, N’dombele, Lo Celso and Berge.. that would give Pochettino a selection headache week in week out!

 

[hughy]

If we did all that I’d be absolutely over the moon. Winks, Sissoko, N’dombele, Lo Celso and Berge.. that would give Pochettino a selection headache week in week out!

And maybe won't have to resort to using Rose in midfield in March.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

I could really see us going for all of Ndombele, Lo Celso, and one of Berge/Diawara. Winks and Sissoko both played at the base of the midfield diamond this season as well as further forward in a double pivot, so those five players along with Lamela backing up Lo Celso would give us a perfect mix of options and cover for a CM3 setup.

The issue there is we probably lose Dele in the 10 role behind Kane, by far his best position. Unless Poch goes for a 4312/41212 but if he does that we need upgrades on our fullbacks- quick and direct-or we have no natural width

 

[midoshairband]

I could really see us going for all of Ndombele, Lo Celso, and one of Berge/Diawara. Winks and Sissoko both played at the base of the midfield diamond this season as well as further forward in a double pivot, so those five players along with Lamela backing up Lo Celso would give us a perfect mix of options and cover for a CM3 setup.

honestly, if we got Lo Celso and N’Dombele, along with Diawara/Berge and Sess. bloody hell, what a window.

 

[worcestersauce]

If we did all that I’d be absolutely over the moon. Winks, Sissoko, N’dombele, Lo Celso and Berge.. that would give Pochettino a selection headache week in week out!

Nah, you're forgetting injuries.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

And maybe won't have to resort to using Rose in midfield in March.

I’ll miss that madfuckery Frank Zappaesque experiment

 

[Snarfalicious]

Here's the thing: Ndombele and Lo Celso still feels like Dreamland stuff to me. Berge, I feel, is probably a bit too much to ask for. We don't know if we could even sell Wanyama because he may not pass a physical. We already have Dier, and it's not like we are selling one of Winks and Sissoko. That's 6 guys that are CMs (with Lo Celso being the most likely to move up the pitch). I'd love Berge, but at this point, I think that's super unrealistic.

Side Note: I can't believe I just rosterbated with Ndombele and Lo Celso and had some sort of optimism of us signing them both creep in...