Player Watch - Tanguy Ndombele

[mil1lion]

Hmm I must just not be seeing it then. I’ve not seen anything from him in a Spurs shirt to suggest he can be a controller or a box to box player. He plays on the periphery. He isn’t trying to initiate play but is more reacting to the play when it comes to him (which he does really well). I don’t see anything to suggest he is going to change from that. Could he be used higher up the field in more of a Dele type role where he is involved less but his moments of inspiration are more directly impactful and can help us break down stubborn defences? Maybe.

I thought he could play as an 8 from the little I saw of him but it's clear Lo Celso is far better for that role. He works so much harder than Ndombele and is still great carrying the ball forward (one of the qualities Ndombele has). I can't see Ndombele putting his foot in or tracking back enough. I do think that he would probably be better off competing with Dele in that role behind Kane. He has some of the same qualities Riquelme had.

 

[spursfan77]

I still can’t believe conte wants him but now he’s staying maybe there’s a chance he’ll go there.

 

[mr ashley]

Hopefully with the fallout at Barca, and the subsequent trading of players that will no doubt follow we will have a chance to shift him.
If not to Inter, then maybe to Barca themselves.
I think creative loans and swap deals will start to come out in the next week or so.

 

[Mark_147]

Hopefully with the fallout at Barca, and the subsequent trading of players that will no doubt follow we will have a chance to shift him.
If not to Inter, then maybe to Barca themselves.
I think creative loans and swap deals will start to come out in the next week or so.

Maybe a Messi swap on the cards ?

 

[Trees]

An expensive Adebayor. Expect us to be having talking about him next Summer.

 

[mr ashley]

Maybe a Messi swap on the cards ?

Yeah maybe he can play alongside bale.

But if there is a way to get Rakitic or Coutinho in return ( Suarez has been told to leave too), then it might be worth a try.
Just a thought

 

[Cochise]

City or PSG are the only two teams he could feasibly go to. The lure of Guariola would be a strong factor too.

Either way, Barca may have cash to burn and could come in for N'Dombele. Would be nice.

 

[dtxspurs]

Yeah maybe he can play alongside bale.

But if there is a way to get Rakitic or Coutinho in return ( Suarez has been told to leave too), then it might be worth a try.
Just a thought

Rakitic for Ndombele ???

 

[mr ashley]

City or PSG are the only two teams he could feasibly go to. The lure of Guariola would be a strong factor too.

Either way, Barca may have cash to burn and could come in for N'Dombele. Would be nice.

It’s a pipe dream.

But if there’s a club recently who can rival us for transfer success, it’s Barcelona.
And they pay big wages.
Ticks a few boxes

 

[St José Dominguez]

If we were to find a buyer for him at £42m surely we’d need to use bulk of that to buy another CM. Considering we’ve loaned out Skipp, then Hojbjerg, Winks, Lo Celso, Gedson and Sissoko looks a bit lightweight to me. Especially considering Lo Celso could often be playing CAM.
Swapping him for a CB seems odd, using money to buy Richarlison or Zaha (in regards itk only 2 I can see would be in £50m price range) seems odd.

Unless we have a loan lined up i.e Rakitic I just can’t see the sense in way we seem to be approaching his sale at min.

 

[dere911]

If we were to find a buyer for him at £42m surely we’d need to use bulk of that to buy another CM. Considering we’ve loaned out Skipp, then Hojbjerg, Winks, Lo Celso, Gedson and Sissoko looks a bit lightweight to me. Especially considering Lo Celso could often be playing CAM.
Swapping him for a CB seems odd, using money to buy Richarlison or Zaha (in regards itk only 2 I can see would be in £50m price range) seems odd.

Unless we have a loan lined up i.e Rakitic I just can’t see the sense in way we seem to be approaching his sale at min.

Since when were we linked with this player ?

 

[St José Dominguez]

Since when were we linked with this player ?

We haven’t been, just those two are only players can think of at £50m who fit the earlier ITK. Can’t imagine Ings price be that high.

 

[SpartanSpur]

President Bartomeu immediately booked 7 tickets to Argentina only to realise Messi and his entourage is in Spain. Total chaos.

Thought I'd post this here in the entourage thread...

 

[Montalbano]

President Bartomeu immediately booked 7 tickets to Argentina only to realise Messi and his entourage is in Spain. Total chaos.

Thought I'd post this here in the entourage thread...

 

[C0YS]

I thought he could play as an 8 from the little I saw of him but it's clear Lo Celso is far better for that role. He works so much harder than Ndombele and is still great carrying the ball forward (one of the qualities Ndombele has). I can't see Ndombele putting his foot in or tracking back enough. I do think that he would probably be better off competing with Dele in that role behind Kane. He has some of the same qualities Riquelme had.

I can see the comparison with Riquelme, but riquelme, was at his best, someone who could really dictate tempo and get a team moving. Yes he often played out wide, but that was a time 4-4-2 was in vogue and players without enough of a 'presence' were shunted out wide. These days you would play him centrally or be given more of a license to drift, and these days he would also have had a better career at bigger clubs.

Same with the people mentioning Hoddle, who did work hard in the old tapes I looked at, but he would likely be played much further forward (Or deeper, and developed into some kind of deep lying defensive playmaker) in modern football, at least in his younger days, and would likely develop in a very different way (same with Zidane, the day of these super creative attacking CMs doesn't seem to be around anymore, Pogba is the exception).

Ndombele, is much more direct as a player than Riquelme. Beautiful talent, but he is very much more a 'chance creater' than a playmaker like player

I get the comparison with Dele. But, I don't think Ndombele can do that n.10 role, and it's about his mobility. So, the modern n.10 positon, particularly centrally, requires a lot of movement, a lot running into channels, sacrificial runs, dropping deep or wide when necessary and all of these off the ball things that seem to correlate with Ndombele's weaknesses.

The modern number 10 covers a greater distance than any other position on the field in modern football. This makes sense when you think about it. The current N.10 needs to both drop in as function as a centre mid, when needed, and act as another centre forward, when needed. So while on the ball Ndombele should make a great number 10, the same issues emerge.

Ndombele's future is up to Ndombele, but I see his best position would likely be as a n.8. Mainly because he does have really useful skills for that role. Being able to receive the ball under pressure (good to push through a high press, and create spaces elsewhere on the field). Taking multiple players out of the game using a bit of skill (can turn defence into attack very quickly, and open passing channels) and he can also, tackle pretty well and all these things.

What's lacking in his game is the simple things. It's not about working super hard, or being highly competitive. All it's really about is being on the move, making yourself and option and covering space to prevent counter attacks and maintain defensive solidity. These are footballing basics, and stuff that isn't instantly see able from a fan perspective. This agan goes into this Hoddle would have the same ssues stuff. I don't believe its true, now football was different back then. but hoddle would make himself available for passing channels, in fact he'd want that. Would hoddle make sure he's in the right position to not expose the defence.

All of this matters more now, because almost every team builds from the back at least a little bit. that wasn't the case in the 1980s. If everyone plays long ball these things aren't much of an issue. But if you try and play through a side, it's all about creating and containing space, that's fundamentally the issue with N'dombele, it's not about running around manically, its simply about making effort in moving in both offensive and defensive transitions to give a team a basic platform to play out from the back, and not leave space free to be exposed.

 

[walworthyid]

A) Lamela's mentality was questioned constantly. There was even speculation that he had a drug problem.

B) It's less about the injuries than what we see on the field. Even when injured Lamela runs at the opposition like they slept with his mother. Ndombele (so far) hides and jogs around like he couldn't be bothered.

Absolutely. You can question aspects of his performances but never his work rate, effort or commitment. From the very first match he ever played for us he has given 100%. Never hides, always shows for the ball and plays from the first whistle to the last whether we are winning or losing or whether he is playing well or not.

It is an insult, thus far, to even compare Ndombele to Lamela in terms of attitude.

 

[rio bryan]

If we were to find a buyer for him at £42m surely we’d need to use bulk of that to buy another CM. Considering we’ve loaned out Skipp, then Hojbjerg, Winks, Lo Celso, Gedson and Sissoko looks a bit lightweight to me. Especially considering Lo Celso could often be playing CAM.
Swapping him for a CB seems odd, using money to buy Richarlison or Zaha (in regards itk only 2 I can see would be in £50m price range) seems odd.

Unless we have a loan lined up i.e Rakitic I just can’t see the sense in way we seem to be approaching his sale at min.

Looks like a strange balance as we still haven't got a Def Mid !

 

[aussiespursguy]

Do you think ndombele is too creative than ozil/sneijder/fabregas?

They at least put in a shift. And yes I know Ozil played well for Jose at Madrid.

 

[Karol]

Looks like a strange balance as we still haven't got a Def Mid !

I thought Hojbjerg was a DM

 

[rio bryan]

I thought Hojbjerg was a DM

I think that is now in dispute !