Glenn Hoddle has claimed that Tanguy Ndombele is ‘not fit enough’ to play for Tottenham after their 3-0 defeat to their London rivals on Sunday, as he told Premier League Productions (19/09/21 at 6:55 pm)
Even though Ndombele thought he might be headed for the Tottenham exit door this summer, after a few injuries and suspensions to teammates, he was back in the XI, in next to no time.
He started Tottenham’s Europa Conference clash against Rennes in midweek and kept his place in the side for the derby on Sunday.
Ndombele lasted just over an hour before being replaced by Oliver Skipp, with the away team winning 2-0, at the time.
Even though Hoddle thinks the player has ‘got the ability’, he also spoke about his lack of fitness.
On Tottenham players not playing much together after more changes v Chelsea: “Yes, I do think they are behind,” said Hoddle. “They look like that.
“The first 20 minutes of a football match, for a professional player, you should have the intensity, you should have the energy to close down and have a picture in your mind. Slowly, but surely, they got fatigued and there was too much space on the edge of the area.
“Ndombele, in the end, he has got to get himself fit to play football. He’s not fit enough, the lad. He’s got ability.”
In truth, it just hasn’t worked out for Ndombele at Spurs, under Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and now the signs aren’t good under Nuno.
He played regularly under Mourinho, and given that he is a highly demanding coach, then that shows that, off the ball and fitness-wise, he got something out of him.
But whilst the performances, albeit not over the course of 90 minutes but in bursts, are always there.
The one cloud that always hangs above him is the fitness question.
It’s happened before and it’s happening again, and for a club-record signing, that is a major worry.
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