With Tottenham Hotspur putting our four game losing streak behind us (of sorts) in last weekend’s Premier League clash with Burnley at Turf Moor, there were again plenty of talking points to come out of the game, but an unexpected one popped up when manager Jose Mourinho coyly decided to pick out record signing Tanguy Ndombele for criticism following his first half performance.
As fans will know, Mourinho dragged off 23-year-old Ndombele at the half time break, along with Oliver Skipp, given the midfield performance and there was significant improvement in the second period as we battled back for a point.
Quoted by the post-game, although Mourinho refused to name Ndombele, given he absolved Skipp from the criticism, it’s pretty clear who he was targeting.
“In the first half we didn’t have a midfield. Of course I’m not speaking of Skipp because he’s a kid of 19 who’s played two hours in the last few days. I don’t criticise him at all. But I’m not going to run away and I have to say he has had enough time to come to a different level. I know the Premier League is difficult, and some players take a long time to adapt to a different league. But a player with his potential has to give us more than he is giving us, especially when you see how Lucas, Lo Celso and those players are playing. I was expecting more in the first half from him. Many fantastic players in their first season, in a new country, for different reasons they struggle. There have been many examples of that. He’s a player with great talent. He has to know he has to do much better and know I cannot keep giving him opportunities to play because the team is much more important.”
Thoughts on Mourinho’s words have definitely received a mixed reaction amongst the fanbase and given ongoing questions about his fitness levels, there will be those who accept and agree with the criticism of the Frenchman, and perhaps, will see Jose’s words as being more of a public motivation for him to ‘pull his proverbial socks up’ – given his words were laced with praise and the implication he can do far better.
However, there will definitely be those who feel such a public dressing down can only be harmful, will only help distract from the debate about Mourinho’s tactics in a game, and in any event, JM’s time to settle argument is flawed given he has only been given a more sporadic 17 starts with ten appearances from the bench…in that time he has chipped in with two goals and four assists. Which isn’t too shabby when adjusting to a new level and new country.
Despite the fees involved, there are usually more Ndombele’s in their first season than there are Giovani Lo Celso’s, and even then, it’s only in more recent weeks that Lo Celso has really found his own groove.
Even if you agree with Mourinho’s comments here, the fact he made them so publicly can only bring back memories of how his time at recent clubs has soured.
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