"He's a midfielder." Conte was blunt when asked about Ndombele during his new year's Tottenham Hotspur match against Watford, but the Italian's answer was amusing. In recent weeks, Harry Winks had planned to join Chelsea in January, but Conte didn't think so, having previously praised Winks. But the response to Ndombele gave the impression that the manager had made a decision on the Frenchman. You know, as early as August 2020, Conte hoped to sign Ndombele for Inter. It's no secret that when Conte takes over a new team, he gives players a chance to prove themselves again, and Tottenham is no exception. Players who were depressed under their predecessors, such as Winks, Ndombele and Ali, were given the opportunity to win trust, but the latter two have been fighting hard. The report notes that both Ndombele and Ali can make transfers this month.
Ndombele is irritating that he has all the talents to make him one of the best in his position, but lacks the ability to really cash in on his talents. With Conte, you can succeed with both. However, in Tottenham's final 3-1 win over Mokham on Sunday, Ndombele was found to fall short of Conte's requirements on both features. The FA Cup is a great opportunity for fringe players to fight for regular playing time. Admittedly, League One side Morcolm can't be the world's best team – sorry, Shrimp fans – but even against a third-tier opponent, Ndombele is overwhelmed. The France international was replaced with 20 minutes left in the game and left the field with boos from fans. Some even advised the midfielder to slow down his march to the sidelines, as it would allow fans to vent their grievances. He conceded the ball twice in the game – no player did it worse than he did – and didn't create a chance to score. A 91.5 per cent pass success rate looks good on paper, but among the three midfielders, including Winks and Lo Celso, fans are hoping that Ndombele will step up and support the attack, not just to maintain possession.
In contrast, Lo Celso was the biggest figure in the game, with The Argentine providing assists for the team's first and third goals, which made the game lose suspense. Lo Celso made four tackles and created six chances, creating the performance fans would expect from a 25-year-old. This is in sharp opposition to Ndombele's performance in the race, which appears to be the last straw that crushed the camel in North London. Tottenham fans don't have much patience – they have been short of trophies since the 2008 League Cup win over Chelsea – yet the club's fans are poised to give Ndombele a chance to adapt to the harsh conditions of English football after setting a club record in 2019. The midfielder was signed by Tottenham Hotspur for a defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League final. After scoring their debut goal, fans were convinced they would eventually have a player who could replace Moussa Dembele in the middle of midfield. But after 922 days, he was denounced by his fans as unworthy of Tottenham's performance.
Pochettino, Mourinho, Mason, Nuno and Conte are five managers who have been trying to get Ndombele to play at their best. Surprisingly, under Mourinho, the Frenchman enjoyed his longest period of success, choosing to show his talent at the No. 10 position with good results. Others may be more tolerant of Ndombele's carefree wandering on the pitch, but that attitude won't satisfy Conte. Have Tottenham fans seen Ndombele's last game for the club? It may well be last weekend's FA Cup match. The Frenchman needs a complete act of redemption to reverse his bad luck in North London, but if he does not change his professional attitude, he will not have a chance to return to the pitch under Conte.
At Tottenham Hotspur, Conte received the full support of policymakers, and soon Ndombele would be purged by a huge waste of his impressive talent. The player has dribbled at a 73.2 per cent chance in the Premier League since joining in 2019, higher than any other Tottenham player, and this ability to pass the opponent should help him take his game to the next level. Boos rang out from the pitch against Mokham, marking a real low point in Ndombele's career, and a change of circumstances now might help him in the days to come. Spurs hope they will sever ties with the Frenchman this month, which is good for all parties, as at the moment there is a good chance that Ndombele will not appear again in Tottenham's shirt as this is a decision made by Conte.