Mauricio Pochettino has said Tanguy Ndombele needs time to adapt at Tottenham following his record move from Lyon.
Ndombele has impressed in bursts during pre-season, producing an excellent interception and providing an assist with his first few touches as a Spurs player against Juventus. He was then left out of the team to play Bayern Munich in the Audi Cup so that he is gradually integrated into the squad.
The France international is Tottenham’s new record signing, but Pochettino doesn’t believe that means fans should expect instant results, particularly as he is the club’s only arrival so far this summer.
“For him it’s difficult. We cannot expect too much,” Pochettino said (via Football London) after Spurs’ pre-season defeat to Inter at the new stadium. “We need to accept he needs time to adapt to first a new culture, a new country, new habits.
“Of course it’s only him who arrived to the club and that makes it more difficult. When a few are new they can help each other but it’s only him.
“We need to give him time but I am happy in the way he is adapting. He is open to improve and learn but needs time to see the best version of him.”
Jack Clarke has also joined from Leeds United but the teenager has returned to Elland Road on loan. Tottenham are said to be working on further deals for Real Betis playmaker Giovani Lo Celso and Fulham starlet Ryan Sessegnon.
It will be interesting to see if Ndombele starts against Aston Villa in the Premier League curtain-raiser this weekend. We think he probably will.
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There he goes again, lowering expectations so that no one can say ‘he was a bad buy’ or ‘Pochettino isn’t a good manager’, or ‘Spurs have failed’ – top players, clubs and managers should be competing from day one, but Pochettino is apparently happy for his players to take it easy while they get used to their multi-million pound lifestyles at the club’s (i.e. the fans’) expense. Thus Sissoko had two years off before deciding to perform, while Lamela is starting his SEVENTH season at Spurs without having managed half-a-dozen consecutive good games – no wonder we don’t win anything with this culture of excuses from the bloke who’s supposed to motivate the team – it’s all smoke and mirrors with Pochettino, no magic at all.
Run him out like a machine, no where the manager said he will. Ot play him and those are false comparisons, Sissoko was not good enough and he Lamela was at the club B4 Poch got there and w he is a walking hounded.