Mourinho criticises Tottenham star Tanguy Ndombele for lack of effort

According to the Metro, Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the desire and efforts of midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.

Ndombele has been at Tottenham for close to two years now, having joined from Olympique Lyon in a club-record deal in 2019. However, the Frenchman has had a difficult time in London.

Indeed, Ndombele spent the 2019/20 campaign being in and out of Mourinho’s side, with the Portuguese time and again publicly criticising him. This term, though, has seen a big change, as the French midfielder has upped his game big-time.

In fact, Ndombele, after Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, has been one of Tottenham’s better players this term. Mourinho acknowledged that in terms of vision and creativity Ndombele was right up there with the best. However, the Portuguese tactician, as he has done in the past, accused the Frenchman of a lack of effort off the ball.

“I think by the talent point of view, by the creation in midfield, by the vision, he is second to nobody in this moment in European football. But the feeling is that he always has more to give, he never reaches the limit of the effort, the sacrifice, even the ambition.

“So he is the guy I love him as a player, but he frustrates me a little bit, because I think he can be much better than what he is.”

Tottenham squandered a great opportunity to go fourth in the Premier League table as they dropped two vital points against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park. It was the Magpies who took the lead in the first half through Joelinton after some sloppy defending by our team.

However, Harry Kane struck twice in four minutes to put Tottenham in front heading into the half-time break. Post the break, Newcastle kept up the pressure and were able to equalise through Arsenal loanee Joe Willock, depriving Tottenham of a win.

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Ndombele had a good game in an overall sense as he played a part in the lead-up to Kane’s first goal before assisting the England captain for his second with a magnificent through-pass. It is now up to him to kick on completely win his manager’s faith.