According to Fabrizio Romano, as cited by Express, Antonio Conte is currently assessing the Tottenham squad as he looks to bring the best out of his current bunch. The two players he is keeping a close eye on are Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndombele, with the Italian prepared to try his luck with both the playmakers in an attempt to resurrect their careers.
Tanguy Ndombele: A Major Asset For Conte?
Tanguy Ndombele has had a topsy turvy start to the campaign. The midfielder was not favoured highly by Nuno Espirito Santo at the start of the season, but he eventually made his way into the starting eleven.
The Frenchman did perform well in certain encounters, including the 3-2 win over Newcastle United. But he was largely a victim of Tottenham’s poor collective performances that saw them secure just 15 points in their first ten matches.
It is difficult to predict whether he can be a success under Antonio Conte. But on a positive note, the Italian does prefer a 3-5-2 setup, in which he likes to deploy two attack-minded midfielders alongside the number six. Ndombele could slot in perfectly as that supporting midfielder in the second line of press.
His ability to act as a ball-carrier, coupled with his technical prowess, may even see him occupying the role of Nicolo Barella in Conte’s Tottenham squad, during the remainder of the campaign.
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What’s Next For Dele Alli?
Dele Alli is a far trickier assessment as far as the Tottenham midfielders are concerned. The Englishman started the season well, not even missing a single minute in the first five matches of the season.
But he failed to make a major impact in the number ten role, forcing Nuno to shuffle his pack and put his faith in Ndombele. The return of Giovani Lo Celso didn’t help either. As a result, Alli has played only 17 minutes of league football in the last five matches.
As mentioned earlier, Conte does prefer to deploy two attacking midfielders in his 3-5-2 setup. However, unlike Ndombele, Alli is not as effective when it comes to carrying the ball. While he does have other qualities, Tottenham simply have better players, who can do it more consistently.
Not to mention, the former MK Dons starlet has struggled with form throughout the past few years. Hence, it won’t be surprising to see the Englishman make his presence felt under the new coach and eventually leave the club in the January transfer window.
