[Bilan de saison] Illiman Ndiaye: a lot of pressure on one boy

It’s the story of a young 23-year-old player who arrived from the English second division in La Canebière. A player who was to confirm in a club of the standing of Olympique de Marseille. A look back at the first season of Ndiaye under the Olympian jersey.

Illiman Ndiaye presented at the Vélodrome

The player should never have suffered everything he suffered. He is welcomed by a crowd of supporters, a treatment normally reserved for great players who come to a club, likeAlexis Sanchez. He’s not a great player here. He was only 23 years old at the time and played for Sheffield United, an English second division club.

Ndiaye upon his arrival in Marignane

So why did a player of this caliber receive a welcome as if he were the Messi of his team? Under the pretext that he played for a year in the youth classes of the Marseille club and that he did juggling at Saint-Charles. A more than ridiculous justification and an exaggerated expectation on the part of the player who will not have been able to accept this welcome.

For his first assessment, the Senegalese has had a bad season. It didn’t take me long to find the latter’s shortcomings: vague placement and almost non-existent finishing. For the first thing, we can say that he is moved from post to post. The different coaches succeeding each other. But for the finish, what we have been praised as one of its qualities will nevertheless be one of its worst faults.

He missed opportunities. Looking at the matches again, we see that the player gets a ton of hot situations in front of the cages but almost never manages to put it in the back. And for a striker, 4 goals and 3 assists in 46 games is very insufficient, especially for a transfer worth 17 million euros.

Despite everything, we can have reasons for hope. He’s still a young player! He showed some interesting qualities in passing and dribbling in particular. Ndiaye is a hard worker, his career shows us that: arrived in England in the 5th division then loaned to the 6th division. It is thanks to mental strength and his work that he was able to establish himself in the antechamber of the Premier League. And desire is not something that can be taken away. Unlike a player like Joaquin Correashowed him that he wanted to establish himself at OM.

It reminds me of Leonardo Balerdi. Arrived young with many faults but with an impeccable state of mind. Before becoming the darling of the Vélodrome, the Argentinian had two very complicated seasons, full of errors which he has now erased.

All we can wish for the Senegalese is to digest his transfer, that he continues to work hard in order to have a better season next year.