Rise of the Foot Soldier

[forensiconions]

Rise of The Foot Soldier

 

(Why Kanté Gets my vote for best player in the EPL this season)

When asked who the best player in the world is, or the best player in the league is, or even who is the best player in your team is, there is always a tendency in football to choose the most prolific goal scorer, most creative or flamboyant player, or maybe the swashbuckling marauding midfielder of a Gerrard-esque disposition. Occasionally a goalkeeper will get the nod, even more rarely a commanding centre-back. But almost never will that choice be the humble foot soldier. The functionary. The water carrying midfielder.

Best is such a subjective term. It is so much easier to look “best” when putting the ball in the net or playing that incisive little through ball. But without someone to win the ball in the first place there would be no glory to grab for the peacocks who take most of the plaudits…..

Full article:

https://forensiconions.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/rise-of-the-foot-soldier/

 

 

 

 

 

[Charl91]

You could just post your full article.

 

Did quite like the stat comparisons to Dier and Coq though.

 

 

 

When asked who the best player in the world is, or the best player in the league is, or even who is the best player in your team is, there is always a tendency in football to choose the most prolific goal scorer, most creative or flamboyant player, or maybe the swashbuckling marauding midfielder of a Gerrard-esque disposition. Occasionally a goalkeeper will get the nod, even more rarely a commanding centre-back. But almost never will that choice be the humble foot soldier. The functionary. The water carrying midfielder.

 

Best is such a subjective term. It is so much easier to look “best” when putting the ball in the net or playing that incisive little through ball. But without someone to win the ball in the first place there would be no glory to grab for the peacocks who take most of the plaudits.

 

Les Ferdinand once opined that the worst thing to happen to English football was Claude Makelele. He was talking about the fact that Makelele wasn’t what he deemed multifunctional enough. He was also talking about a player who won 5 league titles in 3 countries as well as a Champions League and several other domestic trophies and a runners up medal in a world cup final. Ferdinand was echoing the sentiments of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez when asked why he was selling Makelele from Real Madrid to Chelsea:

 

“We will not miss Makélelé. His technique is average, he lacks the speed and skill to take the ball past opponents, and ninety percent of his distribution either goes backwards or sideways. He wasn’t a header of the ball and he rarely passed the ball more than three metres. Younger players will arrive who will cause Makélelé to be forgotten.”

 

Makelele’s team mates did not share Perez’s view. Indeed, when Real Madrid sold Makelele and bought Beckham, Zidane was quoted as saying:

“why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine”.

 

Fernando Hierro went even further:

“I think Claude has this kind of gift – he’s been the best player in the team for years but people just don’t notice him, don’t notice what he does. But you ask anyone at Real Madrid during the years we were talking about and they will tell you he was the best player at Real. We all knew, the players all knew he was the most important. The loss of Makélelé was the beginning of the end for Los Galacticos… You can see that it was also the beginning of a new dawn for Chelsea. He was the base, the key and I think he is the same to Chelsea now.”

 

If Ferdinand had his way N’Golo Kanté would probably be emptying bins in a Paris suburb now, luckily for Leicester, France and football in general, Ferdinand’s footballing intuition is as astute as his recruitment record as Director of Football at QPR. Anyone who knows me, knows I have a predilection for what I lovingly call the busy c***. They come in different shapes, sizes and hues, but invariably the most successful sides have one. And in N’Golo Kanté I think we are seeing another of this endangered species at it’s very finest. His rise has been pretty remarkable. From third division French football, to title challenging EPL player who may yet go on to lift an International Trophy this summer with France, all in the space of three years. Last year in Ligue 1 for Caen he recovered possession more times than any other player in Europe’s top leagues.

 

When Steve Walsh, Leicester City’s head of recruitment mooted Kanté to Claudio Ranieri the new Leicester manager, in the summer of 2015, he was not convinced; worried his diminutive stature may not be up to the rigors of the EPL. A few weeks into the season Ranieri was recanting, apparently quoted as joking to Walsh:

“Steve, don’t ever listen to me again, I don’t know what I’m talking about.”

This season Kanté has the highest tackles/interceptions per game combo (8.7) in Europe and is the dynamic, thumping heart beat that has been driving Leicester City’s miraculous assault on their first ever English league title. He is the heir apparent to Makelele and, as with Makelele, there is more to him than just winning the ball and covering vast swathes of grass per game, he is technically proficient, and has an excellent game reading brain which gets him into the positions to continually win the ball and then the ability to distribute it simply but effectively.

 

As well as outperforming the rest of his peers in the EPL defensively, if you compare his offensive contribution to the midfielders doing similar jobs at the other top four teams he comes out very favourably too. Making nearly twice the chances and key passes per 90 minutes on the pitch as Spurs Eric Dier, four times the chances and key passes as Arsenal’s Francis Coquelin, virtually identical key passes and chances created as Manchester City’s (£34m) Fernandinho, whilst creating more assists than all of them put together.

 

Leicester have other outstanding individuals of course, such as Vardy and Mahrez. Various other players from various other teams are also deservedly vying for the accolade of best player in the EPL this season. Kane, DeBruyne, Martial, Ozil and the inimitable magician Payet all have strong claims. They have all provided wonderful moments, but none of them deliver the goods every single time they walk onto the pitch. Kanté does.

Which is why I may be in a minority but I think Kanté has been the best player in the EPL this season.

 

[Gary Eatfood]

That's a great article. Kante has been an absolute revelation and the best midfield player we have ever had, all in one unforgettable season.

 

He gets my vote for Player of the Century.

[sylofox]

You could just post your full article.

 

Did quite like the stat comparisons to Dier and Coq though.

 

Kante is better than any c0ck lol

[Vardinio'sCat]

 N'golo is much better than Makelele, although he hasn't had the length of career Claude did. His destructive game is comparable, plus he has so much more to give, going forward.

 

From Ligue 2 to world-class in about 6 months. 

[milsey]

It's an insult to put Kante in that category. Everyone who knows anything about football knows he has all the prerequisites of a star. The fascination fans and commentators have with goalscorers blinds them to the other equally valid aspects of the game.

In 1994, when Brazil won the World Cup, the player who won it for them was then playing for an unfashionable German side - Vfb Stuttgart. But he was captain of the national side and, during the Tournament, controlled every game from rear midfield. Broke up attack after attack and never made one ​loose pass - ruthless and dominant in the tackle; accurate in the distribution, however long the pass. His unsung efforts bought home the trophy for Brazil.

Yet the Player of the Tournament was Romario.

Are you talking about dunga?

[biggs]

Kante is immense and should be considered player of the EPL this year. This Leicester team has a number of players worth consideration.

[Sionnach gorm]

In fact I'd care to say that even our so-called "average players" have been key this year. This team has had so many players just become pure class. I am just amazed. Kante is, of course, in another universe.

[Fennec-Fox]

Would have serious chances if he had added some goals.

[jaqo88]

Definitely should be player of the Year. I can't think of one game Kante has been below par and he is the only player I can say that for. Simply outstanding and so critical to our team. Just hope we hang onto him the summer!

[Al-aLondon-Foxile]

For me he is the single biggest difference to this team, absolutely my player of the season and one we will do very well to hold onto this summer.

[Captain...]

He is amazing, but he does have weaknesses, shooting is one, so what, but at least a couple of times a game he will needlessly give the ball away with a sloppy pass. He normally wins it back, but he still has areas to work on and can and will get better.

[Tielemans63]

I think of him as more of a ninja than a foot soldier. One minute he's nowhere in sight, the next - BAM - he's taken you out.

Really really hope he stays for another season at least as he's irreplaceable.

[Babylon]

Definitely player of the season for me, he's on it every single game.

[milsey]

Yes.

I watched every Brazil game and, right from the start, he gained my attention. After that it actually became more interesting for me to watch him play than any other player. He dictated play, yet received very little acknowledgement from journalists and commentators - except the savvy ones..

I totally agree mate. A great player who went about his business not getting the full praise he deserved. I always thought he was so unbrazilian in the way he played, an enforcer, a tackler, so disiplined and stuck to his job rather than try and be flash like most around him at the time. He was there heartbeat and without him they'd of been a different side. I love these kind of players!

[Socks]

My fave city player ever. Will be gutted if he goes. And mahrez and vards