Islam slimani

[the fox]

It is obvious that slim is our best striker right now. But he is still not in the same page with vardy as of yet. And some times he seems the only player that is willing to scream on his teammates to run and Press the opposition's players . he is showing leadership but could that be the reason vardy is not responding well to him?. Vardy was always the main man. And oka was just the second strike that played as a mid and was ok with having 5 goals a season. But now the bigger alpha is in town and vardy is intimidated. Yes mahrez is the best player on the team but he is the silent type and that allowed vardy to bark the loudest. But slim is the one closing big games(the last 2 champions league games). And out hustling the hustler. He is now running more then him and winning the games instead of him. I don't think this is far from the truth.  But this is just me putting my two cents in the Case.

[Max Power]

Slimani has outperformed Vardy since he arrived no doubt. There are certain games at home against weaker teams where they could play together but I think we have to pick one or the other for the rest and at the moment I'd go Slimani 

[tyfox]

I think they just need time to click. I see in Vardys book he said Esteban pissed him off by trying to take over, maybe he doesn't like big personalities I don't know but I'm sure they will click soon

[Monsell1976]

They are both playing the same way, on the shoulder of the last defender, one of them needs to drop in.

This of course might be down to us just hoofing long balls forward.

[Charl91]

Slimani has been one glimmer of hope, but it's clear that shoulder-of-the-last-man approach isn't suited for him. We're not really playing to his strengths; he's not going to run at defenders, like Vardy used to, he needs to be in the box, where we can get crosses in for him.

 

A goal against Porto, and what should've been a goal and an assist against Copenhagen is a very good return. Personally, I would drop Vardy, play Okazaki instead (who can play deeper), and let Slim go up top by himself.

 

 

[the fox]

4 minutes ago, Monsell1976 said:

They are both playing the same way, on the shoulder of the last defender, one of them needs to drop in.

This of course might be down to us just hoofing long balls forward.

Slim yesterday dropped deep a lot. He was more like a 5th mid when defending. He helped the cms a lot and pressed from the top. It is just that vardy is not making the runs that help space the pitch

[stevelcfc]

Not convinced he can play with Vardy, neither are going to want nor have the ability to drop deep and play the Okazaki role in a 442. 

And if we ever do decide to switch to a 451 then surely it has to be big Slim ahead of Vardy

[Koke]

For me Islam is ahead of Vardy in the pecking order. He's playing better.  That wrongly disallowed goal last night shows that if you feed him he will score.  

 

I honestly think we should switch to a 4231. That will also get the best out of Mahrez. The shape of the team look so much better like this.

 

           Drinkwater - Amartey 

 

Gray                  Mahrez             Albrighton 

                      

                          Slimani 

 

 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Seeing that he cost us more than all our other strikers combined I would hope that he would be our best option. 

[Monsell1976]

12 minutes ago, the fox said:

Slim yesterday dropped deep a lot. He was more like a 5th mid when defending. He helped the cms a lot and pressed from the top. It is just that vardy is not making the runs that help space the pitch

The times I payed attention, once we regained the ball, the both got on the shoulder of the defender.

I can remember silmani dropping a bit deeper second half, I did think to myself last night, that vardy didn't want to pass to Islam.

If that is the case, which from reading the forum, a lot seem to be noticing, vardy needs to lose his big time Charlie attitude, and remember he's a team player.

[Manwell Pablo]

I think it's a sorry tale of modern football when a player with his touch and general ability on the deck commands a 28 Million pound fee  but he's doing the business in terms of work rate closing down making the runs and he is absolutely exceptional in the air. Contributing more than Vardy, I dunno what we are going to do with Musa, and Shinji and Ulloa barely getting a kick so yes at the moment he's your preferred striker.

[StriderHiryu]

Below is the last game Slimani played for Sporting.  He was often used as a lone forward in a 4-5-1 for them.

 

You could have Drinkwater and Amartey sitting in deep, then a three man interchanging midfield 3 with any of Mahrez / Gray / Vardy / Okazaki / Kaputska (?).

 

Would probably play to his undeniable strengths and give us more possession. Maybe it's the reason we wanted Adrien Silva?

 

 

[Guest CityFan 06]

Okazaki needs to play behind the strikers for me, CAM. He would then link it going forward for the strikers, and also track back like he does with his work rate and energy. Can't help but thinking we are missing him somewhere. 

[Monsell1976]

3 minutes ago, CityFan 06 said:

Okazaki needs to play behind the strikers for me, CAM. He would then link it going forward for the strikers, and also track back like he does with his work rate and energy. Can't help but thinking we are missing him somewhere. 

If he can keep his balance, never known a player fall over so much, unaided

[Soar Fox]

4 minutes ago, Monsell1976 said:

If he can keep his balance, never known a player fall over so much, unaided

Classic Shinji yesterday came on first thing he did with the ball was fall over it. 

[Babylon]

He's a handful and you can see he's a poacher, getting himself into the right sort of areas. As mentioned above you can't be sliding passes through for him like you do Vardy, quite a few times we did it and his touch was horrific, he'd end up stumbling about and losing posession like a young Ian Ormandroyd.

 

We need to play to his strengths a bit more, would like to see Mahrez and Albrighton switch flanks more to cross on their correct feet.

[Babylon]

25 minutes ago, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Classic Shinji yesterday came on first thing he did with the ball was fall over it. 

Congrats by the way!

[Marshall Cockney Fox]

I thought Vardy was a lot busier and dangerous than Slim shady yesterday. first half he worked some good opportunities down the left channel. He would then look up to see where slim was in the box I.e. our goal. What was apparent was that Slim's introduction has pushed him a little away from central areas - good or bad?

 

When our defenders had the ball they were nearly always level. That was a major issue as one needed to come shorter. I think Mahrez in the hole could be the solution, assuming his form picks up.

[lifted*fox]

1 hour ago, Koke said:

I honestly think we should switch to a 4231. That will also get the best out of Mahrez. The shape of the team look so much better like this.

 

           Drinkwater - Amartey 

 

Gray                  Mahrez             Albrighton 

                      

                          Slimani 

 

 

 

Absolutely. I thought this would strengthen midfield and help with our lack of creativity at the moment. Said 4231 last night when talking about it.

[Racingfox]

2 hours ago, tyfox said:

I think they just need time to click. I see in Vardys book he said Esteban pissed him off by trying to take over, maybe he doesn't like big personalities I don't know but I'm sure they will click soon

Vardy's book shows a deep vein of insecurity a alpha major male in his space will upset him and Islam is that sort of male , if you were in trenches i know which man I'd like to be my general . 

[HankMarvin]

32 minutes ago, Racingfox said:

Vardy's book shows a deep vein of insecurity a alpha major male in his space will upset him and Islam is that sort of male , if you were in trenches i know which man I'd like to be my general . 

Also Vardy wanting to quit football at one stage shows he has a weak mentality.

[Foxes1]

Slimani plays a lot at the minute with his back to goal waiting for Kasper or whoever to hoof it forward and I don't think that's his natural game. He thrives on decent crosses into the box from the wings (As he proved against Porto) we need the wingers to cross balls into the box for him to be more effective.

 

[Jazzy_Jeff]

                   Back 5

 

Mendy                         Amartey

              Drinkwater

 

Mahrez                        Musa

 

               Slimani

[Guest Bob Hazels shorts]

Didn't think he had that great a game last night not ideal that we were trying to be Wimbledon of old.

Thought Ulloa looked better at times, also revived to see Okazaki, got to be a place for him.

 

Not a lot broken before just support available as needed, as should be defense be but we have poor options

[the fox]

1 hour ago, HankMarvin said:

Also Vardy wanting to quit football at one stage shows he has a weak mentality.

Not trying to hype slim or any thing. But I remember that he was mocked by fans because he was bad with his feet. And that was in the Algerian 3rd league. They laughed at him when he played in the 3rd league. They laughed at him when he played in the 1 league. They even laughed at him when he played for the national team. but for me the defining moment for slimani as a player is when he chose to go play for sporting and not in the middle east. He was 25. He could've chosen the money but he took the glory instead. And for that I consider slimani not just a role model and a good player. but a great person that could have quite so easily but played through the mockery of others