Wilfred Ndidi

[Col city fan]

Just now, Charl91 said:

 

He has 15 appearances for Barnsley this season. Can't be that unfit.

And you genuinely think that James will come back and sit on the bench for us next season? Fair enough, I hope you're right. Personally, I think he'll go out on loan again to a Championship side and there he will stay. We'll see.

[jayfox26]

5 hours ago, yorkie1999 said:

Half the problem with bringing new players in is they basically have to wait for someone to leave before they can get a look in. Players like Keane, a first teamer in the prem, will never come here because we've got to drop either Huth or Morgan and that's not going to happen for the foreseeable future. Ndidi basically only got in because Kante left

Totally disagree with this. The reason our signings last summer haven't played much is down to them not being good enough (except slim who has been injured). We've had to keep playing Morgan and Huth etc as we had no alternative. If we had signed Keane last summer I guarantee he would have played regularly. I don't think we should get rid of the likes of Huth and Morgan just yet but they both certainly shouldn't be playing every game next season. 

 

The crucial thing is that we sign quality over quantity. We need to sign players that are better than what we already have, which is what we didn't do last summer 

[Col city fan]

Just now, jayfox26 said:

Totally disagree with this. The reason our signings last summer haven't played much is down to them not being good enough (except slim who has been injured). We've had to keep playing Morgan and Huth etc as we had no alternative. If we had signed Keane last summer I guarantee he would have played regularly. I don't think we should get rid of the likes of Huth and Morgan just yet but they both certainly shouldn't be playing every game next season. 

 

The crucial thing is that we sign quality over quantity. We need to sign players that are better than what we already have, which is what we didn't do last summer 

Spot on. I suggest that none of our newer signings (except Wilf) were any better than what we had. In fact, some were worse. We need some quality this time round.

[Charl91]

1 minute ago, Col city fan said:

And you genuinely think that James will come back and sit on the bench for us next season? Fair enough, I hope you're right. Personally, I think he'll go out on loan again to a Championship side and there he will stay. We'll see.

 

I don't know for sure. But I don't see why not, with the aim of playing his way back into the team. He certainly has the quality to at least be a solid back up if he can get back to his best.

 

Bare in mind aswell, that in our first season back, Matty James didn't have the benefit of playing with Fuchs and Simpson (and Huth too) for most of the season; he was playing with De Laet, Konchesky and Liam Moor/Wasilewski. 

 

It would certainly make sense to at least look at it as an option, before rushing out to buy another new player.

[brucey]

9 minutes ago, Koke said:

James is better than King so there's that. Plus as a bsck up CM he's sufficient.

The Ndidi backup needs to be a tackling DM who runs a lot. Can James do that? I'd have thought he'd be cover/replacement for Drinky, not Ndidi.

[Col city fan]

9 minutes ago, Charl91 said:

 

I don't know for sure. But I don't see why not, with the aim of playing his way back into the team. He certainly has the quality to at least be a solid back up if he can get back to his best.

 

Bare in mind aswell, that in our first season back, Matty James didn't have the benefit of playing with Fuchs and Simpson (and Huth too) for most of the season; he was playing with De Laet, Konchesky and Liam Moor/Wasilewski. 

 

It would certainly make sense to at least look at it as an option, before rushing out to buy another new player.

To be honest mate (and you make a decent argument here), I don't think any of them look good enough to really kick us on. King, James, Mendy, certainly not Amartey... none, in my opinion, are anywhere near as talented as the two first choice lads...Ndidi and Drinkwater. I agree with Jayfox 26. THIS summer we need to try to recruit some real quality players, not just to fill the squad up, but to improve it. Especially someone in a playmaker role. A central midfielder who can just keep the ball for a while and orchestrate some play.

James, King et al are ok. But that's all. I've said it before, you can't get a fag paper between em, ability wise. Too much of a muchness.

What was absolutely clear in the two legs against Atletico was the issue wasn't our work rate and our desire. That was without question, exceptional. It was ability. We just could not keep the ball for long enough. King, James, Mendy, Amartey aren't going to help with that, or, at least, I doubt it. 

'The club needs to push the boat out and sign a quality creative central midfielder. 

[Bob Weasel Fox]

55 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

To be honest mate (and you make a decent argument here), I don't think any of them look good enough to really kick us on. King, James, Mendy, certainly not Amartey... none, in my opinion, are anywhere near as talented as the two first choice lads...Ndidi and Drinkwater. I agree with Jayfox 26. THIS summer we need to try to recruit some real quality players, not just to fill the squad up, but to improve it. Especially someone in a playmaker role. A central midfielder who can just keep the ball for a while and orchestrate some play.

James, King et al are ok. But that's all. I've said it before, you can't get a fag paper between em, ability wise. Too much of a muchness.

What was absolutely clear in the two legs against Atletico was the issue wasn't our work rate and our desire. That was without question, exceptional. It was ability. We just could not keep the ball for long enough. King, James, Mendy, Amartey aren't going to help with that, or, at least, I doubt it. 

'The club needs to push the boat out and sign a quality creative central midfielder. 

Can't disagree with that Col

 

last summer was the complete undoing of all the good that had come the previous season sadly

[ARTY_FOX]

We aren't very good at keeping the ball no but that's not our playing style. If you want to change the way we play it'll take more than one midfielder. Trying to keep the ball wa's half the problem this year.

 

Personally I'd rather we didn't try to play a more possession based game. It's boring. As is this 'for the purest' tag line they like to bleat out. Give me a team that fly's forward over a tippy tappy pass for the sake of it team any day. 

[Col city fan]

24 minutes ago, ARTY_FOX said:

We aren't very good at keeping the ball no but that's not our playing style. If you want to change the way we play it'll take more than one midfielder. Trying to keep the ball wa's half the problem this year.

 

Personally I'd rather we didn't try to play a more possession based game. It's boring. As is this 'for the purest' tag line they like to bleat out. Give me a team that fly's forward over a tippy tappy pass for the sake of it team any day. 

You can have both you know! 

I agree, we are a counter attacking, get the ball forward quickly type team. We can also learn to retain possession better when we need to. It's about being able to mix it up. Attack with pace when neccessary, slow it down and keep the ball for a time, when neccessary. The number of times against Atletico that I was shouting to just keep the bloody ball for a bit, especially away. We treated it like a hot potato and consequently suffered wave after wave of attack. You watch what happens against Arsenal if we do this.

[Thracian]

10 hours ago, Col city fan said:

To be honest mate (and you make a decent argument here), I don't think any of them look good enough to really kick us on. King, James, Mendy, certainly not Amartey... none, in my opinion, are anywhere near as talented as the two first choice lads...Ndidi and Drinkwater. I agree with Jayfox 26. THIS summer we need to try to recruit some real quality players, not just to fill the squad up, but to improve it. Especially someone in a playmaker role. A central midfielder who can just keep the ball for a while and orchestrate some play.

James, King et al are ok. But that's all. I've said it before, you can't get a fag paper between em, ability wise. Too much of a muchness.

What was absolutely clear in the two legs against Atletico was the issue wasn't our work rate and our desire. That was without question, exceptional. It was ability. We just could not keep the ball for long enough. King, James, Mendy, Amartey aren't going to help with that, or, at least, I doubt it. 

'The club needs to push the boat out and sign a quality creative central midfielder. 

Absolutely., except I'd say Drinkwater's waning too and lacks too much of what we need from a midfielder complimenting N'didi. It's not that he just needs a break either, he's just not sharp enough, creative enough or a good enough marksman to take us further.

Yes, he'd still serve adequately as a squad player but I'd doubt he'd want that any more than James, Mendy or Amartey.

I don't know about Kingy. He seems to accept being a squad member and. as such, is competently reliable for no other reason than he moves the ball quickly and accurately on the floor, without any undue risk of losing it.

But really we need much more than that now, to keep pace with the big boys. Somehow we need to move forward from having a first team squad and adequate reserves to having a first team squad and equal or very nearly equal replacements.        

[Arriba Los Zorros]

48 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

You can have both you know! 

I agree, we are a counter attacking, get the ball forward quickly type team. We can also learn to retain possession better when we need to. It's about being able to mix it up. Attack with pace when neccessary, slow it down and keep the ball for a time, when neccessary. The number of times against Atletico that I was shouting to just keep the bloody ball for a bit, especially away. We treated it like a hot potato and consequently suffered wave after wave of attack. You watch what happens against Arsenal if we do this.

You must have forgotten how Matty James plays, he's far better than either DD or Ndidi for keeping the ball, as tidy as they come.

[ZeGuy]

17 hours ago, yorkie1999 said:

Half the problem with bringing new players in is they basically have to wait for someone to leave before they can get a look in. Players like Keane, a first teamer in the prem, will never come here because we've got to drop either Huth or Morgan and that's not going to happen for the foreseeable future. Ndidi basically only got in because Kante left

Not true, if they're good they'll play. Hard to replace Kanté since he's one of the best in the world, but could imagine  Kanté AND Ndidi playing together. What a midfield it would have been..

 

They'll be dropped (Morgan especially) as soon as a quality CB comes in. Benny is already ahead of both of them.

 

Keane won't come because he's eyed by many of the top clubs, not because he wouldn't find a place in the starting XI. If he's on the bench while Morgan and Huth are on the pitch, then the manager has a couple of screws loose.

[Babylon]

7 minutes ago, ZeGuy said:

Not true, if they're good they'll play. Hard to replace Kanté since he's one of the best in the world, but could imagine  Kanté AND Ndidi playing together. What a midfield it would have been..

 

They'll be dropped (Morgan especially) as soon as a quality CB comes in. Benny is already ahead of both of them.

 

Keane won't come because he's eyed by many of the top clubs, not because he wouldn't find a place in the starting XI. If he's on the bench while Morgan and Huth are on the pitch, then the manager has a couple of screws loose.

No he's not.

[Babylon]

54 minutes ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

You must have forgotten how Matty James plays, he's far better than either DD or Ndidi for keeping the ball, as tidy as they come.

Judging by this place I think most people seem to have forgotten what a good player he can be. People putting him in the same bracket as King is laughable, when he's fit King doesn't get a look in over James and hasn't since he arrived.

[les-tah]

 

14 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Judging by this place I think most people seem to have forgotten what a good player he can be. People putting him in the same bracket as King is laughable, when he's fit King doesn't get a look in over James and hasn't since he arrived.

James was always better than Drinky in my opinion and still has the potential to surpass him. I really hope he gets the chance here.

[polarbear]

6 minutes ago, les-tah said:

 

James was always better than Drinky in my opinion and still has the potential to surpass him. I really hope he gets the chance here.

agree James was the all round better player. its only a question of whether he can get back to that level - however with a real pre season i would certainly expect the club to assess him along with others properly.

 

[HighPeakFox]

14 hours ago, Thracian said:

...  the Champions League quarter-finals,  where we were not beaten by a better side. 

Whatever else went on, this statement is factually incorrect. 

[Arriba Los Zorros]

 

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Judging by this place I think most people seem to have forgotten what a good player he can be. People putting him in the same bracket as King is laughable, when he's fit King doesn't get a look in over James and hasn't since he arrived.

 

1 hour ago, les-tah said:

 

James was always better than Drinky in my opinion and still has the potential to surpass him. I really hope he gets the chance here.

 

1 hour ago, polarbear said:

agree James was the all round better player. its only a question of whether he can get back to that level - however with a real pre season i would certainly expect the club to assess him along with others properly.

 

Well said all. When James is back here and playing at his potential again there'll be a lot of people eating words!!

[Leamington Fox]

People forget how good Drinkwater was in the first third of this season.  I think we've got another couple of seasons with him in our first choice XI.

 

[ARTY_FOX]

3 hours ago, Col city fan said:

You can have both you know! 

I agree, we are a counter attacking, get the ball forward quickly type team. We can also learn to retain possession better when we need to. It's about being able to mix it up. Attack with pace when neccessary, slow it down and keep the ball for a time, when neccessary. The number of times against Atletico that I was shouting to just keep the bloody ball for a bit, especially away. We treated it like a hot potato and consequently suffered wave after wave of attack. You watch what happens against Arsenal if we do this.

No we didn't keep the ball well in Madrid but that was poor tactics for the team selected. Trying to get vardy behind is fair enough but using okazaki as a target man was never going work. We needed ulloa.

 

Also we can he excellent at keeping the ball as long we're playing fast and on keep the ball moving forward. There's plenty of examples of it. Like Liverpool at home last season. 

[yorkie1999]

2 hours ago, ZeGuy said:

Not true, if they're good they'll play. Hard to replace Kanté since he's one of the best in the world, but could imagine  Kanté AND Ndidi playing together. What a midfield it would have been..

 

They'll be dropped (Morgan especially) as soon as a quality CB comes in. Benny is already ahead of both of them.

 

Keane won't come because he's eyed by many of the top clubs, not because he wouldn't find a place in the starting XI. If he's on the bench while Morgan and Huth are on the pitch, then the manager has a couple of screws loose.

We didn't replace Kante as such , he left, and that's what i'm saying about Huth and Morgan. We've basically got to wait for them to leave or take a back seat or get injured. When Morgan is fit again he'll be a starter over Benny. It's like the last couple of transfer window, we've spent a shed load of money and basically got one new player in from last years team. Another thing, because of the make up of this team and where they've come from, it's going to be very difficult to integrate big names into it.

[ZeGuy]

11 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

We didn't replace Kante as such , he left, and that's what i'm saying about Huth and Morgan. We've basically got to wait for them to leave or take a back seat or get injured. When Morgan is fit again he'll be a starter over Benny. It's like the last couple of transfer window, we've spent a shed load of money and basically got one new player in from last years team

That would be a mistake in my opinion.

 

Morgan is past his best and Benny is better, especially with his feet. He just needs more game time. Give the captaincy to Kasper, he's more made for that role than Wes.

 

Last summer was catastrophic (as well as January, with ehm... Molla Wague) and if we don't get at least one new CB then we're in trouble next season.

[AmarteyAndChill]

7 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

We didn't replace Kante as such , he left, and that's what i'm saying about Huth and Morgan. We've basically got to wait for them to leave or take a back seat or get injured. When Morgan is fit again he'll be a starter over Benny. It's like the last couple of transfer window, we've spent a shed load of money and basically got one new player in from last years team. Another thing, because of the make up of this team and where they've come from, it's going to be very difficult to integrate big names into it.

Morgan and Huth together are not good enough on the ball, benny and Huth are our best partnership imo. 

[foxinsocks]

It is an arc.... and wes and huth are on the fall8ng part. They will not be better next season than this. .. we have benny... we have amarty... we need 4 cbs... so we shoukd buy two as we manage huth and wes into the subset. I like both... but that's.  .the circle of life

[murphy]

3 hours ago, Leamington Fox said:

People forget how good Drinkwater was in the first third of this season.  I think we've got another couple of seasons with him in our first choice XI.

 

That's right he was easily our best player and the only one to raise his game from the previous year.  I think he has been carrying an injury for some time now.