Ndidi Made Pogba A Passenger In The Midfield, The Boy Is Good – Gary Neville

[smr]

Agree about N'didi, great effort, work rate, and you can see he's got a gift for playing football. Gray played well when he came on too, he couldn't have done anymore... apart from when he came over to us for one his corners and encouraged us to show some support, then proceeded take a pathetic corner which hit the arse of a united player.

 

Quite comical at the time.

[shen]

1 hour ago, foxes21 said:

if we can get him running higher up the pitch off the ball to assist the press & win possession high up the pitch, I think that's when we can make 4-4-1-1 work. Like Kante, Ndidi surely has the stamina and intensity to help press high & also track back into his own half, in the space of a few seconds. Drinkwater wants to be the main man, the one that sits deep and sprays passes. Let Ndidi be the one to press high off the ball, like Kante did.

As tempting as it is to compare him to Kanté, the two are very different physically. I don't see him having the same agility, acceleration and reaction skills that Kanté had.

But ultimately, the thing that made Kanté stand out for us was his intelligent use of the ball after he'd won it.

[Guest Col city fan]

Saw it after one game.

I wouldn't give tuppence for Amartey or Mendy, from what I've seen so far. This boy looks different gravy.

He actually has some skill as a footballer. There's a head start over the other pair.

[M0901]

As long as he stays humble, keeps his head down and gives us the boost for survival, the summer will mean we can really push on and this lad can show what he's all about in the coming years. Providing Chelsea don't take him off our hands...

[AKCJ]

Others have seen it in the games prior, but for me on Sunday the lad looked quality for 90 minutes for the fist time. Carried Drinkwater in one arm and kept Pogba and Herrara in his two back pockets.

 

Well done lad, big performance needed from you next Sunday. It's the biggest game of your career so far.

[Stadt]

4 hours ago, Basingstoke Fox said:

Pogba was bullying Drinkwater off the ball at times on Sunday, you could see how frustrated he was getting.

Tbf Pogba is fúcking massive 

[st albans fox]

15 minutes ago, Wookie said:

Tbf Pogba is fúcking massive 

I was impressed with pogba's defensive work but going forward, wilf did well to contain him. Shows a lot of promise and just hope the rubbish going on around him doesn't affect him as he is young and possibly impressionable in a new environment. 

[jayfox26]

Got to feel sorry for N Didi, he's come in and looked good but has Drinkwater next to him who is literally doing **** all this season. 

 

Even Kante would struggle a bit this season playing alongside Drinky when he's this bad. Really hope he can get back to form soon as he was class last season. Doesn't look confident at all and looks like he doesn't want the ball playing to him which is the total opposite of last season when he was always looking to get on the ball. 

 

Despite how shit we've been, if we do finally get some form together we have some very good young players in Chilwell, N Didi and Gray and we should be looking to build with these going forward (providing they don't leave in the summer) 

[Stadt]

35 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

I was impressed with pogba's defensive work but going forward, wilf did well to contain him. Shows a lot of promise and just hope the rubbish going on around him doesn't affect him as he is young and possibly impressionable in a new environment. 

Pogba plays better in a three man midfield, he's wasted playing in a holding pair

[BrummieFOX]

7 minutes ago, Wookie said:

Pogba plays better in a three man midfield, he's wasted playing in a holding pair

Yeh, I'd be so frustrated as a United fan seeing him so deep. Wasn't really able to get forward in the game at all. 

 

If Ndidi had an on form Drinkwater next to him, we'd improve massively and I think as well as simply hoping our defense learns how to defend, that'll be the key to us trying to stay up. Unfortauntely Drinkwater has probably been one of our worst performers in the past month and that's saying something.

[Stadt]

Just now, BrummieFOX said:

Yeh, I'd be so frustrated as a United fan seeing him so deep. Wasn't really able to get forward in the game at all. 

 

If Ndidi had an on form Drinkwater next to him, we'd improve massively and I think as well as simply hoping our defense learns how to defend, that'll be the key to us trying to stay up. Unfortauntely Drinkwater has probably been one of our worst performers in the past month and that's saying something.

Agreed, when Drinkwater plays well we normally play well as a team. If we had a confident, on form Drinky he'd be picking the ball from the defenders and moving around nicely but instead he doesn't show for the ball and it gets hoofed forwards. By the looks of it he was great at Everton away where he was playing as part of a three which I don't think is a coincidence.

[Guest CityFan 06]

He didn't look exposed in any way vs Manchester Utd, and continues to look steady and impressive. I think he's become more confident actually as well. His movement on the ball and positional sense is very good.

[Webbo]

Sounds like we owe our DoF a vote of thanks?

 

[funkyrobot]

5 hours ago, Col city fan said:

Saw it after one game.

I wouldn't give tuppence for Amartey or Mendy, from what I've seen so far. This boy looks different gravy.

He actually has some skill as a footballer. There's a head start over the other pair.

You're very harsh on Amartey. I think the lad has been one of our best outfield players this season. When him and King played together in midfield he took the dominant role despite King's seniority and outperformed him consistently. 

[Guest Col city fan]

3 minutes ago, funkyrobot said:

You're very harsh on Amartey. I think the lad has been one of our best outfield players this season. When him and King played together in midfield he took the dominant role despite King's seniority and outperformed him consistently. 

Was that the Amartey/King partnership that got completely over-run against United or Liverpool? Both 4-1 and realistically could have been 6/7. Amongst other, many, losses.

I think I wrote in another thread (there are so many the same bloody subject they all blur into one), that we've amazingly looked WORSE when Amartey hasn't played.

But don't make out he's been much good. He ain't. None of them have.

[funkyrobot]

3 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Was that the Amartey/King partnership that got completely over-run against United or Liverpool? Both 4-1 and realistically could have been 6/7. Amongst other, many, losses.

I think I wrote in another thread (there are so many the same bloody subject they all blur into one), that we've amazingly looked WORSE when Amartey hasn't played.

But don't make out he's been much good. He ain't. None of them have.

I think he's developed well and I see a potential in him both in midfield and in defence. He's only a young lad remember. I agree NDidi looks instantly a class act but don't write Amartey off. As it stands I'd find it difficult not to somehow fit them both into our starting 11. 

[Guest Col city fan]

1 minute ago, funkyrobot said:

I think he's developed well and I see a potential in him both in midfield and in defence. He's only a young lad remember. I agree NDidi looks instantly a class act but don't write Amartey off. As it stands I'd find it difficult not to somehow fit them both into our starting 11. 

Amartey at CB for me.

[funkyrobot]

Just now, Col city fan said:

Amartey at CB for me.

Yeh or even instead of Simmo. 

[AyewJoking]

pogba will be devastated by this, he lost the midfield battle and only scraped a 3-0 win. must work harder.

[Clever Fox]

Ndidi and Amartey are the future for us. We need to get rid of DD King as they offer us very little. We need to build afresh with these two. They offer.strength and pace coupled with being comfortable on the Ball. Qualities we lack all over the park. then add the missing quality midfielder to control the game and play players in. With Gray and Mahrez on the wings and Slim in the middle we'll be at it again.

[Guest Col city fan]

10 minutes ago, Clever Fox said:

Ndidi and Amartey are the future for us. We need to get rid of DD King as they offer us very little. We need to build afresh with these two. They offer.strength and pace coupled with being comfortable on the Ball. Qualities we lack all over the park. then add the missing quality midfielder to control the game and play players in. With Gray and Mahrez on the wings and Slim in the middle we'll be at it again.

I have to be careful here because I feel another ban coming...but I can't let this go...I can't believe you are saying Amartey is comfortable on the ball.

Ndidi IS comfortable on the ball. Amartey is anything but comfortable on the ball. He treats the ball like a hot potato.

Has the season been SO bad that people will look anything to be positive about, even when it's complete rubbish?

Cmon, lets at least retain some semblance of reality. Amartey is physical, athletic, a stopper. But comfortable on the ball in the midfield? I've heard it all.

Let me make this clear (to stop all this crap about me supposedly focusing on Amartey), the WHOLE MIDFIELD this season have been dreadful. They look anything but a Premiership standard midfield, to date. But in Ndidi i see a real spark of hope. 

Put it this way. Amartey and Mendy and certainly King, in my opinion, would struggle to get into ANY midfield in the Prem, bar ours. Whereas Ndidi, I believe, will be courted by clubs bigger than us in the not too distant.

[AmarteyAndChill]

5 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

I have to be careful here because I feel another ban coming...but I can't let this go...I can't believe you are saying Amartey is comfortable on the ball.

Ndidi IS comfortable on the ball. Amartey is anything but comfortable on the ball. He treats the ball like a hot potato.

Has the season been SO bad that people will look anything to be positive about, even when it's complete rubbish?

Cmon, lets at least retain some semblance of reality. Amartey is physical, athletic, a stopper. But comfortable on the ball in the midfield? I've heard it all.

In all honesty his passing has improved over the season. He was starting to pass forward a lot more becoming more confident. I think he can be decent in the future.

[Guest Col city fan]

1 minute ago, AmarteyAndChill said:

In all honesty his passing has improved over the season. He was starting to pass forward a lot more becoming more confident. I think he can be decent in the future.

Can you not see what you are saying? We came into the campaign the Champions of England, and defending our crown. And you (and plenty of others) are actually pleased that one of our centre midfields is improving because he's 'starting to pass forward more'! 

This is my point. In the league, we've been SO bad that fans are clutching at anything to be pleased about.

Just be realistic. A player who can 'pass forward' after two thirds of a season is nothing to become too excited about.

Over and out.

[Karlos-da-gr8-Fox]

my worry is that ndidi may be as good as he is so far promising and that if we carry this form into next season he will get poached and leave, we need to get some of these young lads more game time to show them they have a good future at our amazing club, gray, chilwell, amartey, ndidi and mendy. fingers crossed they dont get approached in the next calendar year! 

i have high hopes for the next generation coming through the ranks

[AmarteyAndChill]

1 minute ago, Col city fan said:

Can you not see what you are saying? We came into the campaign the Champions of England, and defending our crown. And you (and plenty of others) are actually pleased that one of our centre midfields is improving because he's 'starting to pass forward more'! 

This is my point. In the league, we've been SO bad that fans are clutching at anything to be pleased about.

Just be realistic. A player who can 'pass forward' after two thirds of a season is nothing to become too excited about.

Over and out.

But at the start of the season people were moaning that we were linked with dunk and Keane etc because we are premier league champions. Now you'd take them in a heart beat.