Danny Drinkwater

[coolhandfox]

5 minutes ago, Leeds Fox said:

 

It wasn't clear but I agree completely with you on 'this' LCFC side. No doubts at all. I got dragged into the 15/16 team debate that was going on further back in the thread and replied to that as whole in a response to your comment. 

 

Two great sides for City in two different PL eras. It's being a pleasure to witness them both.

I'd agree Its been a pleasure to have watched two great sides, it's just a shame that CR spoiled his legacy unlike MO 

[volpeazzurro]

On 7/3/2017 at 11:09, Thracian said:

Combative, busy, committed, there's a whole stream of complimentary adjectives to describe Drinkwater as a footballer but I've never been totally sold on his ability and have been increasingly disappointed since he seems to have been fighting some sort of injury.

 

He's long been a fans favourite which inevitably means they overlook or simply refuse to notice any failings. But our title success saw him to his peak and, while even then, he lacked some strengths of an all-round brilliant midfielder, he's not even been on top of his on best game since.

 

Most disappointing is that he's never learned to score goals despite having what seems to be perfectly adequate technique. If they filled in the goal and allowed you to score by shooting high or wide he wouldn't have been so bad but it's a flaw he recognises because he hardly ever shoots at all and when he does it's rarely with conviction or success.

 

His passing is okay some of the time but he really isn't an artistic pass-master, either short or long ,and neither does he pass the ball especially quickly or accurately any more, particularly last season.

 

Where he shines is industrially. He gets involves and harries people. He's a pretty strong combatant who demands the ball and constantly makes himself available. But lots of midfielders do that.

 

To call him one of the best we've ever had must surely come from a modern fan. He's one of the best of a type I might concede. But, in terms of being creative, or a supplementary goal threat, he's ordinary, and doesn't seem to be improving that way, I'm truly sad to say.

 

Davie Gibson could do things with a ball Drinky could only dream of and he did so on a weekly basis, adding a reasonable number of goals in the process and a whole lot of assists with passes so deft his team-mate (so often Mike Stringfellow) could have received the final pass with his eyes shut and still scored, Gibbo was so precise.

 

Lennon was a different type of midfielder to both Gibbo and Drinkwater but I agree with Col in that he acted as a shield, an outlet, and allowed others to flourish without concern.

 

He was the definition of a midfield fulcrum who somehow found time and space for himself and for others as well because he sat-back dictating terms rather than remaining energetically involved like Drinkwater and perhaps inhibiting some of the players around him. 

 

Lennon brought the best out of everyone even when I last saw him play for a Forest Reserves team which destroyed Leicester Reserves with Lennon hardly moving from deep central midfield but freely bringing all his colleagues into play with his incisive one and two-touch plays.                                     

 

 

A very good summing up.

[Long Eaton Fox]

41 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

A very good summing up.

Think you're living in a different age. He was the best midfielder in England in 2015/2016 but Woy ignored him. You cannot compare players directly from period to period. He is class and that is never lost.

[Leeds Fox]

4 hours ago, Long Eaton Fox said:

Think you're living in a different age. He was the best midfielder in England in 2015/2016 but Woy ignored him. You cannot compare players directly from period to period. He is class and that is never lost.

 

Wayne Rooney seems to be giving it a good go...

[Thracian]

On 03/07/2017 at 11:39, foxes21 said:

Drinkwater made himself unavailable for every England game last year mate, because of his injury.

I'm sure Drinkwater would have been selected instead of Livermore.

And he deserves credit for that when he could have played for his country and then perhaps missed Leicester games. Not that anyone would do that sort of thing, of course!      

[Long Eaton Fox]

I think Danny Drinkwater will be the most important midfield player for us next season. Matty James next I hope.

[the fox]

8 minutes ago, Long Eaton Fox said:

I think Danny Drinkwater will be the most important midfield player for us next season. Matty James next I hope.

It's n'didi for me. Looking At how he came to a new league to play for a struggling side after having a lot of minutes on his back plus Europa league football and comfortably taking a starting spot (granted that he didn't have to face great compilation for his spot) and helping to save the season at a very young age, he is (with Ben) by far the most exciting to watch develop.

[Nod.E]

Hope he has a good season this year, naturally. However I fear his single good season in the Prem was heavily influenced by Kanté and that everything else is confirmation bias.

 

I expect Iborra and James to fight their way above Drinky in the pecking order assuming Iborra is all he promises to be and James is all he was pre-injury.

[Thracian]

20 hours ago, Nod.E said:

Hope he has a good season this year, naturally. However I fear his single good season in the Prem was heavily influenced by Kanté and that everything else is confirmation bias.

 

I expect Iborra and James to fight their way above Drinky in the pecking order assuming Iborra is all he promises to be and James is all he was pre-injury.

I expect the workload to be better shared. It's not Danny's nature to hide so whether his body told him he was knackered or not the guy stayed involved and kept trying to do all the things that come natural to him. 

 

But for me the fatigue and the hint of his carrying an injury showed. Another touch or two here and there, a few more misdirected passes than usual. the missing of challenges through being half a yard short or the passing on of a shooting opportunity. 

 

They all spoke, not of a bloke who'd lost heart but of a bloke running short of fuel. And when people like Drinky slip below their best they're seen to do so while others will hide for a while and never quite involve themselves enough to be criticised.

 

Hopefully there'll be a greater spread of the workload this season both within the team on matchdays and through the squad being stronger and having quality options.    

[Col city fan]

5 hours ago, the fox said:

It's n'didi for me. Looking At how he came to a new league to play for a struggling side after having a lot of minutes on his back plus Europa league football and comfortably taking a starting spot (granted that he didn't have to face great compilation for his spot) and helping to save the season at a very young age, he is (with Ben) by far the most exciting to watch develop.

This.

[lgfualol]

Ndidi will not be moved out of our midfield all season I reckon. He's too good at what he does and I could see him picking up a few goals. Drinkwater is well in the shit with James and Iborra looking for a starting spot, mainly the latter who will probably take it.

[Col city fan]

28 minutes ago, lgfualol said:

Ndidi will not be moved out of our midfield all season I reckon. He's too good at what he does and I could see him picking up a few goals. Drinkwater is well in the shit with James and Iborra looking for a starting spot, mainly the latter who will probably take it.

I think we'll play a three man centre midfield in a 3-5-2 for much of the time.

And if/when we play a 442, Drinkwater will be rotated with the others I guess.

It's a long tough season. They'll all interchange.

I think in terms of raw talent, however, Ndidi is head and shoulders over the others.

[Skippy]

On 03/07/2017 at 20:09, Thracian said:

Combative, busy, committed, there's a whole stream of complimentary adjectives to describe Drinkwater as a footballer but I've never been totally sold on his ability and have been increasingly disappointed since he seems to have been fighting some sort of injury.

 

He's long been a fans favourite which inevitably means they overlook or simply refuse to notice any failings. But our title success saw him to his peak and, while even then, he lacked some strengths of an all-round brilliant midfielder, he's not even been on top of his on best game since.

 

Most disappointing is that he's never learned to score goals despite having what seems to be perfectly adequate technique. If they filled in the goal and allowed you to score by shooting high or wide he wouldn't have been so bad but it's a flaw he recognises because he hardly ever shoots at all and when he does it's rarely with conviction or success.

 

His passing is okay some of the time but he really isn't an artistic pass-master, either short or long ,and neither does he pass the ball especially quickly or accurately any more, particularly last season.

 

Where he shines is industrially. He gets involves and harries people. He's a pretty strong combatant who demands the ball and constantly makes himself available. But lots of midfielders do that.

 

To call him one of the best we've ever had must surely come from a modern fan. He's one of the best of a type I might concede. But, in terms of being creative, or a supplementary goal threat, he's ordinary, and doesn't seem to be improving that way, I'm truly sad to say.

 

Davie Gibson could do things with a ball Drinky could only dream of and he did so on a weekly basis, adding a reasonable number of goals in the process and a whole lot of assists with passes so deft his team-mate (so often Mike Stringfellow) could have received the final pass with his eyes shut and still scored, Gibbo was so precise.

 

Lennon was a different type of midfielder to both Gibbo and Drinkwater but I agree with Col in that he acted as a shield, an outlet, and allowed others to flourish without concern.

 

He was the definition of a midfield fulcrum who somehow found time and space for himself and for others as well because he sat-back dictating terms rather than remaining energetically involved like Drinkwater and perhaps inhibiting some of the players around him. 

 

Lennon brought the best out of everyone even when I last saw him play for a Forest Reserves team which destroyed Leicester Reserves with Lennon hardly moving from deep central midfield but freely bringing all his colleagues into play with his incisive one and two-touch plays.                                     

 

 

Yep perfectly summed up Thracian, very good post.

[Bert]

11 hours ago, coolhandfox said:

 

Your telling me Drinkwater would have got in front of Scholes, Gerard and Lampard in their prime? 

 

England had a lot more talent in that era in the centre of the park.

Don't recall me ever saying that. 

[volpeazzurro]

21 hours ago, Long Eaton Fox said:

Think you're living in a different age. He was the best midfielder in England in 2015/2016 but Woy ignored him. You cannot compare players directly from period to period. He is class and that is never lost.

I absolutely agree with you re Woy, it was an absolute travesty and there was absolutely no rhyme or reason to why he wasn't picked. He even included Wilshire who had been out all year and would have shoe horned Delph in as well if he could. In fact it was so bad it started to make me believe in some of the corrupt conspiracy theories.

[GaelicFox]

Drinkie was exposed in the premier league before Cambiassio got a hold of him and then Kante covered for him and since Kante left his confidence like his hairline has evaporated 

 

I like Drinkie and I hope he can turn it around but I predict he will be a regular on bench by Christmas 

 

and believe me I pray I'm wrong 

[Stevosevic]

On 03/07/2017 at 00:29, dylanlegend said:

And also... Southgate needs his head checking if he thinks Livermore is a better CM than Drinky 

He doesn't. 

 

DD has been unavailable for every squad since the Euros due to injury. GS has said many times he hasn't been available in his press conferences.

[Aaron]

As a fellow Manc, I want to rate Drinkwater, I really do; I really admire his graft, and his latter-career-Scholes-esque movements when deep in midfield....but he's mediocre and ultimately gives the ball away far too often when trying to emulate the ginger genius with ambitious Hollywood balls.

 

He'll play his part, but I think Matty James can/will bench him if he can stay fit.

[Bazly]

Drinkwater and King are never going to take the team forward. The best pass Drinkwater put in yesterday was a 25 yard backpass to the keeper that perfectly split the Leicester central defenders. Chances are the team will struggle again for goals next season and shoring up the defence with relegated team transfers is probably, with the best will in the World, not going to trouble any clean sheet records. I really hope we get an inspirational midfield general soon, we need another Cambiasso, then maybe see Drinkwater moved on or loaned out to go rediscover himself.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

As to the question... it's shameful how fickle some fans can be. True, past sentiments don't count towards building a future for the club, but if we look at the other players we have in midfield at the moment, there aren't any that are clearly head and shoulders above these guys - they're still effective players for our level, so until we buy midfielders that clearly put these players in the shadows, they should remain at the club.

 

Some fans also need to be brought back to Earth a little in terms of their perspective of what we are as a club. You are only as good as you're latest performance - so based on last season, a moribund 12th. 

[Aus Fox]

Go home, you're drunk!

[Fox92]

Our problems are bigger than this.

 

We need a rebuild. Shakespeare has changed very little. Our style of play is still awful and we still rely on that long boring ball to Vardy. This needs to change. Even if we were to sign a world class creative midfielder, the ball would probably spend more time over his head. 

 

Also players shouldn't be judged on relegations. Maguire proved he was a solid centre half in a shit Hull team - and he plays football. He just doesn't lump the ball anywhere like Morgan. West Ham once got relegated with Defoe and Carrick, would you not take them either?

[RODNEY FERNIO]

Lost count of the number of times Drinkwater has been our best player.

Ok he is going through a bit of a lean spell but we all know how good he can be.

[dmayne7]

26 minutes ago, RODNEY FERNIO said:

Lost count of the number of times Drinkwater has been our best player.

Ok he is going through a bit of a lean spell but we all know how good he can be.

Was our best player for the first few months of last season no doubt. But after that, he was shocking. If Amartey or King put in those kind of performances I dread to think what people would say.

[RODNEY FERNIO]

3 minutes ago, dmayne7 said:

Was our best player for the first few months of last season no doubt. But after that, he was shocking. If Amartey or King put in those kind of performances I dread to think what people would say.

Agreed he was poor. But we know DD can be the best player on the pitch ... we know that Tomato and Kingy can't.