Iborra - Key Player?

[CarbonVirtine]

His ability to read the game is what marks him out for me. He'll direct players into position too, not just take up positions himself. He makes himself available for the easy pass, and will move the ball quickly on when he receives it. The guy's just class from beginning to end. Sure, he's not the fastest player on the pitch but he makes up for that by knowing where to be. Watch his runs sometimes, they look like an amble but he gets himself into the right area at the right time, again making himself available even if he doesn't actually receive the ball.

 

There was a lovely moment against West Brom where, in the centre circle, he made a chump of one of their guys by beating him simply by shifting his body.  Sold their bloke a cracking dummy just with his body shape... then calmly retrieved the ball. He makes the game look so easy. 

[Foxxed]

Perhaps James is somehow better for the squad, but I really haven't seen it. I hope Iborra plays today and stakes his claim to the second midfield place. He seems to have a calm and commanding presence that James does not. Only Silva has shown glimpses of that, but Iborra seems ahead of him currently.

[lcfc sheff]

don't think he had a great game by any means - although neither did anyone else for that matter; but seems to be a half decent goal threat does he not?

[StriderHiryu]

He was pretty average but look at the amount of points we have picked up with Ndidi and Iborra starting together versus other partnerships we have tried. The stats speak for themselves.

 

Also with 3 goals already he's been one of the more potent goal threats from that position in many a year.

 

I guess we will go Silva and Iborra next week, but am worried who's going to put their foot in to make challenges for the two matches Ndidi is out for.

[Vindaloo FOX]

great to have another midfielder other than Mahrez who can get us a goal. 

 

 

[JerryLundegaard]

8 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

He was pretty average but look at the amount of points we have picked up with Ndidi and Iborra starting together versus other partnerships we have tried. The stats speak for themselves.

 

Also with 3 goals already he's been one of the more potent goal threats from that position in many a year.

 

I guess we will go Silva and Iborra next week, but am worried who's going to put their foot in to make challenges for the two matches Ndidi is out for.

If James is available I might want to go with him alongside Iborra.

 

How come Ndidi is out for two matches?

[Jon25747]

28 minutes ago, JerryLundegaard said:

 

How come Ndidi is out for two matches?

Because he’s been sent off already this season so the second one is 2 matches

[JerryLundegaard]

1 hour ago, Jon25747 said:

Because he’s been sent off already this season so the second one is 2 matches

Of course, the one for diving.  Damn that's a shame.

[lgfualol]

He needs to get in the box more. 

[ARM1968]

1 hour ago, lgfualol said:

He needs to get in the box more. 

Don’t we all 

[M0901]

It's just refreshing that Leicester City have a £20m midfielder on the bench (Silva). How times have changed when we had Stephen Hughes and Gareth Williams! (Half decent but still)

Edited 1 April 2018 by M0901

[VLC86]

2 minutes ago, M0901 said:

It's just refreshing that Leicester City have a £20m midfielder on the bench (Silva). How times have changed when we had Stephen Hughes and Gareth Williams! (Half decent but still)

Which half of Gareth Williams was decent because it wasn’t the half that kicked a football.

[Donut]

Ive mixed feelings on Iborra.

 

Hes a good technician who is easy on the eye, recycles possession simply and doesnt waste possession, hes capable of grabbing a goal and keeps things ticking over.

 

However, for me, he simply doesnt show a willingness to track runs from midfield, he doesnt look like he enjoys defensive responsibility, and he has a weak engine.

 

 

[Freeman's Wharfer]

Plays the adventurous pass like no one else in our midfield. Has to play every game when fit for me - occasionally gets passes wrong but that's because he attempts those that others would never even try. Classy player.

[themightyfin]

2 hours ago, Donut said:

Ive mixed feelings on Iborra.

 

Hes a good technician who is easy on the eye, recycles possession simply and doesnt waste possession, hes capable of grabbing a goal and keeps things ticking over.

 

However, for me, he simply doesnt show a willingness to track runs from midfield, he doesnt look like he enjoys defensive responsibility, and he has a weak engine.

 

 

If you want a complete player you would have to pay £100m+.

Be realistic.

[mozartfox]

18 hours ago, lgfualol said:

He needs to get in the box more. 

Have you been talking with Suzie?

[Babylon]

9 hours ago, Freeman's Wharfer said:

Plays the adventurous pass like no one else in our midfield. Has to play every game when fit for me - occasionally gets passes wrong but that's because he attempts those that others would never even try. Classy player.

I'd have to disagree, his passing has been very conservative since he's come back in. His speed of passing was good against West Brom, so we switched play quickly and that was a plus as it moved us into space quicker, but it was mostly square. I thought he was dwelling on the ball against Brighton and it slowed things down too much. Plus, when he loses possession they were from poor passes, rather than trying something particularly risky. How may forwarded passes were completed in the two games?

 

Silva has looked the far more forward thinking of our options, but he's had the same issue as Iborra, a lot of unforced poor passes, where as James just vanished in his last two outings. Hopefully Silva settles into the league he finds his eye as it's a worry at the minute that we're so conservative or not picking the passes in the middle of the park.

[Fox92]

He's brilliant. He never seems to hide from the ball and actually comes and takes the ball from Kasper. And a great threat in the air.

 

Why did we persist so much with James ffs.

[HighPeakFox]

25 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

He's brilliant. He never seems to hide from the ball and actually comes and takes the ball from Kasper. And a great threat in the air.

 

Why did we persist so much with James ffs.

Caution, methinks. I think perhaps CP thought Iborra so slow that James was the 'quicker' option, and less prone to get stranded upfield/not track runners.

[Lovejoy]

If you watch, when Iborra is on the field he is always the most vocal and the organiser out there. Captain in all but name.

[volpeazzurro]

From admittedly, only radio commentary,  apart from his excellent goal yesterday, Iborra appeared to  persistently give the ball away. Matt Piper commented that he felt it was his worst game in a Leicester shirt at one stage. It is all very subjective as different people notice or value different things. Sometimes though there seems to be a 'love in' with certain players like Iborra whereas others like Simpson always appear to be forever criticised? 

 

From my standpoint the jury is still out. One moment Iborra can look like a calm leader ordering his players and then the next,  persistently give the ball away cheaply himself. Barking orders out looks good for the crowd but are utter bollocks if what he's shouting is pointless. He never seems that industrious but sometimes good players read the game better than others and don't need to. Those ground coverage stat things to me are subjective as well ie you can sprint into all those positions and have an effect on a game or stroll around pointlessly, either way, the map will show you've been there.

 

I for one understood why Puel dropped him as he didn't appear fit and apart from the odd inspired crowd pleasing pass he was expensive in giving the ball away. That's OK to some extent with teams like Brighton but not with the Man City's of the league. Silva similarly is pleasing on the eye with great technical ability but also expensive, lightweight, and unable to see let alone track an opposition runner. I suspect that a good part of this is just about getting used to the differences in our Premiership game and what they have both been used to. At their ages however it remains to be seen whether they can or are even willing to adapt.

 

Without Ndidi and James I presume there's a good chance that Iborra and Silva will play together next weekend and it will be interesting to see how they get on. My suspicion is that Puel won't trust them to be exposed like that and will change things slightly. If so, it may be an indication of what he feels about them.

Edited 2 April 2018 by volpeazzurro

[Guest Kopfkino]

Personally think he slows everything down too much, so ponderous and takes all urgency out of things too often.

[HighPeakFox]

4 minutes ago, Kopfkino said:

Personally think he slows everything down too much, so ponderous and takes all urgency out of things too often.

By contrast, I think he calms the team down and allows us to get our shape right! It's all about perspective, I guess.

[volpeazzurro]

I think you make a good point there. He has some great attributes and sometimes it' good to momentarily take the pace out of a game with a cool head. Conversely, he can't afford to be too one paced, he has to adapt to the pace of our game which I personally think he's struggling with a bit at the moment. He wouldn't be the first and it doesn't mean he can't. However, unlike Silva, he's been here nearly a season now experience wise.

[Staff]

2 hours ago, Babylon said:

I'd have to disagree, his passing has been very conservative since he's come back in. His speed of passing was good against West Brom, so we switched play quickly and that was a plus as it moved us into space quicker, but it was mostly square. I thought he was dwelling on the ball against Brighton and it slowed things down too much. Plus, when he loses possession they were from poor passes, rather than trying something particularly risky. How may forwarded passes were completed in the two games?

 

Silva has looked the far more forward thinking of our options, but he's had the same issue as Iborra, a lot of unforced poor passes, where as James just vanished in his last two outings. Hopefully Silva settles into the league he finds his eye as it's a worry at the minute that we're so conservative or not picking the passes in the middle of the park.

Is this an app Babs? If so what is it called?