We need to talk about Wilfred Ndidi

[Tringfox]

7 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Sorry this things can get developed and coached, sometimes it about hardwork and time. 

Only with certain players but a lot of the time, especially with football, you’ve either got it or you haven’t!

[coolhandfox]

4 minutes ago, Tringfox said:

Only with certain players but a lot of the time, especially with football, you’ve either got it or you haven’t!

He never going to be a Xavi or Iniesta, but he can improve without doubt.

 

5 minutes ago, AylestoneRaider said:

Agreed - he might not be the next Glen Hoddle, but there’s no reason why his passing can’t be improved to the point where it is not hampering his progress. I actually think Wilf has been used heavily by us since his arrival and is badly in need of some rest, which is not helping because he looks physically and mentally fatigued.

The fatigued factor is a good point, considering he also played in the WC and had little time of in the summer. 

[gurru991]

28 minutes ago, Tringfox said:

The way Ndidi tackles and intercepts is purely instinctive and natural and I guarantee no matter how decent the coach is you just can’t teach it!

The same applies with the technical side of his game, it’s simply not part of his game and not in his dna and no matter how much the coaches work with him he will always struggle with that side of his game! 

I disagree. Coaching can't make him into David Beckham but it can improve his passing game

[Tringfox]

1 minute ago, gurru991 said:

I disagree. Coaching can't make him into David Beckham but it can improve his passing game

It can, but it hasn’t worked so far and I’d go as far to say it’s regressing rather than  improving. Yes he has played a lot of games but that applies to lot of Premier league players who played in the World Cup. I don’t know him personally but I watch the way he plays most weeks and he looks like a player who will never get it! 

Look at Paul Scholes, a world class player, one of the most technicaly gifted players ever to play for England, yet he could never tackle, no matter how much coaching they gave him he could not tackle!

In my opinion Ndidi is this type of player, full of extremes! I guarantee we will be having the same discussion as season from now...

[gurru991]

1 minute ago, Tringfox said:

It can, but it hasn’t worked so far and I’d go as far to say it’s regressing rather than  improving. Yes he has played a lot of games but that applies to lot of Premier league players who played in the World Cup. I don’t know him personally but I watch the way he plays most weeks and he looks like a player who will never get it! 

Look at Paul Scholes, a world class player, one of the most technicaly gifted players ever to play for England, yet he could never tackle, no matter how much coaching they gave him he could not tackle!

In my opinion Ndidi is this type of player, full of extremes! I guarantee we will be having the same discussion as season from now...

Only time will tell but I remain an optimist.He has a lot of natural talent and with just a little improvement in his passing game he could be top drawer

[coolhandfox]

2 minutes ago, Tringfox said:

It can, but it hasn’t worked so far and I’d go as far to say it’s regressing rather than  improving. Yes he has played a lot of games but that applies to lot of Premier league players who played in the World Cup. I don’t know him personally but I watch the way he plays most weeks and he looks like a player who will never get it! 

Look at Paul Scholes, a world class player, one of the most technicaly gifted players ever to play for England, yet he could never tackle, no matter how much coaching they gave him he could not tackle!

In my opinion Ndidi is this type of player, full of extremes! I guarantee we will be having the same discussion as season from now...

Development isn't linear.

 

Scholes could tackle, here is his PL tackle stats of the PL website, its a just something banded about by pundits, just like you'll never win anything with kids and Leicester will not win the league.

 

Tackle success % 70%

[AylestoneRaider]

2 minutes ago, Tringfox said:

It can, but it hasn’t worked so far and I’d go as far to say it’s regressing rather than  improving. Yes he has played a lot of games but that applies to lot of Premier league players who played in the World Cup. I don’t know him personally but I watch the way he plays most weeks and he looks like a player who will never get it! 

Look at Paul Scholes, a world class player, one of the most technicaly gifted players ever to play for England, yet he could never tackle, no matter how much coaching they gave him he could not tackle!

In my opinion Ndidi is this type of player, full of extremes! I guarantee we will be having the same discussion as season from now...

Well none of us can see into the future, but plenty of players have improved aspects of their game through hard work. Harry Kane is a great example, as is Frank Lampard. I look at someone like Jordan Henderson and think he is not talented enough to be a top class player (despite being effective at times), but with Wilf’s passing I think it could be just lapses of concentration. 

 

In in terms of fatigue, we have relied so heavily on him from such a young age. Combative midfielders don’t tend to emerge until they are slightly older - like Hamza. Wilf looks desperate for a rest to me.

[Tringfox]

1 minute ago, coolhandfox said:

Development isn't linear.

 

Scholes could tackle, here is his PL tackle stats of the PL website, its a just something banded about by pundits, just like you'll never win anything with kids and Leicester will not win the league.

 

Tackle success % 70%

Yet he admits himself, he couldn’t tackle!

[coolhandfox]

1 minute ago, Tringfox said:

Yet he admits himself, he couldn’t tackle!

 

Maybe try to get away with the fact that sometimes the red mist took over and he jumped in, isn't it better saying that than admitting like Roy Keane you want to hurt someone. 

[Tringfox]

1 minute ago, coolhandfox said:

 

Maybe try to get away with the fact that sometimes the red mist took over and he jumped in, isn't it better saying that than admitting like Roy Keane you want to hurt someone. 

Or maybe he was being honest and realised tackling was not part of his game! 

Gazza was the same!

[coolhandfox]

1 minute ago, Tringfox said:

Or maybe he was being honest and realised tackling was not part of his game! 

Gazza was the same!

Maybe, but you didn't play CM in the 90's without being able to tackle. 

[Tringfox]

1 minute ago, coolhandfox said:

Maybe, but you didn't play CM in the 90's without being able to tackle. 

Ok, maybe you should have the discussion with Scholes because he said it, not me!

[Tringfox]

23 minutes ago, gurru991 said:

Only time will tell but I remain an optimist.He has a lot of natural talent and with just a little improvement in his passing game he could be top drawer

Trust me man I am the same, I like to remain a optimistic, but I just don’t see it with Ndidi! 

[kingston_fox]

What he does, he does effectively and we're better for it. When Kante left all our problems started until we found Ndidi. In that list posted of top tacklers in the league he was listed fairly high up - that's his job, break up play and win the ball back.

 

The issue is more that we're also expecting him to attack as well but that's more down to the lack of a suitable partner. 

 

That being said, I'd expect him to be more accurate with his shots considering he does nothing all day except kick the damn thing about

[Tringfox]

1 minute ago, kingston_fox said:

What he does, he does effectively and we're better for it. When Kante left all our problems started until we found Ndidi. In that list posted of top tacklers in the league he was listed fairly high up - that's his job, break up play and win the ball back.

 

The issue is more that we're also expecting him to attack as well but that's more down to the lack of a suitable partner. 

 

That being said, I'd expect him to be more accurate with his shots considering he does nothing all day except kick the damn thing about

What about his ability to pass a ball?  He’s a central midfielder, he sits in the middle of the park?

[Guest MattP]

If Choudary can keep up his form (big if obviously) then we may as well cash in on Wilf before it gets out that he can't pass, shoot or cross.

Edited 2 January 2019 by MattP

[kingston_fox]

2 minutes ago, Tringfox said:

What about his ability to pass a ball?  He’s a central midfielder, he sits in the middle of the park?

Of course he can improve but if he had someone decent next to him then he could lay it off and let someone better suited drive forward. The way the teams set up you're asking him to play worldies through to Vardy which isn't his forte. 

 

Take him out and teams will drive through our midfield

[Tringfox]

22 minutes ago, kingston_fox said:

Of course he can improve but if he had someone decent next to him then he could lay it off and let someone better suited drive forward. The way the teams set up you're asking him to play worldies through to Vardy which isn't his forte. 

 

Take him out and teams will drive through our midfield

That’s Brian Clough style of play, very simple but makes total sense!

[gurru991]

42 minutes ago, kingston_fox said:

Of course he can improve but if he had someone decent next to him then he could lay it off and let someone better suited drive forward. The way the teams set up you're asking him to play worldies through to Vardy which isn't his forte. 

 

Take him out and teams will drive through our midfield

I agree .. very valuable player for us. I'm not looking defence splitting passes just simple five yarders to start a play.

[kingston_fox]

16 minutes ago, gurru991 said:

I agree .. very valuable player for us. I'm not looking defence splitting passes just simple five yarders to start a play.

That would be a good start admittedly  I'd love him to progress and add more dimensions to his play and I think with time he will do.

 

I'm always amazed teams can play like we did in the first 20mins against Everton (misplacing passes all over the shop) considering this is all they do all day.

 

 

 

 

[gurru991]

24 minutes ago, kingston_fox said:

That would be a good start admittedly  I'd love him to progress and add more dimensions to his play and I think with time he will do.

 

I'm always amazed teams can play like we did in the first 20mins against Everton (misplacing passes all over the shop) considering this is all they do all day.

 

 

 

 

The funny thing was that Everton were just as bad. I have no explanation for it

[Suzie the Fox]

17 minutes ago, gurru991 said:

The funny thing was that Everton were just as bad. I have no explanation for it

Fatigue most likely due to the amount of games everyone’s played. 

[NaijaFox]

On 01/01/2019 at 22:28, Abrasive fox said:

Exactly.

 

5 percent is a lot particularly when most of Ndidis are sideways or back.

 

Wilf still passed the ball forward often enough to have 4 assists to Vicente’s Zero! 

[NaijaFox]

15 hours ago, AylestoneRaider said:

Agreed - he might not be the next Glen Hoddle, but there’s no reason why his passing can’t be improved to the point where it is not hampering his progress. I actually think Wilf has been used heavily by us since his arrival and is badly in need of some rest, which is not helping because he looks physically and mentally fatigued.

Totally agree.

 

He arrived here mid-season and 2 days later was starting for us in a cup game away against Everton, and has pretty much been in the starting lineup ever since. This post-WC season he sometimes looks so leg weary, but doubtful he will be getting a break next summer as Nigeria will be contesting in the AFCON.

Edited 3 January 2019 by NaijaFox

[NaijaFox]

14 hours ago, Tringfox said:

It can, but it hasn’t worked so far and I’d go as far to say it’s regressing rather than  improving. Yes he has played a lot of games but that applies to lot of Premier league players who played in the World Cup. I don’t know him personally but I watch the way he plays most weeks and he looks like a player who will never get it! 

Look at Paul Scholes, a world class player, one of the most technicaly gifted players ever to play for England, yet he could never tackle, no matter how much coaching they gave him he could not tackle!

In my opinion Ndidi is this type of player, full of extremes! I guarantee we will be having the same discussion as season from now...

Ndidi has been a DCM for barely about 3 seasons.

 

He started off at Genk as a central defender and played just about a full season as a DM after converting from his initial position before joining City. Given how good he has become in the primary responsibilities of what is a relatively new position over a relatively short period of time, there’s little to rationally suggest that if he worked hard at it he would not be able to improve on the weaker aspects of the position that in reality he is still learning to play.