Thank you, Andy King.

[Ric Flair]

10 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

I'd love to see him stay for at least another season and return to his roots and play as an attacking midfielder, acting as Maddison's mentor.

 

@Ric Flair: Not sure about Choudhury being ready yet. I like what I've seen yesterday, but with the amount of midfielders that we have, a loan to a Championship club would also be a sensible option.

 

Puel seems to really rate him and his confidence will grow, I'm surprised he's Premier League class but sometimes the faith of your manager can kick you on. I think he'll be our 4th or 5th choice which means 2 of Mendy, King and James need to depart.

[MC Prussian]

13 minutes ago, StanSP said:

I'd rather have Choudhury in the squad than James or Mendy. 

 

Midfield options of Ndidi, Iborra, Silva, Choudhury, King isn't too bad. Selection of those players in central midfield just behind Maddison is decent. 

The options behind Maddison are great (as it stands right now), but I fear a bit regarding the CAM role - there's Maddison, but who else in case of injury or suspension? I guess Silva and King could play in a bit more advanced role.

 

As much as I like the sight of Maddison pulling strings further up front, there's got to be a plan B and we can't just rely on him for creativity.

[StanSP]

I agree. 

In that position King could play but not be as effective as him (gotta love a late run/surge in to the box though ) 

We've still got Iheanacho as well to factor in - he played well with Vardy especially in the last 2 games of last season 

[Webbo]

If the owners were to loan King to Lueven, not sure he'd want to go, they would piss that league.

[Shane]

1 hour ago, MC Prussian said:

The options behind Maddison are great (as it stands right now), but I fear a bit regarding the CAM role - there's Maddison, but who else in case of injury or suspension? 

Barnes or Kapustka !! 

 

Okazaki, Iheanacho or Ulloa () could play there if needed but they’re probably going to be Plan B anyway. If Puel wants to stick to plan A consistently we need like for like back up for Maddison as you say.

[Fox92]

We should really be looking into better quality. Silva and Ndidi are a step above the likes of James and King. If we suffer a long term injury then I don't have much faith in the options outside of Silva, Ndidi or Iborra.

[FoxyJim1987]

1 hour ago, Fox92 said:

We should really be looking into better quality. Silva and Ndidi are a step above the likes of James and King. If we suffer a long term injury then I don't have much faith in the options outside of Silva, Ndidi or Iborra.

Even Iborra is very limited I feel, slow and takes too much time in possession, would like another N'Didi type energetic guy in the squad, someone like Kouyate, or Ndiaye at Stoke 

[OhYesNdidi]

20 minutes ago, FoxyJim1987 said:

Even Iborra is very limited I feel, slow and takes too much time in possession, would like another N'Didi type energetic guy in the squad, someone like Kouyate, or Ndiaye at Stoke 

Kouyate has the technical ability of a league 2 footballer and Ndiaye is too much like Ndidi, an excellent tackler but not very technically gifted.

[FoxyJim1987]

15 hours ago, OhYesNdidi said:

Kouyate has the technical ability of a league 2 footballer and Ndiaye is too much like Ndidi, an excellent tackler but not very technically gifted.

Well obviously not or he wouldn't be a premier league and international footballer, I didn't say we need a technical player but an energetic box to to box guy

[Leeds Fox]

2 hours ago, FoxyJim1987 said:

Well obviously not or he wouldn't be a premier league and international footballer, I didn't say we need a technical player but an energetic box to to box guy

 

Ahmed Musa... 

[OhYesNdidi]

2 hours ago, FoxyJim1987 said:

Well obviously not or he wouldn't be a premier league and international footballer, I didn't say we need a technical player but an energetic box to to box guy

You do though. Along side Ndidi we need a calm player who always wants the ball, taking pressure off all his team mates, Iborra is brilliant at it. A player who is able to dictate the speed of the game. 

[FoxyJim1987]

1 hour ago, OhYesNdidi said:

You do though. Along side Ndidi we need a calm player who always wants the ball, taking pressure off all his team mates, Iborra is brilliant at it. A player who is able to dictate the speed of the game. 

We have silva, and arguably King is that type of midfielder too, Choudury is promising, my point was that if Ndidi is missing we miss an energetic physical presence in midfield. 

[lfu]

Does Kingy still have what it takes to play as an outright #10?

[OhYesNdidi]

13 minutes ago, FoxyJim1987 said:

We have silva, and arguably King is that type of midfielder too, Choudury is promising, my point was that if Ndidi is missing we miss an energetic physical presence in midfield. 

King isn't, he goes missing and the game passes him by too easily. Silva is that type of player. Choudhury would be the most like for like with wilf, wouldn't want them playing together though. 

Edited 23 July 2018 by OhYesNdidi

[Max Power]

I see the two behind Maddison as Ndidi/Hamza and Silva/Iborra. One athletic type to break up the play and get about it a bit more and another more technical player to set the tempo and play passes. Of the other three midfielders (James, King and Mendy) I guess I would keep one to fill in where necessary. James isn't reliable due to fitness and Mendy seems a bit of a misfit but I'll give him pre season to maybe settle in. If not it leaves King as fifth choice, not someone I'd be delighted to see on a Premier League starting XI but always good to have these characters around especially with new, younger players coming in. 

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, OhYesNdidi said:

You do though. Along side Ndidi we need a calm player who always wants the ball, taking pressure off all his team mates, Iborra is brilliant at it. A player who is able to dictate the speed of the game. 

But Iborra doesn't dictate the pace of a game he's just slow, ponderous and one paced. He moves about three yards either side and hasn't the energy or guile to even see players let alone track them. He dramatically slows the game down whether you want it to be slowed down or not. He's ok against certain teams but not the quicker pass and move types like Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City and Spurs etc. I think this is why when fit, Puel appeared to favour James. He'll have a part to play as I wouldn't see anyone rushing to sign him in Premiership football as although fairly skillful I think his use is very limited here. He's one of those players that seems to really divide opinion, if his name was King or James instead of Iborra from Spain, I doubt people would be as patient. 

[OhYesNdidi]

5 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

But Iborra doesn't dictate the pace of a game he's just slow, ponderous and one paced. He moves about three yards either side and hasn't the energy or guile to even see players let alone track them. He dramatically slows the game down whether you want it to be slowed down or not. He's ok against certain teams but not the quicker pass and move types like Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City and Spurs etc. I think this is why when fit, Puel appeared to favour James. He'll have a part to play as I wouldn't see anyone rushing to sign him in Premiership football as although fairly skillful I think his use is very limited here. He's one of those players that seems to really divide opinion, if his name was King or James instead of Iborra from Spain, I doubt people would be as patient. 

The evidence was all in that Stoke away game. As soon as Iborra went off and King came on we just by pass the midfield and went back to long ball. I think my response was to someone saying they'd want Kouyate or Ndiaye next to Ndidi, which wouldn't work. 

Edited 23 July 2018 by OhYesNdidi

[volpeazzurro]

5 minutes ago, OhYesNdidi said:

The evidence was all in that Stoke away game. As soon as Iborra went off and King came on we just by pass the midfield and went back to long ball. I think my response was to someone saying they'd want Kouyate or Ndiaye next to Ndidi, which wouldn't work. 

 

In fairness I agree with you there as I too don't see those two or King as the answer. It remains to be seen how Puel sets up next season but in his past he has favoured 4 at the back with pacey wing backs possibly like Perreira who he knows and perhaps Chilwell which would be a more comfortable role for him. I think that whilst he'd want to play fast passing football, like his previous 2nd year French sides, he'd also employ 2 defensive midfielders in front of the back 4, one being Ndidi. I don't see Iborra being suitable for the previous reasons stated. IF able to adapt more to the pace and physicality of our game, possibly Silva could fulfill that role as he does like to keep the ball moving as we saw for jis mational side. I don't doubt his technical ability just his stature and strength, but last season was his first and very interrupted one at that.

[FoxyJim1987]

51 minutes ago, OhYesNdidi said:

The evidence was all in that Stoke away game. As soon as Iborra went off and King came on we just by pass the midfield and went back to long ball. I think my response was to someone saying they'd want Kouyate or Ndiaye next to Ndidi, which wouldn't work. 

 

You completely missed my point. I was looking at the midfielders we had in the squad as a whole and saw Ndidi as the only one of his type who has energy to cover lots of ground in a game and do the dirty work. Therefore I would like another Ndidi type to cover for when he's injured or inevitably suspended. Maybe if we played 4231 then the 2 in front if the defence could be both athletic energetic tacklers like Ndidi is, but that wasn't my point at all, and Kouyate was a player who came into my head as being similar 

[FoxyJim1987]

And as for Iborra, he us shocking in a 2 man midfield. He us so slow its painful, both in speed of thought and movement so a total liability. Can only play in a 3, maybe, but if we could get close to what we spent on him I'd sell him, too slow for the Premier League. 

[OhYesNdidi]

3 minutes ago, FoxyJim1987 said:

You completely missed my point. I was looking at the midfielders we had in the squad as a whole and saw Ndidi as the only one of his type who has energy to cover lots of ground in a game and do the dirty work. Therefore I would like another Ndidi type to cover for when he's injured or inevitably suspended. Maybe if we played 4231 then the 2 in front if the defence could be both athletic energetic tacklers like Ndidi is, but that wasn't my point at all, and Kouyate was a player who came into my head as being similar 

Oh okay, fair enough. Yes Ndiaye would be a good buy in that case but maybe puel sees Choudhury as that player? 

[FoxyJim1987]

1 hour ago, OhYesNdidi said:

Oh okay, fair enough. Yes Ndiaye would be a good buy in that case but maybe puel sees Choudhury as that player? 

It is highly likely that Hamza will play a big part next season but I haven't seen enough of him to know WHAT he is yet, maybe he doesn't even know. From what I've seen he is more defensive minded than anything else, but his goal at the weekend and some of his passing and energy show me that he COULD be the real deal, but of course its early days. 

[themightyfin]

1 hour ago, FoxyJim1987 said:

You completely missed my point. I was looking at the midfielders we had in the squad as a whole and saw Ndidi as the only one of his type who has energy to cover lots of ground in a game and do the dirty work. Therefore I would like another Ndidi type to cover for when he's injured or inevitably suspended. Maybe if we played 4231 then the 2 in front if the defence could be both athletic energetic tacklers like Ndidi is, but that wasn't my point at all, and Kouyate was a player who came into my head as being similar 

Hamza fits what you described. Covers ground and breaks up the bits. Your answer is already here.

[StevieB]

24 minutes ago, themightyfin said:

Hamza fits what you described. Covers ground and breaks up the bits. Your answer is already here.

I agree with this I think Iborra, Silva, Ndidi and Choudry will be our CM choices next season and quite happy with that, especially now we have Maddison at no 10. But Hamza is improving very quickly into a great DM and he's going to be first team next season no doubt. 

[Chocolate Teapot]

Doesnt feel right to me that hes been left out of the squad and told to find a new club. Feel he deserves a little more respect than that.