A defence of Matty James

[ZeGuy]

Have nothing against him and you certainly made a fair point when you said that he can't do much about being picked up by the manager. He's trying his best and give his all, even if if it's imo not good enough. My disappointement is entirely directed at Puel.

[Babylon]

1 minute ago, ZeGuy said:

Have nothing against him and you certainly made a fair point when you said that he can't do much about being picked up by the manager. He's trying his best and give his all, even if if it's imo not good enough. My disappointement is entirely directed at Puel.

Can you honestly say Iborra has been good enough? It's been a long time since he's actually put in any sort of decent performance. He's looked no better than James in the cup gams against lower league opposition and it's been an age since I remember a decent prem showing. 

[ZeGuy]

Just now, Babylon said:

Can you honestly say Iborra has been good enough? It's been a long time since he's actually put in any sort of decent performance. He's looked no better than James in the cup gams against lower league opposition and it's been an age since I remember a decent prem showing. 

No, Iborra's performances dramatically dropped. I'm astounded at how bad he became. Don't know what's happening behind the scenes. I would've liked to see Silva at least at some point yesterday.

[Babylon]

Just now, ZeGuy said:

No, Iborra's performances dramatically dropped. I'm astounded at how bad he became. Don't know what's happening behind the scenes. I would've liked to see Silva at least at some point yesterday.

Absolutely, can't argue with the Silva point. 

 

Just find it frustrating on here that so many are quick to slate James and yet Iborra seems to get a free pass. 

[Guest CityFan 06]

Good post this is. I do feel Ndidi and James as a midfield pair aren't great, but yeah he could've won us the game yesterday with the header and he didn't play badly at all. James also seems to want to play for the club, always gives his all on the pitch and that's good. His recovery from injury has been excellent. 

[Ric Flair]

Horrible player

[Lovejoy]

I think James is alright, it's just frustrating to me and many others that there are two better CMs sat on the bench. Puel can see we're lacking a creative spark so why not fall back on Silva, Iborra, or both? Nothing against MJ, but I find it baffling.

[fuchsntf]

4 hours ago, Col city fan said:

Two points for me:

1. People need to stop talking about the injury now. Horrendous though it was, it was ages ago. James should be well over it

2. He is and always has been, a basic Premiership midfielder. He struggled immensely alongside Cambiasso in the Pearson Prem season and just looks very average this season. He neither creates nor scores, nor is he a stopper like Kante or Nididi.

I think we can and should do better.

Col,,dear col..!!  That Type of injury Takes Well upto anything like 6 Months to a year,to clear.

Thats why after such lay-offs one Sees even top players,struggling in their First,Return

Season...

If I am Not mistakes,you mentioned that fact,a Couple of years ago...

 

He is Not Ndidi or Kante,nor Cambiasso but I would He more than Happy If I was an AVG.PL

Player.!!

 

 

Edited 25 February 2018 by fuchsntf

[Kitchandro]

He didn't do anything yesterday, neither did Ndidi. Neither contributed defensively or going forward.

 

Does Puel tell either of them whether they are supposed to be holding or pushing forward? Because they are both constantly caught in no man's land, I can't work out what their roles are.

[Tiny earl]

Yesterday Joe Allen ran the centre midfield he made James look slow and cumbersome.

[chicagofox]

4 hours ago, Tiny earl said:

Yesterday Joe Allen ran the centre midfield he made James look slow and cumbersome.

James makes James look slow and cumbersome.

[Gerard]

16 hours ago, Walkers said:

It's not enough of an excuse to start but when did we last have two centre mids with the CV that Iborra and Silva bring with them? For a club of our stature it is crazy that we have these two on the bench over somebody like James. I don't dislike the guy at all but he doesn't really bring the excitement that Silva inparticular would bring.

 

I get that new signings don't usually walk straight into a new side but we are ridiculous for this. We could sign Messi and we'd put him on the bench to start with until he proved himself

 

Whatever you think about Iborra and Silva being better than James I'm sure Puel is just calling it as he sees it and that's good enough for me.

[esoog]

More unfair to have Iborra and silva on the bench! 

 

Im a big fan of Silva, the more he plays the better chemistry he has with first team and esp with Vardy. This is why James is getting flack, he shouldn't be starting when you have two potentially fantastic players on the bench. 

 

Drinkwater who had a good game for Chelsea yesterday was also getting some fair flack. And understandingly so, Fabregas was on the bench. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

At least when King played it was because we had no other options in there. James ahead of fit Iborra and fit Silva is baffling to me. 

[Captain...]

I have no problem starting James and Ndidi when you have Gray, Chilwell and Mahrez in the side. That is 3 players that offer more going forwards than defensively. The idea is for James and Ndidi to protect the back 4 while Gray and Mahrez do their stuff in the final third. If Okazaki was fit then it might be different. Really Stoke created very little only from mistakes. What I disagree with is not bringing on Silva late in the game to give us so more energy or creativity. I thought James did his job well yesterday, won the ball passed it on to the creative players who were ineffective, he also nearly scored and was solid throughout. But when we need a goal you take off the solid players and bring on someone who can create. Simpson off for Iheanacho was a maverick decision but it was crying out for Silva to come on and help us dominate the midfield.

[esoog]

"But when we need a goal you take off solid players (James) and bring in someone creative (Silva)...." 

 

you have a bubble mate? Scoring goals is whole point of the game!

[Bazly]

Yes, its probably another bash Matty James thread. Just turned 40 in terms of Premier League starts plus there is another 10 appearances as a substitute. Wondering, after 50 appearances can we assume he isn't likely to ever pop his goal scoring cherry? Not at all in the Lambard or Gerrard vein of attacking midfielder.  I'm wondering with his regular starts if the word has gone out to get him match fit ready to sell on in the Summer seeing we are only 4 points off the safety norm?

 

For anyone who hasn't happened over it there is an interesting read on the Mercury supportive of Matty James on the unjustified criticism of James so all is not lost, apparently. I do happen to think we cannot continue with Ndidi alongside James in the starting lineup seeing together their creativity level comes to about zero rendering Vardy essentially a spare part.

[hackneyfox]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/sep/08/matty-james-pain-remember-rest-of-life-leicester-city-interview

 

he's had a terrible time but he started playing for Barnsley a year ago so I'm not sure how much longer the excuse of getting over a terrible injury can be used for.

[RowlattsFox]

James gets criticised for things that Ndidi gets away it. Both been poor the last few games.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

Matty James is a competent player who has become the flavour of the month scapegoat for a couple of reasons:

 

• There are two glamorous foreign signings in his position on the bench who everybody wants to see play.* So he is held to higher standards than the rest of the team
• He was with us in our Championship days so people think he's not good enough for us now we're top half PL

 

In reality, there are far worse players in our starting XI and everybody should lay off Matty.

 

*As a MJ fan, I still do think Silva should be starting games

Edited 26 February 2018 by Arriba Los Zorros

[Babylon]

10 hours ago, Tiny earl said:

Yesterday Joe Allen ran the centre midfield he made James look slow and cumbersome.

Ran the midfield? They had like 33% possession and were dominated for the most part.

[Babylon]

1 hour ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

At least when King played it was because we had no other options in there. James ahead of fit Iborra and fit Silva is baffling to me. 

Have either of them done anything so far to suggest they are better? How was Silva against Swansea? Or Iborra in the cup games recently?

 

I can't honestly say they've added much more than James, I go off what I see on the pitch and so far I can't say we've been better with them in the team.

 

Seems a lot like people just want them to play because they are new, rather than them proving themselves worthy of starting.

[StanSP]

26 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Have either of them done anything so far to suggest they are better? How was Silva against Swansea? Or Iborra in the cup games recently?

 

I can't honestly say they've added much more than James, I go off what I see on the pitch and so far I can't say we've been better with them in the team.

 

Seems a lot like people just want them to play because they are new, rather than them proving themselves worthy of starting.

how can they prove themselves if they don't even start or come on as a sub?

[Babylon]

3 minutes ago, StanSP said:

how can they prove themselves if they don't even start or come on as a sub?

Errrr because they have played games? Silva got hooked v swansea as with him in the middle we were losing control. They've played most the recent cup games and we've struggled against lower league opponents, Iborra was starting a lot of games and then went well off the boil and was giving the ball away endlessly in spells.

 

I'm all for them starting, but they need to shine when given the chance. Otherwise we'll just end up with the safe option all the time in James.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

44 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Have either of them done anything so far to suggest they are better? How was Silva against Swansea? Or Iborra in the cup games recently?

 

I can't honestly say they've added much more than James, I go off what I see on the pitch and so far I can't say we've been better with them in the team.

 

Seems a lot like people just want them to play because they are new, rather than them proving themselves worthy of starting.

Conversely, what has James done to prove he's better than the others? Not much imo.