A defence of Matty James

[RowlattsFox]

Silva was one of our better players at Man City in the first half before getting hooked, not played since.

[Captain...]

48 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.

I think they, well specifically Silva, offers something different to James. James and Ndidi do their best work in front of the back 4 keeping it solid winning the ball and keeping it with simple passes, Ndidi has more energy and a bit more expansive, James is better at keeping  the ball. Essentially they are similar types of player.

 

Tellingly they were the most effective as a 2 against Chelsea, but this is down to the balance of that side. We had Okazaki playing his usual second striker, third midfielder role. This gives them more simple forward passes to get an attack going. On Saturday with Mahrez, Gray, Vardy all looking forwards there was only Albrighton and Chilwell looking to pick it up short. Which was the other difference against Chelsea, we had Amartey  at RB, more attacking, more energetic and less defensive minded than Simpson. Against Chelsea they had Chilwell and Amartey providing short wide options, Okazaki coming short giving Vardy more space up top and Albrighton and Mahrez doing their respective things.

 

If we have static Simpson on one side and Gray playing forwards then we lose 2 simple options from midfield, Chilwell and Albrighton were the simple balls and we had no drive from midfield.

 

No criticism of James, but the balance was wrong on Saturday and Puel didn't do enough to change it.

[Babylon]

19 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

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

I've already covered this, he's the safe bet.

 

He keeps the ball, he's big and strong so with him and N'didi you won't get bullied too often. He performs in the 6 or 7 out of 10 range most the time. I can't say at his worst he's been awful, just very average. Where as someone like Iborra has thrown in some absolute shockers IMO, and with Silva whilst I think technically far better, with his size you can lose control of the middle a bit too easily and he has a habit of getting caught and knocked off the ball when in possession. Thats the way I'd guess Puel is looking at it.

 

If one of them comes in and puts in a few decent performances, and stay consistent they'd start all the time as they potentially offer more.

[Babylon]

6 minutes ago, Captain... said:

I think they, well specifically Silva, offers something different to James. James and Ndidi do their best work in front of the back 4 keeping it solid winning the ball and keeping it with simple passes, Ndidi has more energy and a bit more expansive, James is better at keeping  the ball. Essentially they are similar types of player.

 

Tellingly they were the most effective as a 2 against Chelsea, but this is down to the balance of that side. We had Okazaki playing his usual second striker, third midfielder role. This gives them more simple forward passes to get an attack going. On Saturday with Mahrez, Gray, Vardy all looking forwards there was only Albrighton and Chilwell looking to pick it up short. Which was the other difference against Chelsea, we had Amartey  at RB, more attacking, more energetic and less defensive minded than Simpson. Against Chelsea they had Chilwell and Amartey providing short wide options, Okazaki coming short giving Vardy more space up top and Albrighton and Mahrez doing their respective things.

 

If we have static Simpson on one side and Gray playing forwards then we lose 2 simple options from midfield, Chilwell and Albrighton were the simple balls and we had no drive from midfield.

 

No criticism of James, but the balance was wrong on Saturday and Puel didn't do enough to change it.

Agree.

[TheUltimateWinner]

I can sort of see why he started James, Stoke are a physical side and James is quite a strong player when it comes to physical battles.

 

However, after the first half it was clear to see we needed some creativity in the centre of the park to take the ball forward, which James isn't best known for.

 

I think the decesion to not bring on Silva is more baffling than asking why James started.

[Tiny earl]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

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

When will you learn about possession statistics?

Theyte only relevant to people who have only ever played the game on a PlayStation!

[Sol thewall Bamba]

8 minutes ago, Tiny earl said:

When will you learn about possession statistics?

Theyte only relevant to people who have only ever played the game on a PlayStation!

To be fair, it's hard to "run the midfield" when you don't have the ball. 

[Babylon]

1 hour ago, Tiny earl said:

When will you learn about possession statistics?

Theyte only relevant to people who have only ever played the game on a PlayStation!

He made 26 passes, that's less than Wes Morgan. He made one tackle more than James and that's in a team that was defending for two thirds of the match.

 

He got the lowest whoscored cm rating on the pitch (which I think is bollocks but it's always chucked in my face as proof).

 

He basically got an assist on the back of their dwarf getting a 25 yarder.

 

So how did he run it when they barely had a sniff?

[leicesterlad1989]

I find Matty James' selection in midfield odd. I don't fully understand what he does. He's never the worst player on the pitch but I the same respect he's never a player who I'd heap with any form of praise. You could say he's a steady 6 out of 10 player or a trier, so to speak. He's not the best tackler, doesn't assist or score and he's not very good in the air.

 

I've heard that the staff at the club see him as very talented and that's evident by his selection in the team but I just don't see it. I often stand and watch him for a bit and what I notice is when he receives the ball and inevitably passes it sideways, rather than looking for a return pass he seems to run into an area where an opposition player is. When we don't have the ball, he's often standing in an empty space. I find this bizarre.

I don't see him as the scapegoat that some see him as though. I just find his inclusion a strange one, especially at home.

[Tiny earl]

23 minutes ago, Babylon said:

He made 26 passes, that's less than Wes Morgan. He made one tackle more than James and that's in a team that was defending for two thirds of the match.

 

He got the lowest whoscored cm rating on the pitch (which I think is bollocks but it's always chucked in my face as proof).

 

He basically got an assist on the back of their dwarf getting a 25 yarder.

 

So how did he run it when they barely had a sniff?

He engaged our midfield high up forcing them sideways and back.

you quote a source that you agree is bollocks and then you try to belittle a pass which carved us open

by claiming a 20 yard shot was 25 yards.

Even your statistics are fantasy.

 

 

[Captain...]

8 minutes ago, Tiny earl said:

He engaged our midfield high up forcing them sideways and back.

you quote a source that you agree is bollocks and then you try to belittle a pass which carved us open

by claiming a 20 yard shot was 25 yards.

Even your statistics are fantasy.

 

 

He  made 1 successful tackle all game (out of 6), he made 4 forward passes in our half and won 0 aerial duals, I'm not saying he was shit, but he clearly didn't run the midfield. Stoke were pretty poor all game, that is the main reason for our frustration. We were clearly better than them but got very little to show from a game we should have won.

[Babylon]

15 minutes ago, Tiny earl said:

He engaged our midfield high up forcing them sideways and back.

you quote a source that you agree is bollocks and then you try to belittle a pass which carved us open

by claiming a 20 yard shot was 25 yards.

Even your statistics are fantasy.

 

 

Oh well he engaged our players... he ran the show then. 

[Spicer]

Matty James is a good player in what he does. He defends well and keeps the ball moving accurately. He's quite a simple player, he has never been and never will be creative, he allows for the players in front of him freedom to play. Yesterday none of our attacking players played well and James is getting abuse for it. In defense Ndidi gave the ball away that led straight to the goal, yet nobody mentions him. James hardly put a foot wrong, yet the best player on the pitch yesterday gets blamed.

 

People are predisposed to blame him.

 

Whether we should have 2 defensive central midfielders with no creativity at home to Stoke is another matter.

[Tiny earl]

2 hours ago, Captain... said:

He  made 1 successful tackle all game (out of 6), he made 4 forward passes in our half and won 0 aerial duals, I'm not saying he was shit, but he clearly didn't run the midfield. Stoke were pretty poor all game, that is the main reason for our frustration. We were clearly better than them but got very little to show from a game we should have won.

You and Babylon been sharing statistics homework?

??

[Tiny earl]

2 hours ago, Babylon said:

Oh well he engaged our players... he ran the show then. 

25 yards!i It always looks different on the t.v.

??

[Babylon]

2 minutes ago, Tiny earl said:

25 yards!i It always looks different on the t.v.

??

Or sat right behind the shot at ground level. So your come back is I'm 5 yards out on how far away he was when he scored? 

[Babylon]

2 hours ago, Spicer said:

Matty James is a good player in what he does. He defends well and keeps the ball moving accurately. He's quite a simple player, he has never been and never will be creative, he allows for the players in front of him freedom to play. Yesterday none of our attacking players played well and James is getting abuse for it. In defense Ndidi gave the ball away that led straight to the goal, yet nobody mentions him. James hardly put a foot wrong, yet the best player on the pitch yesterday gets blamed.

 

People are predisposed to blame him.

 

Whether we should have 2 defensive central midfielders with no creativity at home to Stoke is another matter.

Absolutely.

[Captain...]

1 minute ago, Tiny earl said:

You and Babylon been sharing statistics homework?

??

Looks like Babs was using whoscored, whereas I was looking at Squawka.

 

http://epl.squawka.com/english-premier-league/24-02-2018/leicester-vs-stoke/matches

 

Interesting reading, but obviously doesn't paint the full picture. From a purely subjective opinion, there was no way I would say Joe Allen was running the midfield in the game I watched. Ndiaye was better, but I wouldn't say anyone ran the midfield. We controlled it, albeit with little penetration, and Stoke were very wasteful in possession and didn't commit men forwards.

[Captain...]

Also, I don't think it has been said enough, but Charlie Adam is a right cvnt and he should have been sent off.

[Tiny earl]

37 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Or sat right behind the shot at ground level. So your come back is I'm 5 yards out on how far away he was when he scored? 

 

37 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Or sat right behind the shot at ground level. So your come back is I'm 5 yards out on how far away he was when he scored? 

Fair enough, you'll get a better view when you're in the grown up seats.

??

[Arriba Los Zorros]

1 hour ago, Tiny earl said:

 

Fair enough, you'll get a better view when you're in the grown up seats.

??

who are you again?

[MC Prussian]

I don't see the point in a thread trying to defend a player who hasn't his own current thread slagging him off.

 

In other news, playing James yesterday wasn't the wisest idea. So Stoke were pretty much hiding behind the halfway line, occasionally moving forward (through Shaqiri mostly). Hardly any danger for Schmeichel.

Then why the need to "protect our back four" when you have pretty much nothing to fear and two thirds of the possession on your side?

Such a game was craving for some creative input coming through the middle - you just can't always rely on Mahrez which is fatal and Gray was a disappointment once more, so selfish and complicated.

 

James was at fault for Shaqiri's opener by moving to the sidelines and leaving his entire middle part of the pitch wide open, a very silly goal to give away. Also was easily put under pressure and gave the ball away on more than just one occasion, sometimes even in our own half!

There was one decent header towards the end, but what else? He was Andy King-esque.

 

You need to ask yourself - what does Matty James have that puts him ahead of Silva and Iborra in the pecking order?

Edited 26 February 2018 by MC Prussian

[Tiny earl]

18 minutes ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

who are you again?

If the words are too long ask your teacher and try to use a capital letter at the start of a sentence!

[notnow john]

Has nobody warned him about Bab's attack dogs?

[Arriba Los Zorros]

15 minutes ago, Tiny earl said:

If the words are too long ask your teacher and try to use a capital letter at the start of a sentence!

Look at your username, son!