Iborra Joins Villarreal

[Babylon]

 

[Analysethis]

On 26/01/2019 at 22:23, lcfcsnow said:

Can't believe we got what we did for him, he's 31 now and wasn't a regular at Sevilla towards the end of his time there.

...and he plays in a position that requires energy. As a player with an eye for a goal and not the paciest even at his best, getting older and slower wont help a player like him. If the fee quoted is accurate I too was delighted,

[Dan LCFC]

God knows what's happened to Villarreal. I always had them down as being a well-run club that punches above its weight, largely helped by a decent recruitment policy.

[Ian Nacho]

6 hours ago, Babylon said:

 

Looked all over the place.

[LeicesterFoxChampion]

Bagged today in a 2 all draw 

[MC Prussian]

Scored Villarreal's opener away at Zenit today. Header after a header.

Wish him well back in Spain, hope the team wins the competition, got a very good collective.

[st albans fox]

Am I right that he has played every minute of their games since arriving ???

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Another one of Puels mistakes not playing Iborra enough

 

class player

[weller54]

1 hour ago, Bob Weasel Fox said:

Another one of Puels mistakes not playing Iborra enough

 

class player

Might have stayed if it wasn't for Suzie the Fox stalking him. 

[ChownLC]

4 hours ago, Bob Weasel Fox said:

Another one of Puels mistakes not playing Iborra enough

 

class player

Was average at best whenever he played.

[cal21212121]

2 hours ago, InLoveWithNgolo said:

Was average at best whenever he played.

The way he communicated on the pitch was pivotal for some of our players best performances. He allowed Ndidi, Chilwell and some of our less 'intelligent' players to relax on the ball because he told him when to pass, where to pass, when he's got time to turn, when he doesn't, where to stand, where to go. He was essentially the brains of our squad when he played and f*** do we miss that. We miss that type of leadership figure, someone with a calm head who relaxes the team. Evans is the closest thing we've had to a leader at the back since Huth, even then he doesn't lead when in possession like Iborra did, but that side of the game goes unnoticed and unappreciated by fans who are disconnected from the actual playing side of the game. Having someone who can read the game and communicate well is absolutely invaluable.

Edited 8 March 2019 by cal21212121

[dayday]

8 hours ago, Bob Weasel Fox said:

Another one of Puels mistakes not playing Iborra enough

 

class player

The Titanic could move faster than him.

[st albans fox]

3 hours ago, cal21212121 said:

The way he communicated on the pitch was pivotal for some of our players best performances. He allowed Ndidi, Chilwell and some of our less 'intelligent' players to relax on the ball because he told him when to pass, where to pass, when he's got time to turn, when he doesn't, where to stand, where to go. He was essentially the brains of our squad when he played and f*** do we miss that. We miss that type of leadership figure, someone with a calm head who relaxes the team. Evans is the closest thing we've had to a leader at the back since Huth, even then he doesn't lead when in possession like Iborra did, but that side of the game goes unnoticed and unappreciated by fans who are disconnected from the actual playing side of the game. Having someone who can read the game and communicate well is absolutely invaluable.

Great point but I’m not sure we had enough on the pitch to carry his lack of mobility .......he wasn’t far off but in the hurly burly of the prem league, he definitely struggled to provide the cover that we need from the two holding players puel wanted to have.  So we gained on the one hand but lost on the other.  Add his desire to move back to Spain and ............

[cal21212121]

37 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Great point but I’m not sure we had enough on the pitch to carry his lack of mobility .......he wasn’t far off but in the hurly burly of the prem league, he definitely struggled to provide the cover that we need from the two holding players puel wanted to have.  So we gained on the one hand but lost on the other.  Add his desire to move back to Spain and ............

I do agree, but to lose that kind of leadership and not replace it with anyone was poor. It's all well and good everyone on here spaffing off over how young our squad is, but we do need more experienced heads to lead and organise them which we currently lack

[weller54]

42 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Great point but I’m not sure we had enough on the pitch to carry his lack of mobility .......he wasn’t far off but in the hurly burly of the prem league, he definitely struggled to provide the cover that we need from the two holding players puel wanted to have.  So we gained on the one hand but lost on the other.  Add his desire to move back to Spain and ............

..... eat Tapas. 

[Collymore]

He could slot into the Barcelona midfield and you wouldn't know he was the ringer from his ball retention and calmness. 

 

Rolls Royce of a player when we needed a sports car in the premier League

[PloTok]

32 minutes ago, Collymore said:

Rolls Royce of a player when we needed a sports car in the premier League

A very good analogy.  Fits the facts well.

 

Iborra was a classy player (mho of course) A seasoned pro, top notch reader of the game and an oasis of calm in a kick and rush game. His every action oozed a surety... but quick he is not. It's no surprise he didn't suit our game, but that doesn't make him rubbish. 

[Ted Maul]

I'd much rather we kept him over Mendy.

 

Was he not homesick though?

[Babylon]

5 hours ago, cal21212121 said:

The way he communicated on the pitch was pivotal for some of our players best performances. He allowed Ndidi, Chilwell and some of our less 'intelligent' players to relax on the ball because he told him when to pass, where to pass, when he's got time to turn, when he doesn't, where to stand, where to go. He was essentially the brains of our squad when he played and f*** do we miss that. We miss that type of leadership figure, someone with a calm head who relaxes the team. Evans is the closest thing we've had to a leader at the back since Huth, even then he doesn't lead when in possession like Iborra did, but that side of the game goes unnoticed and unappreciated by fans who are disconnected from the actual playing side of the game. Having someone who can read the game and communicate well is absolutely invaluable.

Then he'd get on the ball and pass it straight out of play

[Col city fan]

Another player who was good on the ball... but too slow

If the Prem has taught us anything over the years it’s generally not to sign this type of player. Silva, Iborra, Inler.. all used to playing well at a much slower pace. The Prem is quick and it needs quick athletes for teams to be successful.

[lgfualol]

12 hours ago, Bob Weasel Fox said:

Another one of Puels mistakes not playing Iborra enough

 

class player

I don't think he was ever THAT good however I do think he was underutilised when we needed height. Teams had all their players just sitting in 18 yard box and we were crossing the ball 2000 times a game, yet Okazaki was subbed on.

[Crispin LA]

The reasons why his performances for Leicester weren't as how he performed for other clubs is because he didn't really settle in this country. 

He said himself that the culture is different in Leicester, where the player's don't socialise together on days off or in the evenings. I suppose life does get boring when you come back to your empty apartment. I think all his family, children and friends were back home in Spain and he missed them. 

This surely must have affected his mind and game. Maybe if he was about 21 it would not have been so difficult to adjust to living in another country. Everyone is different. Good luck to him, he did show afew leadership qualities but it wasn't to be here when the few times he was given a game. 

[LCCFox96]

Iborra was good player but the Premiership was the wrong league for him. He was a hard worker and a great character in the squad, but we got a good deal and he got a good move for his personal circumstances. Pleased to see him making an impact for Villarreal.

[Babylon]

He was getting phased out at Sevilla for a reason, just like he was bang average here for a reason and the Villarreal fans have often slated him for a reason, he's aging, slowing and not actually anywhere near as good as some people want to believe.

[baldeagle]

Sorry but he was doggo