NDIDI

[sm1]

Ndidi looked far more effective today because of Rodgers philosophy of pressing further up the pitch. In the first half he was all over Fulham winning balls in the final 3rd of the pitch and creating several opportunities to score. 

[WigstonWanderer]

Magnificent yesterday

[AylestoneRaider]

On 19/01/2019 at 13:35, Swan Lesta said:

 

Write it on a ‘post-it’ and send to club finance department to stick it to his P45?

How many more superb performances does Wilf need to put in before you retract this crass post?

[mozartfox]

Under Brendan, he has rediscovered himself. Truly excellent yesterday.  I am hoping the same happens to Kelechi.

[Bezzanator89]

I know this was against poor opposition yesterday, but he got back to doing what he does best. Breaks up the play, does the simple pass and let's the attacking players do the rest. 

 

Mind you, I did find it amusing that whenever he got within 25 yards of the goal, there were fans around me saying DON'T shoot. You could feel the relief when he decided to pass it on to keep the attack going! 

 

You're back on the right road now Wilf, you just keep going! 

[Post Horn Galloper]

2 hours ago, AylestoneRaider said:

How many more superb performances does Wilf need to put in before you retract this crass post?

Spot on mate. Same comments apply to those half-wits whining about Maddison who is our most creative player able to play a penetrative forward pass when all around are passing sideways. Maybe his perfect defence-splitter for Vardy's first, not to mention the through ball for JV'so goal against Brighton,  will shut them up once and for all.

[katieakita]

Kante was 24 when we signed him and was considered to small and lightweight to be given a chance, Wilf has just turned 22 so nowhere near the finished article. Under his 4th manager here as well, personally thought he had a really good game yesterday and will improve under BR. Even thought when Mendy came on to tighten it up he did a decent job.  

[Guest SO1]

2 hours ago, mozartfox said:

Under Brendan, he has rediscovered himself. Truly excellent yesterday.  I am hoping the same happens to Kelechi.

It is a gift to allow people to be who they are and not what YOU want them to be. Pretty sure that goes for Football as well as life. I haven't watched him very much but I sense something special here. Another game changer.

[sdb]

Motm for me yesterday. This system will suit him so much more. 

[Bert]

Like all the players that are or used to be big game players for us, they’ve all

picked up immediately since Rodgers. Wilf, Maddison, Vardy. 

[Nick]

5 hours ago, AylestoneRaider said:

How many more superb performances does Wilf need to put in before you retract this crass post?

He was great yesterday. But in January I was fed up that he couldn’t pass a football. Pleased for him but we won’t be playing Fulham every week but he is certainly improving. I have however for a long time wondered if his passing game and his ability on the ball was going to be of top half Premier League standard but he’s certainly looking more like it now especially the last couple of games under Rodgers.

[KingsX]

It's been a while since I toted up the top ball winners (tackles plus interceptions).

 

 

- Playing out of position, N'Golo still wins the ball as much as the guy who took over his position. 

 

- Ricardo is a two-way god.  He doesn’t look that physical, but his effort is great.  He’s worth twice what we paid. 

 

- Wan-Bissaka is the business.  He’ll attract larger bids than Zaha ever did.

 

- Y’all who are still mocking Sol Bamba have not seen Cardiff much this season.

 

[Suzie the Fox]

14 minutes ago, KingsX said:

It's been a while since I toted up the top ball winners (tackles plus interceptions).

 

 

- Playing out of position, N'Golo still wins the ball as much as the guy who took over his position. 

 

- Ricardo is a two-way god.  He doesn’t look that physical, but his effort is great.  He’s worth twice what we paid. 

 

- Wan-Bissaka is the business.  He’ll attract larger bids than Zaha ever did.

 

- Y’all who are still mocking Sol Bamba have not seen Cardiff much this season.

 

Sol Bamba has been a beast this season. 

[blaaklint]

2 hours ago, Suzie the Fox said:

Sol Bamba has been a beast this every season. 

I think this is what you meant.

[Babylon]

Noticeably sat deeper just in front of the back 4 with Maddison and Tielemans sitting in front of him and taking turns in going forwards. He's just so much better when you get him to do what he's good at and don't lumber him with someone else who can't pass.

[Babylon]

20 hours ago, Bert said:

Like all the players that are or used to be big game players for us, they’ve all

picked up immediately since Rodgers. Wilf, Maddison, Vardy. 

I think he picked up the second he was put with Tielemans, the issue with Wilf was his passing and all the pressure was on him to be the creator before he came in. It clearly suits Wilf better next to him and it will also benefit Vardy and he's the player with the vision to find him from the middle that we'd lacked other than Maddison. The burden is suddenly shared for everyone.

 

The press will definitely favour all these players though, on Saturday we were winning the ball higher up meaning Vardy was closer to goal when we got possession and there was space to play him in quickly.

[Tanya]

39 minutes ago, Babylon said:

I think he picked up the second he was put with Tielemans, the issue with Wilf was his passing and all the pressure was on him to be the creator before he came in. It clearly suits Wilf better next to him and it will also benefit Vardy and he's the player with the vision to find him from the middle that we'd lacked other than Maddison. The burden is suddenly shared for everyone.

 

The press will definitely favour all these players though, on Saturday we were winning the ball higher up meaning Vardy was closer to goal when we got possession and there was space to play him in quickly.

I felt so bad for both Wilf AND Mendy. Clearly in a two they were forced to try and create and it impacted both their games terribly. Wilf looked a shadow of himself and Mendy, whose game is predicated on being Mr Predictable,  was suddenly being harried into mistakes.

 

The introduction of Tielemans (genuine hat tip to Claude there) and Brendan's desire to press high is helping Wilf do what Wilf is best at: winning the ball back high and setting out attack away. It's also given Mendy a niche role: to come on, retain possession under pressure and shore up our midfield. It gives me genuine joy to see these two players who were choking under the old system given a lease of life. Wilf is getting the main benefit but Mendy looks miles more comfortable when he comes on these days too.

 

Happy days.

Edited 11 March 2019 by Tanya

[KIRBYFOX93]

ndidi is such a key player. we don't need extra holding midfielders when he is on form. at times he can be kante'esc.

[That_Dude]

On 09/03/2019 at 22:07, Ric Flair said:

Regressed under Puel but I think he'll prosper in this high pressing team. It helps having that wizard Tielemans by him to do all the creating but it's actually allowed Ndidi to settle down and his passing has markedly improved recently too.

He didn't regress under Puel but was tasked to do what Tielemans does since we didn't have a creative midfielder. That's why he looked worse than he is.

 

That's the impact Tielemans has.

[Ric Flair]

19 minutes ago, That_Dude said:

He didn't regress under Puel but was tasked to do what Tielemans does since we didn't have a creative midfielder. That's why he looked worse than he is.

 

That's the impact Tielemans has.

Well isn't that regressing in a way?

[That_Dude]

2 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Well isn't that regressing in a way?

In a way, most certainly, but that wasn't inherent to Puel. More like the lack of alternative. I'm certain Mendy would thrive as well if paired with Tielemans.

[Ric Flair]

1 hour ago, That_Dude said:

In a way, most certainly, but that wasn't inherent to Puel. More like the lack of alternative. I'm certain Mendy would thrive as well if paired with Tielemans.

Mendy is a decent player, a perfect squad player for a team like us. I would worry at him not being quite as good at recovering the ball as Ndidi but then there arent many that are as good as him.

[Cheesemaker22]

On 10/03/2019 at 22:04, Bezzanator89 said:

Mind you, I did find it amusing that whenever he got within 25 yards of the goal, there were fans around me saying DON'T shoot. You could feel the relief when he decided to pass it on to keep the attack going! 

 

You're back on the right road now Wilf, you just keep going! 

Feel like after he scored that goal from distance  against Stoke everyone was yelling 'shoot' for the rest of the season. He was just doing what he was told really! 

[dyanmark]

For me it all works better with a back four with backs who do not go mental more selective about their runs forward.Then we can handle it with the one DM .As Saturday mendy can come on and do a job to tighten  things up at the right time .

Chilwell and Maguire didn't look comfortable with their more restrained positions but it should work

[Blue ROI]

Magnificent on Saturday. Best display of 2018/19 for him.

 

His work for the first goal and his delightful pass to Vardy was probably his highlight of the season.

 

He has struggled this season but he is a defensive midfielder first and foremost. Too often though since Drinkwater left he's been burning the candle at both ends trying to create as well as defend. Doing what he does best now with someone like Tielemans alongside him.