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weller54

Maddison

By weller54, in Leicester City Forum

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egg_fried_rice

egg_fried_rice

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https://www.planetfootball.com/trending/never-mind-philippe-coutinho-james-maddison-is-playing-like-eric-cantona/

 

Never mind Philippe Coutinho, James Maddison is playing like Eric Cantona

Leicester City are playing with the unabashed confidence of a team who know they deserve to be in the Champions League positions, and there’s no better illustration of that than James Maddison.

 

The England midfielder has received heat for assumptions of arrogance, and the easy way out of this would be to take a lower profile and retreat out of the public eye.

 

It’s certainly tougher to take the other route, namely attempting to justify your levels of self-confidence by repeatedly delivering on the pitch. However, as Maddison has shown, it’s undoubtedly more rewarding when you get it right.

 

In previous years, a meeting between Arsenal and Leicester would not have had the dynamic we saw at the King Power Stadium.

 

Even on those occasions where the Foxes were the in-form team, there would often be a level of deference to their opponents to the point that the London club received openings without necessarily earning them.

This time, though, Leicester knew exactly where they stood, and Maddison was a big part of that.

 

No Premier League midfielder can better Maddison’s three shots per game this season, while he’s eighth in the league for key passes and 11th for dribbles per game. He’s also the fifth most-fouled player in English football’s top flight.

 

To say Maddison has been in the thick of things this season would be an understatement. Things have been in the thick of James Maddison.

 

By the time he doubled Leicester’s lead, Maddison had already come close once, sending a free-kick out of Bernd Leno’s reach but watching it land just the wrong side of the netting.

 

Was this cause to ease off or shy away? Don’t be stupid.

 

When Jamie Vardy collects the ball on the edge of the Arsenal box, Maddison is already screaming for it, with such intent that it’s enough to make us wonder whether he added “scream for the ball in the 75th minute” to his to-do list before the game had even kicked off.

 

It’s part intent, part absolute certainty: a man convincing himself the earlier incident was a sighter rather than a miss: he was simply getting a feel for what was required to beat Leno and find the net. Rather than treating each moment as it comes, he was using each one as part of a whole.

 

Unlike the first effort, though, there’s no time here to set himself or even to look up. All of that needs to take place while the ball is still at Vardy’s feet.

 

Unlike the beauty of a curled free-kick, like the one he converted earlier in the season at Southampton, there’s an ugliness to Maddison’s execution here. The shot is neither driven nor curled, blasted nor shaped: it’s simply delivered where it needs to go with a minimum of fuss.

 

James is a bit like Philippe Coutinho — they’re players who are recognised for their talent,” Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said of his No.10 in an interview with The Athletic.

 

“But then to maximise that talent, in order for them to participate in the game at the highest level, they also have to be able to contribute to a press.

 

“Of course, James has his strengths, so you let him flourish with those strengths. But then we helped him with the tactical discipline. And he’s becoming very, very good at it.”

 

As Rodgers has quickly learned, it’s about finding the balance between indulging a player and reminding him of his wider role within the squad.

 

However, with someone whose talents are so noticeable, it must be tempting to err on the side of the former – especially when you see him deliver a finish as perfect as the one at St Mary’s.

 

Getting the crowd off their seats is important for any attacking player, but Maddison often looks as though his default position is one of waiting, back arched and fingers cupped to ears, to receive their adulation.

 

Maddison is the kind of player who seems empowered by his own confidence, as if the wider the grin on his face, the greater the level to which he feels he must elevate himself.

 

While the Coutinho comparison fits him stylistically, there are parallels with Eric Cantona in this self-fulfilling excellence. By remaining part of a more productive whole, his individualism can shine through, while those around him can be equally empowered by his excellence shining through.

 

It’s no coincidence that it’s working so well.

 

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blueharmie

blueharmie

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I just hope he doesn't get his head turned into trying to move away. Man city or Liverpool I understand one day but the amount of desperate man United fans the stalking him on Twitter from Nigeria begging him to come to United is sad.

Hope he stays grounded and realizes he is onto a good thing at Leicester and not move to sit on a bench or pretend yanited are good anymore.

 

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ScubaBlue

ScubaBlue

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20 hours ago, VIKTOR-LE5 said:

Sarcasm you numpty and yes as good as Maddison is the media go on like he's prime Modric.

I thought as much.

 

Of course they’re going to, he’s one of the most in form players in the league right now.
 

Plus, he’s way better than Modric!

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Carl the Llama

Carl the Llama

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9 minutes ago, blueharmie said:

I just hope he doesn't get his head turned into trying to move away. Man city or Liverpool I understand one day but the amount of desperate man United fans the stalking him on Twitter from Nigeria begging him to come to United is sad.

Hope he stays grounded and realizes he is onto a good thing at Leicester and not move to sit on a bench or pretend yanited are good anymore.

 

He's just watched his mate join them and drop below us in the league, I wouldn't worry about that.

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ScouseFox

ScouseFox

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5 hours ago, filbertway said:

Have been well impressed with how he speaks in the media. He actually sounds like a normal bloke with a personality just having a chat. The only time he used a cliché he poked fun at himself for using it. Absolutely love the lad.

yeah i can't quite work out why but he speaks to the media very differently to pretty much any other footballer out there. i can't put my finger on what is actually different but it's really enjoyable. 

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foxinsocks

foxinsocks

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Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, UniFox21 said:

If Sterling gets straight back into the line up in this international break, Maddison has right to be annoyed. He's made a 'mistake' when sent home from international duty and hasn't been given an opportunity to show what he can do

Sterling is southgate's only world class player.  None of the others would start in Spain France Italy Germany etc

Edited by foxinsocks
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Ric Flair

Ric Flair

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On 12/11/2019 at 11:11, StriderHiryu said:

With 5 goals this season (4 in the league), serious plaudits have to be given to Madders and Rodgers for adding the one element to his game that he was missing. This makes him the highest scoring attacking midfielder in the country and only Bernardo and Pulisic have the same as him, and they mostly operate on the wings. He also has the highest number of tackles made (23) of any attacking midfielder in the division and has been consistently good in all matches so far. Oh and he generally lasts the full 90 minutes, whereas he was often hauled off by Puel last season, most of the time for him not being able to keep up with the pace of the game in the final 10.

 

If you made a Premier League team of the season right now I think he would be in it. He has been superb.

6 goals pal, 4 in the league. Ticking along nicely. 

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Leeds Fox

Leeds Fox

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On 12/11/2019 at 22:28, ScouseFox said:

yeah i can't quite work out why but he speaks to the media very differently to pretty much any other footballer out there. i can't put my finger on what is actually different but it's really enjoyable. 

 

For me, it’s often... you’re an ex-pro (Neville, Carra etc) and I’m a current pro. I’m not going to be phased by you kind of attitude. Being how he is though, it makes the interviewers job far easier and the conversation just flows. 

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Nicolo Barella

Nicolo Barella

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On 13/11/2019 at 02:32, foxinsocks said:

Sterling is southgate's only world class player.  None of the others would start in Spain France Italy Germany etc

Our whole front line would start over Italy's. Kane would probably start for all of those teams as well. Chilwell and Alexander-Arnold would both be in with shouts for Italy and France.

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Foxymcoxy

Foxymcoxy

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2 minutes ago, Nicolo Barella said:

Our whole front line would start over Italy's. Kane would probably start for all of those teams as well. Chilwell and Alexander-Arnold would both be in with shouts for Italy and France.

Remind me who the Spanish/German full-backs are you are putting clearly above those 2?

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Nicolo Barella

Nicolo Barella

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Just now, Foxymcoxy said:

Remind me who the Spanish/German full-backs are you are putting clearly above those 2?

Kimmich, best right back in the world imo. I'm actually not sure who Germany's left back is. Jordi Alba, best left back in the world imo. And their right back would probably actually be Bellerin or Azpilicueta, so Trent would start there as well imo.

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Matt

Matt

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Maddison and England just don't seem to work, whether it be coincidental circumstances or whatever it just seems weird how it pans out, i'm sure it'll work out and he'll get his opportunites sooner or later.

 

I'm not saying there are any agenda's (Geoff, Geoff...) or conspiracies against Maddison and i'm sure it's just unfortunate coincidental circumstances.

(Although I still think there is 'big team bias' and the need for 'names' amongst the England camp rather than playing players on form)

 

Reminds me of Drinkwater and England simply not working out for one reason or another - he had the opportunities but it just didn't work out for him - Then he threw his career away.

 

Edited by Matt
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