Ben Chilwell

[Ric Flair]

That was a shot to the arm for Chilwell and our fans, he was nigh on perfect last night and was a masterclass in attacking, crossing and shooting. What this might do for his confidence and form could be immense. I honestly didn't think he had that level of performance in him, now to build on it.

 

What impressed me most was him and Barnes after 1 mis-communication in the opening minutes and a shake of the head, they just clicked and that first half they were involved in pretty much every goal. Rodgers will be loving that.

[Corky]

Both his crosses were lovely but that finish was superb. Composed and clinical. Vardy would've been proud of it.

[Fox92]

I'm so pleased for his performance yesterday given so many of you on this thread were so happy to get rid of him. Perhaps his best performance in a City shirt; composed and his crossing was superb. 

 

I said all along he gets through so much work down that left side, and I don't really think him and Barnes complement themselves to well, and I'm pleased his athleticism was pointed out. I hope Chilwell and Ricardo never leave; we have the two best full back options in the league after Liverpool.

[artic fox]

1 minute ago, Fox92 said:

I'm so pleased for his performance yesterday given so many of you on this thread were so happy to get rid of him. Perhaps his best performance in a City shirt; composed and his crossing was superb. 

 

I said all along he gets through so much work down that left side, and I don't really think him and Barnes complement themselves to well, and I'm pleased his athleticism was pointed out. I hope Chilwell and Ricardo never leave; we have the two best full back options in the league after Liverpool.

 

Rogers knows what he has in Chilwell, and the fact he plays him weekly speaks of a manager who knows more about the man and trusts him

[Beechey]

I was so, so happy for him to get his goal last night

[dmayne7]

Was good to him driving forward as well. Think that was in part due to playing against wingbacks. Think we need to find a way to allow him that space otherwise we will see him turning back inside and constantly playing sideways passes.

[willie-bell-in-rothley]

His best all round performance in a Leicester shirt and he will get better under Brendan

[Col city fan]

I think it shows how far this club has come when we get folks on here bizarrely claiming they’d look to sell Chilwell.

I remember when we had the likes of Alan Rodgers at left back (or was it right back)

Chillers is superb imo.

[shade]

On 17/10/2019 at 13:37, shade said:

I'd love to see chilly play pissed up, so he didn't get so nervous every time he got within 30 feet of the oppositions goalposts. Definitely wouldn't sell him though, it's not just about the individual, it's about how he fits in to the unit we're crafting.

glad he took my advice and sank a few scoops before the match. anyone else suspect that cross for Perez was an overhit cross? I still wouldn't sell him though.

[Goober]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leicester-city-ben-chilwell-praise-3476877.amp?__twitter_impression=true

[Lambert09]

Foxestalk overreacting to a few bad games...  

[bfox]

He had a brilliant game, and to be fair who didn't? It's the big games where you have to be unphased and mentally sharp for 90 to even stay in it  - is where he's fallen short this season. I hope he kicks on now!

Edited 29 October 2019 by bfox

[turtmcfly]

11 minutes ago, Lambert09 said:

Foxestalk overreacting to a few bad games...  

 

Let's say it as it is. When it comes to 'overreaction' (as opposed to simply saying he's not been at his very best recently) it's not 'Foxestalk' that's doing it, it's three or four absolute plums, at least one of whom is a 'mardy perennial'. 

 

[Bluearmyfox28]

Chilly is the future at left back for England let alone us. How people could question is ability is beyond me. Also a lot of people have questioned Barnes & Chilly’s communication on the pitch, yet forget Madders has a big role in that too.
 

Before Madders wasn’t really looking for the ball when chilly had it enough instead looking for the pocket of space (which there is no harm in doing) which then rarely gave chilly an outlet. However the last few games, Madders has mixed it up a lot more & helped massively with the link up play, which gives Chilly more time to make his overlap, which then in return creates more space for Barnes to take on his man & drags a centre back/Cdm out to cover the space.
 

It’s basic passing & moving in a triangle effect which if it’s done right with speed & awareness is effective regardless of the standard you play at. Ajax in particular focus on this with there training methods often playing games of 3 vs 5 which forces the 3 to play as a triangle.

 

For me personally aswell it’s a key reason why Madders should be playing down the middle instead of outwide as you instantly lose that link from that play.

[Bluearmyfox28]

1 minute ago, Bluearmyfox28 said:

Chilly is the future at left back for England let alone us. How people could question is ability is beyond me. Also a lot of people have questioned Barnes & Chilly’s communication on the pitch, yet forget Madders has a big role in that too.
 

Before Madders wasn’t really looking for the ball when chilly had it enough instead looking for the pocket of space (which there is no harm in doing) which then rarely gave chilly an outlet. However the last few games, Madders has mixed it up a lot more & helped massively with the link up play, which gives Chilly more time to make his overlap, which then in return creates more space for Barnes to take on his man & drags a centre back/Cdm out to cover the space.
 

It’s basic passing & moving in a triangle effect which if it’s done right with speed & awareness is effective regardless of the standard you play at. Ajax in particular focus on this with there training methods often playing games of 3 vs 5 which forces the 3 to play as a triangle.

 

For me personally aswell it’s a key reason why Madders should be playing down the middle instead of outwide as you instantly lose that link from that play.

With regards to losing any of our key young talents I feel that if we qualify for Europe regardless if it’s europa league or champions league that will be enough to convince the lads to stay, as I would imagine they’ll all been keen to test themselves as a close knit group that they are at the highest standard.

[Ric Flair]

Every player can have those one off performances where they play out of their skin and the challenge is to reach those levels more often. Chilwell was menacing on Friday night down that left hand side, Valery simply had no answer to him which is ironic given Southampton's real problems ought to have been coming from Ricardo and Perez on the right where they'd lost Bertrand to a sending off. However due to just how good Chilwell was and Barnes, everything seemed to come from the left and it was mesmerising. His crossing and passing was sublime at times, both areas I've had huge issues with him in the past. Is Friday enough evidence to suggest he can do this more often? This wasn't just 1-2 flukey balls in, everything about his game seemed strong, confident and measured. Maybe he just needs some encouragement and support to get the best out of him, the attacking side of his game might always need 100% work rather than with some players who technically do obscene things without even trying.

 

It will be interesting to watch, prior to Friday i'd lost my patience with Chilwell as his form in 2019 was well below what promise he'd shown in the first half of the 2018/19 season. I am more than happy to be proven wrong to have given up on him.

[worthosoriginals]

some of you lot will deserve it when he's gone.

[Farrington fox]

Don’t understand the criticism of him really. Yes, defensively he’s not fantastic, but come on, he’s still young and already an established England International. 

[KingsX]

Very interesting tidbit from a new Athletic article on Man City's shortage in defense.

 

Up until the end of April they had been planning to sign Leicester’s Ben Chilwell, Rodri, a centre-back, and had been keeping a very close eye on Joao Felix. It quickly became clear to them, however, all that would not be happening.

 

Up until late April, City had everything in place to sign Chilwell, but then they informed him with two games of the Premier League campaign left that they would not be following through. For whatever reason, City had come to the realisation they would not be able to sell Benjamin Mendy, given his injury history. They resolved to keep him and see how he progressed in the coming six months, even keeping a January move for a left-back, possibly Chilwell (although that is now unlikely), at the back of their minds.

 

That’s when they decided to re-sign Angelino; he was cheap and homegrown — another issue which would scupper their hopes of an overhaul. The Spaniard had been at City between 2014 and 2018, when he signed for PSV Eindhoven in a deal which included a buy-back clause, which City decided they would activate to help cover a gap in the squad on the cheap. Angelino was only ever intended to be a back-up to Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko, but they are both currently injured so he started at Anfield.

 

https://theathletic.com/1361822/2019/11/11/how-city-ended-up-with-a-defence-not-fit-for-champions/

 

 

[dmayne7]

I was just about to say that after a so so start to the season, he's really picked up again and is looking too drawer.

 

Man City can go elsewhere.

[Beechey]

Still find it astounding that so many were eager to sell him after a few games of bad form.

Reap what you sow. We'd probably end up with the world's most defensive left back for the next 10 years and all moan about it.

Edited 11 November 2019 by Beechey

[sdb]

I wonder if a fee was agreed? Must've been huge if so.

[Stadt]

5 assists in 18 apps this season, nee bad for someone who ‘can’t cross’

 

 

 

Make that 6!

Edited 14 November 2019 by Stadt

[Foxxed]

We not posting in the transfer thread then?

[Fox92]

So pleased for him.