Kelechi Iheanacho

[KFS]

I’ve said it in this thread before, he also offers a target man and link up dimension too because of the quality of his passing and dribbling. 

[fuchsntf]

11 hours ago, Sampson said:

The more I think about it, the more I think he has to win our POTS award.

 

I was thinking he didn't play in the league the first half of the season so it's hard to give it to him, but he was outstanding in Europe in the first half of the season too as well as our FA Cup run. And when you consider it across all competitions, he should win it.

I can understand Why many would Chose Nacho vor POTS..

Bit I put 2 others forward who IMO helped give us a Great First half of the season & drive to the top..One is still there..!!!

 

In Justin we found Not just a potential First teamer,But a Youngster who stepped up & returns that Trust with high Octane performances..at LB, WB..RB

and took away 100% the worry of missing und replacing actually our best Player over a couple of seasons... Ricardo 

Then there is Tielemans my choice.The ever-present and his performances he has held us together by his performances...

 

Another   very difficult decision is the Young Player of the season......again Justin then Fofana / Thomas ( though hes maybe,the bridesmaid of the 3)

 

What gratefully  Nacho has done .....After Vardy's / Maddison's /Barnes Chronic injury periods,  indifferent form because of...and the mainstays of Goals, 

Ne das Not just stepped in, but like Justin fo the Bline, hes stepped up and had turned his career, and pumped up our top 4 from questioned potential

Into a competitive reality.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

Yep, we've stumbled on a system that gets the best out of him and he's firing us to the Champions League - time to sell! Come on, man.

[StriderHiryu]

25 minutes ago, sheffield_fox said:

The goal reminded me of peak Mahrez last night.

 

The overall match-winning performance and effort level was exceptional.

 

It would be so easy for us to cash in and then spend £50m+ on a player who never reaches this level of performance or struggles to adapt to the Prem. I think it would be foolish to sell a 24 year old confidence player just as they've found their mojo. He's exactly what we've been looking for and the fact that he works best in a two makes the Vardy replacement conundrum a lot simpler as no player is going to have to come in and immediately be expected to contribute 20+ goals a season.

 

He's taken a long time to settle and find his role in the squad. I would imagine thast moving clubs is the last thing he wants to do.

Some of his first touches are filthy. With his goal, ignoring the finish for a second, don't gloss over him bringing the ball down over his head, beating two men and then shifting to make the space! That is peak Mahrez for sure.

 

The funny thing with Kelechi though is that he's inconsistent. Mahrez was sometimes lazy / ineffective, IE dribbling into a blind alley, but his technique was always incredible, even when playing badly. Sometimes with Kel the ball literally bounces off him or he has the touch of a serial killer, e.g. that one on one early on against West Brom. But he's got great technique at other times, and he can strike the ball a bit like Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - incredible power with very little back lift.

 

All this means that we haven't even seen peak Kelechi Iheanacho yet! He's scored 14 in 14 and yet I think has one or two more gears to go. IMO in the right team he can be a consistent 20 Premier League goals a season striker, maybe even  more given that he's scored 10 since 1st February!

 

Reading this thread again is a delight. I have respect for anyone that has turned round a bad situation, and Kelechi has done just that! We can't sell him, the comeback story is everything this club is all about!

[enmac]

[mozartfox]

Cash in buy who exactly ?   Harry Kane? Nicky Maynard?     We have been looking to recruit a striker since the 2016 Summer Window Car Crash. Now we have found one, are we likely to cash in?   Tottenham are nobodies, Arsenal are Tenth - You do the Maths.

[Dahnsouff]

1 hour ago, Carl the Llama said:

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here, he's a prolific striker stepping up to replace the goals provided by Vardy who's going through a drought.  I think most agree we were going to need a striker replacement in the next window or we'd be in real trouble.  That replacement comes along and some are entertaining the idea of selling them, it's not a virtue signal it's a question of common sense.

Sorry, it was misjudged, thought you were suggesting something in the opposing direction! Will still need another striker anyway though.

[HighPeakFox]

We have a 34 year old great who won't go on forever. We have a 24 year old blossoming and shooting us to glory. 

 

I know, let's sell the younger guy and pretend Vardy will be the Stanley Matthews de nos jours. 

[whoareyaaa]

talk of sellin is just pure madness so we find a player that can score at will at we want to talk about selling him... keep its not like the money goes into our pockets why we so bothered.

 

him and Barnes are the future

[gerrytaggart]

I can't see the sense in cashing in on an absolute baller in scintillating form only to try and replace him with someone we hope would turn out 'as good as him'. 

 

Weird idea if you ask me. 

[SecretPro]

35 minutes ago, enmac said:

Love how Kel has his eyes shut. Proper loving hug that is. Bet vards sings him lullaby at night too.

[Ric Flair]

48 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Some of his first touches are filthy. With his goal, ignoring the finish for a second, don't gloss over him bringing the ball down over his head, beating two men and then shifting to make the space! That is peak Mahrez for sure.

 

The funny thing with Kelechi though is that he's inconsistent. Mahrez was sometimes lazy / ineffective, IE dribbling into a blind alley, but his technique was always incredible, even when playing badly. Sometimes with Kel the ball literally bounces off him or he has the touch of a serial killer, e.g. that one on one early on against West Brom. But he's got great technique at other times, and he can strike the ball a bit like Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - incredible power with very little back lift.

 

All this means that we haven't even seen peak Kelechi Iheanacho yet! He's scored 14 in 14 and yet I think has one or two more gears to go. IMO in the right team he can be a consistent 20 Premier League goals a season striker, maybe even  more given that he's scored 10 since 1st February!

 

Reading this thread again is a delight. I have respect for anyone that has turned round a bad situation, and Kelechi has done just that! We can't sell him, the comeback story is everything this club is all about!

The power of the strike was peak Collymore blended with Adriano. It was devastating. 

[enmac]

4 minutes ago, SecretPro said:

Love how Kel has his eyes shut. Proper loving hug that is. Bet vards sings him lullaby at night too.

Great photo. Your's expression of disbelief and the stare from the ref,who's probably thinking that's the best goal I've ever reffed! 

[when_you're_smiling]

Do wonder if he’s actually one of the few players who has benefitted from not having fans in.

 

It’s obvious he’s a confidence player. I know he played poorly plenty of time without fans before this run, but with the boo boys not getting on top of him for every missed chance or miss-control it feels like that might be one of the reasons the run has continued like it has.

[Ross 'LCFC' Turner]

I don't think anybody has ever questioned his finishing ability but his overall game has improved so much to the point you're now going into games expecting him to score. 

 

He looks quick, strong, good first touch, neat little turns / flicks and his understanding of the game / seeing a pass has improved so much he's been like a new signing. 

 

I think Perez being selected as a false 9 was the straw that broke the camels back. 

[Guest SO1]

Beware those who think goals are easy to replace. Especially in the premier league. The list is long of those who everyone thought would be stars and are forgotten. Just look at the endless list of names from our transfer thread over the past couple of years. Goals are the Holy Grail.

 

50 to 80 mil. is peanuts for what this guy is capable of producing for this club. Not selling unless Rodgers wants to risk his repetition and job. Because if we sell and and can't get enough goals that's what it will cost him.

[murphy]

I can see the sense in cashing in.  I don't advocate it but I'm not entirely against it but only if we get a huge bid.

 

The problem is this:  Is Nacho Vardy's successor?  For that to work he needs to be able to play on his own up front.  The evidence suggests that Nacho is a much better player with a partner, so that leaves another problem in whether we continue to play 3 atb going forward to accommodate two strikers and where that would leave Barnes.  I do think we are better with 4 atb.  In short, 3atb = keep, 4atb = consider cashing in.

 

There are a couple of weaknesses that count against him in this team, lack of pace and more importantly he seems mercurial in terms of technical ability.  He can be sublime at one minute and then miscontrol it off his shin the next.  I think that his style doesn't lend himself to the slick quick passing team that Rodgers is trying to build and one of the reasons I think, that Rodgers played Perez ahead of him when Vardy was injured. Kelechi doesn't appear to be a Rodgers type of player.

 

Before you all jump on me, I'm not slating Nacho, far from it.  He has become a one man goal tsunami and has saved our season.  It could have easily gone deep south with Vardy's injury.  He has stepped up hugely and it's great to see, not just for our team but also for him on a personal level.  I think we can see what it means to him having struggled for so long.  I just question what the team will look like in terms of shape going forward and whether his form is sustainable.

 

[enmac]

25 minutes ago, when_you're_smiling said:

Do wonder if he’s actually one of the few players who has benefitted from not having fans in.

 

It’s obvious he’s a confidence player. I know he played poorly plenty of time without fans before this run, but with the boo boys not getting on top of him for every missed chance or miss-control it feels like that might be one of the reasons the run has continued like it has.

Must have helped and probably had the opposite effect on Vardy. 

[The_77]

C'mon, we're really not discussing selling the guy right now, even as a dubious hypothetical?

 

All fantasy. Who even asks that question after Kelechi signed a new contract this month? That's like asking what you'd do if someone handed you a winning Euro Millions ticket tomorrow.

 

Let's celebrate what we've got right now. This run is right up there with Vardy's streak, some of the most magical stuff we'll ever see. Priceless.

[RowlattsFox]

Surely noone actually expects anyone to come for him based on one exceptional run of form? This time next year and he's still banging them in, maybe. 

 

I think you can rotate Iheanacho, Vardy, Barnes, Maddison, Perez and maybe one other striker/forward/winger (Edouard) option as a front 3 and be ok. Becomes more of a 343, Maddison will probably be least happy with this as he likes to be a number 10 but its a dying role in the traditional sense. It would mean having to stick with the back 3 though so we'd have to iron out the occasional defensive issues we have in that formation. 

[StriderHiryu]

1 hour ago, HighPeakFox said:

We have a 34 year old great who won't go on forever. We have a 24 year old blossoming and shooting us to glory. 

 

I know, let's sell the younger guy and pretend Vardy will be the Stanley Matthews de nos jours. 

[Jimmy]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9516323/City-fans-call-club-activate-50m-buy-clause-Iheanachos-contract-expired.html

 

Kelechi Iheanacho's contract after Leicester star scored AGAIN to take his tally to 14 goals in 14 games... but it's bad news for Pep Guardiola and Co because the option expired last year!

• Kelechi Iheanacho is in sparkling form and has scored 14 goals in 14 matches 
• He netted against Palace on Monday and City fans called for club to re-sign him
• But while fans want him back in Manchester, they may struggle to get him
• Sportsmail can confirm £50m buy-back clause with Leicester expired last year 

Manchester City fans have taken to social media to beg the club to re-sign Kelechi Iheanacho after the Leicester striker scored his 14th goal in 14 matches... but his £50million buy-back option expired last summer.

Iheanacho was a bit-part player at City until his move to the Foxes in 2017, stuck behind Sergio Aguero in the pecking order and regularly coming on as a substitute late in the game.

 

When he headed for Leicester, City included a £50m buy-back clause, and following his recent incredible form fans of Pep Guardiola's men have urged the club to make use of it, with Aguero set to leave at the end of the season.

 

But Sportsmail can confirm that it is bad news for City fans, after Iheanacho's buy-back option expired last summer - just before his superb form of this season began.

 

 

The Nigeria international scored a stunner against Crystal Palace on Monday night to help Leicester move one step closer to next season's Champions League, securing his side a 2-1 victory late on.

 

Iheanacho now has 14 goals in his last 14 matches, and is on a run of five in his last four.

 

Taking to social media after the 24-year-old's latest impressive display, one fan wrote: 'I really hope we activate that buy back clause on Iheanacho,' while another tweeted similar to the club.

 

Another City fan tweeted a picture of City legend Vincent Kompany and boss Guardiola celebrating, alongside the caption: 'When City realises they have a buy back clause in Kelechi Iheanacho's deal.'

 

Instead, though, it looks unlikely that Leicester will part ways with Iheanacho unless a very big transfer fee is offered in the summer.

Regardless, the Foxes will be keen to keep hold of one of their biggest stars, after watching him replace Jamie Vardy as their main goalscorer. 

[Guest SO1]

14 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

It will definitely be tried. It has in fact been tried before, but didn't quite work.

 

I can see us trying some sort of lop sided formation where we play one full back plays high, possibly without a true winger on that side, and on the other a defensive full back with attacking winger. So perhaps on the left Thomas / JJ sits with Barnes attacking, then on the other side Castagne / Ricardo raiding with Kelechi as the inside right forward that predominantly plays centrally but sometimes drifts wide. Rodgers did that at Celtic for a bit with Tierney so it was on the other side of the pitch.

 

Rodgers will find a way I am sure, he has a knack of finding a way to make it work and isn't afraid to try systems that don't work. We tried Perez as a false 9 for a few games (Stoke in the FA Cup, Everton at home) and it didn't work, but that led to this new system that has totally unlocked Ihenacho. Even Perez looks much better in this system, how he didn't score at the end I do not know!

This. There is a way to make it work. Rodgers will find a way. We can't give up goals. Potential self destruction for us. Just need to add to what we already have and not rob Peter to pay Paul.

[HighPeakFox]

31 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

If I didn't know you, I'd suspect you of being an automated gif spewing troll bot. Literally. 

[420Hashish]

Theory: Nacho purposely played bad to not go back to Emptyhad and when the clause expired, he became Ianaldo

Edited 27 April 2021 by 420Hashish