Kelechi Iheanacho

[Col city fan]

11 hours ago, matty98 said:

I'm sorry but this just isn't true. His all round game has been fantastic for the majority of the past 3 months. He's held the ball up well, made intelligent runs and linked up with the midfield. Sure his touch can be hit and miss but so is Vardy's and he's done alright.

He had a bad game yesterday and you're massively overreacting.

 

The bloke has scored 19 goals and got 7 assists in the equivalent of 25 full games. He's been nothing short of fantastic, stop being bitter, he's clearly a great footballer.

Why does debate on this forum, based on opinion, always lead to cries of ‘bitterness’ by some?

It’s like being back in the playground

I’ve given my thoughts on Kelechi is all? Great finisher. All round game not good enough to play alone up top?

[Strokes]

9 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

We’ll have to agree to differ bud

I don’t think a team can build their attacking option around Kel as a sole striker

I’ll stick to it as is usually do

Play him with 2 up front and he’s grand

But we won’t always want to play with two up top 

I wouldn’t sell Nacho. Instead I’d want to add a striker who is able to plough a line furrow as a sole striker when Vardy isn’t playing

Is Edouard this type of striker? I really don’t know?

I wouldn’t disagree with this, I love Nacho and he has be great this season but he hasn’t got the game for a lone striker. He needs people close to him for a one touch layoff, otherwise his confidence gets shredded too quick when he consistently loses possession.

If Eduoard can bring his game to the Premier League and I think he can, they can work well together I think.

Edited 25 May 2021 by Strokes

[Bert]

8 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Why does debate on this forum, based on opinion, always lead to cries of ‘bitterness’ by some?

It’s like being back in the playground

I’ve given my thoughts on Kelechi is all? Great finisher. All round game not good enough to play alone up top?

Correct and that’s quite clearly been proven. To play up front on your own you either need to be a striker that runs the channels, a big strong target man or able to play in an interchangeable front three. Kel can’t do any. He drops deep and makes space then finds the right position In the box. 
 

His goal scoring record of when he’s started as the lone front man to when he plays in a two confirms it all. 

[Guest Bert Fill]

I do love how everything turns into all or nothing - everyone’s either better than Messi or worse than Junior Lewis.

My take on Iheanacho? I like him. But I also think he’s a somewhat limited player and slick passing moves more often than not grind to a halt when the ball reaches him. And he doesn’t seem to have a quick football brain (or understand the offside law, half the time).

In form though, he’s such a natural and effective goalscorer, all that ceases to matter! Whether we can rely on him to be in form enough of the time though? I do have my doubts.

Personally I think we need 2 new goalscorers as I don’t think we can rely on him or Vardy next season.

[Blanchflower78]

There is no debate? In a two - yes, as a lone - no... case closed.

[Fox92]

1 minute ago, Blanchflower78 said:

There is no debate? In a two - yes, as a lone - no... case closed.

Agreed.

 

I think his link up is decent, as he drops deep (and also the only one to bother to come short for a throw in!), but he doesn't make the same runs into channels like Vardy does.

 

I've always preferred two up front, so I'd stick, but I think Barnes coming back means Rodgers will go back to one up front and unfortunately that doesn't suit Iheanacho.

[Fox92]

12 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Awful against Chelsea last week? He came on and was an absolute nuisance and everyone was going wild that he hadn't started.

And scored our only goal of the game  

[tickler28]

One way that this might play out is that when full crowds are back in stadiums we see a drop off in Iheanachos performance levels and an increase in Vardys. Its always been said that in training Vardys useless and Iheanacho is on fire yet we witnessed the opposite in full stadia. Take away the fans and suddenly Vardy is useless and Iheanacho is on fire. Not saying this is how it will play out but I wouldn't bet against it.

 

There's definitely an argument that suggests Vardy thrives under pressure and with away fans on his back whilst Iheanacho goes missing and loses his confidence.

Edited 25 May 2021 by tickler28

[FoxinNotts]

He’s been our 1 in 2 striker, this past season. Stepped up to the plate, as Vardy faltered.

[shailen]

4 hours ago, tickler28 said:

One way that this might play out is that when full crowds are back in stadiums we see a drop off in Iheanachos performance levels and an increase in Vardys. Its always been said that in training Vardys useless and Iheanacho is on fire yet we witnessed the opposite in full stadia. Take away the fans and suddenly Vardy is useless and Iheanacho is on fire. Not saying this is how it will play out but I wouldn't bet against it.

 

There's definitely an argument that suggests Vardy thrives under pressure and with away fans on his back whilst Iheanacho goes missing and loses his confidence.

I think there's something in this for sure. Vardy's aggression just came back on Sunday and Nacho went into his shell a little bit. With no fans, there's no pressure on him to play his natural game and take time on the ball without fans groaning if he loses it. 

[Finnegan]

5 hours ago, Bert said:

Correct and that’s quite clearly been proven. To play up front on your own you either need to be a striker that runs the channels, a big strong target man or able to play in an interchangeable front three. Kel can’t do any. He drops deep and makes space then finds the right position In the box. 
 

His goal scoring record of when he’s started as the lone front man to when he plays in a two confirms it all. 

 

For me, he'd be best utilised as a sort of "false 10" or what Football Manager has taken to calling a "shadow striker." 

 

He doesn't want to be the head of the spear, he needs to have the freedom to come in behind the central striker and find pockets of space from which he can finish. He is, without question, the most versatile finisher at the club particularly in terms of the areas of the pitch he can reliably trouble the keeper from. Vardy is excellent in the box but Nacho is excellent everywhere. 

 

The problem is that he's extremely mediocre in general build up play, so the rest of the team around him needs to be able to carry him creatively and technically, especially where he's having those days where the ball is bouncing off him all over the place. 

 

Something like this, in a post-Vardy world, could be excellent IMO:

 

Edouard 

Barnes, Iheanacho, New Player*

Ndidi, YT

 

That combined with quality overlapping full backs, which we now have in spades, creates so much threat out wide and through Edouard that Iheanacho should be free to find space to move in to to be a consistent goal threat. 

 

But that New Player has to be a phenomenal signing. Its got to be someone who, as a minimum, can contribute what Barnes can. Someone with pace, who can dribble and with an eye for both goals and assists. We can't carry another Perez out there and ALSO carry Nacho in the build up. 

 

Edit: as an aside, either he's have to do a fair bit more work closing down or "New Player" would need to be solid and hard working defensively also, which is a big ask. In 15/16 we carried Mahrez defensively in a similar way because Shinji and Kevin worked so hard. Nacho and even Barnes are both a bit meh in that regard. 

 

 

Edited 25 May 2021 by Finnegan

[Col city fan]

3 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

For me, he'd be best utilised as a sort of "false 10" or what Football Manager has taken to calling a "shadow striker." 

 

He doesn't want to be the head of the spear, he needs to have the freedom to come in behind the central striker and find pockets of space from which he can finish. He is, without question, the most versatile finisher at the club particularly in terms of the areas of the pitch he can reliably trouble the keeper from. Vardy is excellent in the box but Nacho is excellent everywhere. 

 

The problem is that he's extremely mediocre in general build up play, so the rest of the team around him needs to be able to carry him creatively. 

 

Something like this, in a post-Vardy world, could be excellent IMO:

 

Edouard 

Barnes, Iheanacho, New Player*

Ndidi, YT

 

That combined with quality overlapping full backs, which we now have in spades, creates so much threat out wide and through Edouard that Iheanacho should be free to find space to move in to to be a consistent goal threat. 

 

But that New Player has to be a phenomenal signing. Its got to be someone who, as a minimum, can contribute what Barnes can. Someone with pace, who can dribble and with an eye for both goals and assists. We can't carry another Perez out there and ALSO carry Nacho in the build up. 

 

Spot on

[ARM1968]

He always said his best position was a sort of 10. Guy is absolutely great frankly, just as severe confidence issues. When he’s on it he is utterly incredible. When he’s not, we’ll, he’s quite poor. Stats suggest he has had a very good season and we have benefitted enormously from that. 

[ian__marshall]

Let's get things straight, he only looked average in the Cup Final and against Spurs because he had absolutely zero opportunities. The guy is a beast near goal, the epitome of a 'fox in the box' striker, but in order to unlock his talents you have to create chances, something we failed to do in the games mentioned above. Serve up the chances whether in a front two or as a solo striker and more often than not he'll find the net. 

[Duquesne Whistle]

5 hours ago, tickler28 said:

One way that this might play out is that when full crowds are back in stadiums we see a drop off in Iheanachos performance levels and an increase in Vardys. Its always been said that in training Vardys useless and Iheanacho is on fire yet we witnessed the opposite in full stadia. Take away the fans and suddenly Vardy is useless and Iheanacho is on fire. Not saying this is how it will play out but I wouldn't bet against it.

 

There's definitely an argument that suggests Vardy thrives under pressure and with away fans on his back whilst Iheanacho goes missing and loses his confidence.

When the crowd start getting at players, (ours or opposition fans), Vardy has a f*** you attitude which gees him up and serves him well. In complete contrast, Iheanacho has a f*** me attitude and seems to lose confidence. It's not anyone's fault, they're just built differently mentally.

Edited 25 May 2021 by Duquesne Whistle
spelling

[MAXEED]

Great iheanacho's video, the boy has been better than I've known, I did no watch most of this matches.

 

[moore_94]

Causing a bit of a fuss over in Nigeria - can't really comment on the situation as I have no knowledge of what is going on but doesn't seem to be a good thing he is involved in

 

 

[HankMarvin]

2 hours ago, moore_94 said:

Causing a bit of a fuss over in Nigeria - can't really comment on the situation as I have no knowledge of what is going on but doesn't seem to be a good thing he is involved in

 

 

Plot twist 

come and get me Celtic plea 

[Iran]

 

[lcfc sheff]

Brendan will need to get this man firing again this season, nearly got us into the CL by himself. Got all the tools but he’s such a confidence player and sometimes when the fans get on his back it really shows in his performances

[dmayne7]

1 hour ago, Iran said:

 

What is happening, he's smiling and laughing away in an interview?! Don't tell me he's suddenly a lot more confident because if he is we're probably going to have to put up with him scoring 100 goals this season. Great 

[urban fox]

If he gets off to a flyer, i can see him being the main man with Daka/Vardy rotating either from the bench during games or as starters for different games/competitions in a two up front system (but not 3 at the back, more of a 4-3-1-2)

This is such a different player to the one we were used to seeing as a bit unreliable and lacking in confidence until he suddenly clicked last season.

We finally got to see the deadly goalscorer that we originally thought we had bought for £25M and that Man city instisted on a buy back clause in the deal. Not only that he can drop deep which gives us another string to our bow.

He will, no doubt, still have the occasional shocker like all players, but as long as he remembers just how good he was during that spell on those occasions then he hopefully will not suffer from those lapses in confidence which seemed to be his achilles heel previously.

[Vlad the Fox]

7 hours ago, urban fox said:

If he gets off to a flyer, i can see him being the main man with Daka/Vardy rotating either from the bench during games or as starters for different games/competitions in a two up front system (but not 3 at the back, more of a 4-3-1-2)

This is such a different player to the one we were used to seeing as a bit unreliable and lacking in confidence until he suddenly clicked last season.

We finally got to see the deadly goalscorer that we originally thought we had bought for £25M and that Man city instisted on a buy back clause in the deal. Not only that he can drop deep which gives us another string to our bow.

He will, no doubt, still have the occasional shocker like all players, but as long as he remembers just how good he was during that spell on those occasions then he hopefully will not suffer from those lapses in confidence which seemed to be his achilles heel previously.

I think that his incredible form during the back half of the season will give him the confidence to keep going during tough times. It was as if he didn’t really have a real role in the club other than occasional matches, the run gave him an identity and purpose in the team, shown himself what he can do. Hopefully he’ll continue to grow as to have two strikers (possibly three with Daka) that can hammer in goals at the rate they have is really something to get excited about.

[whoareyaaa]

On 03/06/2021 at 08:27, MAXEED said:

Great iheanacho's video, the boy has been better than I've known, I did no watch most of this matches.

 

cracking stuff that, his ability to take players out the game is great to watch and his finishing is world class, I think we have bought Daka to replace Vardy in the long term as Nacho surely has to start.

[LCFCCHRIS]

I love his dribbling style, it looks clumsy at times but more often than not pulls off a nice bit of movement to put us into a good position.