Kelechi Iheanacho

[TJB-fox]

19 minutes ago, Steve Earle said:

If, like me, you wrote him off once and for all after Palace away, this run of mind-boggling brilliance by Kels is just that: mind-boggling. It's not run-of-the-mill brilliance either, like we're used to seeing from Jamie Vardy. It's on another, higher level. Kels has hardly put a foot wrong in the last two games, and scored five goals from, I think, five chances (or about the same number the GOAT had in the same games, without scoring).

 

In the still very unlikely event that we go on to win the FA Cup this season, it is presently more likely than not that the winner would be scored by Iheanacho, rather than Vardy or anyone else.

 

How crazy is that? What would the odds have been on 29th December last?!?  

Im sorry to call you out in particular Steve Earle don’t mean to single you out but if you were one of the many that did this then that frankly it was pathetic and Im Glad he’s proven you all wrong. All over twitter and FT was some really overly harsh criticism and slander towards Kelechi. I was very vocal about the anti-Iheanacho bandwagon at the time as it was so needless and fickle. 

[Okeyanthony]

On 22/03/2021 at 09:04, TJB-fox said:

Iheanacho hasn’t been transformed massively like many are suggesting, he’s just being given a fair run of game time. It’s bloody hard to make an impact in 5min cameos and odd cup appearances. So glad he’s taking his opportunity, the guy seriously knows where the net is. 

It's like the words Sensei, or Rabbi. It's used for someone that is really experienced in a field but it's used in jest in this case. Kelechi was the first to get signed up by Man City in his set which actually included Ndidi in the U17 team so I guess that's what triggered that. 

[Okeyanthony]

14 hours ago, KingsX said:

Big time!  Every **** on bluemoon is convinced he missed this one on purpose and it’s past time he set them straight.

 

 

In Nigeria folks swore he did that to get signed back to Man City😀🤣😀🤣

[TJB-fox]

14 minutes ago, Okeyanthony said:

It's like the words Sensei, or Rabbi. It's used for someone that is really experienced in a field but it's used in jest in this case. Kelechi was the first to get signed up by Man City in his set which actually included Ndidi in the U17 team so I guess that's what triggered that. 

What?

[Okeyanthony]

7 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Iheanacho needs 2 of 3 things, confidence which makes him a completely different player, the right service and playing in a front 2.

He's always played behind a striker as the support right from his academy days. It wasn't surprising to see his name amongst the highest assists, or goals. To have an insight to his game just go watch highlights of the u17 Fifa world cup 2013. Was the highest scorer, assists and was MVP.

As for confidence this is a guy that's always been the star player. From his u13 days he was already being highlighted as a player to watch as every Academy tournament he went for he won top scorer and assists. Went to the U17 World Cup same thing. By the time the tournament was halfway through there was already a struggle between top teams like Arsenal, Porto, Man City and a bunch of other team's which City won.

Soon showed enough that City let Dzeko go. Pep came in and didn't like his level of pressing even though he was confounded on how he consistently got on the score sheet. 

I will tell you for free, it took him a while to get over being traded to Leicester. Rogers has been the first manager to see through some of that pain.

Iwobi is in the same situation as Kele was 2 years ago, being traded from your youth team and your confidence going south. 

[Steve Earle]

1 hour ago, TJB-fox said:

Im sorry to call you out in particular Steve Earle don’t mean to single you out but if you were one of the many that did this then that frankly it was pathetic and Im Glad he’s proven you all wrong. All over twitter and FT was some really overly harsh criticism and slander towards Kelechi. I was very vocal about the anti-Iheanacho bandwagon at the time as it was so needless and fickle. 

To be honest @TJB-fox I can't recall whether I posted anything at all, but I do recall what a shocker of a game he had, and discussing that in dismissive terms with a mate. Fortunately for my relationship with Kels, my spleen that day was largely vented on Demarai Gray, who, given a rare chance to impress, produced one of the most awful, listless and clueless cameos I've ever seen.

 

As you can see, I try hard not to dig out our players, which means generally not posting for a good 24 hours after a poor performance 

 

Now about that Turkish winger...

[Okeyanthony]

16 minutes ago, Okeyanthony said:

It's like the words Sensei, or Rabbi. It's used for someone that is really experienced in a field but it's used in jest in this case. Kelechi was the first to get signed up by Man City in his set which actually included Ndidi in the U17 team so I guess that's what triggered that. 

Senior man.

[MCFC]

On 22/03/2021 at 07:35, Collymore said:

The second was a bit tricky as he might have been unsighted but how can you say the first wasn't easy? An absolute gift and you'd expect a Premier League striker to put that away 99/100 from that position. 

At least a quarter of them wouldn't, I reckon. Mbaye Diagne, David McGoldrick- I'm looking at you.

[Steven]

On 21/03/2021 at 21:27, Koke said:

When he collected the ball from the sky and killed it instantly and passed it on. That touch was sexual. 

You had much sex recently? 

[HighPeakFox]

18 minutes ago, Steven said:

You had much sex recently? 

Has anyone?

[SkidsFox]

He could be our Benzema. Trouble is, Madrid may need to replace their Benzema.

[Clt1900]

On 01/12/2019 at 13:30, StriderHiryu said:

Only in the squad because Gray was unwell, but bloody hell how good was he!

 

 

 

He finally got his LCFC moment. This could honestly be the start of a turnaround for him! He's always been able to finish, and today he finished in the most spectacular style!

 

 

Iheanacho has been spectacular since this game.

[SheppyFox]

Does he only have a year left on his contract?

[moore_94]

8 minutes ago, SheppyFox said:

Does he only have a year left on his contract?

Yep, decision needs to be made in the summer really whether to give him a new contract or sell him

 

I think we are very likely to offer him a new deal, whether he accepts it (especially if we are going to be looking at new strikers) is another matter

Edited 23 March 2021 by moore_94

[brucey]

20 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

Yep, decision needs to be made in the summer really whether to give him a new contract or sell him

 

I think we are very likely to offer him a new deal, whether he accepts it (especially if we are going to be looking at new strikers) is another matter

We offered Gray a new deal, there's no way we're not offering Nacho one too.

 

Get Agent Wilf on the case!

[FoxOnWheels]

I’m not really that surprised by his clinical finishing as he has shown when he could barely control a ball that he’s more than capable when a chance falls his way. It’s the other parts of his game I feel has improved more, hunger, running off the ball, getting involved in play and putting his body about more 

[Stadt]

50 minutes ago, FoxOnWheels said:

I’m not really that surprised by his clinical finishing as he has shown when he could barely control a ball that he’s more than capable when a chance falls his way. It’s the other parts of his game I feel has improved more, hunger, running off the ball, getting involved in play and putting his body about more 

I’m going to contradict myself a bit here but I often think there’s attributes players either have or they don’t and they rarely improve. Work rate and aggression are normally traits that seem to be down to the individual and their personality - take Albrighton and Vardy as examples, they’re just innately grafters.

 

Where Iheanacho’s improvement is surprising (which started last season) is that he just looks far more with it now, under Puel he looked clueless. It was like was lazy or indifferent but now he really puts a shift in and seems more disciplined. Credit to Iheanacho and Rodgers for changing something in him in a way which doesn’t happen often.

 

Its much easier to warm to a player that’s high risk/high reward if they’re going to do their best to win the ball back. 

[OntarioFox]

14 hours ago, Guest said:

Nice sentiment but I can't agree with the author whatsoever that he is either "a relatively one-dimensional forward" nor that he is so far removed from the false nine role to warrant comparisons with Andy Carroll. We've seen ourselves that he's very capable of dropping deep, holding the ball up and threading passes through to other forwards. He's not the complete forward and can occasionally look a little clumsy but I feel the description of him as an old-fashioned goalhanging poacher is inaccurate and based on little more than him scoring a few instinctive goals from close range lately. He's scoring with his left foot, right foot, headers, tap-ins and long-rangers, dropping deep to link the play and creating chances and goals for his teammates - how that makes him one-dimensional I'm really not sure.

Couldn't agree more. He's scored a solid number of goals from progressive play or while driving at opponents - that VAR winner against Everton and the hatrick banger against the Blades come to mind. He can play poacher, but so can Vardy, and nobody here is naive enough to write him off as a one-trick pony.

 

It's not new though. I remember seeing him score a couple of goals when he was just a cup game player for us under Puel - Fleetwood and Peterborough - and being seriously impressed by his footwork and first touch in the buildup. That has for the longest time deserted him but, when he's confident, he's quality with the ball at his feet. Which is why his development is exciting - it gives us a dimension to unpick stubborn defences in a way we've struggled before, and has also allowed Perez to flourish.

 

I guess what I'm saying, once again is - he's decent, close thread. 

[King of Gipsy Lane]

Dozens on here have been made to eat there words about him, me included, wonder does the Nach read FT 🤣🤣🤣 enough motivation on this thread to give a man a serious appetite to spill blood 🤣🤣

[SkidsFox]

It does make the competition for most improved player somewhat hot (Justin, Barnes, Iheanacho)

[The Quick Brown Fox]

10 hours ago, FoxOnWheels said:

I’m not really that surprised by his clinical finishing as he has shown when he could barely control a ball that he’s more than capable when a chance falls his way. It’s the other parts of his game I feel has improved more, hunger, running off the ball, getting involved in play and putting his body about more 

I think alot of this comes down to match sharpness too. Being fit and being match fit are two different things. I moaned about the lad, since he has had a run in the team he looks like a different player, which is really good for us, just need to get him signed into a new deal. 

How different has he looked since he has played with a little confidence, amazing. 

[StriderHiryu]

2 hours ago, SkidsFox said:

It does make the competition for most improved player somewhat hot (Justin, Barnes, Iheanacho)

That's a fun competition to debate!

 

- Justin was phenomenal. Actually hard to believe the player we saw this season was the same one as the player filling in during Ricardo's injury at the end of last season. I feel like he stepped up two to three levels in his game. Shame he got injured!

- Barnes was also phenomenal. Prior to Nacho's hot streak was our most dangerous player. It says it all that Klopp said he was our main threat, not Vardy. Another player of the season candidate.

- Nacho with a better comeback than Lazarus. Of these three players, he was the one that we knew had this talent. But we only saw glimpses of it and never on a consistent basis. Of the three perhaps he still has the highest ceiling.

 

I'd say JJ is the most improved, just because he's gone from a player that looked like a Championship player to a Champions League player. If Kelechi keeps his streak going on for the rest of the season, he might steal it though!

[foxpleasure]

On 22/03/2021 at 21:39, Foxes96 said:

By no means a slight at the GOAT, but Seniorman Keli has not just been in sensational goal scoring form but had Vardy had his shooting boots on he probably should have had several assists, as well, in the last few games.
 

Vardys shot headed of the line vs Sheff Utd, the missed chance yesterday when he went to the near post and when he slid it wide of the near post vs Sheff Utd as well. Might be other as well but those were golden chances you’d normally expect Vardy to bag, and created by Kelechi.
 

Proving that he’s not just a goal scorer but can also be a creator, this system and the form he’s in is just incredible at the minute. Long may it continue 

Sorry for being thick but what is the GOAT reference?

[Stadt]

13 minutes ago, foxpleasure said:

Sorry for being thick but what is the GOAT reference?

Greatest of all time 

[SecretPro]

2 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Greatest of all time 

Or in the case of Vardy, God Of All Things.