Our midfield - best in the league

[Tom12345]

We do not have the best midfield in the EPL, but we have good depth. To think that Gray cannot even get into the match day squad is crazy given where Leicester City came from. He is not the best of course, but Gray would be a key player in a number of other EPL teams but yet he cannot even make the bench here while we still have injuries and some promising youngsters coming through from the youth team.  We also have Perez, Under, Barnes, Praet, Albrighton and Mendy who are way above average EPL players in my opinion but they are just coming in and out of the match day teamsheets. (I excluded Maddison because he is Rodgers’ favourite despite contradictory views on FT so I assume he will be in the teamsheet when fit.) Fantastic.

 

We just need to make use of them better and combine them into effect. At the moment, our inconsistency as well discussed is IMO due to Rodgers not combining what we have well and insisting on certain players even though they may not combine as well for the team.

Edited 22 December 2020 by Tom12345

[Sly]

 

Top 10 midfielders in the Premier League

Fernandes,

KDB,

Kante,

Bernardo Silva,

Fabinho,

Pogna,

N’didi, 

Wijnaldum,

Ziyech, 

Henderson

 

After that, you have the others:

 

Thiago, Partney, Havertz, Rodri, Mount, Maddison, Keita, Tielemans, Ali, James Rodriguez, Allan, Gundogan, Mahrez, Moutinho, Jorginho, Van De Beck, Kovacic, Hojejberg, Lo Celso, Foden, Barnes, Under, Ozil, Neves, Fred, McTomonay, Milner, Ndomble, Ward Prowse, Rice and Matic. 
 

If you look through that list, Liverpool and Man City are miles ahead in this department, in terms of first team quality and backup. 
 

You’d argue and say that only N’didi would get in as first choice in a Liverpool, or Manchester City team. It’s still debatable if he’d oust Kante in my eyes at this stage. 

[SkidsFox]

3 hours ago, Sly said:

 

Top 10 midfielders in the Premier League

Fernandes,

KDB,

Kante,

Bernardo Silva,

Fabinho,

Pogna,

N’didi, 

Wijnaldum,

Ziyech, 

Henderson

 

After that, you have the others:

 

Thiago, Partney, Havertz, Rodri, Mount, Maddison, Keita, Tielemans, Ali, James Rodriguez, Allan, Gundogan, Mahrez, Moutinho, Jorginho, Van De Beck, Kovacic, Hojejberg, Lo Celso, Foden, Barnes, Under, Ozil, Neves, Fred, McTomonay, Milner, Ndomble, Ward Prowse, Rice and Matic. 
 

If you look through that list, Liverpool and Man City are miles ahead in this department, in terms of first team quality and backup. 
 

You’d argue and say that only N’didi would get in as first choice in a Liverpool, or Manchester City team. It’s still debatable if he’d oust Kante in my eyes at this stage. 

No Grealish?

[Sly]

58 minutes ago, SkidsFox said:

No Grealish?

Yes. He’s one of the best actually. I’d forgotten him. 

[Jaspa]

Could certainly state a claim to best defence in the League. Midfield? No.

 

Two in each position. One Fergie trained elite experienced CB in Evans, prodigy talent Fofana, the indomitable Soyuncu, and Captain Morgan in the background stepping in when needed. Justin, Castagne, Ricardo & Fuchs. Fully fit even compared to Liverpool you've gotta say we have a better balance, more depth and potential.

 

Echo other statements too though, it's hilarious how black & white this forums opinions are after a win or loss. Sack the manager three weeks after we beat Man City away, just beat Tottenham suddenly we're best in the League at this, that the other. Thankfully this place has it's share of balanced brains too.

[ARM1968]

There must be an argument for making Wilf our highest paid player. He really is the jewel in our crown. With him in his natural position we are a tough nut to crack. I’d go as far as to say that he is better than Kante - others may disagree, which is fair enough (cockwombles).

 

however I still think we benefit from a tough but talented midfield general - although I’m fuched if I know who that could be. 

[Sampson]

3 hours ago, ARM1968 said:

There must be an argument for making Wilf our highest paid player. He really is the jewel in our crown. With him in his natural position we are a tough nut to crack. I’d go as far as to say that he is better than Kante - others may disagree, which is fair enough (cockwombles).

 

however I still think we benefit from a tough but talented midfield general - although I’m fuched if I know who that could be. 

Nah. Ndidi is great, but it's the same usual overrating of the importance of a defensive player over attacking ones. For some reason Leicester fans seem so obsessed with defensive players.

 

A player like Kante or Ndidi or Ricardo are the difference between being a mid-table side and a side challenging for Europe.

 

A player like Vardy is the difference between a side challenging for Europe and a side challenging for the title.

 

Vardy is hands down the jewel in our crown and our most important player and has been since 2013-14.

 

We've carried on fine without Ndidi, Kante or Ricardo, we desperately struggle without Vardy.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

6 minutes ago, Sampson said:

Nah. Ndidi is great, but it's the same usual overrating of the importance of a defensive player over attacking ones. For some reason Leicester fans seem so obsessed with defensive players.

 

A player like Kante or Ndidi or Ricardo are the difference between being a mid-table side and a side challenging for Europe.

 

A player like Vardy is the difference between a side challenging for Europe and a side challenging for the title.

 

Vardy is hands down the jewel in our crown and our most important player and has been since 2013-14.

 

We've carried on fine without Ndidi, Kante or Ricardo, we desperately struggle without Vardy.

Take Ndidi out this team but keep Vardy and we finish upper mid table. Take Vardy out and keep Ndidi and we finish top 6. Ndidi is more important to the way we play. Although they are both close to irreplaceable.

[Sampson]

8 minutes ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

Take Ndidi out this team but keep Vardy and we finish upper mid table. Take Vardy out and keep Ndidi and we finish top 6. Ndidi is more important to the way we play. Although they are both close to irreplaceable.

Haha. Wtf?

 

Ndidi has been out most of this season (and when he has played he's played half of it as an emergency centre back) and we're 2nd.

 

Take Vardy out our side and we have a absolutely no one else who provides regular goals.

 

There's absolutely no way we'd finish top 6 without Vardy.

 

Mate, seriously. If you're trying to argue your point for Ndidi, fair enough. But at least be realistic.

 

People said exactly the same about Ricardo last season but as good as he is you can get other players who can fill in for him and we haven't really been much worse without him. You can fill in what Ndidi does, you cannot fill in for what Vardy does.

 

Ndidi is great but he isn't close to being as irreplaceable as Vardy.

Edited 22 December 2020 by Sampson

[Arriba Los Zorros]

3 minutes ago, Sampson said:

Haha. Wtf?

 

Ndidi has been out most of this season (and when he has played he's played half of it as an emergency centre back) and we're 2nd.

 

Take Vardy out our side and we have a absolutely no one else who provides regular goals.

 

There's absolutely no way we'd finish top 6 without Vardy.

 

Mate, seriously. If you're trying to argue your point for Ndidi, fair enough. But at least be realistic.

 

I'm not trying to argue any point for Ndidi, I rate him just as highly with most of our fans. Its not a case of shooting JV down either, he's a complete phenomenon but without a functioning midfield and thus decent serrvice, not constantly being on the back foot any striker won't be scoring many goals, and Ndidi is crucial to balancing defense and attack within our set up.

 

At the same time to lose Vardy also puts a significant ceiling on what we could achieve even with having a full injury free squad otherwise.

Edited 22 December 2020 by Arriba Los Zorros

[jayfox26]

Getting myself ready for the "do we have the worst midfield options in the league" if we lose to United. It's a bit like us one week being title challengers to the next week being relegation fodder. But I guess our performances in our wins vs the performances in our defeats makes its feel like this at times 

[Arriba Los Zorros]

1 minute ago, jayfox26 said:

Getting myself ready for the "do we have the worst midfield options in the league" if we lose to United. It's a bit like us one week being title challengers to the next week being relegation fodder. But I guess our performances in our wins vs the performances in our defeats makes its feel like this at times 

Agreed, the way we play our game ranges in effectiveness from peak Barcelona to peak Norwich 2019-20.

[Sampson]

Just now, Arriba Los Zorros said:

I'm not trying to argue any point for Ndidi, I rate him just as highly with most of our fans. Its not a case of shooting JV down either, he's a complete phenomenon but without a functioning midfield and thus decent serrvice, not constantly being on the back foot any striker won't be scoring many goals, and Ndidi is crucial to balancing defense and attack within our set up.

 

 

 

Losing Vardy

But Ndidi is replaceable - just like Kante was - there are plenty of players who function is a similar defensive midfielder role to Ndidi throughout smaller teams than Leicester in Europe and stay there long term - you can argue they aren't quite as good, which is fine, but the replacement of a slightly lesser quality defensive midfielder won't have anywhere near the impact of a slightly lesser quality striker. But players as good as Vardy don't stay at clubs like Leicester - they get snapped up, which is why he's so much more irreplaceable. Vardy is a complete aberration across Europe to stay at a club like ours.

 

And a great defensive midfielder going down to a very good defensive midfielder may lose you a few points a season, which is a loss for sure. But a great goalscorer going down to a very good goalscorer could easily lose you 20 points a season and see you slide from being at the top of a table to a mid-table side.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

Just now, Sampson said:

But Ndidi is replaceable - just like Kante was - there are plenty of players who function is a similar defensive midfielder role to Ndidi throughout smaller teams than Leicester in Europe and stay there long term - you can argue they aren't quite as good, which is fine, but the replacement of a slightly lesser quality defensive midfielder won't have anywhere near the impact of a slightly lesser quality striker. But players as good as Vardy don't stay at clubs like Leicester - they get snapped up, which is why he's so much more irreplaceable. Vardy is a complete aberration across Europe to stay at a club like ours.

 

And a great defensive midfielder going down to a very good defensive midfielder may lose you a few points a season, which is a loss for sure. But a great goalscorer going down to a very good goalscorer could easily lose you 20 points a season and see you slide from being at the top of a table to a mid-table side.

Fair enough, point taken, I accept you're correct on this one. I don't think we overrate Ndidi at all, he is just as good as we think and gives us a totally different dimension but put that way yeah losing Vardy would hurt us more.

[NaijaFox]

2 hours ago, Sampson said:

Vardy is hands down the jewel in our crown and our most important player and has been since 2013-14.

Nothing more to add.  

[John12345]

15 hours ago, Sly said:

 

Top 10 midfielders in the Premier League

Fernandes,

KDB,

Kante,

Bernardo Silva,

Fabinho,

Pogna,

N’didi, 

Wijnaldum,

Ziyech, 

Henderson

 

After that, you have the others:

 

Thiago, Partney, Havertz, Rodri, Mount, Maddison, Keita, Tielemans, Ali, James Rodriguez, Allan, Gundogan, Mahrez, Moutinho, Jorginho, Van De Beck, Kovacic, Hojejberg, Lo Celso, Foden, Barnes, Under, Ozil, Neves, Fred, McTomonay, Milner, Ndomble, Ward Prowse, Rice and Matic. 
 

If you look through that list, Liverpool and Man City are miles ahead in this department, in terms of first team quality and backup. 
 

You’d argue and say that only N’didi would get in as first choice in a Liverpool, or Manchester City team. It’s still debatable if he’d oust Kante in my eyes at this stage. 

This is a great list and I'd swap nearly all for Madders!

[Genesis1]

I think it depends if Maddison 'turns up'.  That's why Grealish is often ahead of him in the England squad.

If he plays like we know he can then for sure, but how often is that?

Tielmans is just settled isn't he now? Got his place, turn up, get paid.

[Col city fan]

16 hours ago, Sampson said:

Nah. Ndidi is great, but it's the same usual overrating of the importance of a defensive player over attacking ones. For some reason Leicester fans seem so obsessed with defensive players.

 

A player like Kante or Ndidi or Ricardo are the difference between being a mid-table side and a side challenging for Europe.

 

A player like Vardy is the difference between a side challenging for Europe and a side challenging for the title.

 

Vardy is hands down the jewel in our crown and our most important player and has been since 2013-14.

 

We've carried on fine without Ndidi, Kante or Ricardo, we desperately struggle without Vardy.

Spot on

Vardy is quite simply Leicester’s best ever striker and is irreplaceable 

There are many on here that bang on about Iheanacho but you watch how we’d change if Vards picks up a long term injury and we have to stick Nacho in for a few games. 
Nacho’s a decent finisher and he’d probably net a few goals.

But our whole dynamic would change.

I’m struggling to remember any Leicester side where there is such a reliance on one particular player to make the whole thing work

Off the cuff, Lennon is the other one

[Bourbon Fox]

Nobody can smash a ball three yards over the bar with the unerring consistency and accuracy of Wilfred Ndidi

[Collymore]

On 21/12/2020 at 12:17, Babylon said:

The verge of being world class? Maddison?

Well at least he believes it himself which is half the battle fought.

 

Now he just needs to actually become on the verge of being world class which would probably mean an extra 10 goals and 5 assists a season and learning how to take a decent set piece for starters.

 

 

[Rusko187]

On 21/12/2020 at 11:53, Arriba Los Zorros said:

Tielemans, Ndidi, Maddison. 3 players that are on the verge of being world class

 

Praet, Mendy, Choudhury. Really high quality back up pressing the first team.

 

Wide options of Barnes, Under, Perez and Albrighton - a lot of different skillsets for different games there.

 

Is there a case we have the best midfield options in the league?

 

I can never remember ever Leicester having anything near this quality, and also strength in depth in all the time I've supported them!

11:53 on a Monday is a little early to start drinking don't you think? I know it's been a bad year and it's Christmas time... but there's no way you've wrote this sober!

[Collymore]

18 hours ago, Sampson said:

Nah. Ndidi is great, but it's the same usual overrating of the importance of a defensive player over attacking ones. For some reason Leicester fans seem so obsessed with defensive players.

 

A player like Kante or Ndidi or Ricardo are the difference between being a mid-table side and a side challenging for Europe.

 

A player like Vardy is the difference between a side challenging for Europe and a side challenging for the title.

 

Vardy is hands down the jewel in our crown and our most important player and has been since 2013-14.

 

We've carried on fine without Ndidi, Kante or Ricardo, we desperately struggle without Vardy.

Also annoys me when you hear fans down playing Mahrez "He was alright but jumped ship and could go in and out of games...."

 

Absolutely the most talented player in our history without a doubt and what he and Vardy achieved 15/16 was quite simply off the scale.

 

Mahrez and Vardy would put on an attacking show that world football had rarely seen but you'd get the fans favourite bit being the clearance at the back post by Simpson!

 

 

 

Edited 23 December 2020 by Collymore

[honeybradger]

On 22/12/2020 at 06:32, Sly said:

 

Top 10 midfielders in the Premier League

Fernandes,

KDB,

Kante,

Bernardo Silva,

Fabinho,

Pogna,

N’didi, 

Wijnaldum,

Ziyech, 

Henderson

 

After that, you have the others:

 

Thiago, Partney, Havertz, Rodri, Mount, Maddison, Keita, Tielemans, Ali, James Rodriguez, Allan, Gundogan, Mahrez, Moutinho, Jorginho, Van De Beck, Kovacic, Hojejberg, Lo Celso, Foden, Barnes, Under, Ozil, Neves, Fred, McTomonay, Milner, Ndomble, Ward Prowse, Rice and Matic. 
 

If you look through that list, Liverpool and Man City are miles ahead in this department, in terms of first team quality and backup. 
 

You’d argue and say that only N’didi would get in as first choice in a Liverpool, or Manchester City team. It’s still debatable if he’d oust Kante in my eyes at this stage. 

Ive argued this before but we're ahead of Man City in the midfield department currently, Rodri's really screwed up their ability to play 4-3-3 and theyre playing a 4231 with 2 DMs instead. The first choice midfield for man city is rodri  + fernandinho/gundogan + de bruyne. Personally i rate ndidi + tielemans much more than rodri + fernandinho/gundogan, obviously de bruyne >> maddison but i think we have a better balance in the midfield than Man City. 

[honeybradger]

On 22/12/2020 at 06:32, Sly said:

 

Top 10 midfielders in the Premier League

Fernandes,

KDB,

Kante,

Bernardo Silva,

Fabinho,

Pogna,

N’didi, 

Wijnaldum,

Ziyech, 

Henderson

 

After that, you have the others:

 

Thiago, Partney, Havertz, Rodri, Mount, Maddison, Keita, Tielemans, Ali, James Rodriguez, Allan, Gundogan, Mahrez, Moutinho, Jorginho, Van De Beck, Kovacic, Hojejberg, Lo Celso, Foden, Barnes, Under, Ozil, Neves, Fred, McTomonay, Milner, Ndomble, Ward Prowse, Rice and Matic. 
 

If you look through that list, Liverpool and Man City are miles ahead in this department, in terms of first team quality and backup. 
 

You’d argue and say that only N’didi would get in as first choice in a Liverpool, or Manchester City team. It’s still debatable if he’d oust Kante in my eyes at this stage. 

Ive argued this before but we're ahead of Man City in the midfield department currently, Rodri's really screwed up their ability to play 4-3-3 and theyre playing a 4231 with 2 DMs instead. The first choice midfield for man city is rodri  + fernandinho/gundogan + de bruyne. Personally i rate ndidi + tielemans much more than rodri + fernandinho/gundogan, obviously de bruyne >> maddison but i think we have a better balance in the midfield than Man City.