5waller5 Posted 18 April 2023 Posted 18 April 2023 He’s a Ford Mondeo. Solid, reliable, inexpensive, does the job, good all rounder. Always a 7-8/10. 1
Bunchy the cat Posted 18 April 2023 Posted 18 April 2023 17 hours ago, jayfox26 said: And when you were born you came out of your mums.... Tummy?
shailen Posted 18 April 2023 Posted 18 April 2023 He's actually progressive with the ball, has a great energy about him and solid defensively. No brainer for me that he has to play. 1
Sampson Posted 18 April 2023 Posted 18 April 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, Tom12345 said: Yeah. Also, you can’t just look at stats. When Mendy is on the pitch and you watch the team plays, you instantly see better football. Yes, we may not have won all those games that he played, but you can see the difference from when Ndidi is in the team. I am baffled though why coaches can’t see it. Just watch replays and focus on team movements, how the opponents try to press us, how we can’t or can get out of the press, how we passback aimlessly or not, etc. Or quite simply, ask the two CBs (like Faes) for their honest opinion and they can tell you. I have watched closely, and you can see Faes’ frustration in the lack of choice he gets to pass at the back - he often looks up, then sees Ndidi hides behind an opponent, shakes his head or raises his frustrated face, then looks to the side (again - how predictable) or back to Souttar. So predictable. On occasions, he just pumps the ball up. People think nothing of this (except boring aimless football) but it makes a huge difference in how we play. If the CBs need to make the most passes in the game, it is not right. Our midfielders need to give our CBs options to pass to beat the press. If one of them is handicapped, it limits their options mostly to either pass to the side (easy for the opponent to force an error or for the full backs to panic and just pumps it long and give the ball away; but what people tend to see superficially is a below par Castagne or Kristiansen which is not entirely right - we cannot ask them to be Ronaldo or Messi who can always dribble their way out of the press). This has clearly been our problem. We got found out by Norwich a few seasons back (I mentioned this at the time and in posts since) but Rodgers failed to address this for years and hence it became a cornerstone of our decline. Rodgers blamed it on individual players (but it is a tactical error which kept having to rely on individual brilliance to save him - hence our inconsistency and later outright decline). In other words, it is not the players it is the team selection and tactics. We can be so easily beaten by opponents pressing us and forcing the ball to the side and then we just regularly lose it (or be forced to pass sideways back to the CBs or keeper). This is why we keep playing negative football (apart from Rodgers’ general negative mindset). Like Man City or many other teams that can beat the press easily, they provide 2 or 3 options to pass for any teammate with the ball. The way we play with a handicap selection and tactic means we put ourselves under pressure so easily by simply pressing us in the right spots (because we keep repeating the same!). This is why, I repeat, when Mendy is on, we look better because we have an outlet to get through the press via the middle as well as on the side. I am not saying he is a magician, it is not about Mendy, but it is this stubborn tactical mistake that Rodgers kept making for years without him ever realizing. We have a good squad filled with internationals. Our tactics and poor mentality under Rodgers have ruined us. He made the players feel the problem is them when his tactics made them play under constant pressure that could have been negated through the right selection and tactics. I hope Dean can see through this quickly and make the right team selection and tactics. With the quality of the players we have, we can do this. There’s 2 different arguments going on here though. I don’t think many are arguing against that he’s probably a better option than Ndidi right now given how poor Ndidi is. But there’s people going way too far the other way and massively over praising Mendy, saying he’s “shining” and “the difference maker” and would be starting for loads of PL teams, which is obviously ridiculous hyperbole for what is a very bog standard player who is just the least bad of some very out of form and poor options in his position right now. It reminds me of the massive overpraising of Amartey last season because he did pretty well for a couple of months after being on the fringes of the squad for so many years. There were people saying Amartey should be getting POTS last season ahead of Maddison which was just ridiculous, you can bet there’s fans out there saying the same about Mendy. No one is saying he isn’t a better option than Ndidi right now, but there’s definitely plenty of our fans massively overrating him this season based on that fact Edited 18 April 2023 by Sampson
berniethebolt Posted 18 April 2023 Posted 18 April 2023 Always been a fan of Mendys style a true defensive midfielder, always offering the back line a short option to relieve pressure and take the energy out of a press. Easily overlooked as keeps play simple but always wants the ball. Complete opposite of a flair players who are reluctant to naturally sit deeper. This work goes unnoticed by many.
Guest Posted 18 April 2023 Posted 18 April 2023 I have a lot of time for him. Between injuries, getting loaned out, left out of the squad altogether and more recently having Ndidi and Soumare starting ahead of him, I think he's been unfortunate for large chunks of his time here. That said, it's definitely true that the fact he's clearly our best current option at DM says quite a bit more about the alternatives than it does about him. He's ok.
Mike Oxlong Posted 18 April 2023 Posted 18 April 2023 Despite what must have been a number of disappointments during his time with us his attitude has always been spot on - as it should be but not always a given with some players. 2
weller54 Posted 18 April 2023 Posted 18 April 2023 Such an underrated player!! Miles better than Ndidi right now, who's form has fallen off a cliff this season!! 1
Buzzell Posted 18 April 2023 Posted 18 April 2023 9 hours ago, Sampson said: There’s 2 different arguments going on here though. I don’t think many are arguing against that he’s probably a better option than Ndidi right now given how poor Ndidi is. But there’s people going way too far the other way and massively over praising Mendy, saying he’s “shining” and “the difference maker” and would be starting for loads of PL teams, which is obviously ridiculous hyperbole for what is a very bog standard player who is just the least bad of some very out of form and poor options in his position right now. It reminds me of the massive overpraising of Amartey last season because he did pretty well for a couple of months after being on the fringes of the squad for so many years. There were people saying Amartey should be getting POTS last season ahead of Maddison which was just ridiculous, you can bet there’s fans out there saying the same about Mendy. No one is saying he isn’t a better option than Ndidi right now, but there’s definitely plenty of our fans massively overrating him this season based on that fact Mendy has come into the side and performed at a consistent basis, whether we are shite or not. He has shined above players that have played more game time than him yet still gets dropped for out of form players around him that are obviously not up to the task ahead. Mendy deserves a run in the side, a fair crack of the whip and hopefully Smith will give him that. I wouldn't call this overpraising either, its people acknowledging his performances. If he's playing well then leave him in. KDH and Ndidi have been absolutely woeful all season. Mendy cant do much worse than them. 1
tickler28 Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 Is he injured or is this another case of being overlooked and under rated?
Otis Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 6 minutes ago, tickler28 said: Is he injured or is this another case of being overlooked and under rated? He's on the bench, so probably out of favour.
funkyrobot Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 Wtf has Mendy done to upset every Leicester City manager since he was signed? It’s certainty not his performances on the pitch, he’s been by far our best CDM this season. How has Dean Smith managed to ignore him even more than Rodgers did? Unbelievable really. 4
South Shire Fox Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 3 minutes ago, funkyrobot said: Wtf has Mendy done to upset every Leicester City manager since he was signed? It’s certainty not his performances on the pitch, he’s been by far our best CDM this season. How has Dean Smith managed to ignore him even more than Rodgers did? Unbelievable really. The fact that Smith plays Ndidi over him is a sackable offence in itself. Cant use the excuse of ‘Ndidi adds height’ when he gets absolutley bullied in about every aerial duel hes ever had. Not to mention all the penalties and fouls he gives from his flailing arms and clumsy tackles 3
lcfcsnow Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 Given Ndidi’s form and the gaps Soumare leaves in midfield I can see why there’s calls for him but he’s not been good enough for the 7 years he’s been here. One good game against a poor Spurs side and he’s hard done by.
MrsJohnMurphy Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 The thing is Soumare probably looks great in training when there isn't the intensity or pressure of a first team game but Mendy has proven time and again to be a calm and reliable influence on the team 1
moseeds Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 7 minutes ago, MrsJohnMurphy said: The thing is Soumare probably looks great in training when there isn't the intensity or pressure of a first team game but Mendy has proven time and again to be a calm and reliable influence on the team I think you've nailed it. In training our players look class because the their competition is woeful. Come the game and everyone is exposed for the rubbish they are
An Sionnach Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 14 minutes ago, lcfcsnow said: Given Ndidi’s form and the gaps Soumare leaves in midfield I can see why there’s calls for him but he’s not been good enough for the 7 years he’s been here. One good game against a poor Spurs side and he’s hard done by. Thats the thing and a real problem for Deano , Ndidi, Mendy, Soumaré, Tielemans, Praet and KDH apparently not good enough and Maddison not firing since he got picked for England (always happens with our players). Who the **** does he pick?
Unabomber Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 19 minutes ago, lcfcsnow said: Given Ndidi’s form and the gaps Soumare leaves in midfield I can see why there’s calls for him but he’s not been good enough for the 7 years he’s been here. One good game against a poor Spurs side and he’s hard done by. What a terrible take 1
HarryDee8 Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 Needs to be in the final 3 games as a DM. Bouba, wilf and youri need benching. He's ahead of all 3 for me 1
HybridFox Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 It's as if every manager that comes in needs an induction period to realise what Mendy brings to the team 1
markko Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 Where is he? Does not even get 10 minutes..Not likely to stay is he? I like him. Decent. No frills and never complains. I will be sorry to see him go.
Number 6 Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 He's not great, but I'm surprised he's constantly overlooked with Soumare and Ndidi being generally very poor. He's been the best of the 3 this season when we have seen him. It's a pretty low bar though. 1
STUHILL Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 Best of those 3 yes, but certainly not going to solve any of our much bigger problems. Soumare has been a disaster and N'didi is either 36 (not 26!) now OR has a twin brother who took over from him.
splinterdream Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 3 hours ago, South Shire Fox said: The fact that Smith plays Ndidi over him is a sackable offence in itself. Cant use the excuse of ‘Ndidi adds height’ when he gets absolutley bullied in about every aerial duel hes ever had. Not to mention all the penalties and fouls he gives from his flailing arms and clumsy tackles I think Smith came in and said "shakey, fill me in on these players", "Wilf is a beast deano, Mendy not so much", "good enough for me shakey, save me time watch the VT the club has given me".
funkyrobot Posted 8 May 2023 Posted 8 May 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, An Sionnach said: Thats the thing and a real problem for Deano , Ndidi, Mendy, Soumaré, Tielemans, Praet and KDH apparently not good enough and Maddison not firing since he got picked for England (always happens with our players). Who the **** does he pick? Edited 8 May 2023 by funkyrobot
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