Stephy Mavididi

[ALC Fox]

First goal, he kept possession in a tight area, changed pace a few times, going from flat out to stock still, which isn't easy to do. He was under pressure, kept the ball and laid it off which ended up with Praet crossing it to Dewsbury-Hall to head in. He didn't get an assist but played a key part in the build-up.

 

Second goal, he was faced down and could either take it wide or pass inside. He did a few shoulder shimmies, attracted two defenders, which gave KDH the space he didn't have when he shaped to shoot the first time, nutmegged the Cov player as he passed and got his first assist of the season.

 

He was in and out of the game, as you'd expect. It looks like he needs a few games to really link up with his fellow forwards. It'll probably help when we have a settled front three but I think he's going to link up well with KDH on that left-hand side.

 

He's got some trickery, some pace and he's already posting goal contributions with only a week to train with his new teammates in what was, on paper, probably in the top 10 or 12 toughest games this season.

 

There's a long way to go, and I'm not saying he's Barnes's heir apparent, but he looks tidy, tricky, and a different kind of player than we're used to having on the left. He'll post numbers in this division. If we can become more efficient on the counter (which, we surprisingly had a lot of in the first half yesterday), he could be a goals and assists machine at this level.

[Spudulike]

Perhaps those saying he lacks pace were watching on the telly  It's almost like a different game when you're in the stadium and he was quick. 

[Finnegan]

1 minute ago, Spudulike said:

Perhaps those saying he lacks pace were watching on the telly  It's almost like a different game when you're in the stadium and he was quick. 

 

People have been spoilt by some of the truly, unbelievably quick players we've had over the years. We've seen it with Daka too, people moaning that he isn't fast. 

 

What they mean is that he's not peak Vardy or JJ fast which, whilst true, almost nobody is. 

[sacreblueits442]

39 minutes ago, jv1 said:

helped when they subbed their right back who handled him well -

...I  did find the substitutions by Robins to be strange!!!

  They were in the ascendancy,  they had us under control and then he changed it all up as if the game had already been won. The RB who had managed to keep Mavididi quiet was taken off,  no injury that I could see, and that cost them, as they had interrupted the flow and tempo of their own game.

  Robins gave us a way back into the game, it was an astoundingly poor managerial decision by him.

Edited 7 August 2023 by sacreblueits442
Spelling error.

[The boy Linacre]

2 hours ago, Thebluefox85 said:

Really don’t know what people are seeing saying he did well he’s not massively quick from looking at that first game his first touch is extremely questionable! And can’t seem to take a man on got slightly better towards the end but we have a manager that should be able to improve him. I don’t see him doing anything amazing but give him a chance to get fit and settle in then judge him more in a couple of months 

Spot on, he was a strange mix, not massively effective, body language horrendous, couldn't get the better of the full back, Doyle got frustrated with the connection and his movement.  Then when we went ahead he was integral to the goal, went mental in the corner when we scored and actually played pretty well last 20.  Thats wingers though, Barnes was the same, in and out.

 

Time with the team, coaching and fitness, and then lets judge by end Oct/Nov time.  He'll probably be good enough, but can he really kick on?

 

[Tommy G]

2 minutes ago, The boy Linacre said:

Spot on, he was a strange mix, not massively effective, body language horrendous, couldn't get the better of the full back, Doyle got frustrated with the connection and his movement.  Then when we went ahead he was integral to the goal, went mental in the corner when we scored and actually played pretty well last 20.  Thats wingers though, Barnes was the same, in and out.

 

Time with the team, coaching and fitness, and then lets judge by end Oct/Nov time.  He'll probably be good enough, but can he really kick on?

 

Agreed, thought for large parts he was dissapointing, came inside a lot and that seemed to be his only trick. Reminded me a bit of Schlupp. Lets hope he's the opposite of Tete, saying he had an amazing debut is way wide of the mark. 

[desertfox2]

Trying not to get carried away after one game but he does look class. Skillful, fast, great change of pace, a goal and assist threat and can hold the ball up too. Very impressive for someone who has just arrived and is only just getting to know his teammates. Now we just need another one like him on the right. 

[LinekersLugs]

People comparing him to Barnes 

 

he is never going to be Barnes 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

 

he is a decent championship player, we are a championship team , with fitness and time he will be a decent player in this league 

 

he cost a 1/4  of what Barnes cost Newcastle but he is better than a 1/4 of Barnes 

 

he will do a job this season and we will have to upgrade if we get promoted 

 

you cut your cloth to your needs 

[Aleksz]

1 hour ago, LinekersLugs said:

People comparing him to Barnes 

 

he is never going to be Barnes 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

 

he is a decent championship player, we are a championship team , with fitness and time he will be a decent player in this league 

 

he cost a 1/4  of what Barnes cost Newcastle but he is better than a 1/4 of Barnes 

 

he will do a job this season and we will have to upgrade if we get promoted 

 

you cut your cloth to your needs 

This is definitely an understatement but your overall point about not comparing him to Barnes is spot on.

 

I’d say they’re different profiles within the position for a start.

[Lesta2014]

Wasn’t all that involved yesterday but still got an assist. Job done and will get better as gets more familiar! 

[Claridge]

Thought he looked good in a Demari Gray sort of way. Some excellent, some poor. Hope he kicks on , seems to be a willing runner

[when_you're_smiling]

1 hour ago, LinekersLugs said:

People comparing him to Barnes 

 

he is never going to be Barnes 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

 

he is a decent championship player, we are a championship team , with fitness and time he will be a decent player in this league 

 

he cost a 1/4  of what Barnes cost Newcastle but he is better than a 1/4 of Barnes 

 

he will do a job this season and we will have to upgrade if we get promoted 

 

you cut your cloth to your needs 

I did miss the cut in and shoot yesterday, but you’re absolutely right. Quite a different player.

 

Even from that one performance you could see why his stats aren’t particularly good, but also exactly why we’ve signed him. He linked the play quite well. Despite him being 25, I think there’s more potential to improve too.

[SpacedX]

2 hours ago, desertfox2 said:

Trying not to get carried away after one game 

[gerrytaggart]

2 hours ago, LinekersLugs said:

People comparing him to Barnes 

 

he is never going to be Barnes 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

 

he is a decent championship player, we are a championship team , with fitness and time he will be a decent player in this league 

 

he cost a 1/4  of what Barnes cost Newcastle but he is better than a 1/4 of Barnes 

 

he will do a job this season and we will have to upgrade if we get promoted 

 

you cut your cloth to your needs 

All that from one glimpse of him in a Leicester shirt?!?.

 

[LVFox]

Definitely got ability, will also frustrate but considering he's probably had 4 days training with the team, a good first outing. 

[Lako42]

Wingers are confidence players and you could tell his lifted massively after his contribution to the 1st goal. 

 

 

[LCCFox96]

2 hours ago, ALC Fox said:

He's got some trickery, some pace and he's already posting goal contributions with only a week to train with his new teammates in what was, on paper, probably in the top 10 or 12 toughest games this season.

This is the key point. If we weren't so short of numbers for wide attacking players, then Mavididi probably doesn't even start yesterday. We're very light for the style of winger that Enzo wants on both the left and right wing hence Mavididi going straight into the side and McAteer getting chucked in at the deep end.

 

Mavididi playing a positive role in both goals, notching up an assist, turning out a lively performance in parts, and looking pumped to be out on the pitch for us was a good return after being at the club for 6 days. Think we've got a good player on our hands here and once we get settled with a full squad we'll see that. 

 

If we'd survived in the PL and signed Mavididi I wouldn't have been disappointed. Encouragingly, I'd probably go as far as saying that for all 5 of our incomings so far.

[honeybradger]

2 hours ago, LinekersLugs said:

People comparing him to Barnes 

 

he is never going to be Barnes 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

 

he is a decent championship player, we are a championship team , with fitness and time he will be a decent player in this league 

 

he cost a 1/4  of what Barnes cost Newcastle but he is better than a 1/4 of Barnes 

 

he will do a job this season and we will have to upgrade if we get promoted 

 

you cut your cloth to your needs 

He's better than Barnes in a few aspects, even if you take the league we're in into account.

 

He's a better dribbler and better at tracking back, Barnes is better at being in the right place to score goals though. I think it's too early to say how good mavididi could be for us compared to Barnes, it's not impossible that he's better.

[CosbehFox]

Was notable when his confidence was up that he was willing to go on the outside of the defender rather than keep cutting back. 

 

 

[ALC Fox]

20 minutes ago, LCCFox96 said:

This is the key point. If we weren't so short of numbers for wide attacking players, then Mavididi probably doesn't even start yesterday. We're very light for the style of winger that Enzo wants on both the left and right wing hence Mavididi going straight into the side and McAteer getting chucked in at the deep end.

 

Mavididi playing a positive role in both goals, notching up an assist, turning out a lively performance in parts, and looking pumped to be out on the pitch for us was a good return after being at the club for 6 days. Think we've got a good player on our hands here and once we get settled with a full squad we'll see that. 

 

If we'd survived in the PL and signed Mavididi I wouldn't have been disappointed. Encouragingly, I'd probably go as far as saying that for all 5 of our incomings so far.

100% agree. Looking at the preseason games I think McAteer is more suited to the left-hand side too. A few times on Sunday he looked hesitant and a little sluggish in his decision making. Compare that to the first 20 minutes against Liverpool and he was direct, showed some really nice touches and played a few key passes at just the right moment.

 

If we can get a right-sided player in (Rak-Sakyi hopefully) then having a fresh McAteer able to come on late in games could be a great asset, and may allow us to see what Mavididi can do centrally at times.

 

As the season goes on, we can then hopefully add Alves as Rak-Sakyi's backup on the right (although perhaps another right-sided forward could be needed), Braybrooke as Winks's backup as the metronome in midfield and perhaps Marçal-Madivadua as someone who can cover out wide or one of the #8 spots.

 

That does leave a question mark over Albrighton. As much as I love him, I just don't see him fitting in with how Maresca wants to play. Unless, he can be our James Milner and become even more versatile, perhaps forcing his way into the right-sided #8 role as a backup there in case Praet or Ndidi leave and Casadei signs.

[OntarioFox]

Aside from an excellent last half hour, i loved his passhun for both goals. Fists pumping at the kop - good lad. He's gonna make me forget he's from Derby at this rate! 

[Jabfox]

Anyone got a clip of that drag back first half when he lost the ball then recovered it ? 

 

Was naughty

[moore_94]

10 minutes ago, Jabfox said:

Anyone got a clip of that drag back first half when he lost the ball then recovered it ? 

 

Was naughty

Filthy

 

 

[Foxdiamond]

1 minute ago, moore_94 said:

Filthy

 

 

Nice

[Finnegan]

2 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

Filthy

 

 

 

Oh man he came within an inch of tapping that against the back of his own heel and making a David Dunn of himself. 

 

Fine margins, Stephy. Fine margins.