Wilfred Ndidi

[Pliskin]

He gets about the pitch and disrupts the play, he just lacks composure in the final third. I can see why Enzo likes him, but home isn’t an AM of any description. I’d we could play with 12 men he would have a place, but for me Dennis has to get the nod over him. 

[LeicsFox]

2 minutes ago, tomtom said:

What makes you think he "wants to be an attacking midfielder?"  I think he's just filling in temporarily 

 

Pains me to say it but he's clearly not suited to that position and will probably lose his place to one of the potential loanee signings 

Yeah I guess, him filling in makes sense to be fair. Just the way it came across it at Northampton pre season and then today it’s almost like he wants to be in that attacking role. 

[LeicsFox]

6 minutes ago, MPH said:

 

I don’t think it’s a case of him begging Maresca to be an attacking Cm, but him given the job.

 

 

It’s clear he’s just filling the space  until we get a CAM in…

 

we’ll be playing between 50-55 games this season. Will need some strength in depth anyway….

I thought maybe if him and winks swapped just for the mean time it would make a lot more sense

[Twitcher]

14 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

I thought he had a good 1st half.

I agree. Surprised at a lot of the negative comments. Thought he turned the clock back a bit, and looked  sharper than he has done for a while.

[Dan LCFC]

I can't really knock his effort but he is an ill fit to this team now. I think centre half is possibly the only role you can get him in.

[coolhandfox]

Will come in useful against some of the physical sides.

[HitchinFox]

For me, Wilf epitomises what was (and is) wrong with Brendan and his self-subscribed brand of "elite coaching". 

 

Plenty of excellent players throughout history who have degenerated thanks to the wrong coach at the wrong time. 

 

 

 

 

[MPH]

56 minutes ago, LeicsFox said:

I thought maybe if him and winks swapped just for the mean time it would make a lot more sense

I agree with you.

 

what it suggests is that Maresca definitely wants Winks in that role long term and that Ndidi is just filling a space until we get someone else in.. it doesn’t really  bode well for Ndidis future with us.. of course he could be one of those who has thrown a spanner in the works by saying he now wants to stay, despite us already changing the system and bringing in his ‘ replacement’..

[Ric Flair]

50 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

I can't really knock his effort but he is an ill fit to this team now. I think centre half is possibly the only role you can get him in.

I do wonder if this box to box role will in the long run rekindle what he was exceptional at, which is covering huge amounts of ground and protecting us. His tackling and interceptions seems high again today but rather than it be deep in our own half it was more varied. Either way, it's good to see him looking much fitter.

 

 

[Gamble92]

Admire Maresca persisting with playing him in a box to box kind of role but he's the last player i want to see making runs into the box and even attempting to shoot. I think its more an indication that he has been willing to stay at the club where as Soumare and a couple of others have asked to go. There's no way you'd train Ndidi to play that role with Soumare here if he was part of the season long plans. 

[Hammo]

Not too long ago the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League (with the stats to prove it). Now a struggling square peg in a round hole in the Championship.

 

What on earth has happened to Wilfred Ndidi?

[Nick]

Ndidi is the fella you want stood in front of the back four and behind the midfield in say a 4-1-4-1. He’s got no real business in advanced positions and certainly not as a box to box 8.

 

He played well yesterday, especially first half in our own half of the pitch. In the oppositions half he was pretty much as expected in terms of attacking abilities and giving the ball away because of poor first touch and passing abilities.

[Deeg67]

6 hours ago, Gamble92 said:

Admire Maresca persisting with playing him in a box to box kind of role but he's the last player i want to see making runs into the box and even attempting to shoot. I think its more an indication that he has been willing to stay at the club where as Soumare and a couple of others have asked to go. There's no way you'd train Ndidi to play that role with Soumare here if he was part of the season long plans. 

Why would that make you admire Maresca?

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

I’d play him until we see a Mavnididi where Stephy or Wilf assist each other. 

[wokinghamfox]

15 hours ago, FoxesWalk said:

Maresca has just described him as an attacking midfielder… 

 

 

At the moment I would use him as a central defender in place of vesty. Got to be a better option and use what he can offer more effectively

[Finnegan]

10 hours ago, Cadno'r Cymoedd said:

Maresca thinks that

 

He means that's the role Ndidi played yesterday. We could have started Danny Ward next to KDH in that role and he'd have described him as an attacking midfielder. 

 

I do think it was a bit naive expecting Ndidi to have the impact he did in preseason when the league actually started but I can understand why he tried it. Turning the ball over high up the pitch is a big part of the plan and letting Wilf off the leash to go press is supposed to enable that. He's just not good enough on the ball in a competitive game. It also really hung McAteer out to dry having no help. 

 

Praet changed everything really when he came on. 

[Gamble92]

7 hours ago, Deeg67 said:

Why would that make you admire Maresca?

Just admire the fact he has a set vision for what he wants to do and is coaching players to be better. Sounds simple but i've just watched a manager slowly ruin just about everyone for the last 2 years. 

[Daggers]

Ndidi comments on his contributions for the Cov match:

 

 

[WigstonWanderer]

On 06/08/2023 at 23:14, FoxesWalk said:

Maresca has just described him as an attacking midfielder… 

 

 

No, no and thrice no 

Edited 7 August 2023 by WigstonWanderer

[Gamble92]

9 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

He means that's the role Ndidi played yesterday. We could have started Danny Ward next to KDH in that role and he'd have described him as an attacking midfielder. 

 

I do think it was a bit naive expecting Ndidi to have the impact he did in preseason when the league actually started but I can understand why he tried it. Turning the ball over high up the pitch is a big part of the plan and letting Wilf off the leash to go press is supposed to enable that. He's just not good enough on the ball in a competitive game. It also really hung McAteer out to dry having no help. 

 

Praet changed everything really when he came on. 

He got into positions in pre season but bar that Port FC game he just missed everything. Including absolute sitters. His team mates were laughing at chances he missed against Northampton. 

[ts_1010]

Completely unfounded theory. But I think if Ndidi comes out of the team then so does Vardy.

 

Pushing Ndidi higher gives us the best chance of a goal through turnover on the press. He's still the best tackler in the club. And Vardy being sat on the shoulder, would be best placed to take advantage.

 

With Ndidi out, the case is stronger for a more fluid style of play with Kel in the team and an interchange with the more attacking 8s.

[foxile5]

19 hours ago, HitchinFox said:

For me, Wilf epitomises what was (and is) wrong with Brendan and his self-subscribed brand of "elite coaching". 

 

Plenty of excellent players throughout history who have degenerated thanks to the wrong coach at the wrong time. 

 

 

 

 

When Brendan took charge of us I don't think it's hyperbole to say Wilf was one of the best defensive shielders in the world.

[HitchinFox]

14 hours ago, Hammo said:

Not too long ago the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League (with the stats to prove it). Now a struggling square peg in a round hole in the Championship.

 

What on earth has happened to Wilfred Ndidi?

 

[Finnegan]

2 hours ago, Gamble92 said:

He got into positions in pre season but bar that Port FC game he just missed everything. Including absolute sitters. His team mates were laughing at chances he missed against Northampton. 

 

Yes I absolutely wouldn't play him there personally. But I'm just saying that's why Maresca referred to him as an attacking midfielder. It's just because he was playing that role on the day. 

[Tom12345]

Absolute a non player with dreadful first touch and ball control. He was been a massive handicap in the last few seasons costing us fluid football and making it hard for us to beat the press. Plenty of comments have been made in this regard and won’t be repeated. Should not be playing in any position. We need to move him on while we can get any fee for him.