Jordan Ayew - NEVER PLAYING FOR LEICESTER AGAIN!!!

[The Horse's Mouth]

That match was a perfect example of his strengths and weaknesses. It’s pretty clear he can’t be the 9, he needs to be in the Okazaki role just bombing about everywhere tracking back. Honestly I’d rather Bobby Reid play up top over him 

[Claudio Fannieri]

I was fuming when we signed him, thought it was a terrible move. However this season I have really warmed to him, he works tirelessly for the team, his hold up play and ability to protect the ball, link up play and win free kicks to alleviate pressure is excellent. I also think he is an excellent professional and definitely a calming assured character to help younger players such as Page and Monga. 
 

He has been a victim of us not having a decent enough 1st choice striker and is reluctantly having to play there, and please don’t say Daka because the truth is, Ayew is a better more solid selection than Daka ever will be. 
 

I think Carranza’s cameo yesterday and hopefully the last 2 weeks of acclimatising to his new surroundings will now give Marti the option to play him up top and drop Ayew deeper into the shadow striker /attacking midfielder role where I think he will excel. 

[StriderHiryu]

12 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

He's also barely had a shot, the amount of times he's attacked the box is pitiful. There were times today he was closer to right back than our box when we were in the final third. Unacceptable.

 

You wouldn't praise a player filling in at CB if they never held the defensive line or marked players, so not sure why Ayew gets praise for dropping deep as a striker but not ever being interested in the core element of being a striker. The few qualities he does possess are nullified anyway. His hold up play does nothing for us as we haven't had midfielders going beyond him, hopefully that may change. The other is he wins free kicks regularly and we are quite possibly the worst in the league at delivering set pieces, it's embarrassing.

 

The frustrating thing as well is Ayew is an ever present, so we can't even rely on a period of unavailability and us be able to prove to the manager we are a better outfit without him.

 

The summer of 2024 really was a horror window.

Sorry but this just has "old man yelling at cloud" vibes all over it.

 

Spain beat Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 finals with Fabregas playing as a false 9. Man City won the Premier League twice with KDB playing as a false 9. Via your logic, both of these players would get pelters because they are "not interested in the core element of being a striker."

 

Marti has said his system is heavily influenced by the Barcelona team managed by Johan Cruyff. That system had Michael Laudrup as the false 9 who was one of the best at that role in history. Over 4 seasons where Barcelona won La Liga 4 times as well as the Champions League, he scored 41 goals from 160 appearances. Roberto Firmino for Liverpool scored 82 goals from 256 appearances as they won the league and Champions League. Both great players, but the stats show they were not prolific finishers due to their role.

 

A false 9 drags players around and makes spaces for wingers, attacking midfielders and other players free from rotations to score from. Like how he combined with Mavididi and put a pass on a plate for Mavididi to score from. You can dislike the system and the manager's tactics, that's entirely fair. But he's performing the role he's been asked to do pretty well overall. But if Marti wants to persevere playing this way, then both wingers and midfielders need to box crash away more often to give us more goal threat. I think the signs are there though, Jordan James got into good positions several times, and Ricardo has been on the score sheet a few times already for a reason. 

 

Carranza might well end up being the better player for the system given that he's faster and better in the air. But Ayew is getting hated on for the wrong reasons. Blame the manager for picking him, not the player for doing what he's been asked to do. 

[Nobbyburton]

1 hour ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

I was fuming when we signed him, thought it was a terrible move. However this season I have really warmed to him, he works tirelessly for the team, his hold up play and ability to protect the ball, link up play and win free kicks to alleviate pressure is excellent. I also think he is an excellent professional and definitely a calming assured character to help younger players such as Page and Monga. 
 

He has been a victim of us not having a decent enough 1st choice striker and is reluctantly having to play there, and please don’t say Daka because the truth is, Ayew is a better more solid selection than Daka ever will be. 
 

I think Carranza’s cameo yesterday and hopefully the last 2 weeks of acclimatising to his new surroundings will now give Marti the option to play him up top and drop Ayew deeper into the shadow striker /attacking midfielder role where I think he will excel. 

Spot on, I also think he must have amazing mental strength. The sheer reluctance of our fans to accept when he does anything well but pounce on him the moment he makes a mistake is hard to watch sometimes.
 

He’s been decent this season, anyone disagreeing with that is refusing to see it. Like you say, now we have Carranza, we’ll see the best of him - and hopefully we never have to watch Daka again. 

Edited 21 September 2025 by Nobbyburton

[SafewayFox]

26 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Sorry but this just has "old man yelling at cloud" vibes all over it.

 

Spain beat Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 finals with Fabregas playing as a false 9. Man City won the Premier League twice with KDB playing as a false 9. Via your logic, both of these players would get pelters because they are "not interested in the core element of being a striker."

 

Marti has said his system is heavily influenced by the Barcelona team managed by Johan Cruyff. That system had Michael Laudrup as the false 9 who was one of the best at that role in history. Over 4 seasons where Barcelona won La Liga 4 times as well as the Champions League, he scored 41 goals from 160 appearances. Roberto Firmino for Liverpool scored 82 goals from 256 appearances as they won the league and Champions League. Both great players, but the stats show they were not prolific finishers due to their role.

 

A false 9 drags players around and makes spaces for wingers, attacking midfielders and other players free from rotations to score from. Like how he combined with Mavididi and put a pass on a plate for Mavididi to score from. You can dislike the system and the manager's tactics, that's entirely fair. But he's performing the role he's been asked to do pretty well overall. But if Marti wants to persevere playing this way, then both wingers and midfielders need to box crash away more often to give us more goal threat. I think the signs are there though, Jordan James got into good positions several times, and Ricardo has been on the score sheet a few times already for a reason. 

 

Carranza might well end up being the better player for the system given that he's faster and better in the air. But Ayew is getting hated on for the wrong reasons. Blame the manager for picking him, not the player for doing what he's been asked to do. 

I normally love your posts but this is madness.

 

Firstly, both Spain and City did that out of necessity when looking at getting their best players into the starting 11, how long did Pep realise that it wouldn’t work long term and they went all out to get Haaland in? 
 

Secondly, you admitted it yourself if that system is to work it’s because you have attacking threats in pretty much all other areas of the pitch, we currently have Abdul and that’s it.

 

I like what Marti’s doing but the lack of goals with this false 9 is going to be the difference between automatic promotion and playoffs IMO.

[The Doctor]

1 hour ago, StriderHiryu said:

Sorry but this just has "old man yelling at cloud" vibes all over it.

 

Spain beat Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 finals with Fabregas playing as a false 9. Man City won the Premier League twice with KDB playing as a false 9. Via your logic, both of these players would get pelters because they are "not interested in the core element of being a striker."

 

Marti has said his system is heavily influenced by the Barcelona team managed by Johan Cruyff. That system had Michael Laudrup as the false 9 who was one of the best at that role in history. Over 4 seasons where Barcelona won La Liga 4 times as well as the Champions League, he scored 41 goals from 160 appearances. Roberto Firmino for Liverpool scored 82 goals from 256 appearances as they won the league and Champions League. Both great players, but the stats show they were not prolific finishers due to their role.

 

A false 9 drags players around and makes spaces for wingers, attacking midfielders and other players free from rotations to score from. Like how he combined with Mavididi and put a pass on a plate for Mavididi to score from. You can dislike the system and the manager's tactics, that's entirely fair. But he's performing the role he's been asked to do pretty well overall. But if Marti wants to persevere playing this way, then both wingers and midfielders need to box crash away more often to give us more goal threat. I think the signs are there though, Jordan James got into good positions several times, and Ricardo has been on the score sheet a few times already for a reason. 

 

Carranza might well end up being the better player for the system given that he's faster and better in the air. But Ayew is getting hated on for the wrong reasons. Blame the manager for picking him, not the player for doing what he's been asked to do. 

but Ayew isn't doing that because no defender is stupid enough to follow the striker out to the strikers own right back position, doesn't have enough movement to pull people about and quite crucially, will not offload the ball once he's drawn those defenders in.

 

Like, I will fully admit I hate Ayew, and part of that is not his fault but what he represents - a complete waste of money and a summer appeasing a jumped up PE teacher with a pensioner fetish, who's recruitment philosophy starts and ends with "could he do it on a cold night in Stoke". That said, both the teams you've named had absurdly fluid attacks, same with Liverpool with Firmino. Yes, your striker does not necessarily need to be the primary source of goals, but where you are playing a false 9 there needs to be that fluidity, that quick interchange to get the 8s, the AM or the wingers bombing in. Ayew actively prevents that, playing like he's paid by the touch. It is not a coincidence that our attack has looked better when Daka is on the pitch, and it's not because he's a bagsman supreme, but because he actually does create that fluidity and space for the rest to work. Ayew actively hinders our attack even trying to play as a false 9.

Edited 21 September 2025 by The Doctor

[Ric Flair]

52 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Sorry but this just has "old man yelling at cloud" vibes all over it.

 

Spain beat Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 finals with Fabregas playing as a false 9. Man City won the Premier League twice with KDB playing as a false 9. Via your logic, both of these players would get pelters because they are "not interested in the core element of being a striker."

 

Marti has said his system is heavily influenced by the Barcelona team managed by Johan Cruyff. That system had Michael Laudrup as the false 9 who was one of the best at that role in history. Over 4 seasons where Barcelona won La Liga 4 times as well as the Champions League, he scored 41 goals from 160 appearances. Roberto Firmino for Liverpool scored 82 goals from 256 appearances as they won the league and Champions League. Both great players, but the stats show they were not prolific finishers due to their role.

 

A false 9 drags players around and makes spaces for wingers, attacking midfielders and other players free from rotations to score from. Like how he combined with Mavididi and put a pass on a plate for Mavididi to score from. You can dislike the system and the manager's tactics, that's entirely fair. But he's performing the role he's been asked to do pretty well overall. But if Marti wants to persevere playing this way, then both wingers and midfielders need to box crash away more often to give us more goal threat. I think the signs are there though, Jordan James got into good positions several times, and Ricardo has been on the score sheet a few times already for a reason. 

 

Carranza might well end up being the better player for the system given that he's faster and better in the air. But Ayew is getting hated on for the wrong reasons. Blame the manager for picking him, not the player for doing what he's been asked to do. 

There's a lot to unpack here. I could be equally as facetious and say this borders on " typical bumflufferies from a football hipster " but I shan't. 

 

I recognise the tactics of a false 9, or a striker who's main strength is holding the ball up from deep and creating the space. If deployed correctly, then it can pay dividends. But it requires more than just that from the false 9. You don't then not rejoin the attack and that's my main criticism. Whether he's unable or unwilling to attack the box I do not know but it's something we need to figure out if he is going to continue to be picked.

 

First 5 games, the lack of dynamism from the on rushing midfielders was plain to see. Yesterday was mildly better with James looking to break through and I felt Fatawu and Mavididi (then Monga) had more of the ball in 1 v 1 situations than previously this season which requires better movement from the 8s/10 with the 9 to pull the defence out of protecting the full backs.

 

Ayew just is not mobile enough to play the false 9 with the squad we have. There's no coincidence we are currently mid table in goals scored. If we had a KDH to score 15+ off such hold up play then we might get away with it but we don't.

 

I need to look in to Cifuentes track record a little as I have a suspicion his teams don't get the striker role right that often. He never had a goalscorer at QPR but wonder if it was the same at Hammarby and Sandejford.

[SouthStandUpperTier]

I like him. There I said it. Can see why the Palace fans did too.

[Richmondfox]

1 hour ago, StriderHiryu said:

Sorry but this just has "old man yelling at cloud" vibes all over it.

 

Spain beat Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 finals with Fabregas playing as a false 9. Man City won the Premier League twice with KDB playing as a false 9. Via your logic, both of these players would get pelters because they are "not interested in the core element of being a striker."

 

Marti has said his system is heavily influenced by the Barcelona team managed by Johan Cruyff. That system had Michael Laudrup as the false 9 who was one of the best at that role in history. Over 4 seasons where Barcelona won La Liga 4 times as well as the Champions League, he scored 41 goals from 160 appearances. Roberto Firmino for Liverpool scored 82 goals from 256 appearances as they won the league and Champions League. Both great players, but the stats show they were not prolific finishers due to their role.

 

A false 9 drags players around and makes spaces for wingers, attacking midfielders and other players free from rotations to score from. Like how he combined with Mavididi and put a pass on a plate for Mavididi to score from. You can dislike the system and the manager's tactics, that's entirely fair. But he's performing the role he's been asked to do pretty well overall. But if Marti wants to persevere playing this way, then both wingers and midfielders need to box crash away more often to give us more goal threat. I think the signs are there though, Jordan James got into good positions several times, and Ricardo has been on the score sheet a few times already for a reason. 

 

Carranza might well end up being the better player for the system given that he's faster and better in the air. But Ayew is getting hated on for the wrong reasons. Blame the manager for picking him, not the player for doing what he's been asked to do. 

This works if the player playing the false 9 passes the ball when they hold the ball up and drag players away. 

Ayew is a selfish player but doesn’t have the talent and ability to be that type of player.  
 

[honeybradger]

Forget the positioning for a second, what about the poor decision making, poor touches and misplaced passes. Cifuentes making Ayew an ever present in the side is staggering to me.

[Tommy Fresh]

He genuinely might be one of the most infuriating players ever, said it so many times, he wins it back quite well on occasion, he also picks it up in good positions, and is capable of beating a man or two when he does, he then breaks down the move by taking 20 touches more than he should, and not releasing players quicker. Perfect example yesterday back to goal edge of the box, has Fatawu making a run cutting in a few yards away and likely able to get a shot off, Ayew decides not to lay him off but turn in to about 3 defenders and lose it.

[The Doctor]

2 minutes ago, Richmondfox said:

This works if the player playing the false 9 passes the ball when they hold the ball up and drag players away. 

Ayew is a selfish player but doesn’t have the talent and ability to be that type of player.  
 

he's very much the worst aspects of football in that he's more interested in winning soft fouls than playing football. Now, that works in the prem but we've already seen champ referees aren't as soft. Not to mention there's no value in that when no-one in this squad can take a half decent set piece

 

Edited 21 September 2025 by The Doctor

[BKLFox]

He should no longer be a starter now we have Carranza, JJ and Ramsey & he certainly shouldn’t have been played for just about the full 90mins in every game.

 

We recorded 17 shots yesterday and Ayew playing as both the 9 then 10 had just 1 of those & that was sub 40seconds after KO which was scrabbled out for a corner, Daka also had 1 shot in his 3-5mins on the pitch. 

 

Replacing JJ and dropping Ayew to 10 gave Coventry the advantage in midfield, Ayew’s contribution to the midfield was to step between Cov player and ball and then go down hoping for a free kick, it might have happened once but more often than not the ref played on and there was 1 particularly scary moment near the end of the game when he lost it doing just that and we were open at the back, I honestly thought that’s it smash and grab but I think Thomas got back and forced it out for corner.

 

He often got in the way of Mavididi and then Monga on the left I’d be interested to see his heat map as a 9/10 and then especially as a 10 v JJ’s for instance.

 

Yes he has slightly changed my view on him with some of his performances but yesterday he should have been subbed at halftime let alone playing till the 88minute but that’s on Marti, he better learn from the pressure he put us under taking JJ off and keeping Ayew on.

[Jobyfox]

Wow! Is Ayew the false 9 now?

 

The problem with that system is that it really needs great movement, discipline and application from the midfielders. It’s great if you’ve got Iniesta and Xavi behind you and are we really comparing Ayew to Laudrup, De Bruyne or Firmino? We played the early games with Skipp, Soumare and an academy product, in his first season, in midfield. 

This is the first big test for Marti and he needs to start by dropping Ayew or shifting him to a position that better suits the team 

 

[trooky]

The starting team has been in transition whilst the window was open and I fully understand Marti starting Ayew, with Soumare, Skipp, Okoli, Page and Hamza struggling to progress the ball and beat the press. 

 

We've need all of Ayew's battling qualities during this period. His attitude, work rate, hold up play, strength and professionalism has been excellent and been one of our top performers 

 

In the next few weeks, when Winks, James, Ricky and Faes get upto speed and start to control and dominate possession I think we'll see Carranza start and Ayew competing with Ramsey for the 10.

 

Ayew will still be the 2nd choice striker or 1st if Carranza isn't as good as we hope. 

 

Daka is 3rd choice and the sooner he fcuks of the better because his time here has been a disaster. 

Edited 21 September 2025 by trooky

[Dan]

The bloke just isn't a striker. Start him behind Carranza next week. Start James and Winks behind them - like we should've done yesterday.

[Dan]

 

Bottom 1 percentile for non-penalty xg. This paints exactly the picture I expected of Ayew - he's got his uses but the bloke just is not a striker. It's not even about bad finishing, he just hardly ever gets any chances and that is his main failing. Daka is a clown of a finisher, but Daka will at least get into the positions.

Edited 21 September 2025 by Dan

[Stadt]

7 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

Sorry but this just has "old man yelling at cloud" vibes all over it.

 

Spain beat Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 finals with Fabregas playing as a false 9. Man City won the Premier League twice with KDB playing as a false 9. Via your logic, both of these players would get pelters because they are "not interested in the core element of being a striker."

 

Marti has said his system is heavily influenced by the Barcelona team managed by Johan Cruyff. That system had Michael Laudrup as the false 9 who was one of the best at that role in history. Over 4 seasons where Barcelona won La Liga 4 times as well as the Champions League, he scored 41 goals from 160 appearances. Roberto Firmino for Liverpool scored 82 goals from 256 appearances as they won the league and Champions League. Both great players, but the stats show they were not prolific finishers due to their role.

 

A false 9 drags players around and makes spaces for wingers, attacking midfielders and other players free from rotations to score from. Like how he combined with Mavididi and put a pass on a plate for Mavididi to score from. You can dislike the system and the manager's tactics, that's entirely fair. But he's performing the role he's been asked to do pretty well overall. But if Marti wants to persevere playing this way, then both wingers and midfielders need to box crash away more often to give us more goal threat. I think the signs are there though, Jordan James got into good positions several times, and Ricardo has been on the score sheet a few times already for a reason. 

 

Carranza might well end up being the better player for the system given that he's faster and better in the air. But Ayew is getting hated on for the wrong reasons. Blame the manager for picking him, not the player for doing what he's been asked to do. 

Ayew isn’t a good false nine either. 
 

Most people don’t have a problem with the role generally, Ayew is terrible traditional striker and barely better as a F9. 
 

He doesn’t create space for others because he positions himself far too deep and too wide, when he receives the ball he ends up orienting himself towards our goal and takes the pace out of attacks.

 

If he was consistently creating chances like the Mavadidi one then fair enough but up to now he has 0.9 xG (mostly from the gift at Oxford) and 1.2 xA - not good enough. 

[Jobyfox]

All this: “it’s not his fault where he’s being played”

”He works hard for the team”

”He’s having a good season” etc. 

 

You can only assess him against the role he’s currently playing. If he’d been playing as a goalkeeper I’m convinced I’d be saying that he’s shite.

 

A striker is assessed on goals, assists, expected goals etc. Guess what? As a number 9 he’s Shite!!! That’s the reality of it 

[James_lcfc]

7 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

There's a lot to unpack here. I could be equally as facetious and say this borders on " typical bumflufferies from a football hipster " but I shan't. 

 

I recognise the tactics of a false 9, or a striker who's main strength is holding the ball up from deep and creating the space. If deployed correctly, then it can pay dividends. But it requires more than just that from the false 9. You don't then not rejoin the attack and that's my main criticism. Whether he's unable or unwilling to attack the box I do not know but it's something we need to figure out if he is going to continue to be picked.

 

First 5 games, the lack of dynamism from the on rushing midfielders was plain to see. Yesterday was mildly better with James looking to break through and I felt Fatawu and Mavididi (then Monga) had more of the ball in 1 v 1 situations than previously this season which requires better movement from the 8s/10 with the 9 to pull the defence out of protecting the full backs.

 

Ayew just is not mobile enough to play the false 9 with the squad we have. There's no coincidence we are currently mid table in goals scored. If we had a KDH to score 15+ off such hold up play then we might get away with it but we don't.

 

I need to look in to Cifuentes track record a little as I have a suspicion his teams don't get the striker role right that often. He never had a goalscorer at QPR but wonder if it was the same at Hammarby and Sandejford.

An old man yelling at clouds would be preferable to a football hipster anyway.

[Chelmofox]

New bloke say next to me yesterday. Every time Ayew got the ball he would shout 'Cmon JORDAN!' Everytime Ayew was near us he would take his photo. Bloody weird. Didn't acknowledge any other players in our team.

 

Started to trigger me a little.

 

When James got subbed off i said loudly 'What the **ck has got to happen for Ayew to get taken off the pitch'.  Guy didn't really say much after that. I probably ruined his day making him realise that Ayew is probably a bit shit.

 

Does that make me a bad person?

[JimJams]

Yes, you horrible shit.

 

That was his Dad.

[Ric Flair]

3 minutes ago, JimJams said:

Yes, you horrible shit.

 

That was his Dad.

Abedi Pele if you will

[adejo92]

I know people complain that he's greedy, and to a degree its hard to argue that too much, but there were a couple of times yesterday he has played people in and they've missed sitters.

 

If my team mates were that sh1t, I probably wouldnt pass either.

 

If professional footballers could do the basics of their job, he'd have 2 assists & be getting praise.

Edited 21 September 2025 by adejo92

[Claridge]

4 minutes ago, adejo92 said:

I know people complain that he's greedy, and to a degree its hard to argue that too much, but there were a couple of times yesterday he has played people in and they've missed sitters.

 

If my team mates were that sh1t, I probably wouldnt pass either.

exactly this we should of won through Ayews pass, the finish by mavadidi was horrific