Ayew, Cordova-Reid, Buonanotte, Mavididi, McAteer ?

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ruud-van-nistelrooys-rationale-jordan-9971845

 

Ruud van Nistelrooy's rationale for Jordan Ayew and Bobby De Cordova-Reid picks may not stack up
The Leicester City manager has been explaining why he has selected the experienced wide duo over the likes of Facundo Buonanotte and Stephy Mavididi in recent weeks

ByJordan Blackwell
07:00, 25 FEB 2025

For the past five games, Jordan Ayew and Bobby De Cordova-Reid have been Leicester City’s starting wingers. It has not been a popular decision.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell if social media anger is restricted to online spheres or is echoed by match-going fans, but the crowd inside the King Power Stadium made their voices clear on Friday night.

When it was announced 10 minutes into the second half that Ayew would be replaced, a huge cheer went up. The noise grew louder when his replacement, Facundo Buonanotte, had his name read out.

 

The Argentinian and one of last season’s stars in Stephy Mavididi are the men that City supporters appear to want on the wings. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s opinion has differed.

Why? Asked last week for his reasons behind Ayew and De Cordova-Reid’s continued selection, he said: “It’s the balance in our team that we have to look for. Creativity and experience and being solid.

“I look for a balance in being solid and not conceding, and then the other side is creating. It depends on the opponent but I look for that balance to reduce goals, of course, but we also have to create. That’s why we have different options on the wings.”

But is van Nistelrooy getting that balance right? City have scored in only three of their last 11 Premier League matches, while they’ve not stemmed the flow of goals against them either.

Here, we take a look at the statistics to see how City’s five wing options – Ayew, De Cordova-Reid, Mavididi, Buonanotte and Kasey McAteer – stack up against each other, with van Nistelrooy's current preferred options trailing in areas where they'd be expected to perform better.

 

Shooting

While Buonanotte and Ayew have scored the same amount of Premier League goals, it is the Argentinian who looks to be the biggest goal threat of the five wingers.

He comfortably takes the most shots per game, and that’s not just because he lets fly from everywhere and anywhere. He has the highest expected goals tally too, while his shots on target rate is only second to De Cordova-Reid.

Ayew ranks second for shots per match, but is tied with McAteer in second for expected goals per match.

 

Creativity

Buonanotte leads the way here too, creating more chances per game than any other City player, even more than star man Bilal El Khannouss.

Mavididi ranks second for chances created but is the most prolific of the wingers for completed passes into the box. Ayew has been the best for completing crosses though.

 

Passing

This is perhaps the first surprise, as it would be assumed that Ayew and De Cordova-Reid, as the safer options, would have the best pass completion rate, retaining the ball and taking the pressure off the defence.

But that’s not the case. In fact, Buonanotte leads the way, slightly ahead of Mavididi, with both on 75 per cent. Ayew is on 72 per cent, while De Cordova-Reid and McAteer are on 70 per cent.

Plus, of the quintet, Mavididi and Buonanotte are the more forward-thinking passers of the ball, completing the most progressive passes per match.

 

Getting into space

City’s wingers need to be an outlet, positioning themselves in space where they can be found by defenders and midfielders.

It is Mavididi who receives the most passes. It’s possibly because he’s the most traditional of the wide options, and is more likely to stick to the flank and not get bogged down in congested central areas. Buonanotte ranks second.

When it comes to receiving progressive passes, McAteer shoots up to join Mavididi at the top. Again, that will be in part because he tends to stick wide, but also because he’s the most likely of the five to make runs in behind, and so most likely to be found with balls over the top.

One statistic that’s not available is how long players keep hold of the ball once they do receive it.

To the naked eye, Ayew does seem to hold up the ball for longer, and when he does, that’s less time the opposition are in possession, and less time City spend defending.

 

Ball-carrying and dribbling

It won’t be a surprise to read that Mavididi is the most prolific carrier of the ball. He takes it forward the most yards per match, while carries into the final third and into penalty area more often than any of his rivals out wide.

It’s a contested battle behind him. Buonanotte is second for carrying the ball forward, but Ayew is second for getting into the final third, while McAteer is just behind Mavididi when it comes to dribbling into the box.

When it comes to taking on defenders, Mavididi and Buonanotte attempt to do so most regularly. Their success rate is similar too.

While Ayew attempts fewer take-ons, his success rate is about the same as Mavididi and Buonanotte’s, whereas McAteer’s success rate is well back, while De Cordova-Reid very rarely tries to beat a man one-on-one.

It should be noted that it’s actually Abdul Fatawu who by far leads the way in all of these categories, but the Ghanaian will not play again this season.

 

Losing the ball

Ayew miscontrols the ball most often of the wingers, with Buonanotte in second. When it comes to being tackled, Buonanotte, Ayew, and Mavididi are dispossessed an even amount.

It’s McAteer that comes out best in this category, the homegrown winger rarely giving up the ball in this manner.

But anybody who has watched City this season could say without checking the statistics that it is Ayew who wins the most free-kicks, and the numbers do back that up.

 

Defending

It’s tough to judge defensive work purely through statistics as so much of the job is dependent on good positioning and quelling danger by forcing the opposition to look for alternative routes.

But in terms of what can be judged, Buonanotte is well ahead when it comes to making tackles and interceptions. McAteer is second, while De Cordova-Reid is way back, the Jamaican rarely making an impact on that side of the game.

Nuanced pressing statistics are not available, but what is known is that Buonanotte and McAteer are best for blocking opposition passes, suggesting they are closing down opponents more effectively.

[AKCJ]

I don't have a particular issue with Ayew.

 

But he has to be the 4th attacker. Almost an enabler to allow more attacking players to flourish. Like an Albrighton or a Perez. Someone that works their arse off to allow others to win you the game.

 

Playing him with BDCR is a waste of time and it's so easy to play against.

[BWRL]

"I look for a balance in being solid and not conceding, and then the other side is creating."

 

Perfectly balanced at doing neither 

[kingcarr21]

No team should be starting a Premier League match with a front 3 that has a combined age of 103. That does not strike fear into any opposition and it allows the opposition to take the front foot with no real threat of conceding. Hence why our defence has really struggled. Teams are happy to take the risk and push on.

 

Nothing personal against Ayew BDR and Vardy, but these players should be giving the team 15-20 mins of maximum output to see games out, yes i include Vardy in that. He should not be starting and playing 90 mins of Prem matches.

 

Personally i would rather see Mavididi, Bounonotte, McAteer, Bilal and Daka starting matches. Daka will never improve if we don't play him. This is why i didnt want to see Cannon go. Personally think he could have done something for us, especially next season in what will most likely be the Championship.

 

The biggest regret of this season is losing Fatawu.

[phoneticerror]

Creativity - Ayew?

[Richmondfox]

This shows that Ruud is over his head, hasn’t got the intellect that a manager needs to be creative/fluid or is a coward.

 

The stats, results and our eyes are matching yet he comes out with the experience reasoning. 

 

 

[Richmondfox]

1 hour ago, kingcarr21 said:

No team should be starting a Premier League match with a front 3 that has a combined age of 103. That does not strike fear into any opposition and it allows the opposition to take the front foot with no real threat of conceding. Hence why our defence has really struggled. Teams are happy to take the risk and push on.

 

Nothing personal against Ayew BDR and Vardy, but these players should be giving the team 15-20 mins of maximum output to see games out, yes i include Vardy in that. He should not be starting and playing 90 mins of Prem matches.

 

Personally i would rather see Mavididi, Bounonotte, McAteer, Bilal and Daka starting matches. Daka will never improve if we don't play him. This is why i didnt want to see Cannon go. Personally think he could have done something for us, especially next season in what will most likely be the Championship.

 

The biggest regret of this season is losing Fatawu.

It’s such a waste of our assets and decreasing any future value by not playing them. They have more room for improvement than dad’s army attack force. I could understand Ruuds logic if the KP donkey sanctuary were doing anything other than pointing, running in mud and giving the ball away. 

[Pliskin]

Don’t give a shit does he? He’s just making shit up. 

[lcfc278]

RvN talks a brilliant game but when it comes down to player selection he's too arrogant - believing that what he thinks will work, will eventually work by repeating the same team selection over and over. 

 

I think the writing was on the wall for me against United in the FA Cup the other week. Ayew and Bobby Reid start, then his only sub on the wing was to bring on McAteer for Reid. With the greatest respect, McAteer is an academy product which is always brilliant to see, but you could tell in the Championship last year he doesn't have what it takes to be a PL player. To leave Mavididi on the bench and then only bring on Buonanotte when Daka got injured just stinks

 

Alarm bells started ringing for me when Ayew was initially linked - Crystal Palace have been very good sat doing just enough to be comfortable in the PL, consolidating their position each year. As soon as we were going after a player that they felt themselves wasn't worth keeping, it was only a matter of time before the whole thing started to collapse. 

[The Doctor]

"Ayew miscontrols the ball most often of the wingers"

 

gee, who could have possibly expected that?

[Gamble92]

I think it was pretty obvious this is reason he's been playing them. Didn't we concede both when Mavididi come on against Arsenal? There's a lot more examples.

 

Not saying it's right but it's not news either. 

 

Both Cooper and Ruud have fallen out with players (allegedly) and been incredibly stubborn in not playing flair players. Cooper with Fatawu and Ruud with Buano.

 

It's absolutely ****ed. I'm actually sick of taking about it all because it's not like in the past where we can discuss solutions to our shit. We are absolutely screwed for years and no one at the club gives a ****. 

[filbertway]

12 minutes ago, Gamble92 said:

I think it was pretty obvious this is reason he's been playing them. Didn't we concede both when Mavididi come on against Arsenal? There's a lot more examples.

 

Watch the first highlight in this and tell me more about Maldini  Ayew's defensive prowess

 

Edited 25 February by filbertway

[Chelmofox]

6 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Watch the first highlight in this and tell me more about Maldini  Ayew's defensive prowess

 

I was at the game, and was gobbed smacked when that happened.

 

Rewatching it, its worse than i remember. You've actually ruined my day. 

[Haywood_6]

10 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Watch the first highlight in this and tell me more about Maldini  Ayew's defensive prowess

 

Goes past him like he's not even there 

[Dahnsouff]

8 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Watch the first highlight in this and tell me more about Maldini  Ayew's defensive prowess

 

Hilariously poor. Was time to take one for the team there. Also, time to punch Ruud so you stop getting picked.

 

I have tried to defend you, but mate. Come on.

[LVFox]

At this point I'd be playing:

McAteer Buonanotte Bilal

 

McAteer mainly as he isn't Ayew or Bobby.

[Gamble92]

19 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Watch the first highlight in this and tell me more about Maldini  Ayew's defensive prowess

 

Like I said I'm not saying he's great at it. He at least tries to get back. The bar isn't very high in case you hadn't noticed 

[filbertway]

7 minutes ago, Gamble92 said:

Like I said I'm not saying he's great at it. He at least tries to get back. The bar isn't very high in case you hadn't noticed 

Mavididi is useless anyway I'd agree on that, he's not got one iota of urgency or awareness in him. Him, Ayew, BDCR all absolutely nothing players.

 

But to not start Facundo with Bilal who are literally the only 2 players with the legs and desire to actually create things is insane.

[MrsJohnMurphy]

15 minutes ago, Gamble92 said:

Like I said I'm not saying he's great at it. He at least tries to get back. The bar isn't very high in case you hadn't noticed 

Does he? Ndidi is about 3 yards behind him and cruises past him

[dmayne7]

2 hours ago, AKCJ said:

I don't have a particular issue with Ayew.

 

But he has to be the 4th attacker. Almost an enabler to allow more attacking players to flourish. Like an Albrighton or a Perez. Someone that works their arse off to allow others to win you the game.

 

Playing him with BDCR is a waste of time and it's so easy to play against.

Spot on. Though Ayew doesn't even work hard, or at least he's incapable of doing so

[StanSP]

12 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Mavididi is useless anyway I'd agree on that, he's not got one iota of urgency or awareness in him. Him, Ayew, BDCR all absolutely nothing players.

 

But to not start Facundo with Bilal who are literally the only 2 players with the legs and desire to actually create things is insane.

Buonanotte did more than enough for me on Friday night to warrant a start on Thursday. 

 

Okay yeah he might not be the finished article and nowhere near perfect but he's a damn sight more forward-thinking and creative than Ayew has ever been. 

[LVFox]

Main issue with Mavididi at the moment is that he cannot play with Kristiansen. They never pass to each other, seems to be awful communication too!

 

Can be fixed by bringing Thomas in, but that doesn't really fix anything 

 

 

[jammie82uk]

12 minutes ago, filbertway said:

But to not start Facundo with Bilal who are literally the only 2 players with the legs and desire to actually create things is insane.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence either that some of the better performances have came while those two are on the pitch together  

[Happy Fox]

Mavididi on the Right wing, Facundo on the left, is surely better than Ayew and Bobby Reid.

[Dahnsouff]

Comparing Facundo and Ayew reveal some slightly surprising things, specifically that their attacking output if remarkably similar over the same number of games, but in the defending element of the game, Facundo is slightly ahead!

Facundo has a higher number of tackles and blocks, Ayew having more clearances and headers. Assume these reflect Ayer’s positioning compared to Facundo’s more energetic style.

it’s always mostly useless comparing individual players in a team, as it hides team performance, but we did concede many more goals with Ayew than with Facundo.