Ben Nelson

[GrobyLCFC31]

Ended up walking down to the Oxford’s away ground with an older Oxford fan the other week, 

He couldn’t wait to see Ben Nelson and asked us how he was getting on this season, 

And couldn’t believe it when we told him he hadn’t played a league minute! 

 

Interestingly he played LCB last season for them and as well as being ‘a fantastic old fashioned’ defender, also loved a right footed switch to the RW and through the lines to Brannagan, 

 

Imagine that diagonal ball direct to Abdul’s feet and punch through the line into Winks/JJ on the half turn 

 

Hopefully Marti’s ‘arrogant’ comment gives his an opportunity on Saturday 🤞🏻
 

 

[Tommy G]

57 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Based on what Rowett said about him that seems unlikely doesn't it

Don’t disagree which is why I said might - he could have had a fallout with Marti or not been putting it in during training - we just don’t know. 

[LCFCJohn]

8 hours ago, GorlestonFox said:

It's not but some think he had an inherent right to be in the first 11.

Who has said this? It’s only you saying this. It seems to be the same old ‘senior’ failures that have an inherent right to be picked week after week despite being directly responsible for goals conceded and points dropped. If they were performing well, there’d be a lot less clamour for Nelson to be given a chance. And that’s what it is, it’s not thinking he has an inherent right to be picked, it’s thinking he deserves to be given a chance and not thrown on the scrap heap after one poor 45 minutes.

 

But by the way, yes it is constantly being used as a justification not to give him another chance by people who are obviously anti-youth players being given a chance.

[SafewayFox]

14 hours ago, lcfc_forever said:

He has mate, just look at the stats. Obviously, he was poor for the goal vs Wrexham but he's been our most consistent defender this season. I'm no fan of him after his antics, especially the previous season, but I try to be objective. 

 

He's meant to step up re. that goal vs. West Brom, and it could easily have been prevented had Faes not dived in or Soumare been better positioned. 

Jannik has had moments this season both good and bad.

 

Preston his lack of mobility caused our downfall IMO.

 

Yet against I think Birmingham, he was making big and decisive challenges.

 

I think the Nelson in noise, is due to us all knowing that Jannik/Faes etc aren’t good enough for the PL yet in Nelson, we could have a first choice CB on our hands for the next 10 years.

[Noahfence]

I find the amount of people pulling out the “he was poor at Huddersfield” explanation staggering. 
 

I could understand it if the chuckle brothers at the back hadn’t disgraced themselves for the past year.

 

Footballing Stockholm syndrome. 

[Dahnsouff]

This thread is so busy saying those starting are not good enough, it never examines if Nelson is actually good enough - this seems to be assumed - weird.

[Claudio Fannieri]

I think he is seen as the alternative to Vestergaard, whilst Faes and Okoli are viewed as the partners to either JV or BN, I think we want a ball playing cultured defender alongside a more aggressive partner. Hence why Nelson hasn’t had his oppprtunity as yet, whereas both Faes and Okoli have been inconsistent. 
 

After the Preston game JV had been very good until the 2nd half of the Wrexham match and his awful error for the equaliser, so don’t think he will lose his spot just yet but wouldn’t be shocked to see Nelson given his chance in the coming weeks if Vestergaard has another poor game. 

[Stadt]

5 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

This thread is so busy saying those starting are not good enough, it never examines if Nelson is actually good enough - this seems to be assumed - weird.

He looked good when he played under Maresca in the Championship last time. Oxford fans raved about him.

 

Even if he isn’t as good as Vestergaard or Faes now which is debatable, what about in a year’s time? Then the one after? We have to start thinking years ahead again, it’s the only way to compete.

 

Imagine if we trusted Nelson instead of buying Coady and used that £7m elsewhere? Nelson could hardly have been worse and we may have bought a player better than the shit upfront, an actual 10 or the duds at LB.

[murphy]

2 hours ago, SafewayFox said:

I think the Nelson in noise, is due to us all knowing that Jannik/Faes etc aren’t good enough for the PL yet in Nelson, we could have a first choice CB on our hands for the next 10 years.

Not if we don't play him we won't.  He will be off. 

[murphy]

11 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

This thread is so busy saying those starting are not good enough, it never examines if Nelson is actually good enough - this seems to be assumed - weird.

I think the fact that he was, by all accounts, sensational in this division last year answers that question.   

 

At his stage in his career he will only improve too. 

 

Imagine another scenario.  Imagine, we go up this year playing Lurch and Garfunkel with scant minutes going to Nelson.  We will find ourselves back in the Premier League without a functional defence. 

 

Now imagine we are promoted and have given Nelson a full year in the Championship to develop.  He could be PL ready by then.   We know the other two won't be. 

[Dahnsouff]

5 minutes ago, Stadt said:

He looked good when he played under Maresca in the Championship last time. Oxford fans raved about him.

 

Even if he isn’t as good as Vestergaard or Faes now which is debatable, what about in a year’s time? Then the one after? We have to start thinking years ahead again, it’s the only way to compete.

 

Imagine if we trusted Nelson instead of buying Coady and used that £7m elsewhere? Nelson could hardly have been worse and we may have bought a player better than the shit upfront, an actual 10 or the duds at LB.

Yes, I don't disagree with most of that, but looking that far ahead is not necessarily a luxury the manager has?

We have zero objectivity when it comes to youth, even questioning Nelson suitability results in laughing face emoji (Even from @moore_94 ) which just says "I have  no idea but reasons" )

Of course we want youth to dislodge the older pro's, but maybe when they are ready they will - see Monga 

 

What do people think is happening? The manager is deliberately undermining himself? Think this warrants a 

[Dahnsouff]

Just now, murphy said:

I think the fact that he was, by all accounts, sensational in this division last year answers that question.   

 

...

Of course it doesn`t- this is not last season, he is not Nelson from last season, and we are not Oxford

The scenario is completely different. Why is this so hard to grasp for people, so much so they would rather cry conspiracy.

 

[FoxinNotts]

14 minutes ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

I think he is seen as the alternative to Vestergaard, whilst Faes and Okoli are viewed as the partners to either JV or BN, I think we want a ball playing cultured defender alongside a more aggressive partner. Hence why Nelson hasn’t had his oppprtunity as yet, whereas both Faes and Okoli have been inconsistent. 
 

After the Preston game JV had been very good until the 2nd half of the Wrexham match and his awful error for the equaliser, so don’t think he will lose his spot just yet but wouldn’t be shocked to see Nelson given his chance in the coming weeks if Vestergaard has another poor game. 

Absolutely spot on.

It's Okoli or Faes for one spot

Vestergaard or Nelson for the other spot

To be perfectly honest, in this league, that is a very good pair of options.

I think Center back is not a priority to focus on.

 

Rather we resolved Left Back and number 10 spots with new signings in January, and a striker of course

[moore_94]

Just now, Dahnsouff said:

Yes, I don't disagree with most of that, but looking that far ahead is not necessarily a luxury the manager has?

We have zero objectivity when it comes to youth, even questioning Nelson suitability results in laughing face emoji (Even from @moore_94 ) which just says "I have  no idea but reasons" )

Of course we want youth to dislodge the older pro's, but maybe when they are ready they will - see Monga 

 

What do people think is happening? The manager is deliberately undermining himself? Think this warrants a 

Nelson has already shown he is good enough at this level, it isn’t being assumed.

 

I mean this is the same manager who consistently gives Skipp a go so there is certainly questions around his preference for certain players.

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, moore_94 said:

Nelson has already shown he is good enough at this level, it isn’t being assumed.

 

I mean this is the same manager who consistently gives Skipp a go so there is certainly questions around his preference for certain players.

Whataboutery? Really?

 

This is about Nelson. He was ample (edit - good) for Oxford last season. That does not mean he is sufficient for Leicester this season.

Should be given a go? Yes when adjudged ready.

Edited 3 October 2025 by Dahnsouff

[Noahfence]

25 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

This thread is so busy saying those starting are not good enough, it never examines if Nelson is actually good enough - this seems to be assumed - weird.

I think Nelson is good enough for this level and to start for us. Is that good enough sir? 

[Dahnsouff]

@moore_94 give over  

[moore_94]

1 minute ago, Dahnsouff said:

Whataboutery? Really?

 

This is about Nelson. He was ample (edit - good) for Oxford last season. That does not mean he is sufficient for Leicester this season.

Should be given a go? Yes when adjudged ready.

How is it whataboutery? Martí clearly has blindspots with certain players and I believe that can certainly be applied to the centre backs.

 

You can keep trying to downplay the lad all you like, I believe he is ready and deserves a go already.

[moore_94]

1 minute ago, Dahnsouff said:

@moore_94 give over  

Don’t cry

Edited 3 October 2025 by moore_94

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, Noahfence said:

I think Nelson is good enough for this level and to start for us. Is that good enough sir? 

 

 

[AKCJ]

What frustrates me is that one mistake from a young defender like Nelson or Okoli leads to them being ostracised for months yet Faes and Vestergaard routinely get away with murder without consequence.

 

We should allow the young players the chance to make mistakes and learn from them because it's blindingly obvious that the so-called experienced defenders never, ever learn.

 

If Nelson dives in like Faes did against WBA or if he's outmuscled by someone that's 5 foot **** all like Vestergaard was against Wrexham then he'd never play again.

[urban.spaceman]

8 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

 

 

90s banger. 

[The boy Linacre]

Just play him

He has something to prove, he wants to play for us, he isn't going though the motions knowing he will leave at the end of the season OR taking the coin.

We have primarily dropped 4 pts in the last 2 games because foreign internationals who are insitu repeated mistakes they have made probably at least 10+ times over the last 3 seasons.

I mean Vesty passed straight to a Wrexham player on Tuesday, give the kid a couple of games.

Its up to the other centre half to guide/support/mentor him

[Trav Le Bleu]

27 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Yes, I don't disagree with most of that, but looking that far ahead is not necessarily a luxury the manager has?

We have zero objectivity when it comes to youth, even questioning Nelson suitability results in laughing face emoji (Even from @moore_94 ) which just says "I have  no idea but reasons" )

Of course we want youth to dislodge the older pro's, but maybe when they are ready they will - see Monga 

 

What do people think is happening? The manager is deliberately undermining himself? Think this warrants a 

Weird isn't it, how fans want us to play academy players to develop them for the future, but want results now.

 

When there are arguably better and definitely more experienced players in the team, why would you risk your own future (as a manager), to enhance someone else's? 

 

If we had a better team, then we could afford such luxury, but we don't.

[filbertway]

17 hours ago, GorlestonFox said:

Hang on a minute am I missing something? Wasn't his last appearance an absolute disaster?

In the same game Choudhary nearly gifted 2 goals in the first 10 mins. He gave away a sloppy pen. he also watched their winger cut inside about 15-20 yards and gave him a free shot for the equaliser.

 

He's played almost every game since.

Nelson literally proved himself as a standout for Oxford at this level last season. A couple of errors due to match rust isn't a very good excuse to exclude a promising player that is apparently highly rated by the club.