Shinji Okazaki

[MooseBreath]

Pressing high up he pitch? Mate come on, he was running around in it own half all the second half, mostly within 25 yards of our goal, just in front of the midfielders, and again, considering all his pressing is love to know how many interceptions or tackles he made because I don't remember one.

He seems like the type of guy who everytime he goes to catch a bus, it's just going past him as he gets to the bus stop. Always that bit too late.

Yes he was more like a third midfielder today which helped limit their possession. He simply gave them less time on the ball, forcing them to play it early which forced errors and indirectly won us back the ball. When he went off we were back to a midfield two and Utd used the extra space and time to run riot in possession terms.

Andy King would have been a like for like replacement for Okazaki today, but presumably Ranieri wanted to go for the win so brought on a striker who wasn't going to press or track back which might have made us stronger in attack. It didn't work because we weren't able to get the ball back.

[daddylonglegs]

People need to shut the **** up about kram, he's had his chance, he doesnt want it. Okazaki aint exactly what we need but at least he puts a shift in, kramaric is a waste of space and anyone calling for him is wishing on a pipe dream, he aint done shit to earn a call up

a) yeah ffs if ur opinion is different to mine then just go

 

b)proof? looked like he wanted it pretty badly when he was playing on his own in the most hopeless formation away at Everton and Arsenal last year

[Vardinhio]

I said it in the other thread and I'll say it again here, Shinji has got away with so much this season. One good track back v Norwich and he is a hero. He is a striker that never shoots and is so weak I doubt he can even pass it the full length of the pitch. His first touch is poor and he does not fit our fast counter attacking, powerful nature. Today he got bullied and made to look a fool, he wasn't fouled as he wasn't even looking at the ball.

 

Last season Kramaric showed he had some technical ability and there was a time when he was our most dangerous player for example Arsenal away. Him being behind Shinji is a shambles and it needs correcting. At some point Vardy will stop scoring and we can't have a second striker that can't shoot playing in this formation.

[Dan LCFC]

ImBlue's hatred of Okazaki is actually worse than Grewks' of Nugent I can't get my head around it. By all means criticise but you literally bumped this thread to criticise his goal!!! It isn't like he's a Beckford either. He is trying and he isn't completely useless. I've been a bit disappointed by him but I can't understand the hate. Embarrassing stuff.

[Dan LCFC]

I said it in the other thread and I'll say it again here, Shinji has got away with so much this season. One good track back v Norwich and he is a hero. He is a striker that never shoots and is so weak I doubt he can even pass it the full length of the pitch. His first touch is poor and he does not fit our fast counter attacking, powerful nature. Today he got bullied and made to look a fool, he wasn't fouled as he wasn't even looking at the ball.

 

Last season Kramaric showed he had some technical ability and there was a time when he was our most dangerous player for example Arsenal away. Him being being Shinji is a shambles and it needs correcting. At some point Vardy will stop scoring and we can't have a second striker that can't shoot playing in this formation.

 

This statement was used about Nugent last year and I thought it was a good one, and I think it's the same again here - view Okazaki as an attacking midfielder and the perspective changes.

 

He's got quite a unique position to me. He's like a defensive attacking midfielder. Never known anyone quite like it. It's not like he even presses from the front.

[Col city fan]

Loving the argument between the Geordie boy and Foxfanazer! Never seen you so pissed off mate!

The reality is that neither Shinji or Leo are anywhere near Vardy at present in terms of quality. If there is a player this squad needs to recruit before long to maintain our position it's another striker of real quality. If Vardy gets a long term injury, we'll struggle up top. Okazaki much better than Nugent? Nah, not for me. Nugent was very underrated for this club.

[Lestoh]

Losing confidence in Okazaki as the games go on. Does he have a good work rate? Yes. Does he press high? Yes. But despite this, as far as I'm concerned, he doesn't possess the attributes to be an actual goal threat. With that in mind, I still think he should be starting ahead of Kramaric, but Ulloa should be first choice in that role - and even then, we could do much better. Kramaric needs to be offloaded and a new forward who is actually a goal threat brought in asap. We can't rely on Vardrez forever.

[funkyrobot]

What I'm "implying" benpicko is that our fans seem to feel very sentimental towards players that have done well for us, nuge being one - by fail to realise that they aren't the people to take us up a notch.

I seriously cannot believe anybody thinks David Nugent is better than shinji and I'm somebody who is level headed and won't get carried away with a single bad / good performance. Okazaki is on a different league.

Has Shinji demonstrated that he could do what Nuge did against Liverpool? No. None of his performances as of yet have demonstrated he is in a different league. Your basing your opinion on reputation rather than actual performance on the pitch. I don't accept that working hard is a good enough reason to keep your place in the team. It's the one attribute that every able bodied spectator at the game yesterday could have offered if Claudio had asked us to play. Ulloa was far more threatening when he came on and actually had a shot at goal. The only potential opportunity Shinji had in his 60mins, from a great pass, was a ball he controlled the wrong way badly, gifting the ball back to man Utd. The fact he was hooked off so early indicates yet again that he didn't have a great game. He was our weakest player. Fingers crossed he'll come good but at the moment he's not playing well - the fabulous form of Vardy, Mahrez etc means we can carry him at the moment but can he step up if one of those has a dip in form or gets injured? The jury is very much out.

[Nick]

Had a poor game yesterday - some good touches but the majority of times he lacked strength on the ball, poor first touch and a couple of bad decisions.

 

Was more suited to the game arguably than Ulloa so understood why he started.

 

Took everything I had not to spark the fella out behind me who shouted "Get back on the railway's Jap" when he was subbed. He looked genuinely surprised when I told him to STFU.

[Edingleyfox]

Has Shinji demonstrated that he could do what Nuge did against Liverpool? No. None of his performances as of yet have demonstrated he is in a different league. Your basing your opinion on reputation rather than actual performance on the pitch. I don't accept that working hard is a good enough reason to keep your place in the team. It's the one attribute that every able bodied spectator at the game yesterday could have offered if Claudio had asked us to play. Ulloa was far more threatening when he came on and actually had a shot at goal. The only potential opportunity Shinji had in his 60mins, from a great pass, was a ball he controlled the wrong way badly, gifting the ball back to man Utd. The fact he was hooked off so early indicates yet again that he didn't have a great game. He was our weakest player. Fingers crossed he'll come good but at the moment he's not playing well - the fabulous form of Vardy, Mahrez etc means we can carry him at the moment but can he step up if one of those has a dip in form or gets injured? The jury is very much out.

Agree with this. Ulloa has had very few chances this year but has scored one and another disallowed and looks a lot more threatening.He is also good at defending from corners (strange argument perhaps for a striker) but we need more height -seen goals now where Shinji or Simpson have been beaten for size and strength.

[Col city fan]

Had a poor game yesterday - some good touches but the majority of times he lacked strength on the ball, poor first touch and a couple of bad decisions.

Was more suited to the game arguably than Ulloa so understood why he started.

Took everything I had not to spark the fella out behind me who shouted "Get back on the railway's Jap" when he was subbed. He looked genuinely surprised when I told him to STFU.

You showed good control there Nick. I'd have been as fuming as you clearly were.

[Babylon]

I've defended him, but he was bloody awful yesterday.

[ImBlue]

ImBlue's hatred of Okazaki is actually worse than Grewks' of Nugent I can't get my head around it. By all means criticise but you literally bumped this thread to criticise his goal!!! It isn't like he's a Beckford either. He is trying and he isn't completely useless. I've been a bit disappointed by him but I can't understand the hate. Embarrassing stuff.

'He isn't completely useless'

I was sat with a man utd fan at the game that was genuinely diaappointed when Okazaki went off. He completely disagreed with your statement and thought he was doggo. Blue tinted specs on here, as I remembered seeing the same opinion on watfords forum I believe.

[foxfanazer]

Loving the argument between the Geordie boy and Foxfanazer! Never seen you so pissed off mate!

The reality is that neither Shinji or Leo are anywhere near Vardy at present in terms of quality. If there is a player this squad needs to recruit before long to maintain our position it's another striker of real quality. If Vardy gets a long term injury, we'll struggle up top. Okazaki much better than Nugent? Nah, not for me. Nugent was very underrated for this club.

Just irritates me when people start their posts by saying 'if you think this (different to them) then you're a cretin/know nothing about football/not a proper fan etc

Okazaki's inclusion in the team is definitely fair game for debate imo. I struggle to think of a player that offers so little. Nugent was criticised so much on here for similar reasons but because we signed Shinji from Germany for a bit of money he's all of a sudden made excuses for. It's just snobbery imo

[Nick]

I've defended him, but he was bloody awful yesterday.

 

Yup.

[TheUltimateWinner]

Not buying this pressing bullshit to be honest, he didn't do much of that at all yesterday, in fact I even saw Shakespeare shout at him from the touch line to start chasing after he was meant to be tracking his man. Don't think I've ever seen him cover someone either.

Also think he has poor positional awareness, he just sort of sits in space that he doesn't need to.

I've given him time but I just don't see how he deserves a start anymore, the only problem is, who does? We hardly have strength in depth in that area.

[Col city fan]

Not buying this pressing bullshit to be honest, he didn't do much of that at all yesterday, in fact I even saw Shakespeare shout at him from the touch line to start chasing after he was meant to be tracking his man. Don't think I've ever seen him cover someone either.

Also think he has poor positional awareness, he just sort of sits in space that he doesn't need to.

I've given him time but I just don't see how he deserves a start anymore, the only problem is, who does? We hardly have strength in depth in that area.

There's the problem mate...

After Vardy there is no clear first team starter

I was so hoping that player would be Kram..but he seems off the bloody radar.

[weller54]

It's very debatable if this guy's an upgrade on David Nugent!?....

He doesn't appear to be PL quality at all!

[Fox92]

He filled the gap between midfield and striker brilliantly, something Ulloa can't and didn't do. There was a lot of space for Manchester United when Okazaki went off.

 

But we don't look at that do we? He's just shit because he doesn't score goals. That right? You think a fanbase that watched Emile Heskey grow and grow would be more appreciative to a player that does so much for the other players.

[ARM1968]

Tbf I thought Shinji had a decent game. He carried Utd well. Lost the ball s bit too much.

Ulloa should have won it for us. Kasper should have come for that cornet. Shinji should NOT have been marking Basten.

[maxwelld_]

We were a better team with shin on the pitch yesterday. Leo is not mobile enough and doesn't pressure from the front like shin but agree he's a striker and should score more. We are a counter attack side so pressure in midfield is key to wining turnovers and making them count. We need another Kante but an attacking minded tall midfielder and play him in the number 10 role 4-5-1 . This is something we currently don't have and we seem to struggle when teams with height take set pieces as we only really have Huth and Wes with any height if Leo ain't on.

P.s, Leo should of buried that chance in the second half.

[Len Finsbury]

I don't think there'd be quite so much vitriol for Okazaki if he hadn't been marking Sweinsteiger for their equaliser.

 

He might not have made many interceptions yesterday but as a defender, just having a player closing down as much as he does rushes your game. There's no denying that their back three had more of the ball once he went off.

[bluebeau]

As I see it, it is so obvious that we need to sign a striker come January to partner Vardy up front. Shinji is not the answer & I don't

think he ever will be. Yes he is very busy & puts in a lot of work but it doesn't lead to anything.

[foxfanazer]

I don't think there'd be quite so much vitriol for Okazaki if he hadn't been marking Sweinsteiger for their equaliser.

He might not have made many interceptions yesterday but as a defender, just having a player closing down as much as he does rushes your game. There's no denying that their back three had more of the ball once he went off.

He does do that yes but in your honest opinion does that alone warrant a starting place in our team? People mention about us moving on from players like Nugent which I agree with but it feels like we've let a player go for free and spent £7m on a carbon copy (if not worse)

[ithuriel]

Leo is not getting enough first team game time but got into dangerous positions and fluffed his chances but we do know he can score at this level.

Shinji for me links up the play well but is easily muscled off the ball now and quite often loses possession when we are attacking, he looked far better earlier in the season than he does currently.

Personally I think we should be looking at getting another striker in January if there are any available that the scouting team fancy.