Has Leicester City’s botched attempt to secure Champions League football soiled what was another impressive year for the evolving Nigerian anchorman?
Without question, Leicester City’s final standing had a ‘What might have been?’ feel to it, owing to how they had looked to have secured a Champions League spot at the halfway point of the campaign.
Indeed, the fact they were 11 points above Manchester United in eighth after 19 games only to end in fifth four points adrift of the Red Devils amplifies their collapse at the end of the extended 2019/20 season.
Even though the Foxes made the semi-final of the League Cup, quarter-final of the FA Cup, scored more goals and conceded fewer this season compared to 18/19, had their first Premier League Golden Boot winner in Jamie Vardy and will be playing in Europe next season, there’s a hint of sadness at how they unravelled since the turn of the year.
There’s an argument that Brendan Rodgers’ side would have taken fifth spot had it been offered to them a year ago, still, given the prolific nature of their start, preseason expectations were probably adjusted following a strong opening to the campaign.
While many continue to mull over the glass half-full or glass half-empty appraisal, the improving Wilfred Ndidi will undoubtedly be pleased with his season, which continued his progression as an all-round midfielder.
Given the 23-year-old arrived from Genk practically as a ball winner capable of scoring the odd cracker, his development since January 2017 has been outstanding.
Unsurprisingly, as has been the case in the two preceding seasons, Ndidi was the top tackler in the division, along with Man United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka with 129. In 17/18 and 18/19, that figure was 138 and 143 respectively.
What makes this year’s volume all the more impressive is because he registered this many retrievals despite the team's shift in style, which was highlighted by the increase in Leicester’s average possession.
In the Nigerian’s first full season, the Foxes' average possession was 48 percent and it just barely crossed the halfway mark last year. However, Rodgers’ troops had a mean of 57.5 percent this year, the fourth-highest in the Premier League, and a major indicator of their change in approach.
Thus, it was hugely impressive that the West African still topped that metric regardless of the alteration of the team’s style in possession. Only Bournemouth’s Diego Rico (84) made more interceptions than Ndidi’s 80, with the anchorman’s reading of the game as sharp as ever.
Nevertheless, the pertinent indicator of the ex-Genk man’s improvement hasn’t been what he’s done without the ball alone, rather his adeptness in possession to match the brutishness in the middle of the park.
According to Fbref, the Nigeria international ranks fifth for passes made excluding dead-ball passes, higher than James Maddison, the side’s creative hub this season. In fairness, the Englishman’s injury towards the end of the campaign probably saw Ndidi edge him in the closing weeks but playing a high quantity of passes in the first place demonstrates his importance in the Foxes’ build-up.
He played 44.4 passes per game, the fourth-highest in the side and an accuracy of 85 percent was a commendable completion rate. Unsurprisingly, the Nigerian completed 87 percent of his attempted passes in Leicester’s half while the decrease to 83 percent in the opposition half was a respectable return.
For passes longer than 25 yards, the mere fact that Ndidi successfully found a teammate 304 times from 376 tries (81% success) showed not all these attempts were short, simple passes. While he sits sixth for percentage success for long passes, only Caglar Soyuncu’s 555 completed passes from 659 efforts was significantly higher (no other colleague with a better completion rate crossed the 100-pass mark).
Furthermore, 138 passes by the 23-year-old defensive midfielder were directed into the final third, only Jonny Evans (144), Maddison (155) and Youri Tielemans (157) attempted more. While the Nigerian didn’t quite attempt as many progressive passes (74) he still sits a respectable eighth when compared with other teammates.
The aforementioned truly highlight the transformation of Ndidi into a more complete midfielder, who not only thrives in the defensive aspects but is now becoming an accomplished player in possession as well.
In truth, it is no surprise he led the way for most blocks (81) while successfully harrying the opponent on the ball more times than any other Leicester player, given that’s what he thrives at doing. The improving adeptness with the ball, however, is why the African is becoming one of the top rounded players in his position.
Indeed, Ndidi’s influence on their play was felt early on in the Foxes’ slump from mid-January to February where he missed five of six league games. Rodgers’ men won none of those fixtures with the 2-1 home defeat by Southampton the perfect representation of how much they lean on the Nigerian.
While he was involved in a few questionable moments post-lockdown – the concession of penalties in damaging defeats by Everton and Bournemouth, especially – the former was a contentious handball while the other originated from Kasper Schmeichel’s poor kick at the Vitality Stadium.
Without a doubt, Ndidi has come on in leaps and bounds since his Premier League debut against Chelsea in January 2017, refining his style to suit the team while not losing his blue-collar tendencies in the process.
The Nigerian anchorman will finally grace European football with Leicester next season, still, it’s a shame it won’t be the Champions League as the continent’s most prestigious competition is where his talent ought to be showcased and where the Foxes seemed destined for before their post-January decline.
Source: Goal
HALLELUYAH NDIDI IS GETTING MORE CREATIVE WITH THE BALL. I MEAN HIS LONG PASSES, PASSING ACCURACY AND PASSES INTO THE FINAL THIRD ARE IMPROVING. If he can improve on his proficiency with the ball and creativity, i can guarantee with all certainty that big clubs will come for him
Edopesin: If you say Senegal I go agree but the rest- Cote d'voire, Egypt, Cameroon, Algeria we should be able to beat these teams any time any day if we approached the match well
See the way we exposed Cameroon in Afcon, Egypt and Cote d'ivoire go collect better beating from our squad if they should play today though I'm not underrating them.
We were unlucky to lose against Algeria and I blame Akpeyi for it, if the game had gone to extra time we wouldn't have lost like that, if rohr no win the next Afcon make he just go dey coach teams like Tanzania or SA or any other small teams not SE
sheyishemba: With player if I may ask Ya talking as if we're Brazil Even with the players Portugal has they're playing balanced system all the players are averaageeeeeee and some are even below averaaaaaageeeeeeee the only thing is they're just prospect
All i know is we are going beyond the group stage of the next world cup. We can pull that off
I don tire for the guy. The guy needs a top 5 league. He has conquered all the other top 10 leagues (turkey and Belgium). He needs to move to world class
TheSuperNerd: This could just be it for Henry. But will Monaco accept? That's the problem. Also, Henry's personal terms with Sassuolo will determine things.
Good thing Sassuolo are looking his way ahead of a possible Boga departure to Napoli most likely.
Really hoping Henry can get back to his best in the new season and prove himself in a top 5 league either in Italy if this move is realised or in France with Monaco if he eventually stays. I think with a new coach in Niko Kovac, Henry has a chance to really prove himself and get a chance this new season. Time will tell.
Danielnino00: To be honest, Lingard is one of those footballers that are lucky to be born in a country where things work... True true,if he was an African, he would be playing in an obscure league A lot of these British players are bang average.. na media hype dy make them famous..
That is what foreign born player worshipers dont understand. These fb are just lucky and they are well marketed.
Edopesin: LOSC Lille have reached an agreement with TP Mazembe to sign 20-year-old striker Jackson Muleka in a deal worth 2 million Euros.
Style stealers One English or Italian club will now sign him for 30mil+ in a couple of years
If we develop our local league. We will have stuff like this. Remembee george finidi from sharks to Ajax. I love mazembe for this. I remember when they reached the world club final
Danielnino00: The midget you have in power has proven to be a tribal and religious bigot,that's why he doesn't seem to care... Just like the dullard at Aso Rock..
Nigeria may be heading for a civil war in the Nearest future if care is not taken. If nothing is done with this hausa/fulani domination agenda (which is not possible) we will split. The problem is that even we yoruba will agree to split. The Hausa cannot bank on us to be so diplomatic again. Igbo and Hausa CANNOT LIVE IN PEACE. Yorubas are the ones keeping this country together. AND NOW EVEN WE YORUBA ARE NOT AFRAID TO SPLIT AND GO OUR WAY Oduduwa republic for life. It is either a regional system of Government or we split. I am tired of all this insincerity
HeavenlyHolines: A times, I wonder the kind of research this people do to get close to animals. Whereas our professors in the same fields can't even hold chickens not to talk of goat
Its sad to say but white people are geberally more enlightened and civilized than us. We are just reading to pass exams
I am not the SE Technical advicer but I am telling things how it is. That is y I earlier said "it is the reality". Nigerian grown players are easier to secure for the national team, so players that have represented Nigeria previously at youth levels and have also continued to churn out good performances are more easily invited to the SE because you don't need all those switch of nationality stuff that take months. Besides, I don't even want to go through all those talks of Foreign born players who have snubbed Nigeria is the past.
That is the problem. It takes too much effort to get foreign born players to play for us. They may snub us anyway. We have to make use of what we have and then we can source for these foreign borns later. We cant keep begging them. Depending on them is uncertain. If they want to join us it is fine. As per midfield we have ishaq abdulrazaq alhassan yusuf and other teenagers who will develop
charlesemeka85: Champions FC Porto are preparing a bid for Zaidu Sanusi, who is now regarded as one of the fastest fullbacks in Portugal.
Porto’s interest in the 23-year-old Nigerian leftback is displayed on the front page of O Jogo today.
The Kebbi-born player is seen as a direct replacement for the Brazilian Alex Telles, who is set to be his way out of the Portuguese champions.
Zaidu, who can also play in central defence, has shone for modest club Santa Clara so much so that newly promoted German Bundesliga club Armenia Bielefeld have also indicated interest to sign him.
He has scored a goal in 23 appearances this season in Portugal.
Now i understand. That napoli president is a clever and greedy business man. He must be as cunning as the proverbial tortise. I think he (not osimhen or his agent) is the one slowing things down. I know they will reach a compromisr anyway
Edopesin: I'm going to pretend I didn't see the bolded
He couldn't even "rack up some game time" in segunda but you already see him displacing Iwobi that gets game time in the EPL
Misspelling his name doesn't change the fact that he will forever bench Nwakali if he doesn't sit up
In nwakalis defense he was NOT ELIGIBLE TO PLAY BECAUSE OF WORK PERMIT LAWS UNTILL FEBUARY. Spains work permit pappers take a long time and do his not playing was not his fault but that of spanish law. I am not saying he is the best but i am just pointing that out.
komekn: In the SE he has had no competition for a very long time. And it suits the style if play in the SE.
At Everton it is a different strategy and style and as a result. He finds himself on the wing. This is the hardest that Iwobi has ever had to work in his football career. His work rate reflects his new team, if you don't work you will be benched.
Well in my opinion iwobi is basically a flair player who is creative. Work rate and stamina are not his strength. Maybe he can play midfield with sigurdsson
According to ogn zaidu sanusi has agreed to join porto. If this is true then that is serious. Porto is a big team in portugal and is respected in European football. If he enters there first team (something kelechi nwakali could not do) then i will respect him and rohr will call him up IMMEDIATELY AND HE MIGHT BENCH COLLINS. That is if he enters porto first team
Hands up if you know Alex Iwobi's best position. Anyone? None of Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery or Marco Silva could figure it out either.
Throughout his professional career, Iwobi has been used on the left, the right and through the middle. That could be seen as versatility, but in Iwobi’s situation, it is most likely due to a limited number of great performances in any given position.
Since Carlo Ancelotti joined Everton in December, the Nigeria international has predominantly played on the right of the Italian's favoured 4-4-2, and has had one of his best performances for the Toffees there. But, much like the majority of Everton’s midfielders, he has struggled to get to grips with his manager's system.
Iwobi does offer exactly what Ancelotti wants defensively from his wide midfielders; hard work and concentration, and he also has an ability to carry the ball up the pitch.
However, his final product leaves a lot to be desired, and he is not someone who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck, instead more of a peripheral figure. Scoring just once in the league this season and failing to pick up an assist, both Silva and Ancelotti have failed to get the best of him.
At Arsenal, Iwobi showed glimpses of being a devastating forward. His first goal for Arsenal - against Everton - was a wonderful combination of speed, drive and composure, and when he was sold it came as a bit of a surprise for many Gunners fans.
In an unsettled Everton side, Iwobi has struggled. But he has on occasion looked as though he could prove to be a valuable investment. His best performance for Everton came at Norwich, undeniably the worst team in the league, where he ran the game from the right of the midfield, showing his trademark dribbling ability and delivering a number of dangerous crosses.
When he is on his game Iwobi can be a real threat. He has an admirable work ethic, always leaving everything on the pitch. He also has incredibly quick feet and developed a habit of pulling off some spectacular nutmegs while at Arsenal. But, as well as his best position remaining a mystery to managers and the man himself, Iwobi is also inconsistent and lacks a real cutting edge.
If Ancelotti is to get the best out of Iwobi, where should he look to play him?
As a left winger under Silva he failed to impress, and under Ancelotti he has generally looked uncomfortable on the right of a midfield four. If you isolate his key attributes - control in tight spaces, driving runs, link play and hard work - Iwobi may be best used as a withdrawn striker.
In the Premier League, players like Roberto Firmino, Alexandre Lacazette and Harry Kane have all thrived as deep-lying forwards. While he is miles off those strikers, Iwobi could utilise his main qualities in this role.
It will be a tough decision for Ancelotti, as Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have both looked very good playing up front for the Toffees.
So where else could he be used?
Against Sheffield United, Gylfi Sigurdsson played back in his usual number ten role, and prospered. But at 31, and his impact on games generally dwindling, Sigurdsson’s days at Everton may be numbered. You can already see him in an Ajax shirt, eh!
Perhaps Iwobi could utilise his wonderful dribbling ability and his tendency to carry the ball forward in that number ten role and Ancelotti could keep Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin in the team too.
Until he is used in these two positions though, Iwobi has to prove - whenever he gets the chance - that he can do a job for Ancelotti’s side, and then maybe he’ll get his chance to shine. --90min
Whoever wrote this article is right. Iwobi is better off as an attacking midfielder or deep lying forward. Its funny to see Nigeria knows this while his coaches in England do not see it
TheSuperNerd: 18yrs old midfield talent, Ishaq Abdulrazak played a pretty impressive 84 mins for Swedish league leaders, Norrkoping in their 2-0 win over Vaebergs BoIS today. It was his first league start after several substitute appearances.
His stats below...
He had 2 key passes. That is nice chance creation is there. Created 2 big chances and 6 successful dribbles. It is encouraging but he can improve. Pass accuracy is a little bit low. He will be a star for the future The coach is really blending him in.
Joebie: If you get the time for this long read, you will hope we can have a similar philosophy in Nigeria. See link below.
FC Nordsjaelland is owned by Ghana's Right to Dream Academy, who have forged their own route for their graduates to follow into the European club scene.
Yeah, that's the proper way to develop football. African kids are good they just need developmental football or a good structure and they will succeed. Football academies in Africa will make an African country win the world cup one day. Hope they come to Nigeria but then we have football academies here and it is really helping us. I want us in Nigeria to forge an agreement with Red Bull Salzburg
Sports › Re: "The Super Eagles Thread: The Road To AFCON 2027, 2028 And 2030 World Cup by Philosopher1979: 6:29pm On Jul 29, 2020
though I'm not underrating them.
