Wilfred Ndidi is the driving force behind Leicester's surge up the table
The midfielder has made more tackles and more interceptions than any player in Europe’s top leagues this season
By Ben McAleer for WhoScored
Tue 26 Nov 2019


Wilfred Ndidi in action for Leicester City against Liverpool. Photograph: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images

Leicester City have more points now than they did at this stage of the 2015-16 season, when they went on to win the title. They are unlikely to repeat that 5,000-1 success, but they are giving Liverpool the closest run for their money. After a run of five straight victories in which they have conceded just one goal, Leicester are second in the table a point above defending champions Manchester City.

Brendan Rodgers is doing a fantastic job. Since he joined the club in February, only Liverpool (65) and City (58) have picked up more points than Leicester (46). Winning their second title in five years – and the second in their history – may prove a stretch, but qualifying for the Champions League is a realistic target.

Rodgers deserves all the praise that has come his way, as do attacking duo Jamie Vardy and James Maddison. Vardy is the top scorer in the league with 12 goals and Maddison’s fine form earned him his first England cap earlier this month. At the back, Caglar Soyuncu and Jonny Evans have formed a solid partnership, with the departure of Harry Maguire barely noticeable. Leicester have conceded just eight goals in their 13 games so far, the fewest in the league. They have not conceded a goal in their last four matches.

Vardy, Maddison and Soyuncu have made the most headlines but the unheralded star of the show is the tough tackling Wilfred Ndidi. Leicester signed the midfielder from Genk for £15m in January 2017 in the hope he would replace N’Golo Kanté as the ballwinner in the middle of the park. The Nigeria international enjoyed a decent start to life in Leicester, but he has really taken his game to the next level this season under Rodgers. He protects the defence and allows the attacking players to thrive. All in all, the 22-year-old has become the perfect foundation for Leicester to excel in Rodgers’ favoured 4-1-4-1 formation.

Rodgers has an abundance of attacking players, with Ayoze Pérez, Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes all establishing themselves in the team this year and complementing Maddison and Vardy. Pérez has formed an excellent partnership with Ricardo Pereira down the right flank, with Barnes developing a similar understanding with Ben Chilwell down the left. The full-backs are among the best in the league at providing attacking outlets from deep.

All these attacking players are able to hurt opponents because Ndidi is behind them, drifting across the midfield, winning the ball back and recycling possession. He has made more tackles (61) and more interceptions (37) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues this season. The sight of Ndidi pursuing an opponent is not one that Leicester supporters will tire of any time soon.

Ndidi’s passing statistics are not particularly spectacular. He has not set up any goals and his total passes (577) and pass success rate (84.2%) are the sixth best in the squad. He is not in the team to create chances. Ndidi’s role is simple, but that should not diminish his importance to the side. Crowbarring so many attacking players in a Premier League team would be unthinkable were it not for his impact as the midfield anchor.

Ndidi has a measured approach to keeping opponents at bay. Granted, he has committed 19 fouls this season (only 17 players in the league have made more) but he has only been booked once in his 12 appearances, which suggests there is an intelligence to his game. For such a young player, he shows tremendous maturity.

Leicester gave Ndidi a new six-year contract last summer, which looks like an increasingly wise move. If the club are to return to the Champions League, they need him in the centre of the pitch, tracking down opponents and starting attacks. He is not the most glamorous name on the teamsheet, but he may be the most important.

--TheGuardian

TheGoodJoe:


Very nice point.

That is why I have called for our Zone to zone screening process to take place in a more comprehensive manner with the screening time longer than it used to.

This will give the coaches more time to screen and also a chance to see more players. Making the final selections top knotch.

Also, there needs to be a solution to cut out contacts from Agents.

We do this while we work on coming up with a proper youth development system like having a proper inter local government league which will culminate in a National Youth Champions League.

There are a lot to do. Like Academies having their leagues with different levels.

Unfortunately, Pinnick is more interested in globe trotting than carrying out development work in the local scene.

Exactly the NFF are looking for FB players to switch allegiance while the thousands at home are wasting away.

Joebie:
I don't think his form has even been in doubt whenever he is given a run of games.

I hope he will be given a chance in the eagles soon

I think he is also a good goal scorer from the defence

iSlayer:
[s][/s]




Anyi ma ebe isi abia. Chi efobegi n'anya. Na kogheri.

Lol you this guy

U get wahala sha

When Dominic Iorfa left Wolverhampton Wanderers to join Sheffield Wednesday in January, he did so in the hope of making one of the Owls’ centre-half positions his own.

But Iorfa’s Hillsborough career began in the role with which he has been most familiar throughout his professional career – right full-back.

And it was not until Tom Lees – the Wednesday captain and a staple at the heart of the club’s defence since 2014 – dropped out of the XI at the eleventh hour against QPR in August that the towering ex-Wolves man finally made the shift inside.


It is fair to say that he has not looked back, keeping Lees out of the side following the latter’s return (although they should be paired together at Charlton on Saturday due to Julian Börner’s suspension).


And in Wednesday night’s draw with Birmingham Iorfa gave arguably his best display in blue and white – something with which the following Owls fans appear to agree…

(He even provided the assist for Kadeem Harris’s leveller.)





Iorfa has now scored or made one more goal (seven) in 28 Sheffield Wednesday appearances than he managed in 93 for Wolves.

charlesemeka85:
https://twitter.com/EdRyding/status/1199724711493668869


forget eze, ejaria is the real deal!

So what is special in the video clip?
Thanks but no. I go with Eze.

My birthday night life!. I thank God for life!!!

kellycute:
My birthday night life!. I thank God for life!!!

Happy Birthday Iheanacho big uncle

jihday:
Happy Birthday Iheanacho big uncle

hahha. Thank bro

ChrisKels:


BTW, talking about a faceless forum, u once told us u were an Italo born yet ur creche, nursery, primary, sec school and uni were in Imo State, please how did u manage to pull that off bro?

Humility been ask u Dis question the day u were advising someone to run away from Nigeria, but u dodge am

hahahaha. I wan die for laugh!

So Daniel akpeyi won PSL player of the month for October ?

Danycrusoe:
Having read through the thread, I discovered that somethings and people didn't change at all on this thread, like Komekn still discussing Uorfa and how foreign is better than naija born, thesupernerd still modifying people's Nick.

forgiveness still discussing UEFA coefficient, I no even understand that thing, safarigirl is still getting involved in non-football discussion on the thread, well variety is the spice of life, i liked that she spoke the truth about Nigerian feminism and feminists.


Joebie is still pretty much an indifferent fellow, andrewbaba44 still dey, Omanbala still very aggressive in his arguments, Tbaba1234 still efficient as ever.

Icon4s is scarce, where has he been to, don't tell me darkelf changed to Blueelf, Charlesemeka85 and Chriskels still dey and I see some very funny new usernames.


And more importantly, This thread has remained as interesting as ever.


So How did the Super Eagles and Super Falcons fare this year. Which national team was the poorest of all

I rated all of Nigeria's national teams thet were active this year in this article, read and tell me, how true and spot on were the grades?

I'll want to know ur response

Do read, like, comment and share
�
http:///s3dd5019d191128en_ng

I dey bro.

I do more of reading than posting these days except when a National team game is played.

Welcome back

Rockyrascal:
So Daniel akpeyi won PSL player of the month for October ?

September and October (back to back)

Icon4s:


September and October (back to back)

a prophet is not valued in his own country

ChrisKels:


BTW, talking about a faceless forum, u once told us u were an Italo born yet ur creche, nursery, primary, sec school and uni were in Imo State, please how did u manage to pull that off bro?

Humility been ask u Dis question the day u were advising someone to run away from Nigeria, but u dodge am

Haven't u seen a fb profile dt states "lives in Lagos" works in London ?

kellycute:
My birthday night life!. I thank God for life!!!

happy birthday bro.

kellycute:
My birthday night life!. I thank God for life!!!

Happy birthday dear, I wish you long life and prosperity

kellycute:
My birthday night life!. I thank God for life!!!

My Main Man Kelly.... Long life to thee my Jolly good fellow... Bonne Anniversaire

charlesemeka85:
https://twitter.com/EdRyding/status/1199724711493668869


forget eze, ejaria is the real deal!

Have you become Humility017?

kellycute:
My birthday night life!. I thank God for life!!!

Come ! This Man, you are eating alone.

Happy Birthday.

Many more Celebrations to come in your life.

Curtisaxel7:


If you are "not religious", that would mean you do not belong to any religion. And that would automatically make you an atheist.

Religion and god aren't the same. there are irreligious god believers and religious non god believers. Taoism, Buddhism, Jainism are religions that do not involve god while there are many people who believe there's some god but don't believe any of the religions are true. Safarigirl, I presume, belongs to the latter

seankafor:
happy birthday bro.

thank u bro

safarigirl:
Happy birthday dear, I wish you long life and prosperity

Thank you my lady!

TheSuperNerd:


My Main Man Kelly.... Long life to thee my Jolly good fellow... Bonne Anniversaire

thank you nerdy aka the "encyclopedia of niaja football".

TheGoodJoe:


Happy birthday and may God keep blessing you immensely.

Thank you bro

Icon4s:


Come ! This Man, you are eating alone.

Happy Birthday.

Many more Celebrations to come in your life.

amen sir. Eating alone is necessary sometime when you don't really have true friends.

kellycute:
amen sir. Eating alone is necessary sometime when you don't really have true friends.

Hmm...but come to think of it, are there really true friends in life?

Most people are just there because of what they stand to benefit.

You go down and they avoid you like a plague.

safarigirl:
as a man thinketh, so is he.

Hope you have Komekn's permission to use this favourite phrase of his.

I think Dan allows the pressure of impressing Nigerians get to him whenever he stands between the sticks. But whenever he's in SA, seem he has more confidence and peace of mind keeping the post.
He needs to translate his club form to the national team and I think he's the best pair of hands we have now
Congrats to him

Rockyrascal:
So Daniel akpeyi won PSL player of the month for October ?

I think Dan allows the pressure of impressing Nigerians get to him whenever he stands between the sticks. But whenever he's in SA, seem he has more confidence and peace of mind keeping the post.
He needs to translate his club form to the national team and I think he's the best pair of hands we have now
Congrats to him

Rockyrascal:
So Daniel akpeyi won PSL player of the month for October ?

Happy birthday Kellycute

Enjoy your day to the fullest. Worry not, Your future is secured in God's hands