Morning Foxes
A delayed ratings report as it was a late return from Southampton on Saturday and I had family business yesterday.
Schmeichel 7
Didn't have that much to do but was competent with what he did. Not sure how he feels with the zonal marking set-up but it worries me.
Amartey 7
Sorry BS but he had another decent game. He gets even less protection from Ricardo than Simpson used to get from Mahrez and consequently had to deal with most of Redmond's forays single handedly.
Chillwell 8
Excellent. Best game I've seen him play. Solid at the back and positive going forward.
Morgan 7
Solid performance generally.
Maguire 9
MOTM. A rock at the back all day and seemed determined to drive everyone forward to get the win when they went to 10 men. The goal capped a fine display.
Ricardo 5
Not his day. Never got in the game and lost possession numerous times.
Ndidi 6
Reasonable performance but has played better. Another who looked ponderous in possession sometimes.
Mendy 5
I wanted him to do well but looked off the pace and struggled to make impact.
Gray 5
Very disappointing from Gray who had a shocking game. Would have scored lower but for the goal.
Madison 4
Too busy tidying his hair and strutting for the cameras. He's a very good player but not yet as good as thinks he is and needs to buckle down and work harder when he's struggling.
Iheanacho 3
Just very very poor. Isolated but did nothing to justify his place.
Overall some very low scores except in defence and the feeling in the stands was that we were very lucky to get all 3 points.
Word on the Referee. The dismal John Moss for once favoured us instead of the opposition. Another sign of our south coast luck.
Match Ratings
posted on 28/8/18
On the Mendy debate, that comment strikes me as everything that is wrong with our current play.
Yes Mendy has had two “decent” games. Decent. That’s it. But all of a sudden some people are fawning over him because it’s not rubbish like he used to be. But in my mind he’s still not good enough. If it was Mendy’s job to do all the hard work to make our real class midfielder (Ndidi) have the time and space to create things, it failed, because he didn’t.
If it was his job to recycle the ball fast, get us on the front foot and create things. He failed, because he didn’t.
If his job was to protect the back 4 like Kante then that’s laughable. Kante is a French World Cup winner and two time premier league champion.
Remind me what Mendy has won?
Let’s not begin to celebrate mediocrity because “it’s slightly better than Andy King”.
Mendy has been “ok”. He may get better, but he’s not like Periera, Ndidi and Maddison who clearly have ability and potential.
Perspective.
posted on 28/8/18
“…. he has Mendy plating like Kante.”
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posted on 28/8/18
Maybe this wasn’t a spelling mistake and Nev was actually suggesting that Kante and Mendy are equally adept at applying metal to suitably conducive surfaces?
That would make more sense.
posted on 28/8/18
"Let’s not begin to celebrate mediocrity because “it’s slightly better than Andy King”."
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I've got my eye on you, Mersey.
posted on 28/8/18
To be fair to Nev he probably meant that Mendy is playing the Kante role rather than literally like Kante, being a pest in midfield, knicking the ball and laying it off.
The problem is once he does that we’re still keeping possession with sideways and backwards possession rather than the Drinkwater etc through ball putting us in attack.
I seem to remember that Kante didn’t pull up any teees in his first few games so let’s give Mendy a bit of time, they’ll probably never be another Kante but there could be a Mendy we rave about in the future.
posted on 28/8/18
there will only ever be one Kante but as TB pointed out in the Wolves i and others could see Mendy doing a similar role but if you did not see or don't want to see it then its just an opinion and as valid as anyone else s on here.
posted on 28/8/18
🎣
posted on 28/8/18
Kante looked utter class right from his introduction against Bury in the cup. He had to wait for his chance but took it immediately.
Willing to give Mendy time. I think he’s decent. But if his role is to be Kante then Ndidi needs to be more free to get closer to Maddison. Mendy doesn’t look like he’s enabling that at all.
posted on 28/8/18
comment by Nevsaysagoal2city (U5194)
posted 5 hours, 54 minutes ago
there will only ever be one Kante but as TB pointed out in the Wolves i and others could see Mendy doing a similar role but if you did not see or don't want to see it then its just an opinion and as valid as anyone else s on here.
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I thought Mendy had a reasonable game against Wolves.
posted on 29/8/18
comment by nuneaton_fox (U7936)
posted 15 hours, 26 minutes ago
comment by Nevsaysagoal2city (U5194)
posted 5 hours, 54 minutes ago
there will only ever be one Kante but as TB pointed out in the Wolves i and others could see Mendy doing a similar role but if you did not see or don't want to see it then its just an opinion and as valid as anyone else s on here.
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I thought Mendy had a reasonable game against Wolves.
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Yes, I agree. I thought he was steady.