I've found myself defending Iheanacho quite a lot recently, to people who say he's useless, a waste of money and/or that we need another striker.
I point out that he's young.
I point out that he can be very poor but he can also be good, that he's erratic.
I point out that he can finish and knows where the net is, that his goals-to-games ratio is decent.
However, I am finding defending him to be more and more trying. Which is ironic since Fulham found defending against him pretty darned simple during the week.
In recent years, we've seen genuinely good players demanding that they get a place in the starting 11 through their performances on the pitch and taking their opportunities, rather than the manager offering chance after chance until they finally come good. As such, and with Vardy confirmed as injured this weekend, it's time for Iheanacho to take his chances and show the quality that I believe is in there.
Kelechi Iheanacho: Erratic.
posted on 7/12/18
It was a ridiculous signing for £25m and a player Shakespeare at the time didn’t want. We bought him because he was available to be honest. When that happens you’re asking for trouble.
The big problem for me is that he doesn’t fit into Leicesters style of play, which is to have one striker upfront either counter attacking (run in behind) or most recently passing teams to death. Neither works for him.
He’s a natural number 9 who needs bags of service and we don’t create an awful lot from open play. He was perfect for Man City because of the chances created for him, he’s a very good finisher as we’ve seen.
He needs to move on for the sake of his career and for our sake, like Kramaric he’s the wrong fit for us.
posted on 7/12/18
Well, there's no one else!
I think some players need a run of games, I remember Waghorn needed exactly that.
The problem is for players who come in and out for the odd games they have little time to settle down.
The crazy rotation that Puel loves shows this, we'll go into desperately poor mode now he's brought it back, it disrupts the teams flow and momentum with numerous players stepping in and out of the team.
posted on 7/12/18
Odds on to score against us this weekend
posted on 7/12/18
I point out that his ball control leaves a lot to be desired.
Is that going to improve - unlikely?
posted on 8/12/18
comment by Scribe is back (U18092)
posted 10 hours, 35 minutes ago
Odds on to score against us this weekend
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Odds on?
Dude, get a life
posted on 8/12/18
I echo BS’s comments on this. Ian is clearly talented and is probably the most natural finisher we have at the club.
He was brought in as a replacement for Okazaki and for one reason or another, that hasn’t worked out. It looks more and more like he needs to play as a number 9 or a 10 in a front 2.
I feel sorry for him like I do any striker in Puel’s system though. Strikers get confidence from getting goals and being involved in the play. I’m this system, the 9 is often isolated and results in them coming deep to get the ball.
Nacho for me is a very good striker. Whether he’ll ever be one for us though, I don’t know. I think he needs a system change, and that’s not going to happen under Puel.
posted on 8/12/18
I think it's how often he is floating above the different parts of the spectrum that ranges from near awful at times to good. More often than not, he is average to poor IMO with flashes of talent. For me, this is less 'erratic' and more just consistently very average.
However, he does know how to finish but for me, he is a box player, a poacher, finisher, etc. With him upfront, the formation we played last weekend, with Vardy and Maddison, and two wingers <call it what you want - but it was basically us playing 4411 again>, against Watford (which was refreshing and reminiscent at the same time) I just don't see working with Nacho up front. I think we will need to play higher with three behind him, looking for balls into the box and little triangles and almost overloading the area as he looks best when it is crowded and he doesn't have time to think and reacts first time and quicker than the opposition around him.
For me personally, it's a game where I'd consider Okazaki and Maddison.
posted on 8/12/18
He's younger than my son by asix months and i would say not scoring in the second minute takes a lot of getting over when you have the pressure he has on him with his cost and expectations. A run of a couple of games will help even Pipers backed down a bit on his criticism of him and he is still six years off his prime.
How many top strikers are going to be wanting to come hereto play second fiddle to Vardy not a lot.
posted on 8/12/18
"I think we will need to play higher with three behind him, looking for balls into the box and little triangles and almost overloading the area as he looks best when it is crowded and he doesn't have time to think and reacts first time and quicker than the opposition around him. "
Remember when Puel first came, he had three behind Vardy who constantly interchanged causing oppo teams mayhem, Albrighton, Gray and Mahrez and boy didn't we look good.
posted on 8/12/18
not sure erratic is the right word