hatakekakashi:

Exactly. Most of those passes are between him and his CB patner, that's why he has 90% pass accuracy.

Stats says otherwise. Ndidi has good numbers in accuracy of passes whether as a CD or DM.
It should interest you that Ndidi's percentage of accurate passes in the opposition's half is at 81% and that is astonishing for someone reputed as being a poor passer of the ball.

Meliforme:


Stats says otherwise. Ndidi has good numbers in accuracy of passes whether as a CD or DM.
It should interest you that Ndidi's percentage of accurate passes in the opposition's half is at 81% and that is astonishing for someone reputed as being a poor passer of the ball.

Has he hit 90% pass accuracy playing as a DM before? And that 81% he had in the opposition half, are they final passes or chance creating passes, or he just passed to nearby teammates. People like Neves, FDJ are also DMs, you know?

The first thing you need to understand is that this is not a campaign against Ndidi.

Another thing you need to know is that probably no one on this thread has defended Ndidi as CDM more than I have using very well detailed analyses and posts. Do you remember the "Ndidi is not world class" argument?? I defended Ndidi. Do you remember the "Ndidi vs Partey" debate?? I was also there.

So obviously, me saying what I say now is from a place of unbiased observation made overtime.
Ndidi is my man and I have observed his game without sentiments. Lad has not made leaps of improvements in his ballplaying. He is not progressive enough. He doesn't drive his teams forward when needed. He is a Destroyer DM. A ball winning CDM. That is Ndidi.

Lastly, we are talking something that will help the team become better with time. Let us leave out sentiments and talk actual traits and abilities of the players and the tactical implications involved.

The lad, Ndidi is Defensively ELITE. Has commanded some of the very best defensive actions numbers for the last couple of years across the Top 5 leagues and specifically in the EPL but his ball-playing numbers and showings are not encouraging AT ALL when viewed with keen unbiased lenses.

2020/21 Ndidi is the closest we have seen Ndidi to showing any kind of improvement and even that Version of Ndidi was still lacking things in the progressive and Ballplaying aspects. Finito.

zicky:
I don't really understand this latest campaign against Ndidi, waa yesterday the first time he's playing as a make shift cb for Leicester. All of a sudden Ndidi is now the reason Nigeria don't play well. Some people are trying to push a narrative to portray Ndidi as not good in his role as a dm anymore.

Lol... That is exactly why I left the GK slot EMPTY.

As things stand now, we just don't have a reliable GK.

zuchyblink:
Exactly my line up. Aribo or Chukwueze. GK is almighty God

Meliforme:


Stats says otherwise. Ndidi has good numbers in accuracy of passes whether as a CD or DM.
It should interest you that Ndidi's percentage of accurate passes in the opposition's half is at 81% and that is astonishing for someone reputed as being a poor passer of the ball.

Below is a Breakdown of Ndidi's pass-types this season so far.. 81% passes in the opposition half is the whole picture but the wrong perspective. Sofascore didn't tell you how many are forward or backward or sideway passes.

According to Squawka using Opta data, we have:

Forward passes - 69
Backward passes - 30
Sideway passes - 162.


Also, Ndidi has completed 230 passes this 22/23 EPL season so far... only 2 are long passes.

Short passes - 228
Long passes - 2

Zero Through balls. Zero lines-breaking. Non-progressives.

I could even compare Ndidi's best season (20/21) to a random MF like let's say Idrissa Gueye also in 2020/21 and the passing Stats will not be funny.

TheGoodJoe:


Who let the MONSTER out? This was phenomenal.

To the best of my knowledge, Ndidi started as a central defender. Maybe, he is being played off position.

How many times have I said it here Ndidi is played out of position. That DM position is killing his confidence because he can't carry the ball

TheSuperNerd:


Below is a Breakdown of Ndidi's pass-types this season so far.. 81% passes in the opposition half is the whole picture but the wrong perspective. Sofascore didn't tell you how many are forward or backward or sideway passes.

According to Squawka using Opta data, we have:

Forward passes - 69
Backward passes - 30
Sideway passes - 162.


Also, Ndidi has completed 230 passes this 22/23 EPL season so far... only 2 are long passes.

Short passes - 228
Long passes - 2

Zero Through balls. Zero lines-breaking. Non-progressives.

I could even compare Ndidi's best season (20/21) to a random MF like let's say Idrissa Gueye also in 2020/21 and the passing Stats will not be funny.

People are quick to quote statistics but statistics can blindside you. There are many factors statistics dont cover.

TheSuperNerd:
Meet Raphael Onyedika: Club Brugge's New Boy and CDM/CM pearl


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGD102H879k
Just 2mins 40 secs of your time.




And below are a few Lineup options featuring Raphael Onyedika Nwadike in the near future as CDM considering that Ndidi is moved to CB. This is just 4 out of the many possibilities I've been considering and analysed personally. I could paste all in one post but 4 is allowed per post. Have your say, if you must.

Personally, Moses Simon will not start a game for me including Aribo.

And to be fair, it's just 5 games into the current EPL season, so yeah, Zero throughballs is not a red flag. That MAY still come. Afterall, Ndidi attempted 2 throughballs last season. Couldn't complete the season too because of injury.

And in 2020/21, he attempted 1 throughball. So yeah, let the 22/23 season run its course before looking at Throughballs.

But part of my issue is even on his short passes - long passes ratio

His passing range is limited.

228 short passes : 2 long passes.

Damn!

TheSuperNerd:


Below is a Breakdown of Ndidi's pass-types this season so far.. 81% passes in the opposition half is the whole picture but the wrong perspective. Sofascore didn't tell you how many are forward or backward or sideway passes.

According to Squawka using Opta data, we have:

Forward passes - 69
Backward passes - 30
Sideway passes - 162.


Also, Ndidi has completed 230 passes this 22/23 EPL season so far... only 2 are long passes.

Short passes - 228
Long passes - 2

Zero Through balls. Zero lines-breaking. Non-progressives.

I could even compare Ndidi's best season (20/21) to a random MF like let's say Idrissa Gueye also in 2020/21 and the passing Stats will not be funny.

Sadiq Umar makes his first Squad list at Real Sociedad

Sadiq makes the Squad of 24 ahead of Sociedad's home game in La Liga tomorrow vs Atletico Madrid.

I believe his knee concerns from his medicals yesterday are minor so he's good to go.

18 y/o GK, Mark Nnamdi Ugboh Officially promoted to FC Midtjylland's First Team. Signs new 5 years deal

A GK Talent to look forward to.

Feature: 18 y/o Mark Nnamdi Ugboh

GOALKEEPING TALENT EXTENDS AND IS PERMANENTLY PROMOTED

The 18-year-old Nigerian goalkeeper, Mark Ugboh, has signed a five-year contract extension. At the same time, he is permanently promoted to the first team squad.

In January, FCM signed the young goalkeeper, Mark Ugboh, from the partner club FC Ebedei.
Since then, Ugboh has made his presence felt in the U19 team, just as he has regularly trained with the first team and sat on the bench in the Champions League qualifiers against AEK Larnaca and SL Benfica.

Now the club has seen enough to equip the Nigerian goalkeeper with a five-year contract extension. At the same time, he is promoted to the first team squad on a permanent basis.

- Mark is now ready to take the next step in his development and become a permanent part of the first team. Mark completes our goalkeeping team, so that with Elias Olafsson, Jonas Lössl and him we have a good combination of talent and experience, says sporting director Svend Graversen and continues:

- He is an exciting talent with a number of good facets in his game. At the same time, we are happy to be able to implement the first goalkeeper from FC Ebedei in FCM's first team. We look forward to following his development over the next few years, where he will be matched at an even higher level every day.

Mark Ugboh is also very happy about the contract extension, and he is now looking forward to taking the next step in his development.

- It really is a great privilege to train with the first team. When I came here I didn't think it would go so fast and I'm really happy with the improvements I've made. At the same time, I am incredibly proud to have signed a new contract, says Mark Ugboh and continues:

- I am part of a goalkeeping team with two incredibly strong goalkeepers, and I can learn a lot from them. During training they do well and I try to copy them. I'm sure I'll get even better from training with them.


A NATURAL GOALKEEPING TALENT

Goalkeeper coach Lasse Heinze sees great light in Mark Ugboh, and it is now FCM's task to take him to the next step.

- Mark has developed a lot in the last six months. There is still a long way to go, but when he came up here, he had never been given a goalkeeping role before. All the things he possessed were all something he had learned himself. Some of those things are not something you just learn. In the past year, we have focused particularly on his technical level, and he has really embraced that, and he is moving all the time.

- We believe in him, just as we believe in all our other goalkeepers from the academy. Now we need to have further developed Mark, so that hopefully one day he will play matches inside the MCH Arena. He is a calm goalkeeper who, despite his young age, looks like someone who has been in goal all his life. He is an offensive-minded goalkeeper and he has many of the basic things we want to see from our keepers.

The 18-year-old goalkeeper talent has played seven matches for the U19 team, in which he has kept a clean sheet in five of the matches. Six of the matches have been won, while only one has been lost.


Courtesy: FCM.

Transfer News: Ahmed Musa Joins Sivasspor

Ahmed Musa signs for Sivasspor. 2 yrs deal and will therefore feature in the Uefa Europa Conference League.

TheSuperNerd:
Transfer News: Ahmed Musa Joins Sivasspor

Ahmed Musa signs for Sivasspor. 2 yrs deal and will therefore feature in the Uefa Europa Conference League.

How about collins yira sor to genk. What is going on with it

TheSuperNerd:
Meet Raphael Onyedika: Club Brugge's New Boy and CDM/CM pearl


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGD102H879k
Just 2mins 40 secs of your time.




And below are a few Lineup options featuring Raphael Onyedika Nwadike in the near future as CDM considering that Ndidi is moved to CB. This is just 4 out of the many possibilities I've been considering and analysed personally. I could paste all in one post but 4 is allowed per post. Have your say, if you must.

Paserio will never play three at the back. It's a disrespect not having Onyeka in those line ups. Yusuf, Nwakali, and Onyedika can never start ahead of Onyeka, Aribo, Bonke, and Etebo. Etebo will continue as the team DM when fit. Iheanacho will make the team. Okereke is knocking on the door!

Onyeka? Disrespect? I am here knocking Ndidi for his underpar ball-playing and bang average progressive plays and you bring up Frank Onyeka??

Come on now, Onyeka is Far Worse!! Lol


And I just put it out there... 3 at the back is a possibility I had to show as well because I already mentioned that I made so many analytical possibilities on formations and personnel based on the technical and tactical qualities of the players we have. I only just showed 4.

fabyom:
Paserio will never play three at the back. It's a disrespect not having Onyeka in those line ups. Yusuf, Nwakali, and Onyedika can never start ahead of Onyeka, Aribo, Bonke, and Etebo. Etebo will continue as the team DM when fit. Iheanacho will make the team. Okereke is knocking on the door!

Heard nothing on that so far as at deadline day.

The links were there leading up to like 3 days before Deadline day and the lad wanted it but looks like it's been held up.

Will know for sure by this weekend, I guess.

Philosopher1979:


How about collins yira sor to genk. What is going on with it

TheSuperNerd:
Onyeka? Disrespect? I am here knocking Ndidi for his underpar ball-playing and bang average progressive plays and you bring up Frank Onyeka??

Come on now, Onyeka is Far Worse!! Lol


And I just put it out there... 3 at the back is a possibility I had to show as well because I already mentioned that I made so many analytical possibilities on formations and personnel based on the technical and tactical qualities of the players we have. I only just showed 4.

Onyeka is not “far worse“. His passing may be average, but his is our best midfield progressive carrier of the ball and playing with him is like playing with two men on the pitch.

Kante can barely thread a through pass, doesn’t mean he is not the best CM of all time.

All Smiles, Sadiq #25

drDoom3:


Onyeka is not “far worse“. His passing may be average, but his is our best midfield progressive carrier of the ball and playing with him is like playing with two men on the pitch.

Kante can barely thread a through pass, doesn’t mean he is not the best CM of all time.

Onyeka has just been unlucky with injuries at the wrong times e.g against Ghana when he was becoming a mainstay in the Brentford squad and also with going to AFCON when he was breaking into the first team consistently.

Onyeka is still ahead of Onyedika, Alhassan and co.

Lol... Onyeka, our best MF progressive carrier? Can you back this up?

Onyeka is a willing runner off the ball. A Monster in ball duels. A workrate soldier who covers grounds but he is no ball carrier. He is no lines-breaking passer. He only breaks lines with his runs off the ball not with his runs/movements on the ball.

His ball playing is poor and far worse compared to Ndidi.

So show me a game where he stood out as our Best Midfield progressive ball carrier.

drDoom3:


Onyeka is not “far worse“. His passing may be average, but his is our best midfield progressive carrier of the ball and playing with him is like playing with two men on the pitch.

Kante can barely thread a through pass, doesn’t mean he is not the best CM of all time.

drDoom3:


Onyeka has just been unlucky with injuries at the wrong times e.g against Ghana when he was becoming a mainstay in the Brentford squad and also with going to AFCON when he was breaking into the first team consistently.

Onyeka is still ahead of Onyedika, Alhassan and co.

Ahead in what exactly? Elucidate.

And Kante attempted 8 throughball passes last season in the PL. So what are you saying?

drDoom3:


Onyeka is not “far worse“. His passing may be average, but his is our best midfield progressive carrier of the ball and playing with him is like playing with two men on the pitch.

Kante can barely thread a through pass, doesn’t mean he is not the best CM of all time.

TheSuperNerd:
All Smiles, Sadiq #25

Sadiq umar ball play making skills set him apart from other nigerian forwards. He is the most technically astute forward we have. He has 19 assists over 2 seasons and some midfielders are not this creative.
At a stage man city a tiki taka team were once interested in him and he has been compared to kanu nwankwo before.
This is one of the things European clubs see in him that they are rushing him.

100% Right.

This, I definitely agree with.

Even My Man, Osimhen falls short here with respect to Sadiq's ballplaying ability. That's the truth.

Osimhen is good on the ball. Technically decent and has fine ball control on his day but compared to Sadiq... naaah... Sadiq trumps all Nigerian CFs here.

The only thing is Osimhen is just more well rounded and more complete than all the others including Sadiq.

But Technically/Ball-playingly ALONE, Sadiq is KING of the Nigerian Strikers.

And watch out for Victor Boniface as well.

Well said, Man.

Philosopher1979:


Sadiq umar ball play making skills set him apart from other nigerian forwards He is the most technically astute forward we have. He has 19 assists over 2 seasons and some midfielders are not this creative.
At a stage man city a tiki taka team were once interested in him and he has been compared to kanu nwankwo before.
This is one of the things European clubs see in him that they are rushing him.

hatakekakashi:

Exactly. Most of those passes are between him and his CB patner, that's why he has 90% pass accuracy.

I'm not talking of the passes but the defensive numbers.
Anybody who looks at pass accuracy to gauge pass ability doesn't know ball.
De Bryune is the best passer in the world. Yet passing accuracy is 80%.

TheSuperNerd:
All Smiles, Sadiq #25

Our dongo. Blue fit am.

TheSuperNerd:
Transfer News: Ahmed Musa Joins Sivasspor

Ahmed Musa signs for Sivasspor. 2 yrs deal and will therefore feature in the Uefa Europa Conference League.

Sivasspor building an NFL Turkish branch.
Leke, Kayode, Musa.

Danielnino00:
So,no moves for Etebo and Ekong...

Turkey is the goal.

@Bolded... I can tell you the one game responsible for this aberration.

De Bruyne vs Crystal Palace. The 4-2 game. Damn, my Guy Kevin "De Brains" was not in his elements that day. He misplaced close to 20 passes. Very unlike him.

And you are right... Passing accuracy does not reveal passing ability. This has been cleared.
I mean, CBs are always likely to statpad in this metric and hit 95% even. Doesn't make them better passers than their midfielders.

Laporte was Man city's top man last season in Passing accuracy but does thay make him a better passer than KDB or Rodri? TheGoodJoe will roast me if I dare think of yes.

So that's since settled.




On a flip note though...
One fact that still makes me go like wow... although I understand why, is this:

Toni Kroos has never gone below 90% passing accuracy in a single la liga season since he joined Madrid. Since 2014/15 season, I believe, that German genius be scoring 90+. German Efficiency.

TheLoneCitizen:


I'm not talking of the passes but the defensive numbers.
Anybody who looks at pass accuracy to gauge pass ability doesn't know ball.
De Bryune is the best passer in the world. Yet passing accuracy is 80%.

Huh? Kayode? Was he loaned back to Sivasspor from Shakhtar? I must have missed that.

Leke James and Musa... yup.

TheLoneCitizen:


Sivasspor building an NFL Turkish branch.
Leke, Kayode, Musa.