Kelechi and Ndidi against Man City

[YemiBrazil]

Soyunchu missed for Leicester

[YemiBrazil]

Man City through

[okidoki]

Professional team, playing penalties like my younger sister.

[txj]

What is with all this business of stutter steps to take a PK?

[Flex Swift]

I went back to watch highlights of the first game of the 2013 u17 FIFA World Cup and now believe certain aspects of both Nacho and Success game has been coached out of them.

[Polly]

What is with all this business of stutter steps to take a PK?

I hate stutter steps. The practice brings a secondary element into play. The standard used to be that every player approached the ball in a smooth, even if slow run, to strike the ball. The stuttering is an unfortunate manipulation of the rule.

[Damunk]

I went back to watch highlights of the first game of the 2013 u17 FIFA World Cup and now believe certain aspects of both Nacho and Success game has been coached out of them.

You too, you see am?
I've asked here before....how does one lose those basics skills in the adult game?
How does this so-called 'first touch' abandon a player just because he is playing senior football?
- The laws of motion and gravity remain the same.
- The ball is no heavier and does not move any faster or differently.
- His foot-eye coordination shouldn't be any worse than it was as a youth player.

We are talking about first touch, not what he is able to do with the ball thereafter - which would obviously be subject to the level at which he is playing and the quality of the opposition.
First touch is a pretty basic skill.
I don't get it

[oloye]

I went back to watch highlights of the first game of the 2013 u17 FIFA World Cup and now believe certain aspects of both Nacho and Success game has been coached out of them.

You too, you see am?
I've asked here before....how does one lose those basics skills in the adult game?
How does this so-called 'first touch' abandon a player just because he is playing senior football?
- The laws of motion and gravity remain the same.
- The ball is no heavier and does not move any faster or differently.
- His foot-eye coordination shouldn't be any worse than it was as a youth player.

We are talking about first touch, not what he is able to do with the ball thereafter - which would obviously be subject to the level at which he is playing and the quality of the opposition.
First touch is a pretty basic skill.
I don't get it

The game is faster, more strength is required, more pressure is exerted upon you and a quicker response is demanded... Trust me Damunk those things can make you look bad if you do not adjust quickly enough. There is a reason teams play 5 aside, 2v 2, 3v3 games within confined spaces in training... It is to highlight the need to think and respond quickly.

I hear that things have been coached out of them, why was this not coached out of Ndidi, why was this not coached out of Okocha or Kanu?

The simple truth is there are no guarantees that what you see in a player at u17 will automatically be carried over to the adult phase of development in the game, for every Nacho that is struggling at this level, thousands or even millions did not even make it past the u17 level.

Our boys are just struggling to make it to the next level. Even when he was scoring goals at City, I have always maintained that his general overall game was non existent, some called me names at the time.

If he was still scoring goals, no one would be complaining, that is the simple truth, his game outside o65f scoring goals is below average and even that is not consistent enough.... There in lies the problem.

[shaq]

Funny, I was just thinking that the speed of the Premier league may be the issue with Nacho, plus he also seems to lack a center of gravity, with the way he topples over easy (or perhaps its just a technique issue).

Whatever the case, he seems to have regressed quite a bit.

[1naija]

Funny, I was just thinking that the speed of the Premier league may be the issue with Nacho, plus he also seems to lack a center of gravity, with the way he topples over easy (or perhaps its just a technique issue).

Whatever the case, he seems to have regressed quite a bit.

A team missed 3 whole penarities, but na regression you dey tok about? Your head dey house so?

[Enugu II]

I went back to watch highlights of the first game of the 2013 u17 FIFA World Cup and now believe certain aspects of both Nacho and Success game has been coached out of them.

You too, you see am?
I've asked here before....how does one lose those basics skills in the adult game?
How does this so-called 'first touch' abandon a player just because he is playing senior football?
- The laws of motion and gravity remain the same.
- The ball is no heavier and does not move any faster or differently.
- His foot-eye coordination shouldn't be any worse than it was as a youth player.

We are talking about first touch, not what he is able to do with the ball thereafter - which would obviously be subject to the level at which he is playing and the quality of the opposition.
First touch is a pretty basic skill.
I don't get it

The game is faster, more strength is required, more pressure is exerted upon you and a quicker response is demanded... Trust me Damunk those things can make you look bad if you do not adjust quickly enough. There is a reason teams play 5 aside, 2v 2, 3v3 games within confined spaces in training... It is to highlight the need to think and respond quickly.

I hear that things have been coached out of them, why was this not coached out of Ndidi, why was this not coached out of Okocha or Kanu?

The simple truth is there are no guarantees that what you see in a player at u17 will automatically be carried over to the adult phase of development in the game, for every Nacho that is struggling at this level, thousands or even millions did not even make it past the u17 level.

Our boys are just struggling to make it to the next level. Even when he was scoring goals at City, I have always maintained that his general overall game was non existent, some called me names at the time.

If he was still scoring goals, no one would be complaining, that is the simple truth, his game outside o65f scoring goals is below average and even that is not consistent enough.... There in lies the problem.

KPOM. Nothing else needs to be added. This is why it is important to see a guy play against the big boys before making a claim on what he can do at the next level.

[Rawlings]

I went back to watch highlights of the first game of the 2013 u17 FIFA World Cup and now believe certain aspects of both Nacho and Success game has been coached out of them.

Or maybe, they now have to deal with their age mates and it's not easy

[shaq]

Funny, I was just thinking that the speed of the Premier league may be the issue with Nacho, plus he also seems to lack a center of gravity, with the way he topples over easy (or perhaps its just a technique issue).

Whatever the case, he seems to have regressed quite a bit.

A team missed 3 whole penarities, but na regression you dey tok about? Your head dey house so?

I'm only concerned about the naija players. The Leicester Team na yeye.

[Rawlings]

Funny, I was just thinking that the speed of the Premier league may be the issue with Nacho, plus he also seems to lack a center of gravity, with the way he topples over easy (or perhaps its just a technique issue).

Whatever the case, he seems to have regressed quite a bit.

A team missed 3 whole penarities, but na regression you dey tok about? Your head dey house so?

I'm only concerned about the naija players. The Leicester Team na yeye.

So, naija players can only make yeye team lineups?

[Sunset]

I went back to watch highlights of the first game of the 2013 u17 FIFA World Cup and now believe certain aspects of both Nacho and Success game has been coached out of them.

You too, you see am?
I've asked here before....how does one lose those basics skills in the adult game?
How does this so-called 'first touch' abandon a player just because he is playing senior football?
- The laws of motion and gravity remain the same.
- The ball is no heavier and does not move any faster or differently.
- His foot-eye coordination shouldn't be any worse than it was as a youth player.

We are talking about first touch, not what he is able to do with the ball thereafter - which would obviously be subject to the level at which he is playing and the quality of the opposition.
First touch is a pretty basic skill.
I don't get it

No one is saying he lost any of those attributes, it's more that he hasn't adapted his game to suit the physicality and intensity of senior football. Just compare his mere presence on the pitch to the likes of Ndidi or even Success, he is just so complacent and theres no sense of urgency to it (a horrible combination to have in English football).

Personally I feel his top-class technique and finishing made him complacent in improving the rest of his game, and the EPL is one league where you don't want to be lacking physically. I also feel he needs to go to somewhere like La Liga where there is probably less physical pressure with an emphasis on possession

[Damunk]

The game is faster, more strength is required, more pressure is exerted upon you and a quicker response is demanded... Trust me Damunk those things can make you look bad if you do not adjust quickly enough. There is a reason teams play 5 aside, 2v 2, 3v3 games within confined spaces in training... It is to highlight the need to think and respond quickly.

Oloye I hear you loud and clear, though I am still not totally convinced on one thing.
I specifically refer to 'first touch', aka 'ball control'. My alarm for Iheanacho in particular is how the basic skill of ball control seems to have been lost even when not under pressure. This is something that was second nature to him as a youth. Remember just a few weeks ago in the game v Spurs (I believe) when he basically had an 'open net' standing virtually unmarked with loads of space in front of the keeper, but failed to control the ball. The commentator called it a "tennis racket touch".

I can only imagine it is a mind thing more than anything else, because the physical aspects of the game remain the same. I recognise how having a bad day in the office can affect your game subsequently. Remember, Kanu at Arsenal went through a particularly bad patch at some point which we all knew was in the head. He recovered eventually, but as you know, we see this is all the time even in top players.

The rest of your post I fully agree with and am totally aware of the transitional challenges from the youth game to the adult game which you have highlighted.

[Damunk]

I went back to watch highlights of the first game of the 2013 u17 FIFA World Cup and now believe certain aspects of both Nacho and Success game has been coached out of them.

You too, you see am?
I've asked here before....how does one lose those basics skills in the adult game?
How does this so-called 'first touch' abandon a player just because he is playing senior football?
- The laws of motion and gravity remain the same.
- The ball is no heavier and does not move any faster or differently.
- His foot-eye coordination shouldn't be any worse than it was as a youth player.

We are talking about first touch, not what he is able to do with the ball thereafter - which would obviously be subject to the level at which he is playing and the quality of the opposition.
First touch is a pretty basic skill.
I don't get it

No one is saying he lost any of those attributes, it's more that he hasn't adapted his game to suit the physicality and intensity of senior football. Just compare his mere presence on the pitch to the likes of Ndidi or even Success, he is just so complacent and theres no sense of urgency to it (a horrible combination to have in English football).

Sunset, I am actually saying he may well have lost them.
The question for me is how and why?

Personally I feel his top-class technique and finishing made him complacent in improving the rest of his game, and the EPL is one league where you don't want to be lacking physically. I also feel he needs to go to somewhere like La Liga where there is probably less physical pressure with an emphasis on possession

Good point you have here. Nacho's youth game was almost what we used to call a 'touch-me-not' kind of technique which is usually reserved for very skillfull players. So maybe the physicality of the EPL isnt allowing his natural game to express itself and subsequently his self-confidence has really been affected

[oloye]

The game is faster, more strength is required, more pressure is exerted upon you and a quicker response is demanded... Trust me Damunk those things can make you look bad if you do not adjust quickly enough. There is a reason teams play 5 aside, 2v 2, 3v3 games within confined spaces in training... It is to highlight the need to think and respond quickly.

Oloye I hear you loud and clear, though I am still not totally convinced on one thing.
I specifically refer to 'first touch', aka 'ball control'. My alarm for Iheanacho in particular is how the basic skill of ball control seems to have been lost even when not under pressure. This is something that was second nature to him as a youth. Remember just a few weeks ago in the game v Spurs (I believe) when he basically had an 'open net' standing virtually unmarked with loads of space in front of the keeper, but failed to control the ball. The commentator called it a "tennis racket touch".

I can only imagine it is a mind thing more than anything else, because the physical aspects of the game remain the same. I recognise how having a bad day in the office can affect your game subsequently. Remember, Kanu at Arsenal went through a particularly bad patch at some point which we all knew was in the head. He recovered eventually, but as you know, we see this is all the time even in top players.

The rest of your post I fully agree with and am totally aware of the transitional challenges from the youth game to the adult game which you have highlighted.

You will be amazed at how basic things become extremely difficult when you come under pressure. I will repeat again, a lot of things that were easy to execute as a kid become difficult as you get older in the game. I am surprised we are talking of Nacho only what about the Osenis, Christians us, that little Messi abi na Pele and others.... What about them all By now I thought Osimeh and Taiwo would be tearing it up, but they are still struggling in some mid tier league, one of them golden boys could not even hack it at Rangers.... But in the midst of it all we have our Ndidid to keep hope alive. Thank Ndidi and Nacho play in the same club, how come one is oveecoached and the other seem to be developing just fine?

[Flex Swift]

During the half time interval Craig Bellamy commented on Nacho performance in the first half . On occasions where Nacho received the ball outside the box he waited for support then the attack lost momentum. Craig said what he expected. Striker of Nacho’s class to do was attack the defender and go in the box with ball and try and score. It was at this point I went back to watch the highlights of u17 FIFA World Cup to see if Nacho did this in the past.

This part of his game is now absent. He no longer attacks defenders by going in to the box will the ball and trying to score he waits for support. Typical 9ja strikers with the ball outside the box generally would attack the defenders .and get an attempt on goal. In the EPL strikers are coached to hold the ball up and wait for support by which time the defence has the time to get set.

[oloye]

The bottom line here could be the boy is being distracted... We saw with Success when the boy came out with his own story. He put the blame on our poor African diet, he gave akpu and pound a bad name using them as an excuse. What he failed to tell us is how many bottle of Hennesey and how many threesomes he indulges himself with as soon as the glitters of stardom hits him in the face.

All these factors come into play and young players would succumb and struggle with these phase of their career. Some will get lost in the glitters of the new found status, some will find their way and return to the right path of development and well some will look at their bank account and feel they have arrived and it is time to settle down to enjoy.

Most of what makes or Mars the development of a player takes place outside the field. When a player struggles to control the ball, struggles to do the basic.... Even coaches call such players aside to ask them what is going in their head.

[kajifu]

The game is faster, more strength is required, more pressure is exerted upon you and a quicker response is demanded... Trust me Damunk those things can make you look bad if you do not adjust quickly enough. There is a reason teams play 5 aside, 2v 2, 3v3 games within confined spaces in training... It is to highlight the need to think and respond quickly.

Oloye I hear you loud and clear, though I am still not totally convinced on one thing.
I specifically refer to 'first touch', aka 'ball control'. My alarm for Iheanacho in particular is how the basic skill of ball control seems to have been lost even when not under pressure. This is something that was second nature to him as a youth. Remember just a few weeks ago in the game v Spurs (I believe) when he basically had an 'open net' standing virtually unmarked with loads of space in front of the keeper, but failed to control the ball. The commentator called it a "tennis racket touch".

I can only imagine it is a mind thing more than anything else, because the physical aspects of the game remain the same. I recognise how having a bad day in the office can affect your game subsequently. Remember, Kanu at Arsenal went through a particularly bad patch at some point which we all knew was in the head. He recovered eventually, but as you know, we see this is all the time even in top players.

The rest of your post I fully agree with and am totally aware of the transitional challenges from the youth game to the adult game which you have highlighted.

When you are under pressure and start to shake shake,trust me you can pass the ball to the other team.Some time you even hide because of fear.
Coaching matter,i remember Emery told Iwobi not to put his hand in his head when miss a pass,ask him to relax that those small mistakes will not mean he see the bench,Kele is trying to do too much and he was bought as a super star from Man City so a lot of demand from him that makes him shake shake trying to do more and end up with bad first touch.At City it was worst because he wants to belong with the big boys,remember he score against Manu did not even know or believe it when in?

[1naija]

Funny, I was just thinking that the speed of the Premier league may be the issue with Nacho, plus he also seems to lack a center of gravity, with the way he topples over easy (or perhaps its just a technique issue).

Whatever the case, he seems to have regressed quite a bit.

A team missed 3 whole penarities, but na regression you dey tok about? Your head dey house so?

I'm only concerned about the naija players. The Leicester Team na yeye.

Exactly my point. Don't you think the "suckness" of a team can make a good player suck? Iheanacho played much better at Man City than he is playing now. I blame the team. If Ndidi played for Barcelona or Real Madrid he would be called World class!

[maceo4]

Funny, I was just thinking that the speed of the Premier league may be the issue with Nacho, plus he also seems to lack a center of gravity, with the way he topples over easy (or perhaps its just a technique issue).

Whatever the case, he seems to have regressed quite a bit.

A team missed 3 whole penarities, but na regression you dey tok about? Your head dey house so?

I'm only concerned about the naija players. The Leicester Team na yeye.

Exactly my point. Don't you think the "suckness" of a team can make a good player suck? Iheanacho played much better at Man City than he is playing now. I blame the team. If Ndidi played for Barcelona or Real Madrid he would be called World class!

He’s playing for the wrong team, however like Oloye stated, the same deficiencies were evident in his game there, however his strengths (finishing) covered them. But on a team where the chances are few and far between his deficiencies stick out like a sore thumb.