An entertaining, up-and-down match and the King Power with lots of talking points. But, ultimately, three actual points for the Foxes.
Here are my ratings:
Schmeichel: 6 - Handling didn't look entirely comfortable at times today. Has had better days but not faced with anything match-defining unlike his counterpart.
Ricardo: 8 - Calm finish when it was needed, and showed a lot of energy throughout. Good across the pitch and remains an important contributor to build-up play.
Evans: 8 - Quietly got on with his job. Made one entertaining tackle on Kane but other than that did his usual job of marshalling the defence in the background.
Soyuncu: 7 - Grew in the game after Kane got away from him for the Spurs goal. Particularly dominated late on and showed visible determination to secure the points. Often faced up 1 on 1 and came out the winner but I'd like to see him get into the situations less.
Chilwell: 7 - Looked more on it today than he has previously in the season. Probably been getting over a knock.
Perez: 5 - No issue with his effort and trying to get involved, but he looks devoid of confidence in the final third and made some pretty elemental mistakes.
Tielemans: 6 - Looks a bit better than earlier in the season and can play some delicious passes but there is definitely more in there. Not really owning the midfield like I'm sure he will be able to do in the future. Also tired quite significantly and was rightly subbed.
Ndidi: 7 - Left isolated at times in the first half for various reasons, but also made several important tackles as well. We could also see why Rodgers has played two DCMs as he got overloaded at times.
Maddison: 8 - Looked the most likely to create something in the first half and then popped up with a great goal late on. Sometimes he and Tielemans neglected their defensive duties through being forward-thinking, but that sort of attitude is probably correct at home. My choice for our MOTM.
Barnes: 6 - Put in what is starting to look like a typical Barnes performance, where he's lively but not quite making the right decisions in the final third.
Vardy: 7 - His touch wasn't at its best today and he looked frustrated at not being able to turn more promising situations into genuine or better chances. Contributed a team performance as needs to be done when you're not at your best.
Praet: 7 - Came on as Rodgers changed to a diamond and put in a sensible performance. Provided balance in a tricky formation.
Gray: 6 - Showed a positive attitude and played well to relieve pressure as we sought to see the game out, but could easily have seen a red card with an over-the-ball challenge.
Choudhury: 7 - Whether it was instruction or initiative, he seemed determined to get in Eriksen's face and force him and anyone else nearby into passing backwards or sideways. It was effective. Also technically bags an assist for a pass to Maddison.
Worth noting a couple of additional points here: Whether it was because of form, midweek travel or whatever, the Spurs centre backs looked past it today. Alderweireld and Vertonghen were really feared in years gone past, whereas today it looked at time like Vertonghen in particular was just going through the motions.
Second, the inevitable talk about VAR. For one, why wasn't it checked twice for two highly plausible red cards? (Sissoko and Gray.) If we must have it, why is not used in two pretty obvious situations? But more than that, we move to the two disallowed goals: Whether they were offside or not is not really the point here, but more what it meant. Twice we had a fans and players celebrating a goal only to end up looking like idiots. Afterwards, fans are waiting until an actual kick-off before they can actually start celebrating. The moment of scoring is ruined because someone needs to check a video replay. And that's before we start on people chanting "VAR VAR".
For me, I don't care about the offsides - both should have counted and if it's a mistake then so be it. If the officials can't rule a goal out immediately, let people celebrate. Stop dragging the soul of football through technological torment.
Player ratings vs. Tottenham
posted on 22/9/19
Yeah gazza was a weird example to use arro
posted on 22/9/19
On VAR.
For the record, I actually like it. I like how its utilised in Cricket, and you would say that, that isnt perfect, but you have options to challenge. You cant have that in football, it wouldnt work simply beacuse of the speed of the game, and you would have to say thats why it hasnt been implemented until now.
I think its now evident how difficult/impossible a linespersons role is when it comes to offside and thats where the rule "attacking player has benefit of doubt" is needed.
But now we dont need that rule, because we can (not completely satified of the technology and when the ball leaves the foot etc just yet) be exact and correct
posted on 22/9/19
(Im also experimenting without apostrophes)
posted on 22/9/19
Waddle
posted on 22/9/19
comment by Merseysidefox (U4842)
posted 6 hours, 41 minutes ago
comment by ArroinLestah (U22188)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by Merseysidefox (U4842)
posted 1 hour, 27 minutes ago
comment by Kunta Kante (U1641)
posted 11 minutes ago
One of the best matches I’ve seen from Maddison. Over the past 12 months I think he had been a bit overhyped, (and I have noticed some Leicester fans found the same) however that was the most complete performance I’ve seen from him to date, against a good side too.
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Totally agree. Still think he’s getting over hyped being compared to the likes of Scholes and Waddle. He’s got a long long way to go before he gets there, but there’s no denying he’s taken to the premier league like a duck to water, and has a lot of potential.
Watch him week in week out though and I’m not convinced he’ll be world class. He’ll be a top prem player though and expect big clubs to be in for him next year.
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Scholes and Waddle weren't all that great at 22 either, can't say either were better than Maddison is now. Same with Gazza even. No player is at his best at 22.
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Gazza and Rooney were absolute world beaters and World Class at 22. You could argue Gazza only went downhill from there!!!
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Perhaps my memory then because I don't remember him being a world beater at 22, Italia 90 he was 23 and I don't think he was at his best then.
posted on 22/9/19
comment by Christopher (U20930)
posted 6 hours, 43 minutes ago
Yeah gazza was a weird example to use arro
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Why a weird example? I don't think Gazza was at his best at 22, neither were Ronaldo or Messi. I don't think any player is at his best at such a young age.
posted on 23/9/19
I broadly agree with you Arro that most footballers are still developing at 22 and are nowhere near their peak.
All I was trying to say was that the genuine world class top players are already head and shoulders ahead of others at 22. Rooney, Owen were changing major tournaments at 18 and the likes of Gerrard, Scholes were established and brilliant.
I’m not saying Maddison isn’t going to develop more, he absolutely is. I think he’s going to be an excellent footballer.
But to start putting him in the bracket of the best English players ever is rather sensationalist and massively over hyping him. He may get there but he certainly hasn’t reached the same level that did at 22!
posted on 23/9/19
comment by Merseysidefox (U4842)
posted 1 hour, 30 minutes ago
I broadly agree with you Arro that most footballers are still developing at 22 and are nowhere near their peak.
All I was trying to say was that the genuine world class top players are already head and shoulders ahead of others at 22. Rooney, Owen were changing major tournaments at 18 and the likes of Gerrard, Scholes were established and brilliant.
I’m not saying Maddison isn’t going to develop more, he absolutely is. I think he’s going to be an excellent footballer.
But to start putting him in the bracket of the best English players ever is rather sensationalist and massively over hyping him. He may get there but he certainly hasn’t reached the same level that did at 22!
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To be honest I don't really remember much of Gerrard at 22 but nobody would have thought Ronaldo would be the player he is now at that age. I just looked and he scored 12 goals in his season aged 21/22 so that's a long way off the player he has become.
Maddison has all the attributes to make him a world class player, of course it's too early to tell whether he will or not but he's got the right attitude and works hard to continue improving. I think by the end of the season we will know a lot more, he's still just one season into his PL career and you'd expect him to score and assist more this season.
posted on 23/9/19
Maddison has one big flaw for me: He won't do things first time. He wants a touch to control the ball first before he does anything. It's a very good touch of course and he's clearly a quality player, but if he wants to make it to the very top then he has to - at least sometimes - hit the pass or the shot first time when the situation requires it, and do it well. Otherwise he'll never progress beyond the level of Ross Barkley.
Doing things successfully first time is half of what's made Jamie Vardy what he is.
posted on 23/9/19
Arro - I also thought of Ronaldo as an example to a great player who took longer to reach his potential.
Dunge - I agree. Maddison is a very good player. I’m just getting confused by all these comparisons to the greatest English players of all time. I agree with those who are suggesting he is being overhyped.
We’re back to Coldplay again. They were ok until people started making out they were like a David Bowie and the Beatles combined! Then I started hating them for being an ok band that somehow people think are gods!!!