Marvelous Nakamba

[Vive_La_Villa]

Always interesting to hear what opposition fans think of our players. My Leeds supporting mate was impressed by him and said he is surprised he doesn’t play more often. 
 

I think many of us are a bit influenced by last seasons displays when judging players like Marv (I am anyway). Which is a little unfair considering we are a much better team now. He hasn’t really put a foot wrong when starting this season.

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by Vive_La_Villa

[Tomaszk]

It's easier for everyone playing in a better team.

[Phil Silvers]

1 minute ago, Tomaszk said:

It's easier for everyone playing in a better team.

Interested to see what Wes is like in this team. Engels and Guilbert to some extent too although they probably on the move in the summer.

[ZL-]

On the eyetest, my biggest problem with him was his passing and it felt to me this season in his cameos he's managed to cut out some (not all) of his sloppiness.

What has surprised me is looking up the statistics is that he actually as quite good passing stats, both this year and last.

The accuracy of his passing in short and medium certainly doesn't seem to be a weakness of his at all and is very interesting when you compare with Douglas Luiz

Nakamba:

Douglas Luiz:

 

To not be unfair on Dougie, as you can see from the progressive distance stats, he certainly is far more ambitious with the balls he plays and this is a key component on how we set up on the counter. However it was interesting to dispel the myth Nakamba is "sloppy" in possession, he may be unambitious as he focuses on short/medium sideways passing but it feels reassuring he might not necessarily be a liability in this area when it comes to possession retention.

[VillaChris]

29 minutes ago, Tomaszk said:

It's easier for everyone playing in a better team.

Squad players aren't sending us back on one way route to hell....or Burton upon Trent.

Glad you've wised up Tom.

Thought Leeds was his best game for us by a mile, was everywhere in our own half ending attacks.

Still of mind to cash in on him though in summer. We have McGinn, hopefully Luiz and Sanson and Ramsey will get many more minutes next season and Traore and Jack can play as number 10 if we switch things so we're very well stocked in the three midfield positions even with Nakamba and Barkley not here anymore.

Will probably keep him for another season if we make europe though.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, ZL- said:

On the eyetest, my biggest problem with him was his passing and it felt to me this season in his cameos he's managed to cut out some (not all) of his sloppiness.

What has surprised me is looking up the statistics is that he actually as quite good passing stats, both this year and last.

The accuracy of his passing in short and medium certainly doesn't seem to be a weakness of his at all and is very interesting when you compare with Douglas Luiz

Nakamba:

Douglas Luiz:

 

To not be unfair on Dougie, as you can see from the progressive distance stats, he certainly is far more ambitious with the balls he plays and this is a key component on how we set up on the counter. However it was interesting to dispel the myth Nakamba is "sloppy" in possession, he may be unambitious as he focuses on short/medium sideways passing but it feels reassuring he might not necessarily be a liability in this area when it comes to possession retention.

He tends to go for short passes, where his ability is not so tested....NRC used to attract similar observations, but he too was better at short passes and tended to stick to them......i.e stick to what you do best.

Its an arguable point, but I think Dougie's skill set, is better suited to further up field.....Nakamba's protecting the defence.

As fans, I think we would do better, appraising players on what they do best.

I also think Midfield is the most difficult part of a team to appraise, because there are varying types of midfielder and not every fan appreciates that enough.....The CDM, CAM & CM all vary......If a team puts 3 of one in there, there will inevitably be an Imbalance, they might all be good players, but the balance is affected.

 

[MotoMkali]

1 hour ago, ZL- said:

On the eyetest, my biggest problem with him was his passing and it felt to me this season in his cameos he's managed to cut out some (not all) of his sloppiness.

What has surprised me is looking up the statistics is that he actually as quite good passing stats, both this year and last.

The accuracy of his passing in short and medium certainly doesn't seem to be a weakness of his at all and is very interesting when you compare with Douglas Luiz

Nakamba:

Douglas Luiz:

 

To not be unfair on Dougie, as you can see from the progressive distance stats, he certainly is far more ambitious with the balls he plays and this is a key component on how we set up on the counter. However it was interesting to dispel the myth Nakamba is "sloppy" in possession, he may be unambitious as he focuses on short/medium sideways passing but it feels reassuring he might not necessarily be a liability in this area when it comes to possession retention.

I feel like our biggest liability in this area aside from barkley is mcginn (he is very ambitious but he over plays and relies too much on drawing fouls when he is about to lose the ball). 

I really want to see a Nakamba Luiz midfield against one of the better teams where we can hopefully break up their play better and get our defence and attack linked nicely though some good ball retention.

[It's Your Round]

Good to see the Marvelous destroyer keep his place. Hope he does well tonight. I’d also like to see him line up with Doug against the better teams, I think they’d work well together.

[villalad21]

Thought he had another really good game.

A few sloppy passes in the first half but other than that was breaking up the play nicely and doing his job.

[Swerbs]

Absolutely not needed in games where we are expected to have the majority of possession. 

[LondonLax]

2 minutes ago, Swerbs said:

Absolutely not needed in games where we are expected to have the majority of possession. 

Yes, was a passenger until he was replaced.

Horses for courses...

[gwi1890]

Just now, villalad21 said:

Thought he had another really good game.

A few sloppy passes in the first half but other than that was breaking up the play nicely and doing his job.

He was  below average, slipped on his his ass leading to McGoldrick’s goal and miss-placed way to many passes , He deserved to keep the shirt from the leeds game yes but Luiz will definitely be back in for Wolves 

[DCJonah]

He was ok. I think I'd have luiz back in for wolves. 

[AvfcRigo82]

He played his game but it didn't help that the whole team was off form tonight.

I would stick with him for the Wolves game but we will likely see Luiz return.

[villalad21]

2 minutes ago, LondonLax said:

Yes, was a passenger until he was replaced.

Horses for courses...

Ideally you'd want a dm who can do both so you won't have to change it in every other game.

I still think Nakamba and Luiz can play in the same team though.

Edited March 3, 2021 by villalad21

[Skruff]

Was a steady decent performance. He broke up play plenty of times during the game. Besides a few sloppy passes he kept it neat and tidy. 

Did the hard work for the rest of the midfield. McGinn and Ramsey failed to capitalise. 

No point in him winning the ball when there's no one else taking responsibility brining it forward. 

Surplus to requirements after the red card.

In hindsight should have been coupled with Luiz for this game IMO. 

[sheepyvillian]

2 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Thought he had another really good game.

A few sloppy passes in the first half but other than that was breaking up the play nicely and doing his job.

I agree.

[lexicon]

18 minutes ago, sheepyvillian said:

I agree.

Me too - he had a much more expansive passing game than usual. He was there to defend and did absolutely nothing wrong. 

[WooJung]

He wasn't a problem, as many have said. However, through no fault of his own, he was a bit of a hindrance. We never really needed what he does best and really needed what he's less good at. Wrong decision to play him, no matter how harsh it would've been. Football is harsh. It's all about the next game, not about the previous game. 

[meregreen]

Not terrible. Just a very average player.