Marvelous Nakamba

[AntrimBlack]

Living up to his name.

[villabromsgrove]

I have to chuckle when I read that our really excellent 'man of the match' is not a footballer. There are different types of 'footballers' and Marvellous is the no nonsense win it and give it kind. I've said before on a number of occasions that every team needs a player like Nakamba.

[wilko154]

Marvelous is a player who needs the system to suit him in order to get the best out of him.

Under Gerrard the team is a lot more compact, the wingers and the midfield move back to help when the opposition breaks. This is now allowing Nakamba to win the ball and lay it off to another player almost immediately. Passing is his weakness, when you ask him to distribute difficult long range passes from the back he struggles, but quick simple layoffs suit him.

Yesterday he was superb, and it showed how he should be utilised. His main asset is his ability to intercept and relentlessly track back and disrupt the attacking players. Granted we could go out and buy better, but right now we should be trying to grow Nakamba as a player to extend both his value and the period he can be a useful Villa player.

Against City I would play both Luiz and Nakamba in the deep role with McGinn ahead of them.

[Guest av1]

It’s been said already in the thread but I think the way SG sets up with narrow wingers will get the best out of Nakamba. 
 

He is very good at what he does but when he’s isolated he panics and then his lack of technical ability on the ball gets exposed. We did see a example of that with his booking. 
 

During the first half yesterday we overrun Palace in the middle of the park, there was always an option so he could focus on what he does best, win the ball and give it to someone else. 
 

 

[Tom13]

8 minutes ago, villabromsgrove said:

I have to chuckle when I read that our really excellent 'man of the match' is not a footballer. There are different types of 'footballers' and Marvellous is the no nonsense win it and give it kind. I've said before on a number of occasions that every team needs a player like Nakamba.

His passing is actually slightly underrated IMO. He has been keeping it simple but he's also been mixing in a few to break the lines in midfield, one to Young yesterday was quality.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Tom13

[TRO]

On 23/11/2021 at 12:57, lexicon said:

Marv reads the game well but the issue is that he's neither strong nor particularly aggressive to make up for it, which is an issue when he's up against players who're stronger than him. 

I think that is a good and apt point.

My view is, even if we signed one to your spec ( based on your comments) Marv could still be back up, as a squad player, unless an irresistible bid comes in.

Edited November 29, 2021 by TRO

[TRO]

32 minutes ago, villabromsgrove said:

I have to chuckle when I read that our really excellent 'man of the match' is not a footballer. There are different types of 'footballers' and Marvellous is the no nonsense win it and give it kind. I've said before on a number of occasions that every team needs a player like Nakamba.

There are certain fans, who seem to miss that, very apt point.

We have a squad who currently have only one, with those dedicated skills....we have deployed other midfielders in to that role and in my opinion has only worked to a degree.

We had one in 1982 in Des Bremner....they are essential to a winning team.

Marv Showed yesterday, and against Brighton just how valuable a player of that type is......The talent plays off them, the Marv's do all the " Heavy Lifting" for the others to apply the finishing touches.....look at McGinn when he has the freedom to go forward.

The balance is creeping in.

Edited November 28, 2021 by TRO

[avfc1982am]

I don't think there is anything wrong in the assessments of Nakamba until now. His Villa career has never really got off the ground. Whether he himself or the management team are to blame for this, who knows. Either way he has never quite got going. He had a great game yesterday. Superb in fact. Does that mean we now don't need to upgrade midfield....I doubt it very much. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

15 minutes ago, TRO said:

There are certain fans, who seem to miss that, very apt point.

We have a squad who currently have only one, with those dedicated skills....we have deployed other midfielders in to that role and in my opinion has only owrked to a degree.

We had one in 1982 in Des Bremner....they are essential to a winning team.

Marv Showed yesterday, and against Brighton just how valuable a player of that type is......The talent plays off them, the Marv's do all the " Heavy Lifting" for the others to apply the finishing touches.....look at McGinn when he has the freedom to go forward.

The balance is creeping in.

Surely you're talking about the best young DM in England, and Olympic gold medal winner? 

Edited November 28, 2021 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[TRO]

6 minutes ago, avfc1982am said:

I don't think there is anything wrong in the assessments of Nakamba until now. His Villa career has never really got off the ground. Whether he himself or the management team are to blame for this, who knows. Either way he has never quite got going. He had a great game yesterday. Superb in fact. Does that mean we now don't need to upgrade midfield....I doubt it very much. 

I don't think its what's being mooted, he has played poor in the past, sure.....but he is showing the skill set, that has been missing....I think its a combination of the coaching and him responding to it and the balance of the team.

but he is the only one in a squad of 25 with that dedicated skill set...that leaves us short.

Marv was impressive (imo) against Brighton too.....The 64 million dollar question is, can he be consistent.....that's where the prospect of an upgrade is still on the table.

I think Lexicon has just made a good observation on it, a few posts back.

[TRO]

14 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Surely you're talking about the best young DM in England, and Olympic gold medal winner? 

• He is not one of the best DM's in England
• and what he did in a team, does not describe his performance in an individual role or playing for Brazil, does not influence what he does for us.

as you know JV, I see him as a No 8.....and I actually think he played very well, when he came on yesterday, in a better balanced and determined team.

Listen to Redd Peppers version of him on UTV podcast.....its more of where I am, with him.....(talking in general of course).

I actually think he will be much better under SG...because he will add additional requirements to his game.

I think Dougie is a neat and tidy player, who I wouldn't be glad to see go.....but a DM, not for me.

Edited November 28, 2021 by TRO

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

8 minutes ago, TRO said:

• He is not one of the best DM's in England
• and what he did in a team, does not describe his performance in an individual role or playing for Brazil, does not influence what he does for us.

as you know JV, I see him as a No 8.....and I actually think he played very well, when he came on yesterday, in a better balanced and determined team.

Listen to Redd Peppers version of him on UTV podcast.....its more of where I am, with him.....(talking in general of course).

I actually think he will be much better under SG...because he will add additional requirements to his game.

I think Dougie is a neat and tidy player, who I wouldn't be glad to see go.....but a DM, not for me.

I'm disappointed that my sarcasm seems to have escaped you on this occasion Paul, especially on a topic we've both run the ringer on multiple times.

I'm quoting ACTUAL VT comments of past, with reference to the same discussion. lol

Edited November 28, 2021 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[TRO]

13 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I'm disappointed that my sarcasm seems to have escaped you on this occasion Paul, especially on a topic we've both run the ringer on multiple times.

I'm quoting ACTUAL VT comments of past. lol

Sorry Shaun, I get you now....my apologies, for not knowing you better.

The sad thing is, much of what Dougie does, I have time for, I do like his typical Brazillian touch and silky passing.

In an  effort to highlight his short comings in the No 6 role( lightweight).....it appears, I don't rate him as a player,in general.... but I do.

Marv too can be a bit on the light side, but much more robust in the tackle and willingness for contact....his passing raised my eyebrow, yesteday....his timing was really good.

[mjmooney]

53 minutes ago, TRO said:

We had one in 1982 in Des Bremner....they are essential to a winning team.

You beat me to it. Marv is definitely the Des Bremner of the current team. Not sure we have a Cowans, though. 

[osmark86]

3 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

 

A summary of VT, in 2 posts...

This had me laughing a little too hard XD

[AVTuco]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

There are certain fans, who seem to miss that, very apt point.

We have a squad who currently have only one, with those dedicated skills....we have deployed other midfielders in to that role and in my opinion has only worked to a degree.

We had one in 1982 in Des Bremner....they are essential to a winning team.

Marv Showed yesterday, and against Brighton just how valuable a player of that type is......The talent plays off them, the Marv's do all the " Heavy Lifting" for the others to apply the finishing touches.....look at McGinn when he has the freedom to go forward.

The balance is creeping in.

TRO, and everyone else, I definitely think the type of player is needed, but I don't think Nakamba is that. He's weakish, undecided, and not all that good of a defender. People have run by and through him countless times. I have a hard time believing this has suddenly changed. 

[AVTuco]

1 hour ago, mjmooney said:

You beat me to it. Marv is definitely the Des Bremner of the current team. Not sure we have a Cowans, though. 

Marv and Des have nothing in common IMO.

[DJ_Villain]

3 hours ago, wilko154 said:

Marvelous is a player who needs the system to suit him in order to get the best out of him.

Under Gerrard the team is a lot more compact, the wingers and the midfield move back to help when the opposition breaks. This is now allowing Nakamba to win the ball and lay it off to another player almost immediately. Passing is his weakness, when you ask him to distribute difficult long range passes from the back he struggles, but quick simple layoffs suit him.

Yesterday he was superb, and it showed how he should be utilised. His main asset is his ability to intercept and relentlessly track back and disrupt the attacking players. Granted we could go out and buy better, but right now we should be trying to grow Nakamba as a player to extend both his value and the period he can be a useful Villa player.

Against City I would play both Luiz and Nakamba in the deep role with McGinn ahead of them.

I was thinking the same…

[sparrow1988]

10 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

This is exactly the issue.

Palace dominated us for most of the game yesterday and a large part of that is because we’re not good enough in possession. 

Nakamba is always going to shine when the opposition has 70% possession. If we want to become a possession based side, players like Nakamba will need to be replaced. I actually thought we looked more comfortable on the ball when Luiz came on. 

This isn’t taking anything away from Marvelous, he’s good at what he does and it’s impossible not to like the bloke. 

It depends which opposition has 70% possession. On Wednesday, we will see how much he has really improved or if it's like his cameos last season where he was quite good. So far when I've seen him play against City, he loses his discipline (positionally) when they are passing in their neat little patterns and shoots out of the line leaving space for their players to exploit. This works against your Palaces and so on because they are not as good on the ball as City.

[NurembergVillan]

9 hours ago, mjmooney said:

You beat me to it. Marv is definitely the Des Bremner of the current team. Not sure we have a Cowans, though. 

Could Douglas Luiz do that job?  I feel like he's got the eye for a pass that's required, and if he's playing as a true central midfielder he'll be 20-30 yards further forward than he has been under Deano.