Leicester City manager, Brendan Rodgers, has revealed plans to leverage on Wilfred Ndidi’s athleticism and skill on the ball, to improve the players deep midfield playing efficiency.
The former Liverpool boss handed Ndidi the new role, and so far, the manager only has high praises for the Nigerian who is currently one of the best tacklers in the English top-flight, alongside Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye.
Rodgers believes Ndidi can improve on his already impressive form and tactical ability with his new role at Leicester.
“Watching him from the outside, he’s obviously a player that’s got good athletic ability and works very hard.
“I always have that sort of player, a clear, controlling player in the game. Sometimes they’re a defensive type like him that can really press the game and play simple, or sometimes it’s a more creative player, a playmaker from behind.
“For him, he’s got so much talent. Looking at his numbers he’s up there with having played the most games this season, with Kasper.”
Although many football pundits opine that the deep midfield role is gradually becoming extinct, Rodgers is convinced that the role is still very important in modern football, and Ndidi is perfect for the position.
According to the gaffer:
“He [Ndidi] covers the ground so fast. His anticipation is very good, he reads the game, he smells the danger, and then for Youri and for James and for other attacking midfield players, to have that type of player in there, it’s very important.”
— Rodgers
Leicester City suffered a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle last Friday and will be looking to pick three points when they meet West Ham United on Saturday.
Featured image source: Daily Star
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