By Amosu Adeboye, LAGOS
Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed how he hopes to improve ‘impressive’ midfielder Wilfred Ndidi.
The Nigerian has been one of the club’s outstanding players this season, topping many of the team’s statistic charts and riding high in many of the league’s number lists for players in his position having played in all 34 of City’s games this season.
The hard-working central midfielder has the second most tackles in the Premier League this season, behind only Idrissa Gueye of Everton.
But despite his impressive season, manager Brendan Rodgers still has plans to help the 22-year-old to take his game to the next level.
“Watching him from the outside, he’s obviously a player that’s got good athletic ability and works very hard,” Rodgers told Leicester Mercury.
“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.
“All we try to do is make it clear what his function is in the team. It’s a job that may seem a simple job but he does it so effectively. He has to win the ball and give it, simple as that. He doesn’t need to be in the box shooting, that’s not your job.
“Look after the other two boys in front of you, and just control the space in front of the centre-halves. He does it so, so well.
“We’re trying to improve him in that position because you’re going to be on the ball a lot. You’ve got to serve it, serve it over 10 or 15 metres.
“So it’s just simplifying his game and trying to make him efficient. He’s been very impressive.”
Rodgers is convinced that the deep midfield role is still relevant in modern football at it helps the team regain possession of the ball.
“Very much so, you don’t get away with what you did years ago,” he added.
“Now it’s more about intercepting, blocking, very rarely will you have to go to ground.
“He 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.”
