James Maddison

[braineclipse]

I agree. With this sort of player, it is all very well delivering the killer pass, his team-mates have to spot it coming as well and get on the end of it. So, like most players, he plays better when surrounded by better players.
I had high hopes for Lamela when he first joined because he looked good sliding in through balls, but the forwards didn't always see the pass or make the run. He obviously never fulfilled his potential with us, and I fear Maddison won't either. Leaving aside Lamela's injury problems, I think Maddison and Lamela are on a par, and that includes acting as lightning rods for the ire of the opposition fans.

Lamela is an interesting comparison in this case. For me Lamela was always one who tried to take responsibility, but too often failed to execute.

When that team was flying there were multiple players who took responsibility and creative responsibility. Eriksen and Kane of course, but also Alli, Dembele, the centre backs and full backs (in various ways).

For me it seems we're too often in a situation where if Maddison doesn't successfully take that responsibility no one else does either. Some try, but are too often unsuccessful (imo a bit like Lamela). Others don't even really try and are happy to pass the responsibility by making the obvious, fairly safe pass to someone else.

 

[SteveAWOL]

Perhaps we need Keane to slate Maddison more often…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1894856967023427632

 

[markysimmo]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1894822770996920688

 

[Jurgen the German]

I thought he was fine last night. Not spectacular but a 6.5/10. Still think he’s too inconsistent despite chipping in with his share of goals.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I thought he was fine last night. Not spectacular but a 6.5/10. Still think he’s too inconsistent despite chipping in with his share of goals.

He was fine
Just spends too much time at the part of the pitch he can’t impact for me

 

[Legohamster]

Him and Berg were the only one showing for the ball in the first half

He was fine, no movement ahead of him, epically the wingers gave our midfield zero options

 

[fernadez]

I think with Bergvall and Bentancur in the team there is no need for him to drop into the areas that he does. That's easy for him.

Stay 15 yards higher and challenge them to find you and then play.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Him and Berg were the only one showing for the ball in the first half

He was fine, no movement ahead of him, epically the wingers gave our midfield zero options

That’s the issue
He comes deep and then leaves a hole where he should be

 

[NaijaSpurs]

As talented as he is, he is not reliable. He has not completed 90 minutes all season, and I believe he has only completed 90 minutes for us once.

 

[harr1984]

Perhaps we need Keane to slate Maddison more often…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1894856967023427632

I like Keane, I like his dry sense of humour. He went too far saying Maddison would get Spurs relegated, but even that clip made me laugh - he is funny, and one of the better pundits for me (low bar I know).....

 

[parklane1]

As talented as be is, he is not reliable. He has not completed 90 minutes all season, and I believe he has only completed 90 minutes for us once.

My thoughts as well, he has always been a highlights player IMO and for a player with his talents he should have done better over the years. I know some will disagree with me over that.

 

[Raziel]

My thoughts as well, he has always been a highlights player IMO and for a player with his talents he should have done better over the years. I know some will disagree with me over that.

I think he clearly has the potential for higher ceiling (at least more consistently)

He is in a weird way dismissed/underestimated, he's 7 goals short of a 100 goals in career as midfielder, he's already hit double figures with us this season (10 in 34), and will almost for sure be double figure in PL for us in season (at 9, and it's something he's will have done in 3 out of last 4 years). For comparison, Eriksen hit 10+ PL goals in a season only twice (and he's 5 years older), KDB twice, Odegaard has only done it once.

No having a go at you, but a central midfielder that scores double figures a season is a lot rarer than most people understand.

 

[Dicko]

I think he clearly has the potential for higher ceiling (at least more consistently)

He is in a weird way dismissed/underestimated, he's 7 goals short of a 100 goals in career as midfielder, he's already hit double figures with us this season (10 in 34), and will almost for sure be double figure in PL for us in season (at 9, and it's something he's will have done in 3 out of last 4 years). For comparison, Eriksen hit 10+ PL goals in a season only twice (and he's 5 years older), KDB twice, Odegaard has only done it once.

No having a go at you, but a central midfielder that scores double figures a season is a lot rarer than most people understand.

I think he could improve and look better as the team around him improves (if it ever does lol)

 

[Raziel]

I think he could improve and look better as the team around him improves (if it ever does lol)

Agree, the team needs to do two things (both based on movement) to improve his impact.

- Create room for him, we tend to congest certain areas of the pitch, if he has time and space, he'll kill the opposition
- Make the runs, make themselves available for that clever pass

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Agree, the team needs to do two things (both based on movement) to improve his impact.

- Create room for him, we tend to congest certain areas of the pitch, if he has time and space, he'll kill the opposition
- Make the runs, make themselves available for that clever pass

He is the reason it gets congested
He comes back to take the ball off the CBs FFS
That’s not where you want your 10

 

[Raziel]

He is the reason it gets congested
He comes back to take the ball off the CBs FFS
That’s not where you want your 10

We don't play a 10, system is built on 8's. 2-3-5 in attack is what creates congestion, the system is built on overloads.

Do I agree with what Maddison does all the time? no, but a huge part of him coming back is him finding space to receive the ball in.

 

[Muttley]

We don't play a 10, system is built on 8's. 2-3-5 in attack is what creates congestion, the system is built on overloads.

Do I agree with what Maddison does all the time? no, but a huge part of him coming back is him finding space to receive the ball in.

I guess in our system we could have our number 10 dropping back into the full-back area to play a ball to a full-back or number 6 who are ahead of him but don't have his creativity. He gets lambasted for being too deep. They get lambasted for being ahead of play with the ball goes in our net.

I know I'm talking about the very exaggerated case, but our tactics sort of encourage that scenario as number 10's will always look for pockets of space. Madds ain't gonna save the day either when the opposition get hold of the ball. The other 2 midfielders have often had to run past him and do the recovery work. It was the same at Leciester with Ndidi and Tielemens.

Madds is incredibly talented but need to think about how to get to the next level. A lot of it is on him.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

We don't play a 10, system is built on 8's. 2-3-5 in attack is what creates congestion, the system is built on overloads.

Do I agree with what Maddison does all the time? no, but a huge part of him coming back is him finding space to receive the ball in.

We play 6,8,10
There is not a chance on earth that he sees Maddison as an 8.. the guy doesn’t run enough
The games when he drops deep are the game when he gets dropped for the next one
I love a player wanting the ball, but it has to be in an area they can have an impact in
He is to a bad player by any means but if he drops to just in front of the CBs to receive a simple pass and then ponders … we lose momentum at the start (he isn’t unique in the team at this)

 

[parklane1]

I think he clearly has the potential for higher ceiling (at least more consistently)

He is in a weird way dismissed/underestimated, he's 7 goals short of a 100 goals in career as midfielder, he's already hit double figures with us this season (10 in 34), and will almost for sure be double figure in PL for us in season (at 9, and it's something he's will have done in 3 out of last 4 years). For comparison, Eriksen hit 10+ PL goals in a season only twice (and he's 5 years older), KDB twice, Odegaard has only done it once.

No having a go at you, but a central midfielder that scores double figures a season is a lot rarer than most people understand.

I do understand and you do make a good point, i am not saying he is a bad player but imo he has the talent to do better. He has 69 goals in the Prem [ the rest was during his time in Scotland, and the lower lgs in England]. Your point about having the potential for a higher ceiling sums him up for me especially his lack of consistency.

But as they say it s all about opinions.

 

[thfcsteff]

We play 6,8,10
There is not a chance on earth that he sees Maddison as an 8.. the guy doesn’t run enough
The games when he drops deep are the game when he gets dropped for the next one
I love a player wanting the ball, but it has to be in an area they can have an impact in
He is to a bad player by any means but if he drops to just in front of the CBs to receive a simple pass and then ponders … we lose momentum at the start (he isn’t unique in the team at this)

I am constantly arguing this point (in agreement with you 100%). To do what he wants to do there you have to be Modric. He isn't. In fact, it is an eye-opener to see that when Bergvall does that in his youthful exuberance he is far more effective; when Bergy learns the full scope of when to carry and when to release, well, what a player!