Former Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves has blamed Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi for his poor reaction to Alejandro Garnacho’s goal in Leicester City’s loss to Man United.
Recall that the Red Devils defeated the Foxes 3-0 in Sunday’s Premier League game.
However, speaking on Premier League Productions, the former England international stated that Ndidi should have done better to stop Garnacho from getting first to the ball that led to the goal.
“He’s active. He tries to get on the ball here, tries a little trick but loses it. But when he finds a little pocket of space—look at Bruno—he checks his shoulder, he knows where he is,” Hargreaves analyzed, emphasizing Fernandes’ awareness.
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Hargreaves turned his attention to Ndidi’s involvement in the goal, saying the Nigeria international could have reacted quicker.
“He just toepokes it straight to Alejandro Garnacho. Look at all the bodies they have back there, and Ndidi is probably right in front of him.
“All he’s going to do is go straight into him. One thing I would say to Garnacho is, credit to him—he hit it early.”
13 Comments
This is the DM Nigeria is relying on,??!! the “best” DM in our team going to rwanda??? along side aribo Yusuf, Daniels, and onyedika,
Non of these names bring confident, these names placed us in the position we are at the moment and we are still hoping on them? na wah oh, Ndidi have been losing consistently in his team like a punching bag with no arms to punch back, same as aribo who is also losing every week, the only hope is Raphael and Iwobi who have been progressive, but Raphael still haven’t grown to the reliable levels I pray it doesn’t back fires, an onyeka the tank, who is an element of ninger in the engine room was left behind, for all these funny names.
This Eric chelle who preaches, running for all the balls, doesn’t know that the most reliable player to do that is frank the tank.
Na wah for wahalah, it’s very unbelievable, even if we win these both games I still not agree with frank exclusion, and I don’t know why Nff didn’t intervain for our best DM, I can’t understand whatever chelle want to do without frank at the moment, his first call up just shows that he is not aware enough and my confident in him have totally deemed from 90 percent to 21 percent.
How on earth will you drop frank the tank???a very decent hardworking and humble personality, playing for a better league and a progressive team on a regular basis, in your first game he should be there after two games and you are not satisfied we can understand but for now it look like hatred from the pit hell. Ndidi should stay away from eagles, we don’t need him anymore, we did very well without him in the last afcon, since he came back into this team we have been losing and drawing just like Leicester, he should go and focus in his club carriers, I hate players that doesn’t progress, no club is interested in him from relegation to another relegation, Nigeria don’t need constant losers in our engine room.
I reserve the Ogun that will kill Eric chelle for now, until the end of both games.
I agree with you. Picking Ndidi and Aribo- both very weak, slow and lack pace- in the midfield is disastrous. I wonder why coach Eric Chelle did not pick Frank Onyeka or Fisayo Dele-Basiru or even Uche Christiantus of Getafe in the Spanish La liga. Ndidi and Aribo are well passed their Sell-by date and are also suffering from low self esteem with their clubs in EPL certain for relegation. Chelle didn’t get good advice in this Midfield selection, it seems.
Kkkkkkk CSn I laffing in swahili
Repete
This guy it’s better you stop commenting on Nigerian football if at all, in fact you need to just leave football alone period, because these your opinions are just irrelevant and wack- kai! So in your own mind now ehn Onyedika is better in midfield over Ndidi with all the experience that Ndidi has and will bring even if just coming from the bench- he is worth a lot more to the team than Onyedika and then you committed even more atrocities by saying that Iwobi is the only hope in midfield ba?
Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk I laugh in kafanchan! Chaii, Dis man your mumu nor too much?????? looool- seriously with your football “knowledge” or lack of it, it’s like you want Nigeria to commit football suicide pmsl – pls pls pls stop involving yourself in 9ja football matters abeg, just go and start following table tennis or long jump or another thing because your bogus opinion is not needed in our footie matter abeg.
And also before I forget- you nor go skool ne??
How you nor go know anything about tenses and you be grown man? Kai! Nna na wah o!!
Colin ids
Stop yanning opata here
Leave football commenting to knowledgeable ones- your mumu is three much
In your own mind Iwobi is our best midfielder in Nigeria ba?? Kai! Wonder will never end.
See ehn, Colin ids abi what?
Stop yanning opata there
And leave football commenting to knowledgeable ones- your mumu is three much.
In your own mind now, Iwobi is our best midfielder in Nigeria ba?? Kai! Wonder will never end o
I have to agree that Chelle’s midfield selection is a reversal. Particularly his recall of Aribo. Aribo is mediocre and a jack of all trades, only good at running up and down the field, but at least Aribo scores goals. However, Aribo has only scored 5 goals for Southampton in the EPL. He has made no goal assists. His shooting accuracy is a poor 50% and his crossing accuracy is just 12%.
I am also not a fan of Ndidi, he is usually responsible for mishaps in defence. Someone said Ndidi has an offensive game, when last did Ndidi score a goal for Nigeria or even for Leicester in the EPL? I’ll tell you, his last goal in the EPL came in the 2020-2021 season.
Ndidi has never scored a goal for Nigeria. In over 200 games for Leicester Ndidi has only assisted in the creation of a goal 13 times. Meaning Ndidi requires on average 16 games before he makes an assist leading to a goal. So much for his offensive game!
Midfielders are either tacklers, pressers or passers. Tacklers and pressers are better at defence while passers are better at supporting the attack. Most midfielders combine some or all of these attributes.
Meanwhile, Onyedika has scored 2 goals and 2 assists in the Belgian league this season and 1 goal for Nigeria. Yes, Ndidi is the better tackler but Onyedika is a better passer and goal threat that supports the attack.
Frank Onyeka is as good as Ndidi in tackling and closing down opponents and he is aggressive and not lazy or afraid of injury.
Al hassan is also good at tackling and aggressive in pressing and harrying opponents which he combines, uniquely for the Nigerian midfield, with a good passing ability.
Ndidi’s tackling acumen once one of the best and second only to Kante is a thing of the past as a result of injuries. He now hesitates to press or even tackle opponents.
For Nigeria he spends his time acting as a shield in front of the centre-backs, continually recycling the ball from left to right in defence without the ability to play through passes.
In recent years, Ndidi has become a lazy footballer resting on his past glories.
Hahahaha, ball never start, dem don already begin swear for Eric Chelle!
If this man loses against Rwanda peren, dem go use am do Nkwobi.
Ndidi is still ok in an offensive role, but defensively he’s not the player he used to be.
As for Aribo, hmmmm. I hope and pray he proves us wrong and ups his game. Otherwise, if na the same old Aribo that we’ve been seeing, the midfield is already Rwanda’s property. I’m sorry to say this. I would rather use Aribo as a support striker or even winger, than risk him in the middle. He just does not have the physical attributes to thrive against AJE PAKI African midfielders.
Okay point taken, but ask yourself one question – does Iwobi have those same physical attributes that you are referring to? to be able to handle the African AJE PAKI players? The ones who will run through brick walls and play with a lot of national pride and accompanying aggression?? Anyone who has seen Iwobi playing and has any common sense will already know the answer to that question
That is why we advise people like colin ids to stop yanning opata and support another sport, there are many to chose from abeg lol!
The only thing the guy said that made any sense at all is that we need Frank Onyeka, but after that, everything he said is just like crase man talks lmaaoo!
I guess we have to agree to disagree on Iwobi.
In my humble opinion, that guy has been good for Nigeria. It is not a coincidence that most of out productive attacking moves come through Iwobi’s industry. In my opinion, if he’s used on the wings like his club uses him week in week out, we will see the best of him.
With Iwobi on the pitch, one thing is sure. We will create numerous chances. With his direct style of heads up play, it’s almost inevitable that Iwobi will create opportunities. The problem we have is our poor conversion rate. Our strikers in particular need to do better. However, goal scoring is a team responsibility, so all hands need to be on deck.
@colins id
Repete
This guy it’s better you stop commenting on Nigerian football if at all, in fact you need to just leave football alone period, because these your opinions are just irrelevant and wack- kai! So in your own mind now ehn Onyedika is better in midfield over Ndidi with all the experience that Ndidi has and will bring even if just coming from the bench- he is worth a lot more to the team than Onyedika and then you committed even more atrocities by saying that Iwobi is the only hope in midfield ba?
Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk I laugh in kafanchan! Chaii, Dis man your mumu nor too much?????? looool- seriously with your football “knowledge” or lack of it, it’s like you want Nigeria to commit football suicide pmsl – pls pls pls stop involving yourself in 9ja football matters abeg, just go and start following table tennis or long jump or another thing because your bogus opinion is not needed in our footie matter abeg.
And also before I forget- you nor go skool ne??
How you nor go know anything about tenses and you be grown man? Kai! Nna na wah o!!
You are deliberately seeking my attention, you can keep fetching the sea, until you get drown, my confused seafetcher! After J J okocha, Iwobi is the best offensive midfielder I have ever seen in the super eagles jersey. Ndidi and aribo without Iwobi fumbled in 2021 afcon in round 16, our worst exit since 1980s, they also fumbled the world Cup qualifiers to ghana without Iwobi, no sense of football no sense of creativity, it was Iwobi contribution that took us to the top of that World Cup qualification group and the nation’s cup before those dullards go spoil am! courtesy of your uncle, Eguavoen.
Iwobi present took us to 2018 world Cup, opening the campaign and closing it with his goals, if he was in the Argentina match we would have qualified to the second round, Rohr learnt from there in the following 2019 afcon, Iwobi was prominent in that team and we took bronze medal, in a very gallant display. Eguavoen tried to follow your stupid mind set and he failed woefully in 2021 afcon and later failed in wcup playoffs to a sick team like that of Ghana in that era, your Ndidi and aribo were there chasing mushrooms, pesero followed my beautiful and intelligent mindset in 2024 and he reached the final with Iwobi and onyeka wonderful display,
Can’t you see that you are the mumu here.
your name represents confused and aimless personality
How can you be fetching the sea.
Is your mumu not endless???
The Omission of Chrisantus Uche will come back to Bite Chelle the butt. He had no reason to omit him Infact at present NDIDI, Uche, Bashiru, Iwobi, Onyedika and Onyeka is Nigerias best midfield All the above mentioned players must be selected in the squad going foward
Someone is implying that Ndidi has no offensive side to his game, simply because he hardly scores goals. Are you kidding me right now?
Mikel Obi in his hey day was an example of this kind of player. He hardly scores in games, yet it would be very unwise and naive to consider his offensive play as harmless! Even without him scoring, Mikel could still hurt you in so many ways!
Ndidi’s performances for Leicester this season show without a doubt that he has the skill and vision to contribute massively to the attacking moves of any team he plays for. For Nigeria, he will do well in a center midfield or attacking midfield role. Even as a DM, he can still do a decent job. However, he is not the player he once was defensively. Once upon a time, he was considered as one of the best DMs on the planet. That’s not the case any more. That does not mean he’s done. He can still do a decent job, if used correctly. In my opinion, the best way to use Ndidi is in a double pivot with another natural DM. Give Ndidi license to play a box to box game, and he will give you good value for your money.