Some say Ricardo Pereira has been changed to a midfielder, but we do not agree, as he will play out from his right back position and if not going forward on the flank, being set to push into the midfield area when Leicester have the ball and are pushing forward.
So we are counting six players at present in that midfield area, also pushing Kasey McAteer out and placing him among attackers in Enzo Maresca’s 4-3-3 build up looking a 3-4-3 when Ricardo makes his move into the middle alongside Harry Winks.
Harry Winks looks to be the man of trust as the defensive anchor and in that way giving Wilfred Ndidi space to be able to “climb” forward as we have seen him being a massive treath to other teams coming from the back and into a offensive position and ending up in front of goal.
Winks and Ndidi looks the pivotal players. Then you have Dennis Praet as swop as he also can be placed in a flank position up front, competing with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for that last of three positions in midfield. Bouba Soumare and Hamza Choudhury can be called on to play a part if injuries strikes or from the bench, with both players able to clearly do all three midfield positions.
With the exit of James Maddison we are know looking at a midfield trio playing in an original set up of that of system with one holding player (Winks) and two on each side, with a change of the triangle as Brendan Rodgers preferred to have two in a block behind that more or less free role, just behind the top forward.
This makes it possible for Wilfred Ndidi and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who both are mobile and can cover a lot of space, to act more and in that way be more offensive, but as we did see against Liverpool, being vulnerable with Harry Winks a bit exposed and alone not able to stop and block those attacks.
Bouba Soumare is said to be one that are looking at the exit sign, but hopefully Enzo Maresca will see the need of him in a supporting role as well as Hamza Choudhury as we do still have a very strong group of midfielders.
There are talks about one more player coming in as Chelsea midfielder Cesare Casadei who is not just a offensive alternative, but can cover all the three roles in that midfield area. He is a tall and modern midfielder and at 1.86 a player that fits the pattern of Maresca better than Ndidi, but we all know what Wilf can do as he looks adaptable and also able to cover more positions than a defensive midfield position.
Harry Winks will be a key player for Maresca as his distribution skills has a special touch and he often makes good passes and if supported by Ricardo Pereira you will get a balance that could be very exciting to watch this season, but again missing the point of seeing Pereira galloping forward on the flank, but we will probably see a more flexible and floating type of play than before, hopefully be able to bring possession in a more constructive way than under Brendan Rodgers.
Hannibal Mejbri (20) is one that also is known to play in a three men midfield as he did last season for Birmingham and in the national team of Tunisia, so used to the system with good ability to cover space with pace and good movement.
We will most certainly see one more player added in this area if Bouba Soumare is moved on, but still with Mejbri or Casadei coming in, they will have a massive struggle to push either Ndidi or KDH out of the starting eleven, it’s brilliant group to have in a Championship team.
MIDFIELD: Harry Winks, Wilfred Ndidi, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Hamza Choudhury, Bouba Soumare, Dennis Praet
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