James Maddison (now playing for Tottenham Hotspur)

[r0cafella]

4 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

It's similar to the Trippier situation in that I can't fully work out why he'd choose us at the moment. Leicester are a good few years ahead of us in terms of infrastructure and we're not really a step up at the moment in terms of what we know.

 

My only guesses are that the acceleration of our ambition is actually much faster than we've been told, and/or Maddison thinks he has a better chance of getting in the England team because of the Southgate/Ashworth connection.

You can’t? Personally I feel we are one of the most attractive propositions who aren’t playing in European competition. 
 

We have ambition and some players will want in on the ground floor. 

[ponsaelius]

It could still simply be that, with Schmeichel heading for the door, Maddison sees this as an opportunity to become comfortably their highest paid player - and we're being used to that end.

[Sima]

Either that or being used to flush Spurs or Man United out.

[bowlingcrofty]

1 minute ago, ponsaelius said:

It could still simply be that, with Schmeichel heading for the door, Maddison sees this as an opportunity to become comfortably their highest paid player - and we're being used to that end.

You’re right it could be, or he’s foreseeing an exodus, saw a downward slump last year and he needs a move now to have any chance of the World Cup. If none of the “big six” are in for him, then we’re his best option and he’s guaranteed game time.

[SUPERTOON]

6 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

It could still simply be that, with Schmeichel heading for the door, Maddison sees this as an opportunity to become comfortably their highest paid player - and we're being used to that end.

Is Schmeichel their current highest paid player ?

[Hanshithispantz]

Could be absolutely anything. There's a fair few reasons he would choose us over Leicester though. Trippier leaving the La Liga champions to come here when were were odds on to go down remains absolutely baffling.

 

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Hanshithispantz

[McCormick]

4 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

It could still simply be that, with Schmeichel heading for the door, Maddison sees this as an opportunity to become comfortably their highest paid player - and we're being used to that end.

It’s a win-win either way for him. No matter what happens, he’ll have bagged himself a pay-rise out of this.

[Guest HTT II]

22 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Great club and should have been our model under Ashley.

I’d be happy if we were ran along the same lines now under our new owners, which may end up the case with just more money to spend and not as much a need to sell players. Their new training ground is meant to be one of the best in the world and their story this past decade is amazing, a title, an FA Cup, Europe, Vardy etc., all absolute great for the game. 

[SUPERTOON]

I think the issue with a new contract at Leicester is that after Kante left they stopped putting in release clauses into players contracts. If he signs a new deal without one then you would assume he has lost his big chance to get a huge move.

[Geordie_once_removed]

If this signing comes off I wonder if Howe would try and convert Willock into a RW/RWF.  He's got the pace and a eye for goal so I can see it being possible.

 

I'm not 100% convinced of this being the best use of our money. As good a player as he is, I feel based on the players we have and the system we seem to be playing there would be a bit of square peg and round holing going on to get all our best players on the pitch.

 

However, it would be an amazing statement though. Signing the best player of a direct rival, who has consistently and comprehensively outperformed us for the last 5 seasons so. It would really say that players believe in the clubs ambition to compete for the league in relatively short period of time, otherwise why would he move here? Yes he'll clearly be getting a pay rise, but if you look at the salaries at Man U and Chelsea for example and remember that we've been consistent about not wanting to smash our wage structure, you can feel confident that some outrageous salary isn't the sole reason he'd come here.  Because a) if money is his motivation we're not the sole big (or even the biggest) pay check in town and b) based on everything we've heard we wouldn't offer that salary in the first place.

[Guest HTT II]

RE Willock, I categorically do not see him as a CM, although in certain games it’s useful that he can cover that area. I’d like to see him converted into a wide forward because he presses well higher up, but gets bogged down deeper, and plays off the cuff and he’s better at getting into space, carrying the ball and running onto things than a pass and go game, shielding and defensive work. He could save us a small fortune on a right winger/wide forward…

[Robster]

44 minutes ago, Ronson333 said:

Can’t blame Maddison if he wants the move, playing for a tinpot like Leicester he’s better than that!

Be it an attempt at either wummery or humour, I think you missed the target on that one.

[The Prophet]

Howe is meticulous to the point of being borderline obsessive, I'm sure he knows exactly how he wants to utilise Maddison and there will be a good reason why he's now our top target.

[Guest HTT II]

RE salaries, the club will be clever now in terms of maximising a player’s top end earning potential via bonuses and other incentives in order not to destabilise any current average wage structure so as to upset the apple cart so to speak. And that is the way to do it. Say we offer parity to a new signing with our current top earner, but say do x y and z over the length of your contract you can earn an extra 20-30% on top each season, that’s a good system.

[The Prophet]

15 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

It could still simply be that, with Schmeichel heading for the door, Maddison sees this as an opportunity to become comfortably their highest paid player - and we're being used to that end.

 

This is the nagging doubt in my mind. Shortly before we bid, there was talk that Leicester were going to offer him a new deal.

 

On the other hand, they may just be making a show of how much they want to keep him. Their wage bill is also rather large, so it is likely they need to move a few on if they want to bring new faces in.

[SUPERTOON]

Sky sports on their transfer talk show, Leicester haven’t yet responded to the bid, we are really pushing to get this deal done. 

[gbandit]

Give them £50m and commission a new mural of Brendan to put in his living room.

[SteveMc]

????

[tomlynnherrington]

3 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Sky sports on their transfer talk show, Leicester haven’t yet responded to the bid, we are really pushing to get this deal done. 

He’d be a cracking signing.Was Cabaye our last quality play maker?

[54]

4 minutes ago, tomlynnherrington said:

He’d be a cracking signing.Was Cabaye our last quality play maker?

[KaKa]

1 hour ago, Dokko said:

Whatever happens to Maddison it seems Leicesters time in the sun is at an end. It's hard for their fans to accept, it was for us, but they'll look back in a few years and see it for what it really is. 

 

Same will happen to us again in a decade or so. Just like manu and Liverpool before them. It's a shame, but a small Midlands town was never going to continuously compete with global clubs. No one outside the UK or their owners home country cares enough to support them. We'll find the same difficulties at some point, but our natural ceiling is larger, and Leicester have achieved quite a bit for a club and town it's size. 

 

I don't get this post at all. We don't have to say these kinds of things just because we're after one of their players.

 

Leicester typically do a great job with recruitment, I think they'll be fine and will be right there in and around the European slots.

 

 

[Joey47]

18 minutes ago, Geordie_once_removed said:

If this signing comes off I wonder if Howe would try and convert Willock into a RW/RWF.  He's got the pace and a eye for goal so I can see it being possible.

 

I'm not 100% convinced of this being the best use of our money. As good a player as he is, I feel based on the players we have and the system we seem to be playing there would be a bit of square peg and round holing going on to get all our best players on the pitch.

 

However, it would be an amazing statement though. Signing the best player of a direct rival, who has consistently and comprehensively outperformed us for the last 5 seasons so. It would really say that players believe in the clubs ambition to compete for the league in relatively short period of time, otherwise why would he move here? Yes he'll clearly be getting a pay rise, but if you look at the salaries at Man U and Chelsea for example and remember that we've been consistent about not wanting to smash our wage structure, you can feel confident that some outrageous salary isn't the sole reason he'd come here.  Because a) if money is his motivation we're not the sole big (or even the biggest) pay check in town and b) based on everything we've heard we wouldn't offer that salary in the first place.

 

I don't think he's a square peg in round hole at all. He's in a very similar mould to Paqueta. Both players are number 10's but both are very flexible and able to play wide right and as number 8's as well.

 

I personally think Maddison would complete Eddie Howe's ideal midfield 3. Bruno holding, Joelinton box to box destroyer, and Maddison number 8 with more of a free role popping up in space in attacking areas. Similar to how Willock was playing vs Bilbao but at a much higher level. 

 

Maddison will offer a lot of flexibility also. As others have said he could play right wing but as more of an inside forward linking up with Trippier (who will provide the width) the same way Almiron did against Benfica.

 

If Howe ever wants to play a formation with a 10 Maddison would obviously be ideal. Also, as @KaKa believes Howe may want to play his historical 4-4-2 Maddison would fit in perfectly as the shadow striker who drops deep to link play, behind Wilson.

[SUPERTOON]

 

[KaKa]

Just now, Joey47 said:

 

I don't think he's a square peg in round hole at all. He's in a very similar mould to Paqueta. Both players are number 10's but both are very flexible and able to play wide right and as number 8's as well.

 

I personally think Maddison would complete Eddie Howe's ideal midfield 3. Bruno holding, Joelinton box to box destroyer, and Maddison number 8 with more of a free role popping up in space in attacking areas. Similar to how Willock was playing vs Bilbao but at a much higher level. 

 

Maddison will offer a lot of flexibility also. As others have said he could play right wing but as more of an inside forward linking up with Trippier (who will provide the width) the same way Almiron did against Benfica.

 

If Howe ever wants to play a formation with a 10 Maddison would obviously be ideal. Also, as @KaKa believes Howe may want to play his historical 4-4-2 Maddison would fit in perfectly as the shadow striker who drops deep to link play, behind Wilson.

 

Yeah, I think he'd fit in quite easily.

 

From what I've seen in pre-season I do think Howe will stick with the 4-3-3 rather than change to the 4-42 he used at Bournemouth.

 

However, Maddison would slot into one of the number 8 slots quite easily, especially because Howe really has them both push up when we have the ball, and take up attacking midfield positions.

[Stottie]

58 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

one thing about JM. Is his ideal position is 10. He can play in a number of other roles but comprimises would need to be made where he's perfect as 10.

 

SO you almost have to build the team around him or you decide to be defensively exposed a bit on the wings or in midfield.

 

A lot of other clubs are deciding against that. To our advantage I guess.

 

JM's numbers are almost identical to Mason Mount, including the defensive contribution ones. I don't think you'd say Chelsea or England are built around Mason Mount or especially vulnerable due to him. They just play with DMs, which is fairly standard these days.