adminAmid the grim reality of Leicester City’s difficult season, Jordan James has risen to the occasion. He is, by far, the undisputed player of the season.
To claim otherwise would be to ignore the structural solidity and strength he has brought to a team teetering on the brink of disaster.
The Welsh international’s supremacy remains intact, even with the mercurial genius Abdul Fatawu in the ranks.
For whilst the Ghanaian winger is not quite firing on all cylinders, his propensity for scoring spectacular goals and producing moments of magic from the halfway line cannot overshadow his teammate’s monumental consistency. Within an otherwise dreadful Foxes side, James has been the lifeline. He is simply brilliant.
Admittedly, James’s form has dipped slightly since his return from an injury that put him to the test. He remains, however, remarkably productive in his contribution to goals.
At 21, he is the team’s true driving force: a force of nature capable of pulling Leicester out of this relegation quagmire almost single-handedly. All the while making contributions elsewhere in the style of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.
Singling out this exceptional midfielder for particular criticism within a squad containing several apathetic and underperforming teammates is both pointless and unfair.
The catalyst for this recent controversy stems from one or two frustrating performances where exasperated observers noted that he was trying too hard.
“Jordan James: He wasn’t really involved early on, and when the ball started coming his way, he tried to do too much, opting for an extra dribble rather than looking for a teammate. He also risked a red card with a reckless tackle just after the missed penalty. 5”
Leicester Mercury
James did indeed hold onto the ball when simple passes were required. And the situation was made worse by a reckless tackle that narrowly avoided a red card. Such impetuosity was merely the manifestation of a maestro trying to overcompensate for those around him.
The solution, as highlighted by the local media analysing this particular aspect of James’s play, lies in his tactical positioning. Moving him away from the restrictive role of an advanced number 10 and returning him to his natural position, that of a deeper-lying central midfielder, will set him free.
From there, he will be able to dictate the tempo and arrive in time. He will thus be able to drive the Foxes forward from the heart of the pitch rather than being isolated, with his back to goal.
“One might assume that playing a promising forward higher up the pitch would naturally make him more effective, but that has not been the case with James this season, and last weekend provided further evidence of this.”
Abdulhafiz Teslim
admin