2020/21 Niels Nkounkou

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Ancelotti knows what he's doing, if he chucks him in too soon and we start losing games people will make up their minds and write the kid off. Better to bring him off the bench and bed him in slow for the time being.

He's already started 4 games, if he can finish the season having 10-15 first team appearances then that's pretty good for a youngster in his first season, especially considering there's no Europe.
 


He will get a game in the cup against Rotherham as that’s his level at the moment. He looked like a world beater against lower league opposition but even West Ham in the cup looked a significant step up. He was okay defensively in that game but had nowhere near the attacking intent. At Newcastle again he struggled even if you take the formation into account so I’m not surprised that Carlo has tried a few different things since. This is all normal IMO, he’s all potential at the moment and 1) may not actually be good enough in the end (see Galloway) and 2) even if he is needs to be managed carefully so he can learn and build his confidence.
 
catcherintherye said:
As a final aside, Nkounkou is very much 1st reserve currently. He may well be 1st reserve for the entire back 4 (I mean probably not, Kenny is, but maybe). It may be that if Mina or Keane get injured the plan is for Godfrey inside and Nkounkou on. There is a lot of games coming up, and Ancelotti will want him at his disposal, and importantly the lad himself will not want to be risking injury or fatigue by wasting time playing for the 23's.
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Not too sure about that mate. Recent history tells us that if we suffer another injury to one of our 4 fit mainstream defenders, then Carlo will revert to a back 5 and play wingers or central midfielders as wing backs. I sincerely hope he has learned his lesson that back 5 doesn't work with our players, but we'll see.
 

Barnfred 55 said:
Not too sure about that mate. Recent history tells us that if we suffer another injury to one of our 4 fit mainstream defenders, then Carlo will revert to a back 5 and play wingers or central midfielders as wing backs. I sincerely hope he has learned his lesson that back 5 doesn't work with our players, but we'll
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TheBigIguana said:
I think he would shoehorn Davies, Iwobi or Doucoure into fullback before he put Nkounkou in to start again. He'd have Nkounkou on the bench if this wasn't the case.
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DOMNOLAN said:
Won't play, probably won't be on the bench. Currently our 6th choice left back (Iwobi, Digne, Kenny, Godfrey, Delph have all now played ahead of him)
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My guess is that Ancelotti would happily use him for the odd game (as he did in the league cup and Newcastle) but doesn't think he's up to being starting left back for 20 games or whatever while Digne's out. If Digne had just taken a knock he might have played again, but as it's serious they've looked at other options. I think he's tried to find a solution that means somebody else plays the majority of games there, but I'm not sure Nkounkou has necessarily fallen down the pecking order in terms of playing at all. I think it's disingenuous to talk about him being on the bench, that doesn't surprise me at all. You're not planning on swapping your left backs tactically in the game so it's hardly surprising that he's chosen not to pick someone who can only play that position on the bench.
 
Well Carlo has been quite clear about Nkounkou this week , no disciplinary issues , just prefers him to get more experience:
“ "There's no doubt about his professionalism.

"He is really focused in training, he's going to play but in this moment I prefer more experienced players."

The danger with all our young players is we see their exciting bits, forgive their mistakes cos of their age and then compare them with older players who frustrate the hell out of us. I guess we have to accept Carlo’s methods are based upon what he sees in training and what he wants. I’m not sure of his “ I’m not here to develop players .” line though. Somebody has to develop them though , this is a 20 year old kid , too good for the u23s not yet a regular first team squad member hopefully somebody has a plan for him.
 
Loss for words how he hasn't seen a start with Digne out... One thing filling with Godfrey in a 442, another with Iwobi. Truth is I'm tired of seeing potential given a game in non event matches, they perform as well as anyone and better than most, yet any game of consequence and our managers think plugging gaps with players out of position is less risky than a natural player of that position who lacks some experience. Well we lost them. But at least we can't blame the kid hey...
 
blueloon said:
Well Carlo has been quite clear about Nkounkou this week , no disciplinary issues , just prefers him to get more experience:
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Key word for me is experience and the catch 22 that young players seem to constantly find themselves in when in a big club. Too good to play U23 (which doesn't seem to count as experience anyway); too inexperienced for the first team.

I ask with tears in my eyes... how are they meant to get experience if no manager will take a punt on them when the first teamer isnt even available?
 

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