Jonathan David

[Snowcrash]

1 hour ago, BradMack said:

He's only anonymous when guys around him aren't interested in combining with him. If you watch this team when Yilmaz and David are up top its a completely different team, and it's actually pretty fun to watch. It is possible that David isn't the true #9 Lille want, as he plays a lot better slightly behind Yilmaz. It is also possible with Ikone, Bamba and Yazici in the team that they aren't meant to play with a true #9 like David is asked to play.

Those three play completely on the outside of the box and recycle posession from side to side until  one of them decides to try to take on three defenders by themselves in the box. Honestly how many crosses did lille attempt tonight... 3? How many times did someone look off the direct run and instead try to dribble all the way themselves, and then post up and play the ball back and let celtic set up 10 men behind the ball? Its like Ikone and Yazici think just counter attacking regularly is too easy, so they let the defenders get set so they can run at the whole back line. 

Anyway, the stats are in, with Yilmaz and David up top together Lille are way more dangerous, and win. 

https://twitter.com/NousSommesLille/status/1335889158963785730?s=20

In Gent, David played at the top of a diamond behind two skilled target men in Yaremchuk and Depoitre. Gent didn't play with classic wingers so most of the attack went up the middle through David.  Also, the ball never stuck to players like Olajide or Owusu so David's runs were rewarded much more than at Lille. 

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, Stryker911 said:

If it's any consolation to how David's season has gone Gent just crashed out of Europa without getting even 1 point a s they are currently 13th in Belgium. At least his current team is pretty successful.

 

33 minutes ago, Snowcrash said:

Gent is a dumpster fire this season.  Thorup got canned after a slow start and his replacement lasted maybe 4 games.  An assistant coach is now the manager and while I don't expect them to be relegated, everything that can go wrong has gone wrong for them.

This is probably because David is gone. He was the straw that stirred the drink at Gent. Both parties are worse off without each other.

[Cheeta]

Just finished the match.

The Good;

For the 1st time in a long time I can come away from a European fixture knowing a Celtic player was MOTM.  Couple of nice goals out there to tonight.  Weah's snapshot was a beauty.

The Bad;

Lille.  Not a good night, again.  Attacking, their so-called defending, any of it.  Do they even have a plan? 

The Ugly;

That Lille movement just before Ikone was sub'd out.  The one where David was making a cross angle run into the space behind Laxalt and the obvious play into dangeous attacking territory and Ikone tanked the pass.   Tell me he didn't kill that play intentionally.  Go on.  Try.  Bloody Hell.

[Snowcrash]

10 hours ago, Cheeta said:

Just finished the match.

The Good;

For the 1st time in a long time I can come away from a European fixture knowing a Celtic player was MOTM.  Couple of nice goals out there to tonight.  Weah's snapshot was a beauty.

The Bad;

Lille.  Not a good night, again.  Attacking, their so-called defending, any of it.  Do they even have a plan? 

The Ugly;

That Lille movement just before Ikone was sub'd out.  The one where David was making a cross angle run into the space behind Laxalt and the obvious play into dangerous attacking territory and Ikone tanked the pass.   Tell me he didn't kill that play intentionally.  Go on.  Try.  Bloody Hell.

I'm one of Ikone's harshests critics but in his defense, and it's a pretty sad defense, when he has the ball at his feet anywhere near the box and starts running, he literally doesn't see any any attacking options other than dribbling by his man (or two or three), or taking a shot on goal. Consider a considerably less talented, much more selfish version of Arjen Robben and you have Ikone.

Players like David and Yilmaz see plays developing and know what they're going to do with the ball before it arrives.  There were two or three times when David one touched a pass into the box for Yazici who was making a run into space.  Players like Ikone just aren't hard wired to see the field like that.

Also, based on his current play, people may be amazed to know that Ikone has been called up a couple of times for France and has actually potted a goal.  That was a couple of years ago when Lille was expecting to get Pepe type money for Ikone. Now, he doesn't even start.

[El Diego]

Thought David was poor once again, though not out of place compared to the rest of team. Bradaric's form has dipped tremendously -- surely Reinildo is ahead of him. Djalo had a difficult match back in the middle. Agree with everyone that despite his goal, Ikone was a net negative. Lille must be hoping they can get something for him in the winter.

It's been mentioned before but a deep lying playmaker/tempo setter is so obviously what this team needs. Andre/Xeka are not creative enough. Sanches/Soumare can progress the ball themselves, but don't have any real range of passing. The other thing they could use is a wide playmaker type. I know people mentioned Osorio earlier. He's probably my favourite player, but not sure if he could make the jump. But he's a good example of a guy they could use as a wide midfielder in this set up, not so much as a center mid. His patience to combine from the inside left position is sorely lacking. Bamba and Araujo (and Ikone) are both goal seekers (despite the assist numbers Bamba has). One side needs a combiner.

Gosh, I feel like a real Lille fan almost.

 

[Obinna]

13 minutes ago, El Diego said:

Thought David was poor once again, though not out of place compared to the rest of team. Bradaric's form has dipped tremendously -- surely Reinildo is ahead of him. Djalo had a difficult match back in the middle. Agree with everyone that despite his goal, Ikone was a net negative. Lille must be hoping they can get something for him in the winter.

It's been mentioned before but a deep lying playmaker/tempo setter is so obviously what this team needs. Andre/Xeka are not creative enough. Sanches/Soumare can progress the ball themselves, but don't have any real range of passing. The other thing they could use is a wide playmaker type. I know people mentioned Osorio earlier. He's probably my favourite player, but not sure if he could make the jump. But he's a good example of a guy they could use as a wide midfielder in this set up, not so much as a center mid. His patience to combine from the inside left position is sorely lacking. Bamba and Araujo (and Ikone) are both goal seekers (despite the assist numbers Bamba has). One side needs a combiner.

Gosh, I feel like a real Lille fan almost.

 

Eustaquio

[maccaliam]

1 hour ago, Obinna said:

Eustaquio

Literally the name that popped in my head when reading that. 

[dyslexic nam]

The Lille game is still showing in the One Soccer schedule tomorrow.  Not sure when the issues between Media Pro and Ligue 1 will impact what they are able to show.  

[bfque8]

Jo has the start today v Bordeaux. KO at 11am ET over on beIN/OneSoccer.

Lille (likely 442): Maignan; Celik, Fonte, Botman, Reinildo; André, Soumaré, Bamba, Ikoné; Yilmaz, David
Bordeaux (likely 442): Costil; Benito, Baysse, Pablo, Sabaly; Oudin, Basic, Otávio, Zerkane; de Préville, Ben Arfa

Edited December 13, 2020 by bfque8

[narduch]

One Soccer feed is working 

[sebdeserio]

"Jonathan Bamba, the Canadian international" facepalm

[Cheeta]

Great corner, better header.  Pinpoint.

[Gian-Luca]

The three Jonathans are pretty much interchangeable for this commentator, he just called Ikone "Bamba" for the halftime interview.

Once again David is doing a much better job of finding his teammates than his teammates are at finding him. He was involved in the build-up for their first goal.

[dyslexic nam]

Probably because we are constantly watching him, but you really do see some smart play from him.  When three guys are bursting forward he hangs back a bit to give a loathe option.  When he is on the high line, he is always looking to make runs behind defenders.  
 

Wish he could have gotten into the end of Yilmaz’s flicked header.  Another foot or two and he just redirects that into the goal.  

[sebdeserio]

Why tf didn't Ikoné play him the first time?? Oh right cuz he's Ikoné

Edited December 13, 2020 by sebdeserio

[Ansem]

It's like he reluctantly passed it to David who was all alone. You could just tell he was like

"F--- I have no choice but to pass it"

It was late

Edited December 13, 2020 by Ansem

[Macksam]

Well, I just logged off of Onesoccer. 

[Gian-Luca]

I don't think David had any idea if or when Ikone was going to pass to him, which contributed to the slight mis-control when the pass finally came. Though given that he played 90 minutes on Thursday, tiredness may have crept in. Played pretty well for the most part but was mostly starved of opportunities from teammates not finding him.

[JamboAl]

Ha ha...Yilmaz is about to kill Ikone.

[Cheeta]

LOL.  

The man actually had a few good moments this match, however....

[Ansem]

I hope Burak screams at Ikone in the dressing room. I mean WTF man????

He's screwing his forwards BIG TIME. F'N selfish

Galtier must do something 

[dyslexic nam]

Ikone gonna Ikone...

[Gian-Luca]

Galtier's not going to do anything, I"m sure he can see what we can all see as well and knows what kind of a player Ikone is, there are obviously good things that he does bring to the table. Speaking of the table, Lille are now at the top of it and could stay there depending on what PSG does later today, so there's only so much criticizing of his players on 3 day's rest that Galtier is going to do.

[badname22]

Surely between Lihadji, Yacizi and Araujo one of them has to be better than Ikone

[Cheeta]

10 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

Galtier's not going to do anything, I"m sure he can see what we can all see as well and knows what kind of a player Ikone is, there are obviously good things that he does bring to the table. Speaking of the table, Lille are now at the top of it and could stay there depending on what PSG does later today, so there's only so much criticizing of his players on 3 day's rest that Galtier is going to do.

I'm of the mind that Ikone is trying too hard and it isn't really coming off as well as everyone would like. That he's trying to impress because he's in the shop window.  Officailly, unofficially, his choice or otherwise.  That's what's in his head. 

Others more familiar with the man are suggesting that his style of play so-far this season is pretty par for the course.  Either way it doesn't matter, the result is the same.  It's hard to imagine a veteren manager at this level who has serious ambitions in Europe who doesn't know Lille needs to outgrow that type of player.