By Adeyinka Adedipe
Commendation has come the way of Super Eagles defensive midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi for his contribution to Leicester City’s beautiful run in the English Premier League this season.
The Foxes nine game winning streak came to an end last Saturday when they played a 1-1 with Norwich City at the King power Stadium with Ndidi was again putting a super shift in the game.
Ndidi’s role in Leicester’s success has been described as important, while tackles and interceptions is key to Leicester’s pressing game under Brendan Rodgers.
In the game against Norwich, the Nigerian midfielder won the ball back with a firm tackles and when his teammates lost possession, Ndidi was there to recover most times.
Speaking about Ndidi’s performance, Maddison said: “I think he’s the best in the Premier League at tackling and winning the ball back, bar none.
“I know N’Golo Kante is a brilliant player and there are players like that. But actually winning the ball back and taking the ball off the opposition, I don’t think there is anyone better than Wilfred.
“Sometimes you get a player like that and what he does doesn’t get on the back page of the papers, doesn’t get talked about on Match of the Day. But his team-mates and players who play against him realise what a top player he is.
“He’s fantastic at what he does and he lets players like me and Youri Tielemans do our thing higher up the pitch because we know we’ve got that solidity behind us.”
As Maddison suggests, having Ndidi in that anchor role helps others to feel emboldened. He is there to back them up, ready to sustain the attack if and when possession is surrendered.
Coach Brendan Rogers also knows the importance the Nigerian when he recently described him as an incredible player.
“He is an incredible player,” he said recently. “The offensive players get the credit but he does the dirty work. He has this brain for the game, where he can smell danger and always finds himself there.”
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