Crisis in the middle of the pitch: Leicester City without Wilfred Ndidi

The suspension of Wilfred Ndidi has come at a crucial time in Leicester City’s season. With only seven games left to play, a seventh place finish and European football is within grasp; however, with the loss of the Nigerian, the Foxes have a crisis in the midfield.

Not so long ago, Leicester had a treasure trove of options to play in the middle of the pitch. At the beginning of the calendar year, Claude Puel had six players that could play the midfield. Ndidi would consistently get the start, with Matty James playing as his support.

Vicente Iborra and Adrian Silva would occasionally come off the bench but would rarely find significant minutes. This left veteran Andy King and promising youngster Hamza Choudhury off the first team sheet. Yet, this blessing of quality midfielders would not last for long.

From too much to too little

Leicester City’s six choices to play midfield have shrunk to just three. King was sent to Swansea City on loan, James has been ruled out for the rest of the season after his achilles surgery, and Wilfred Ndidi is suspended for the next two games. Now the hopes of next season are in the hands of Iborra, Silva, and Choudhury.

The calm Spaniard

The most we have seen from any of these players is Vicente Iborra. A consistent starter for the first half of this season, he gradually fell out of favour, as Puel started to play Matty James over Iborra, leading to a two month span where he was only used prominently in FA Cup competitions. Nonetheless, Iborra’s recent form is critical to how Puel wants the Foxes to play: Calm, cool, and collected.

Puel has praised the Spaniard for his calming presence on the pitch:

"“He is good with the ball. He is a good technical player and he gives us the possibility to start with the ball, use it simply and organise the play”."

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Vicente Iborra of Leicester City celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City at Amex Stadium on March 31, 2018 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images) /

Claude Puel has even stated that Wilfred Ndidi has progressed due to Vicente Iborra’s influential play. When Iborra is on the field, the Foxes feel like a more controlled and well-oiled machine. His influence and leadership is coming at a time when the club needs it the most. Yet, he was not the first choice back when the summer transfer window ended.

The Portuguese international

The transfer saga of Adrien Silva is well documented. What has not been documented is his skills in the Premier League. Silva, who joined the team in January, has played primarily in cup competitions. He has featured in five Premier League matches, starting only three of them. To say he lacks league experience is an understatement; however, his skill as a player is clear.

Silva is a Portuguese international who will be playing in Russia this summer. He also has a successful rapport with Iborra, as the two have played well together in the FA Cup.

Adrien Silva’s athleticism and “magic-making” talent blends well with Iborra’s defensive prowess. In theory, Silva and Iborra’s contrasting abilities will create a powerfully effective duo.

The obvious choice for Claude Puel to replace Ndidi would be Silva to work along Iborra. Nonetheless, the Leicester City manager has had a history of placing faith in young players.

Demarai Gray and Kelechi Iheanacho have seen more playing time under Puel and Ben Chilwell has usurped Christian Fuchs as the starting left back. It would come as no surprise if he chooses to go with youth once again.

The young buck

It would seem Hamza Choudhury has not caught the eye of Claude Puel. Choudhury has only made two substitute appearances for the senior team, but it is telling that the U-23 captain has been regularly travelling and training with the team.

It may be a gamble to start a young and inexperienced player, but that has not stopped Puel before and it has yielded results.

There is a certain amount of confidence in the fact that Leicester City can succeed without Wilfred Ndidi. The club has quality backups to pick up where Ndidi has left off.

But Wilfred Ndidi is still Wilfred Ndidi

Wilfred Ndidi is a world-class player. He is clearly one of Leicester’s best players, as he is statistically one of the best midfielders in not only the Premier League but in Europe, too. He leads the Premier League with 129 tackles, 33 more than former Leicester star N’Golo Kante.

His elite defensive play has not gone unnoticed. Top teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have been linked with a summer transfer move for the Nigerian international. Whether or not these rumours are true is a different matter, one thing is for sure: Wilfred Ndidi is a one of a kind player, and Claude Puel knows this.

Ignorance cannot be bliss for Claude Puel. He, and the Leicester City faithful, are well aware of the Nigerians importance. Puel states:

"“Wilfred has attributes to recover a lot of balls, he’s strong in midfield and we cannot replace him with the same attributes but we can replace him with a collective response by sharing this part of the job between all the players”."

This is a key quote that represents the entirety of Leicester’s crisis in the midfield. No player will be able to fill the hole that Ndidi will leave behind, but a mix of the talents of Iborra, Silva, and Choudhury can be good enough for six points over the next two games.

Playing For Seventh

The rest of the season is critical for Leicester City, but the next two games against Newcastle United and Burnley are the most important. Both teams are coming off strong wins and can beat Leicester City.

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However, a Leicester squad without Ndidi is still capable of beating these clubs. With seventh place on the line, it is crucial for Leicester to both beat Newcastle and the currently seventh-placed Burnley, even if it is without the star Nigerian.