Kenedy

[Barbara 15,149]

so instead of his well taken goal, so early in the match we're picking up how he performed defensively as a LB in his maybe third game ever in the position?

I - for one - am very happy for his goal and his general attitude. He's a winger, he's very young, he can whatever a good manager works him to be at this stage. defending isn't that difficult to learn, it's all about movement and timing. There isn't a special skill from another planet. If people like Iva and Cahill made their careers being defenders, I'm sure Kenedy can improve his movement and timing and be a decent one too... I don't know where I'd rather see him play, but using only his third game in the position, while he's basically youth guy is nearly laughable. The options should be all open at this point.

[joaosoares 12]

Why do coaches keep using him as a left back? He is way better offensively.

[magic weeds 446]

I think that kid Da Silva can handle the left back spot. and knows how to attack. But then, he is just a kid.

[Chelseabluerising 60]

So happy with his goal, but like others said he needs to be playing further forward 

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

The next Marcelo??

[Tomo 21,751]

11 hours ago, OneMoSalah said:

I'm sorry but I am intrigued how someone who cannot position himself well and has struggled defensively at left back when he plays can ever become a top bracket full back? He was caught out easily for the Norwich goal, as well as Ivanovic. Some players do well in a change of position but some don't. Someone who was compared to Hulk, talked about being fast, direct and having a powerful shot surely playing left back would an utter waste. Like I said before I think Eden's presence in the team regardless of his form makes people question whether Kenedy could ever break through in that position but we've seen this season hes been bright and excelled on in bursts. He has a big future ahead of him if his involvement in the team continues, the same with Bertrand Traore. Also regarding Henry comment, big difference going from a left winger to a striker than a left winger to a left back. 

If he keeps playing LB and teams keep exposing him defensively, soon enough fans will criticize him and turn on him and its back to His  one with youth. Give them a chance yes but at least don't put too much pressure on them making them play a brand new position than is alien to them where they could really struggle like he did defensively tonight. 

His defence can be worked on, he's made a few mistakes but he hasn't been bad all things considered.

Obviously he will need to improve In his defence for this to work, but many players before him have done it.

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

Just now, Tomo said:

His defence can be worked on, he's made a few mistakes but he hasn't been bad all things considered.

Obviously he will need to improve In his defence for this to work, but many players before him have done it.

And others have tried and failed too, like Ricardo Quaresma at Barcelona. I like Kenedy when he goes forward because hes fearless and restricting him to playing LB would be a huge waste. He should be fighting to play in Hazard's position. Defense can be worked on but its pointless moving him back to  a position where he is going to see less of the ball just for the fact we don't have a left back at a high level, either that or people believe Hazard will be here for the rest of his 5 year contract (which I doubt he will) so to keep him he must play LB or whatever. I'd have liked to have seen Guus and Jose drop Hazard for Kenedy earlier in the season and hopefully if it is Conte who takes over this summer, he sees Kenedy as a winger. 

[The Skipper 20,609]

On 3 March 2016 at 7:02 PM, OneMoSalah said:

And others have tried and failed too, like Ricardo Quaresma at Barcelona. I like Kenedy when he goes forward because hes fearless and restricting him to playing LB would be a huge waste. He should be fighting to play in Hazard's position. Defense can be worked on but its pointless moving him back to  a position where he is going to see less of the ball just for the fact we don't have a left back at a high level, either that or people believe Hazard will be here for the rest of his 5 year contract (which I doubt he will) so to keep him he must play LB or whatever. I'd have liked to have seen Guus and Jose drop Hazard for Kenedy earlier in the season and hopefully if it is Conte who takes over this summer, he sees Kenedy as a winger. 

Just because he's playing LB does not mean he'll see the ball less. Modern full backs touch the ball very often in today's game and are a major part in anyone's game going forward. 

[kiwi1691 255]

7 hours ago, The Skipper said:

Just because he's playing LB does not mean he'll see the ball less. Modern full backs touch the ball very often in today's game and are a major part in anyone's game going forward. 

Yea look at Alves

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

Just now, The Skipper said:

Just because he's playing LB does not mean he'll see the ball less. Modern full backs touch the ball very often in today's game and are a major part in anyone's game going forward. 

 

Yes I know that but honestly, modern full backs like Alaba, Sandro, Danilo, Alves, Alba etc. are all pretty good defensively, modern day football or not I'd prefer to have a natural defender in my team than a winger being put there just for the sake of it. If we get Conte I hope to god he signs a left back of a high standard then we won't need to see Kenedy there because its clear hes a winger,Baba has been unconvincing too at times although he still hasn't had a major chance to cement that place as his own in the team. 

 

For instance lets look at Zabaleta at City, rock solid defensively first and foremost, then he looks to play forward and overlap. The same with Azpi, I'd rather have someone like that or Ashley Cole than trying to turn someone into something they aren't. Fair enough he could be a decent player there and people have said he has poor technique (really don't see how they came to that conclusion) but he is the sort of the guy you'd rather see attacking a full back than being attacked as a full back, hes quick, very direct and works hard, let him develop his final ball as a winger because it would take a lot more work to improve his defensive skills and make him a full back. 

[OhForAGreavsie 6,058]

On 02/03/2016 at 8:11 AM, Chelseabluerising said:

So happy with his goal, but like others said he needs to be playing further forward 

I'd say the reason, or one of the reasons, Kennedy is not starting more often and not in his preferred position was in evidence in the lead up to the goal. It began with a poor touch. This time, perhaps because he was coming from deep, he had a lot of room and caught up with the ball. Had he been in a tighter situation that touch would have resulted in lost possession. Obviously that's the kind of thing that happens to all players once or twice every game but I believe this is a trait of his and is something I've been commenting on since watching his highlight videos before he joined. I believe this is one of the things keeping Kennedy out of the side.

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Kennedy seems to me to be a player suited to space. When it's a case of running at a back 4 or a fullback 1v1 he is good. I think he is terrible in tight spaces. In this loose sense, he's the opposite of Hazard (i think hazard lacks the sprint speed this season to take a fullback on, go past him and shoot. He's more interested in making space than beating the man). 

This is one reason he has looked so good at fullback going forward. He has acres in front of him and is power on to cross or shoot. I think playing him fullback forces him more often than not into the situations that suits him best. Overlapping for a cross or a shot from the edge of the box. Absolutely no idea about his defending. Perhaps a Wing back would suit him? 

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

Was actually impressed with him at LB tonight but for the first goal he gets sucked in to the middle of the pitch far too much which makes it virtually impossible for him to get back out to try and block Ibrahimovic's cross, these sort of things are what I'm worried about seeing him at LB, just takes one mistake to give away a chance to someone to create a big chance. Azpi does the same for the second goal, a bit too central and is caught ball watching, cannot do that against teams with players like Ibrahimovic and Di Maria. 

[LDN Blue 7,903]

You can take the club from Mourinho, but his slight influence will always linger.

His call to play the kid at left-back, we ridiculed and mocked for a while but I guess he let Hiddink in on the vision he had. 

Well played Kenedy, have your moment to shine!

[LAM09 7,043]

He just isn't an all rounded LB. Lacks that defensive awareness and that's no fault of his own.