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Why Ruud van Nistelrooy may ignore Troy Deeney's Leicester City request
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City set-up allows space for only one out-and-out winger and so far it’s not been the one many would have predicted.
Much like under Steve Cooper, one of the wide-men in van Nistelrooy’s system needs to be able to invert into the no.10 position to create space for Victor Kristiansen or James Justin to advance down the flank. That’s why, when Facundo Buonanotte was ineligible against Brighton, Jordan Ayew was selected.
With Ricardo Pereira injured, it does not feel like that tactic will change any time soon. And so it may be that only one of Kasey McAteer or Stephy Mavididi will be in van Nistelrooy’s City 11 over the coming weeks.
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Most supporters would pick Mavididi. At the weekend, former Watford striker Troy Deeney said on Match of the Day 2 that “he should get more game-time”.
He did make an impact off the bench against Brighton, pinching possession and sliding in Jamie Vardy in the build-up to the equalising goal. It would not be unfair either to say that he has better quality in his end product.
But so far, van Nistelrooy is selecting McAteer. There’s perhaps a few reasons why. Firstly, his off-the-ball runs, the Republic of Ireland international looking for passes over the top or in behind, stretch the pitch and create space for others. Against Brighton, McAteer's average position was more advanced than Jamie Vardy's. Mavididi, meanwhile, is more static until he receives the ball, weaving his magic once it’s at his feet.
McAteer works hard defensively too, and he can play on either wing, whereas Mavididi usually only operates on the left. At half-time against West Ham, van Nistelrooy switched him from the right to the left, a decision that led to City’s second goal.
Asked what he likes about McAteer, van Nistelrooy said: “There were two games in my interim period against Leicester, so I was studying the opposition and the qualities, and he was somebody I found to have a very interesting profile. He’s got very specific qualities he can add to the team.
“He was very good in the role that we looked for him to use against West Ham. He’s versatile. He can do different jobs. He's a great team player for us.”
That tallies with Enzo Maresca’s verdict from last season. Early in the campaign, before his hamstring injury and when he was the club’s top scorer, McAteer was setting the example for Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu.
Maresca said last autumn: “First of all the good thing with Kasey is that he can play on the right side and on the left side. Sometimes the wingers, they prefer one side or the other. He gives us the option to use him on both sides.
“Off the ball, he runs a lot and works a lot. And on the ball he has quality. More than quality one v one, he has the quality to be in the right place at the right moment.
“Because against Bristol City, we had four or five times where Abdul arrived on the byline and chipped the ball, but the opposite winger was not there to push the ball in the net. It happened the same on the other side, Stephy got the ball to the byline, chipped the ball to the second post, and Abdul was not there ready to score.
“Macca, if you think of the (first) goal he scored against Rotherham, he was just there to score. Against Norwich, he was there in the right position. He has these kinds of things which for a winger is important, to be in the right place in the right moment.”
