Should Youri Tielemans return for Leicester City at Manchester United?
Youri Tielemans has arguably been Leicester City’s most important player for the past few seasons but should he walk straight back into a winning team?
While Tielemans can control a game like nobody else in the City midfield, he hasn’t got the energy of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall or the goalscoring prowess of err… Nampalys Mendy.
So does he get in your team at Old Trafford on Sunday?
Yes - replacing Mendy
We’re only three games in post-January window, but it’s clear that the new signings have transformed and invigorated the squad, and to his credit Rodgers has quickly found a system which seems to be getting the best out of the team.
Part of this system includes a midfield pivot which worked brilliantly against Spurs on Saturday but was partly to blame for some first half chaos against Villa.
Papy Mendy put in arguably his best performance for the club on Saturday and operated as the more disciplined and fixed part of the midfield duo, with KDH given more freedom to busy himself with presses further up the pitch and more progressive playmaking.
Despite the heroics of Mendy on Saturday, Spurs made it relatively easy for him with what was a shockingly bad midfield performance. With good coaching and discipline, I think that Tielemans can fulfil this fixed role.
And while Tielemans may not have the same energy and agility as Mendy, he is much stronger technically and is better suited to deal with what will be a more aggressive midfield battle on Sunday. If it isn’t going well, Rodgers must have the courage to introduce Mendy as early as necessary!
Matt Jedruch
No
I’m not sure it’s a long-term answer but I liked the energy of the Mendy/KDH combination against Tottenham. It suited the way we played, not just because Tottenham were awful but because we weren’t too bothered about patient possession football.
Our aggressive defending even meant KDH could slice it straight out of play a few times and it didn’t seem to matter that much - we had the ball back swiftly anyway.
It feels like Tielemans on the big pitch at Old Trafford could go one of two ways - he either sprays the ball around to our two (two!) wingers and controls the game for us from the centre circle, or he gets hopelessly overrun by Erik Ten Hag’s newly dynamic United side.
I feel like Tielemans needs physical dynamism in the positions around him to be effective against the top teams. We haven’t really got that with Maddison, Tete or Mendy.
Ultimately though, it’s his contract situation which sways it for me. We aren’t guaranteed to be much better with him in the side and as such, it’s a good free hit to continue without him - until we need someone to come off the bench and hit one into the top corner from 30 yards…
David Bevan
Yes - replacing KDH
I'm conscious that KDH is very popular as there's always been a real affection within our fanbase for a player with lots of workrate. When you combine that with local lad status, it's easy to see why he's first pick on many people's teamsheets.
I too really like KDH as a player, but he gives the ball away far too much. He's not a young lad and he's not really new to the team now. Therefore, he's got to work on combining care and attention in possession with his workrate attributes.
I think he'll get there and he'll probably, and should, be captain next season. But for this game at Old Trafford, I think Tielemans comes back in.
Tielemans too is sometimes guilty of giving the ball away, but I feel it’s more to do with him trying to make something happen rather than carelessness. I'd have Tielemans in for the next two games against two of the top three teams and then back to a refreshed KDH after that as we look to a future without the Starman.
Iain Wright
No
Not for me.
We're coming in off our best result of the season against Spurs – a game in which Mendy played a blinder.
Realistically, we were unlikely to play Tielemans, KDH and Maddison in tandem for a game against a top side, and truth be told I think Tielemans' poor physicality and defensive weaknesses makes him the easiest to cut anyway.
We showed at Anfield and last weekend that there is life beyond him, and although the prospects of his screaming strikes and laser-guided passing are always difficult to shelve mentally, I think it's got to be done here.
Joe Brewin
