Noah Ajayi

FromTheBench

Full Member
Joined
May 3, 2014
Messages
11,180
Definitely deserves a thread here.

Impressing more and more each game now.

While Gabriel has all the hype and deservedly so, this guy also seems a very good talent.
 
Was incredible against Derby. Not only the ball control, skill in beating a player, pace, two footedness and, not normally mentioned, tracking back, winning the ball and passing ability. Certainly knows where the goal is. Downsides possibly, like JJ, sometimes shoots when others are better placed, but in time hopefully will become a better team player. I'm sure that will happen.
The U 18's are certainly playing out their skin at the moment, so much confidence.
 
He's played only 22% of available minutes, and started 21% of games. He was great against Derby, but maybe you are over-analyzing a single performance (or at least handful of performances). Comparing to JJ Gabriel who has played 80% of available minutes (and started 80% of games) seems like comparing apples and oranges

horsechoker said:
I don't Noah lot about him.
Click to expand...
:lol: :+1:
 
How long before the Robben, Giggs and any world class winger comparisons :lol:
Geez!
 
NewGlory said:
He's played only 22% of available minutes, and started 21% of games. He was great against Derby, but maybe you are over-analyzing a single performance (or at least handful of performances). Comparing to JJ Gabriel who has played 80% of available minutes (and started 80% of games) seems like comparing apples and oranges


:lol: :+1:
Click to expand...
I don't think I'm over analysing when I said he was incredible against Derby. I watched pretty much the whole game, and he was excellent, but possibly Derby are a poor side? I've only seen snippets of other games, so I can't comment on those games, but against Derby, I reiterate, he was excellent.
 
I think JJ might get bumped up pretty quickly next year to fend off other suitors, so itll mean more minutes for Ajayi. Its exciting to think we have quite a few prospects all coming through at the same time. With a bit of luck itll be a higher hit rate to the first team.
 
JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo said:
I think JJ might get bumped up pretty quickly next year to fend off other suitors, so itll mean more minutes for Ajayi. Its exciting to think we have quite a few prospects all coming through at the same time. With a bit of luck itll be a higher hit rate to the first team.
Click to expand...
JJ does not need to get bumped for Noah to get minutes. They can play together very easily with JJ as the 10 and Noah as the LWF as they have been doing so far. Noah's direct competition is Junior Brown.
 
red woppit said:
I don't think I'm over analysing when I said he was incredible against Derby. I watched pretty much the whole game, and he was excellent, but possibly Derby are a poor side? I've only seen snippets of other games, so I can't comment on those games, but against Derby, I reiterate, he was excellent.
Click to expand...
I agree you didn’t over-analyze it, and neither did you over-generalize it. But now you are in danger of over-reiterating it!
 
NewGlory said:
He's played only 22% of available minutes, and started 21% of games. He was great against Derby, but maybe you are over-analyzing a single performance (or at least handful of performances). Comparing to JJ Gabriel who has played 80% of available minutes (and started 80% of games) seems like comparing apples and oranges


:lol: :+1:
Click to expand...
In the last month he has looked like he's taken a massive step forward. It's not hyperbole.
 
He took on defenders and can dribble really well. He look like he had very good game awareness and I’ve only seen him a few times but he seemed far more composed and mature than everyone else.
 
holdsteady said:
In the last month he has looked like he's taken a massive step forward. It's not hyperbole.
Click to expand...

Yeah last month he has just been terrific.

Even against Man City he was very good. Seems to have grown and become bigger and faster.
 
Him and that Gabriel kid look like the real deal. If you can strike a ball that sweetly, you can play at any level.
 
JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo said:
He will get bumped up though, so there will be more time for Ajayi.
Click to expand...
They are not competing for the same position so JJ getting bumped has nothing to do with Ajayi's time. JJ has been playing more as a no 10 and Ajayi has been playing as a left winger. There are more than 1 attacking position in a football team.
 
SubutaiScipio said:
They are not competing for the same position so JJ getting bumped has nothing to do with Ajayi's time. JJ has been playing more as a no 10 and Ajayi has been playing as a left winger. There are more than 1 attacking position in a football team.
Click to expand...
JJ has spent time on left wing also this season. This isnt the win you think it is fella.
 
If him or Ethan Williams could make the breakthrough at some point that’d be great, exciting profile of player(s).
 
JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo said:
JJ has spent time on left wing also this season. This isnt the win you think it is fella.
Click to expand...
JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo said:
JJ has spent time on left wing also this season. This isnt the win you think it is fella.
Click to expand...


Hahaha i do not know you nor care to have a win over you. It's not that deep.

JJ has been playing mainly as a 10 during the last few months and Ajayi has been on the pitch with him regularly.

JJ is the starting no 10 of the team currently and Ajayi is rotating LWF duties with Junior Brown.

There is no evidence that JJ is impeding or will impede Ajayi's minutes, but this is not the loss you think it is fella. It's not about Ls and Ws on a faceless forum.
 
red woppit said:
I don't think I'm over analysing when I said he was incredible against Derby. I watched pretty much the whole game, and he was excellent, but possibly Derby are a poor side? I've only seen snippets of other games, so I can't comment on those games, but against Derby, I reiterate, he was excellent.
Click to expand...
He was. I also remember an odd game in which Jesse Lingard looked like prime Diego Maradona :) Anybody in pro football can look in a game or two. Consistency is the most important thing, in my opinion

I was objecting with you mentioning Ajayi in the same sentence with JJ Gabriel, not with saying Ajayi looked good against Derby (he did)
 
NewGlory said:
He was. I also remember an odd game in which Jesse Lingard looked like prime Diego Maradona :) Anybody in pro football can look in a game or two. Consistency is the most important thing, in my opinion

I was objecting with you mentioning Ajayi in the same sentence with JJ Gabriel, not with saying Ajayi looked good against Derby (he did)
Click to expand...
The only reason I mentioned J J was because, from my limited visual knowledge, was that they both tend to shoot when other players are better placed to score, other than that I have only seen highlights of other games.
To be fair to both of them, it's certainly looks like they both can strike the ball as well, or better than, than other players in that squad, so perhaps I do them a disservice, and Fletcher wants them to have strikes at goal.
 
I think the excitement with Ajayi is the apparent leap forward with form. I mentioned in a previous thread both him and Brown looked more confident than in previous performances (over about a 2 year period) and were delivering with end product.

I don’t think nobody is expecting anything great yet but more enjoying the skills and goals on show.
 
Borninthe80ts said:
I think the excitement with Ajayi is the apparent leap forward with form. I mentioned in a previous thread both him and Brown looked more confident than in previous performances (over about a 2 year period) and were delivering with end product.

I don’t think nobody is expecting anything great yet but more enjoying the skills and goals on show.
Click to expand...
I think the win against City, and fully deserved from what I saw, has given the whole squad a belief in themselves. They probably think they can beat anyone at the moment, and quite rightly to.
Long may that feeling continue, no fear.
 
red woppit said:
I think the win against City, and fully deserved from what I saw, has given the whole squad a belief in themselves. They probably think they can beat anyone at the moment, and quite rightly to.
Long may that feeling continue, no fear.
Click to expand...
I definitely agree with the City performance and the subsequent ones, just don’t want to jinx it until we see how things are maybe come the end of March. As you say though the players look like they want to play and hopefully others can make that leap too.
 
He is 17 already. I think we should sign him to a senior contract (if not done already). It is possible that this leap in performances might even get better as he leaves his injuries woes behind. We can't wait until he becomes a menace next season before tying him down to a long-term senior contract.
 
Looks good. Looks like he will be a strong physical player as well once fully developed.
 
Looked lively when he came on against Real Madrid U21s at a time when the team was really struggling. Played as a number 10 - he's a bit of a nightmare to defend 1v1 in space.

He's been very good for a decent chunk of time now (since he came back from his injury/time out). Has everything you could possibly want in a young forward - quick, tall, two footed, great balance, quick feet, strikes the ball well. Difficult not to rate him as one of our very best prospects.

Edit: Highlights don't look incredible, but are more impressive within the context of the game

 
A very exciting prospect, talented and has good game IQ, good physique as well.
 
This guy I think has the tools to do an Elanga. The thing is Elanga got into the team as an out ball under Rangnick. I can't really see that happening again if we are on the up and we sign another LW. He's a really good prospect though!
 
He's obviously a nice player but I think he's got a lot to do to be able to transfer the skills he's learning to the men's game where he can't use his physical advantages in the same way. I'd like to see him continue to improve his passing and crossing and then the dribbling and goal threat could take him a long way.
 
Obviously, the last few games he has shone and he deffinitely is electrifying. But he tries too hard to shoot on goal and ignores simple pass to a teammate. Hopefully he will learn with time
 
Faetheshire86 said:
Looked lively when he came on against Real Madrid U21s at a time when the team was really struggling. Played as a number 10 - he's a bit of a nightmare to defend 1v1 in space.

He's been very good for a decent chunk of time now (since he came back from his injury/time out). Has everything you could possibly want in a young forward - quick, tall, two footed, great balance, quick feet, strikes the ball well. Difficult not to rate him as one of our very best prospects.

Edit: Highlights don't look incredible, but are more impressive within the context of the game

Click to expand...


The game came up on my youtube feed and as we've been deprived of 1st team games, I skimmed the whole game not knowing anything much about the youth teams or the players apart from Lacey. He had bit of a subdued game where he played within himself and with good maturity but didn't really get a chance to do much 1 vs 1 damage. One of the Madrid CBs looked quite good.

With Ajayi, he immediately caught the eye as I noticed a lot of good dribbling penetration, technique and nice plays from him. However, he was also a lot fresher against tiring legs and looked physically/athletically a step above. As someone else as noted, it'll be interesting if he can translate that into men's football.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.