Leander Dendoncker's Time for Club & Country.

Jay Jay de Wolf

Jay Jay de Wolf

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As Leander Dendonker was MOTM for his performance for Belgium last night against the Ivory Coast.
sportwitness.co.uk

Manager labels Wolves midfielder ‘special’ - Has reached level of ‘high international stage’ - Sport Witness

For a long time there was a negative attitude from some of the Belgian sport media towards Leander Dendoncker. He was seen as perhaps being a little arrogant whilst at Anderlecht, and believing there was more Premier League interest in him, and from higher profile clubs, than there actually was...
sportwitness.co.uk sportwitness.co.uk

As he hasn't always been a regular for Wolves in his time so far. Is this his time to cement his place in our Wolves team and make the midfield stronger?
Be Interesting to see his performance against England on Sunday. That's if Roberto Martinez (Belguim Manager) choices to play him?
 
People say he's not a regular and maybe not a regular starter but its not exactly like he's a bit player.

Sure he featured in the majority of games last season in some way.
 
I'm with you Jay Jay
We've played 4 won 2 lost 2. Donk played in both wins. Perhaps not so black and white but certainly a contributing factor.
 
Hes invaluable when we play 352, not so effective in a 343 (but then none of our midfielders have been in that formation for a while).

I like Dendoncker, always feel happier when we go 352 and hes in.
 
Jay Jay de Wolf said:
As he hasn't always been a regular for Wolves in his time so far.
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Hasn't he literally played in every league game since his debut against Chelsea in December 2018?

Edit: except the debacle at West Ham!
 
SteveBullsKnee said:
Hes invaluable when we play 352, not so effective in a 343 (but then none of our midfielders have been in that formation for a while).

I like Dendoncker, always feel happier when we go 352 and hes in.
Click to expand...

I think Moutinho dip will see Dendoncker become first choice alongside Neves in the 343 with Semedo / Ait Nouri (once bedded in) our first choice wingbacks.
 
pacamac said:
People say he's not a regular and maybe not a regular starter but its not exactly like he's a bit player.

Sure he featured in the majority of games last season in some way.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure a stat came up recently that he was equal first in number of games played last season, along with a couple more of our players (Coady and ???). I remember being really surprised to see his name up there
 
I do like Donk but must admit also have reservations. Perhaps I am being unfair.
To me he is like a 'jack of all trades master of none' type player.
I wouldn't want to get rid, he constitutes the only source of height and power in CM, and he has been used liberally by Nuno.
Just feel that he is a little cumbersome and we need more bite in CM to progress.
I still feel that way, but perhaps I am being greedy and want us to stay around the top 6.
 
Underrated he is.

Only 25 and still progressing. His best is yet to come.

Speaking about progress (and going off topic), am I the only one who thinks Neves has stagnated maybe even slightly regressed his game? Not sure if it's him or the role he's given.
 
blakenhall wolf said:
Underrated he is.

Only 25 and still progressing. His best is yet to come.

Speaking about progress (and going off topic), am I the only one who thinks Neves has stagnated maybe even slightly regressed his game? Not sure if it's him or the role he's given.
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I think Neves has changed his game over the seasons with us,he is now much more a holding defensive CM,more than an attacking one which he was in the Championship and most of first season in Prem
Going back to Donk,he surely has to start ahead of Mouts now,we look so more solid when he plays,why he never came on against WHam i really dont know
He will play well with Semedo with his late runs and Semedos trade mark cut backs,i will say he will score more goals than Doc did last season right now
He is not the most graceful runner,and i think thats what makes him seem less attractive to the knockers on here,but he covers more ground than anyone in the team,with the possible exception of Neto more recently
Every team needs a Donk,a spoiler in midfield,good in the air,and a danger in the box,if only our other players would spot his late runs more often,but i think that will change with Semedo there now
 
Donk is a great player Imo. As some have said he is underrated and I think that’s because of the unglamorous positions he has been playing in.

When has he ever let us down?

He has scored important goals for us, played well in different positions and goes about wherever he plays with the minimum of fuss.

He is obviously a popular member of our squad and deserves nothing but praise.

I must admit I think he has a great name for a footballer as well!
 
Black Country Wanderer said:
I think Neves has changed his game over the seasons with us,he is now much more a holding defensive CM,more than an attacking one which he was in the Championship and most of first season in Prem
Going back to Donk,he surely has to start ahead of Mouts now,we look so more solid when he plays,why he never came on against WHam i really dont know
He will play well with Semedo with his late runs and Semedos trade mark cut backs,i will say he will score more goals than Doc did last season right now
He is not the most graceful runner,and i think thats what makes him seem less attractive to the knockers on here,but he covers more ground than anyone in the team,with the possible exception of Neto more recently
Every team needs a Donk,a spoiler in midfield,good in the air,and a danger in the box,if only our other players would spot his late runs more often,but i think that will change with Semedo there now
Click to expand...
neves has been a defensive CM last 2seasons.top for interceptions for wolves last 2 seasons.20th in prem.league.whether this is his best position can be argued
 
Jay Jay de Wolf said:
As Leander Dendonker was MOTM for his performance for Belgium last night against the Ivory Coast.
sportwitness.co.uk

Manager labels Wolves midfielder ‘special’ - Has reached level of ‘high international stage’ - Sport Witness

For a long time there was a negative attitude from some of the Belgian sport media towards Leander Dendoncker. He was seen as perhaps being a little arrogant whilst at Anderlecht, and believing there was more Premier League interest in him, and from higher profile clubs, than there actually was...
sportwitness.co.uk sportwitness.co.uk

As he hasn't always been a regular for Wolves in his time so far. Is this his time to cement his place in our Wolves team and make the midfield stronger?
Be Interesting to see his performance against England on Sunday. That's if Roberto Martinez (Belguim Manager) choices to play him?
Click to expand...
I like the idea of Neves, Donk and Vitinha in midfield.
 
reanswolf said:
I do like Donk but must admit also have reservations. Perhaps I am being unfair.
To me he is like a 'jack of all trades master of none' type player.
I wouldn't want to get rid, he constitutes the only source of height and power in CM, and he has been used liberally by Nuno.
Just feel that he is a little cumbersome and we need more bite in CM to progress.
I still feel that way, but perhaps I am being greedy and want us to stay around the top 6.
Click to expand...
I get what you are saying Reans, but he makes a different option to the too similar Neves and Moutinho. He at least looks to get forward and I would like to see how a midfield 3 of him, Neves and Vitinha get on.
 
Black Country Wanderer said:
I think Neves has changed his game over the seasons with us,he is now much more a holding defensive CM,more than an attacking one which he was in the Championship and most of first season in Prem
Going back to Donk,he surely has to start ahead of Mouts now,we look so more solid when he plays,why he never came on against WHam i really dont know
He will play well with Semedo with his late runs and Semedos trade mark cut backs,i will say he will score more goals than Doc did last season right now
He is not the most graceful runner,and i think thats what makes him seem less attractive to the knockers on here,but he covers more ground than anyone in the team,with the possible exception of Neto more recently
Every team needs a Donk,a spoiler in midfield,good in the air,and a danger in the box,if only our other players would spot his late runs more often,but i think that will change with Semedo there now
Click to expand...

For me we are best with a midfield 3 and on current form Donk has to be one of the first names on that team sheet. He is the link between midfield and the attack, when we only play a 2 in midfield we have a huge gap between them and the attackers. He makes us far more dynamic!

In his first season with us he used to make great diagonal runs towards the box and linked well with Doc to get slipped into that inside right channel, which is a very dangerous position to get into. I think playing 3 in the middle allows him to get forward more, so I hope that is what we do as I think him and Semedo could be lethal on that side.

Perhaps try Donk , Neto and Neves in the middle to give us some real energy and protect Neves giving him time pick out a pass to our faster fullbacks.

He is also a great shot from distance which he seems to have stopped all together, check out his strike in the semi final with Watford (led to the corner for Docs goal).
 
There is no doubt that we improved considerably when we went from a 2-man CM to a 3-man CM with Dendoncker in it.

BTW Neves had a tremendous season last season I thought.
 
reanswolf said:
There is no doubt that we improved considerably when we went from a 2-man CM to a 3-man CM with Dendoncker in it.

BTW Neves had a tremendous season last season I thought.
Click to expand...

He did, only behind Raul for poty for me. People expectations of him are unreasonable imo. He's not even 24 yet, still developing.
 
reanswolf said:
There is no doubt that we improved considerably when we went from a 2-man CM to a 3-man CM with Dendoncker in it.

BTW Neves had a tremendous season last season I thought.
Click to expand...

there is also no doubt that we haven’t played well with 3 in the middle since the season before last

neves and dendoncker is without doubt our first choice pairing now .
 
I am amazed at how much Dendoncker has come on, particularly when you think he couldn't get a game former the first few months he was here. To me his versatility is one of his biggest strengths, he looks equally at home at the back or in midfield. Though I think his future lies in midfield.
 
Apologies for the source, probably need to fire up your ad-blocker, but a decent article from Alex Dicken.

www.birminghammail.co.uk

Leeds masterclass showed Dendoncker's true worth to Wolves & Nuno

Alex Dicken has analysed Belgian midfielder Leander Dendoncker's importance to Wolverhampton Wanderers using scouting platform WyScout
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk
 
The Runner said:
Apologies for the source, probably need to fire up your ad-blocker, but a decent article from Alex Dicken.

www.birminghammail.co.uk

Leeds masterclass showed Dendoncker's true worth to Wolves & Nuno

Alex Dicken has analysed Belgian midfielder Leander Dendoncker's importance to Wolverhampton Wanderers using scouting platform WyScout
www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk
Click to expand...

for me he is number one central midfielder now. So so underrated. May not be as technically great as neves or Moutinho but he is the cog in this team. Has to start every game
 
MacTrizzle said:
for me he is number one central midfielder now. So so underrated. May not be as technically great as neves or Moutinho but he is the cog in this team. Has to start every game
Click to expand...
I actually think he is under rated technically, while Neves is better at picking a long diagonal and through balls Dendoncker is much better in tight spaces and under pressure playing it out.

Big season for him where I think he will push on and be an important player for us being a box to box player we need in the middle.
 
He certainly has a good engine if a strange running style. He often tops the stats for distance covered in a match, and is always a goal threat. Much underrated.
 
The most underrated player we have ever had. I remember one game making the comment that if we had the Mccarthy side and him in midfield he would be getting the same level of praise as the likes of Raul and Neves do now.
The stories of us trying to replace him bother me
 
The midfield certainly seems better with him there than when he is missing.
 
For me it is Donk + Neves/Moutinho for the best balance.
Going forward, in time Otasowie may be able to stand in for Donk and Vitinha for Neves/Moutinho. Our squad is looking good.
 
Abbobrom said:
He certainly has a good engine if a strange running style. He often tops the stats for distance covered in a match, and is always a goal threat. Much underrated.
Click to expand...
I think some fans unnecessarily chastise him for that
 
First central midfielder on the team sheet for me these days, then whomever out of Joao and Neves that Nuno deems best suited to join him, depending on opposition.

I presume it would be Joao when playing against a team where time on the ball will be limited, as he's a quick thinker, good in tight spaces and doesn't panic [e.g. Leeds] and Ruben when we are expecting to have lots of it [e.g. Newcastle at home coming up].

Up the Donck.
 
After Patricio and Traore..Donk nowadays is first name on the team sheet.

Third then..
 
Must admit the Donk is one of my favourite players, very dependable and as said underrated in a kind of Geoff Palmer sort of way.
 
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