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Fucking hell what a goal that is.

Anyhow, on Leicester...

We enter the final third of the season this weekend in 12th place, with our next nine games all against bottom half sides with the exception of Watford and West Ham (who are within this cluster of midtable sides anyway).

The season has fizzled out into a bit of a nothing season. We started out very hit and miss where we seemingly only won when we playing badly and only lost when playing well and it took us 11 games to even draw one, but we've obviously been quite rocked by probably the darkest moment in our history this season and whatever happens this year, that is always going to be brought up. We're in a bit of limbo regarding what's happening regarding the stadium expansion, although I'd like to think that this is just something that's fallen behind the training ground in our priorities and to be fair, given the amount staying away from our games at the minute I don't think there is huge demand for an expansion.

The staying away sadly is caused by the pretty awful football. It's not quite West Brom under Pulis, but there are similarities in the sense that we're very poor at home for a club with our resources, the football is frequently not entertaining in the slightest and the results are so frustrating. That we can give pretty much anybody in the league a game yet have no confidence in what are on paper the easiest games only adds to the frustration. We aren't the only ones in this boat, but we are the most extreme example in my eyes.

Some statistics as well I think make for interesting reading with Leicester. I couldn't give you the number of minutes, but if we aren't in the bottom five for teams that have spent the most team in the lead I will be amazed. We have only blown the lead once all season, but we have only held it at any point in 10 of our 26 games. We are the league's worst side in the first 15 minutes of games and have only gone 1-0 up at home twice all season, and even those were a penalty and a freak own goal. Our home games follow a similar narrative - start slowly, concede silly goal, spent the rest of the game chasing and either get picked off with a second goal, or bag an equaliser but ultimately don't get the win. 4 home wins all season is unacceptable, and given Puel's Southampton scored under a goal a game at home and that we finished last year with very similar bad habits, I don't hold out loads of hope that this is something that will be reversed. We've gone 1-0 down in 12 of our last 14 games which points to the underlying problem with this side. We're no good at playing catch-up and yet we normally always have to.

I think the home form is basically why Puel isn't popular. The problem with Puel is I feel like he was on a bit of a hiding to nothing with our fans from the off - with social media being what it is today, the pre-conceived opinion of a manager is likely to linger. Southampton fans were pretty scathing and this worried people about him before he'd even gotten going, and although we started very well under him, it seemingly hit a snag that we have never truly recovered from and it feels like he's never going to have the backing of a significant number of this fanbase. I feel like he was doomed to fail here and that not a lot has been done by him to rectify it as we've thrown away some great opportunities under him.

But I do sympathise with him to a degree as I feel like Leicester is a bit of a poisoned chalice as well. That people are going to have expectations of us that we simply aren't going to hit. But then again, he just doesn't have enough redeeming factors.

I could write so many angles of this whole argument but I'm going to try and take a fresh view of this final third of the season. The truth is I expect Puel to be gone in the summer anyway with Rodgers replacing him, but this season just feels like a bit of a write-off already with no FA Cup beyond round three and the league finish likely to be midtable. I respect the job he's done in assembling a young squad but I have little faith that he is going to be able to take it anywhere, but we did play well in our last game and Saturday might be a fresh start, although it's going to take a very good run of form to win me over as I've seen too many false dawns under him.

Edited by Dan
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Didn't go to the game last night but seeing the result makes me feel about Puel how I did in December when we lost against Palace that time too. Want him out of our club and then he went and pulled out two quality results against Chelsea and Man City to buy him some more time. 

I feel like we're becoming too stagnant as a club - people may say 'well Leicester are where they should be right now, around mid-table'. That may be so but it's not a crime to want to achieve a bit more than that, or at least have a good go at it. We've not won in any competition since 1st January ffs and that's just not on for a club who wants to be mid table at the very least. 

Puel may have good intentions for our club but it was a stark eye-opener just how close we are to getting sucked in to the relegation battle. I know we probably won't get relegated ultimately but before yesterday's games I saw how close Brighton were to the drop zone - only 3 points. And also seeing Burnley's rise up the table is a bit worrying. It'll be an absolute travesty if we dropped even further and while Puel may get the best out of some youngsters I just can't see his 'vision' coming to fruition. I know it's not good to chop and change too frequently but since Puel came in, we're gradually falling backwards. I am slightly worried where we could end up by May because we're playing against teams, til April, that aren't like the top 6 who we usually do well against. 

I'm not sure who else is out there and I'm not sure how long Puel has left when you have results like that at home last night. We are in relegation form and not one supporter of football, let alone fan of Leicester, can deny that. 

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Well that's that then eh.

Appleton in for me until May. We only need about 2/3 wins to survive and I'd imagine we'll get them now with no problem. This buys us a bit of time to get our replacement lined up.

That I'm talking about survival given we were 7th on NYD is a joke.

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@Stan @Dan and others.

 

Quote

Celtic: Brendan Rodgers set to join Leicester City after green light for talks

7 minutes ago

Brendan Rodgers is expected to become Leicester City's new manager after Celtic gave him permission to speak to the Premier League club.

First-team coach John Kennedy is set to take charge of the side for Wednesday's Premiership trip to face Hearts.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47368961

 

 

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7 minutes ago, Pyfish said:

I'd like to know his reasoning behind choosing Leicester over Celtic where he's won 7 out of 7 domestic trophies. Tougher challenge perhaps?

Maybe taken Celtic as far as he can? 

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Leicester City keeping all options open on search for next manager after Claude Puel sacking

City may consider an interim boss if they have to wait for their preferred target

By  Rob TannerLeicester City Editor

15:47, 25 FEB 2019

Leicester City are keeping all their options open as they search for their next manager.

City sacked Claude Puel on Sunday morning when he arrived at Belvoir Drive for training following the 4-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Owner and vice-chairman Aiywatt Srivaddhanaprabha was not at the game but was made aware of the dark atmosphere around the King Power Stadium during and after the game and took the decision to sack Puel on Saturday night.

Khun Aiyawatt had grown concerned by recent results, with Puel’s side winning just one in their previous nine games in all competitions and losing four consecutive games on home soil, equally the club’s worst run in the Premier League.

However, they did not have a replacement lined up and the Mercury understands they will be assessing all their options before appointing the new manager, which could even mean an interim manager holding the fort until the summer.

City are in the process of drawing up a list of targets.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers and Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez top the list of potential replacements that City fans would want, but Rodgers would command a hefty compensation package to prise him out of Celtic Park, even if he does fancy a return to the Premier League.

He may also want to remain at Celtic until the end of the season so they can complete a historic treble-treble of trophies.

Roberto Martinez has too been linked with the position, while Sam Allardyce has also been tipped for the role.

If City decide they want to wait until the right candidate becomes available in the summer they will consider an interim appointment, with ex-midfielder Neil Lennon and former assistant manager Michael Appleton linked to the role.

Appleton seems to be an ideal candidate for such a position. He was sacked in the summer by Puel when he changed his back-room team, but Appleton was popular with the players and staff and requires no settling in period.

The 43-year-old, who is currently looking for a return to football, previously acted as a caretaker boss as well when Craig Shakespeare was sacked last season.

Current caretaker boss Mike Stowell believes there will be no shortage of candidates for a position that will be prized within the game.

“There’s going to be lots of speculation,” said Stowell, who shares the role of preparing the team for tomorrow’s clash with Brighton and Hove Albion with Adam Sadler.

“This is a fantastic club and it’s a great opportunity for anybody who comes and takes this job because it’s a great job.

“They’ve got all the tools here. We’re in the process of building a new training ground, the stadium is being expanded.

“We’ve got fantastic owners, a great support and we’ve got a very good squad of young, hungry players.

“If somebody can come in and work with those players, nurture them, we’ve got to keep that squad together.”

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leicester-city-next-manager-puel-2582182

 

 

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Brendan Rodgers has his Glasgow home burgled just after leaving Celtic to become Leicester City manager

Brendan Rodgers has had his house in Glasgow burgled - a week after leaving Celtic to take over at Leicester City. 

The Northern Irishman was heavily criticised and labelled a 'fraud' by factions of Celtic's support with the club all set for an historic 'treble-treble' before his departure on February 26. 

Police were called to the property in the early hours of Wednesday morning, it has been confirmed.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: 'At around 1.55am on Wednesday, March 6 police received reports of a break-in at a property in Drymen Road, Bearsden.

'No-one was injured but a number of items were stolen from the property.

'An investigation is underway and enquiries are ongoing.'

Celtic fans were left angry at the timing of Rodgers' departure having previously described the Parkhead post as his 'dream' role when he joined in 2016. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-6777235/Brendan-Rodgers-Glasgow-home-burgled-just-leaving-Celtic-Leicester-City-manager.html

 
 

 

Edited by CaaC - John
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Extremely concerned at the strong rumours about us replacing Eduardo Macia (who nobody in the press seems to have realised has gone to Bordeaux) as head of recruitment with Lee Congerton, currently at Celtic and worked with Rodgers there.

He is largely slated by fans of both Celtic & Sunderland.

Having looked at Sunderland's business under him I'm a bit bemused that we'd go near him even despite Rodgers' recommendation. Millions thrown away on ageing players with no resale which has contributed somewhat to the demise of that club.

It would be extremely Leicester though. Spend a shit load on a top class training facility, pay a decent compensation package to get a good manager in and then bring in someone with an abysmal track record as head of recruitment.

If Leicester ever want to make waves again then they have to get these things right. If not we'll not achieve anything.

Edited by Dan
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Don't need to ask for opinions - look at the signings made under him everywhere he's been for the last 5-6 years of his career and you can objectively see he's an absolute conman. 

If he leaves, he leaves us needing to shift about half a squad in deadwood on top of having to replace an army of loan signings. 

But thank God he's leaving us in time for someone hopefully to come in and implement a half-sensible transfer policy. 

 

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