Leicester City Discussion

[The Artful Dodger]

'I feel I want to continue that...' hardly a affirmative no is it. It's only a matter of time. 

[Stan]

4 minutes ago, The Artful Dodger said:

'I feel I want to continue that...' hardly a affirmative no is it. It's only a matter of time. 

And any of the words before that?

 

I think it's fairly certain he's staying here and won't go to Arsenal right now. 

[LFCMadLad]

7 hours ago, Stan said:

And any of the words before that?

 

I think it's fairly certain he's staying here and won't go to Arsenal right now. 

I dont see how more blunt he can be to be honest, without saying "fuck off, IM NOT LEAVING FOR ARSENAL" 

[Dan+]

It's just typical of the media in this country. He was implying that the majority of managers in the league have release clauses as if to say it's nothing special and the lot of them took that as him going to Arsenal it's laughable how it's gotten to this point and that he's had to come out and reaffirm what he actually meant. All a bit pathetic. Twats like Richard Keys and Chris Sutton trying to stay relevant as well. Sutton's been nothing short of embarrassing about Rodgers. It's borderline mental.

[CaaC (John)+]

Leicester City has opened talks with manager Brendan Rodgers over a lucrative new contract in a bid to fend off interest from Arsenal. 

Arsenal has held their first interviews with candidates for their vacant manager's job, with the focus on candidates who are out of work. (Telegraph)

[Stan]

Rodgers Signs New Contract til 2025 

 

[True Blue]

Hate it when a player or a manager does well for a period and gets a new contract. Not just regarding Rogers but in general.

[The Artful Dodger]

It's all about securing interests, Rodgers was clever in floating the 'I've got a release clause' stuff to the press. Means Leicester need to act quickly to give him more money, and stave off interest for the time being. Also means they'll get more money should he depart in the summer etc. 

Edited December 6, 2019 by The Artful Dodger

[Dan+]

Works for all of us really. Celtic fans telling us he won't be here for 5 and a half more years as if it's some major breakthrough.

[CaaC (John)+]

4 hours ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Rodgers was clever in floating the 'I've got a release clause' stuff to the press

 

6 minutes ago, Dan said:

Works for all of us really

Aye, I worked in a factory down South once earning good money and I got a letter from the Prisoners Offices Board about a job as a Prison Officers job I had applied for when I left the army offering me a job, it would have paid me more than what I had been earning at the job I was doing atm, I showed the factory manager the offer from the POS who then offered me a pay rise to counter the POS Job which I accepted, as Dan said, it works for us all really.   

[Dr. Gonzo]

Maguire was holding Leicester's defense back:

[The Artful Dodger]

Yes, got that one wrong. Lot of affection for Maguire, like Robertson, but by a lot of accounts he's not been too good at Manchester United and Leicester have come on leaps and bounds. Don't think the absence of Maguire explains Leicester's good form but they certainly don't miss him.

[Stan]

Replacing Maguire with Soyuncu a season before goes some way to explaining it. 

We were good with Maguire but nothing special. Now we are with Soyuncu's form so far. Not to mention Evans being quality on the cheap and Pereira and Chilwell improving their game too. 

I actually didn't mind Maguire to be honest. Think he gets far too much hate from all parts but it goes to show chasing the money doesn't always work out straight away? 

[Danny]

Maguire has benefited a lot from there not being many great English centre backs and his ability to run out of defence combined with his absolute breeze-block of a forehead puts him ahead of the likes of Tarkowski, Mings etc...but if you're talking the days of Terry, Ferdinand or Campbell he would not get a look in for England and that's United's issue as they should be targeting absolute world class defenders or players with that potential

Leicester have played a blinder

[Dr. Gonzo]

3 minutes ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Yes, got that one wrong. Lot of affection for Maguire, like Robertson, but by a lot of accounts he's not been too good at Manchester United and Leicester have come on leaps and bounds. Don't think the absence of Maguire explains Leicester's good form but they certainly don't miss him.

I actually don't think Maguire's been bad at United and I still think he's a good player - but losing Maguire has allowed Leicester to play with a higher line because Evans and Sonyoncu isn't anywhere near as slow as a pairing as Evans and Maguire. With Ndidi to help out the defenders, they can keep a high line and they have 2 very good fullbacks to stretch the opposition - which really suits how Rodgers likes to operate.

Also you have to consider that Maguire was playing behind a much better midfield at Leicester than he was at United (weird to type that one out and be totally serious about it - but it's true). So even though Maguire not being pacey isn't so much of an issue at United, where they defend deeper than Leicester do this season, he's under more pressure defensively because that midfield is putting the United defense under more pressure.

I think he was overpriced, he's not worth a fee as high as his, but I understand why they signed him - he's a player that gives them leadership (ironically, Leicester still have a leader at the back in United's youth product Evans) and he'll be with them during his peak years. The defending for United last season was pretty dogshit, this season it's been noticeably better.

My post about him holding Leicester's defense back was more in jest than serious - I think ultimately Leicester's defensive success comes down to Evans and Sonyoncu being a better partnership for the system that Rodgers likes to use, more than the quality of Maguire. It was an excellent bit of business for Leicester, getting as much money as they did while they had a replacement ready to go.

[Dan+]

Said it many a time and to be honest the picture became clearer and clearer through a lot of last season that Maguire wasn't ever particularly brilliant. Not rubbish, but overhyped largely due to him being an England international and a down to earth type of character. These of course aren't bad things but they screw peoples perception somewhat. It was quite telling that our record without him even last year was better than it was with him. Evans is the better of the two.

[Dan+]

I think as a leader he was never all that either really. Evans was more of an organiser. Morgan despite being captain wasn't that big an organiser either really and was usually better alongside Evans or Huth. Maguire and Morgan was a car crash and for all the shit Morgan gets, in terms of pure defending it wasn't like either were innocent.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, Dan said:

I think as a leader he was never all that either really. Evans was more of an organiser. Morgan despite being captain wasn't that big an organiser either really and was usually better alongside Evans or Huth. Maguire and Morgan was a car crash and for all the shit Morgan gets, in terms of pure defending it wasn't like either were innocent.

You can see with England and United that he's a defensive leader though - even if he didn't necessarily show it for you. Evans is probably better at it than him, so he just sort of followed his lead. And with Morgan maybe he thought telling the captain what to do wasn't his place.

Either way, he's obviously improved United's defending this season. He's just not worth the money that was spent - but I think that was something most people knew when he made the move over. England international tax and all that jazz.

[Stan]

Rodgers last week. 

Maddison this week... 

 

 

[CaaC (John)+]

Brendan Rodgers: Leicester manager says no players will leave in January

Leicester will not sell any of their players during the forthcoming transfer window, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Thursday.

It follows speculation regarding in-form midfielder James Maddison, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United.

"There'll be no-one leaving in January - categorically," Rodgers said.

"I'm sure if we speak [to the club's board], they will have the same message."

Maddison, 23, has scored five times and provided three assists in the league this season to help the Foxes reach second spot after 16 games - six points clear of champions Manchester City, who sit in third.

Rodgers also said contract talks are continuing with regards to England international Maddison and Turkey defender Caglar Soyuncu, who has also been a key figure this campaign.

"Jon [Rudkin, Leicester's director of football] has had some conversations with the representatives, but that's as far as it's at," added the former Liverpool boss.

"I said some would happen after January, but for others, it could happen at any time."

The Foxes manager also said there are "one of two areas" of his squad he is looking to strengthen during the January window.

"I speak with the recruitment team a lot," he said. "It's an attractive proposition to come to here.

"If the right player is available, I'm sure the club will do everything they can. There will be plenty of players who want to come here."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50762573

[Dan+]

Quite rightly so. I don't see any demanding to go when we're in this position, nor do I think we'd entertain selling any regulars.

Genuinely think we would hold out for nine figures for any starter. We're in a superb position financially now. Our net spend in the summer was tiny and we're now looking like landing another pot of Champions League money. Good times for us.

[Dr. Gonzo]

I just want to once again congratulate the Leicester board for absolutely fleecing United with the Maguire signing

[Stan]

34 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I just want to once again congratulate the Leicester board for absolutely fleecing United with the Maguire signing

Soyuncu approves of this post. 

[Dan+]

It gets funnier by the week.

Speaking of centre halves we're supposedly in for Merih Demiral - plays for Turkey with Soyuncu.

[carefreeluke]

On 26/12/2018 at 13:58, carefreeluke said:

 

Something I noted about when you lot played us was the fact that when you went 1-0 up you were very good technically and at keeping the ball. Actually really helped you to see out the game. I know that change to a more possession-based style has come over the last few years but this foundation I feel will help you in the future. I don't think Puel is the man to take you lot forward anymore but the next appointment (make sure it's the right one) will have a good foundation to work on and develop.

Let's say for example the game last weekend was a couple of seasons back. Back then, in this game, I think maybe you would have been a lot more prone to caving in under the pressure, you always seemed to fail to get enough respite in games like this and maybe as well lacked some game management. I'm not saying it's a lot better now for you lot and I know you two will be able to point out where Puel or your side, in general, has gone wrong in these games before. All I'm saying there's something very good to work with there now and a new manager could help better and take the team tactically onto another level.

After you went 1-0 up in that second half, I actually turned to my brother and said we're going to struggle to get the ball back for a while. A lot of players comfortable on the ball, whereas in previous seasons it was perhaps the opposite of this. It's a good tool to have to work on for the future. And also with Puel in the first half, I thought you looked awful, perhaps sums up his time as manager.

I said this after you beat us on this day last season. You've made some great progress since then...