Leicester City Discussion

[Devil]

4 hours ago, Dan said:

He's already surpassed a previously optimistic prediction. If you'd asked me 3 years ago, based largely on the fact he relied a lot on his pace, I'd have said probably 2/3 years.

Well here we are with him now.

I actually think he can go for another 2 years potentially. The fact he started late, the fact he's a bit less reliant on his pace than he was, the fact we use him pretty economically now (it's not uncommon that he'll touch the ball about 9 times but score), I think we might've prolonged him for a while yet. He'll always have the finishing and the intelligence and his passing and whatnot has improved no end in the last 2/3 years. I think we will buy another striker this summer but he will still be the main man for a while, we'll eventually phase him out gradually but I think we'll still get goals from him for a while yet personally. I could be totally wrong, but it's how it feels to me. Rodgers has handled him the best of any of our managers I would say.

Puel tried to phase him out 2/3 years ago. That looks a silly move in hindsight.

He defo go on for another two years but that time passes fast. Ole has done two years at United it goes really quickly so you're going to need to find another plan A eventually. 

[Dan+]

1 hour ago, Devil said:

He defo go on for another two years but that time passes fast. Ole has done two years at United it goes really quickly so you're going to need to find another plan A eventually. 

I noticed that when I was typing out the bit about Puel. It's already been 3 years since Puel tried to start phasing him out it's scary. I remember the arguments around it at the time. That was a battle he was never going to win - even if he was right.

Best thing about us this season is the lack of reliability on him for goals. He's gotten the majority this season from the spot. Barnes and Maddison have both upped their goal tallies this season. I think that will end up being what we have to do, just simply obtain other threats. We'll never get another like him.

[Devil]

17 minutes ago, Dan said:

I noticed that when I was typing out the bit about Puel. It's already been 3 years since Puel tried to start phasing him out it's scary. I remember the arguments around it at the time. That was a battle he was never going to win - even if he was right.

Best thing about us this season is the lack of reliability on him for goals. He's gotten the majority this season from the spot. Barnes and Maddison have both upped their goal tallies this season. I think that will end up being what we have to do, just simply obtain other threats. We'll never get another like him.

Realistically do you think you could hold on to Barnes and Maddison if a head turning club came along? 

I know you're doing fantastic but I've read Klopp is an admirer of Barnes and Maddison could walk into most squads. 

To be totally honest I think the emergence of Grealish has maybe given you a better chance of keeping Maddison, everyone is obsessed with Jack at the moment and it's taken the light off Maddison who was getting all the plaudits the last few years.

Edited February 15, 2021 by Devil

[Stan]

Think this puts in to perspective just how well we've done/we're doing this season. 

 

8 hours ago, Devil said:

Realistically do you think you could hold on to Barnes and Maddison if a head turning club came along? 

I know you're doing fantastic but I've read Klopp is an admirer of Barnes and Maddison could walk into most squads. 

To be totally honest I think the emergence of Grealish has maybe given you a better chance of keeping Maddison, everyone is obsessed with Jack at the moment and it's taken the light off Maddison who was getting all the plaudits the last few years.

I reckon we could. We've become the side to buy cheap (most of the time) and sell one player for big money in the summer. Being in Europe helps players stay and helps us afford to keep players om bigger wages. I think we're generally just good at looking after our players and making them feel wanted and valued. 

I think the comparison between Maddison and Grealish is past its sell by date now. Its more Grealish or Barnes as both favour the left hand side and cutting in on their right, both very direct and like to take on players, get close to the area and goal and get shots away. 

Maddison is pretty different to both - in our shape this season he sits centrally and dictates play just further up from Tielemans and likes to find space, as a typical central attacking midfielder, in between the midfield and defence. 

If anything, I think Ndidi or Ricardo are the ones we need to hold on moreso. Ndidi, especially. He's just an absolute beast and helps us defensively so much. We seem to generally perform better when he plays. 

[Devil]

1 hour ago, Stan said:

Think this puts in to perspective just how well we've done/we're doing this season. 

 

I reckon we could. We've become the side to buy cheap (most of the time) and sell one player for big money in the summer. Being in Europe helps players stay and helps us afford to keep players om bigger wages. I think we're generally just good at looking after our players and making them feel wanted and valued. 

I think the comparison between Maddison and Grealish is past its sell by date now. Its more Grealish or Barnes as both favour the left hand side and cutting in on their right, both very direct and like to take on players, get close to the area and goal and get shots away. 

Maddison is pretty different to both - in our shape this season he sits centrally and dictates play just further up from Tielemans and likes to find space, as a typical central attacking midfielder, in between the midfield and defence. 

If anything, I think Ndidi or Ricardo are the ones we need to hold on moreso. Ndidi, especially. He's just an absolute beast and helps us defensively so much. We seem to generally perform better when he plays. 

I'd take anyone of Barnes, Maddison and Ndidi off you tomorrow if there was a chance we could sign them but given what you've got from us for Maguire I think we're best shopping elsewhere. 

 

[Stan]

47 minutes ago, Devil said:

I'd take anyone of Barnes, Maddison and Ndidi off you tomorrow if there was a chance we could sign them but given what you've got from us for Maguire I think we're best shopping elsewhere. 

 

I think that'd be best  

[LFCMike]

2 hours ago, Stan said:

Think this puts in to perspective just how well we've done/we're doing this season. 

 

 

Only 12?

[Stan]

Vardy's groin is gone apparently

If he's out for a long time I think we can kiss goodbye to sticking around top 4 or going far in EL/FA Cup 

 

Can't catch a break with injuries ffs 

[Dan+]

19 hours ago, Devil said:

Realistically do you think you could hold on to Barnes and Maddison if a head turning club came along? 

I know you're doing fantastic but I've read Klopp is an admirer of Barnes and Maddison could walk into most squads. 

To be totally honest I think the emergence of Grealish has maybe given you a better chance of keeping Maddison, everyone is obsessed with Jack at the moment and it's taken the light off Maddison who was getting all the plaudits the last few years.

I think the signings of Diogo Jota and Bruno Fernandes will keep us safe from losing either of those two luckily. I think we're likely to try and add another on the right wing as well, Perez isn't the answer and it's becoming pretty apparent that Cengiz Under isn't either. Thauvin's being quite frequently linked.

It's nice seeing Barnes getting some recognition though.

[Danny]

Surely Barnes will be looking to eventually take over the Jamie Vardy role?

[Stan]

3 minutes ago, Danny said:

Surely Barnes will be looking to eventually take over the Jamie Vardy role?

His best games so far have been out wide though, and it's where he is most effective.

We've never tried him as a lone central striker so who knows. I'd much rather sign a quality striker to replace Vardy (almost an impossible task in itself) and keep Barnes as a direct, and pacy winger and a threat out wide.

[Dan+]

19 minutes ago, Danny said:

Surely Barnes will be looking to eventually take over the Jamie Vardy role?

I did think about that previously, I think Barnes will become our 2nd highest PL scorer behind him personally - I don't see anybody signing him for what we'd demand, unless he really starts hitting about 20 a season and he's a bit below that at the minute. I wonder if it'll just be a bit like when we sold Mahrez. We've never effectively replaced him in his actual position, but we've compensated for his loss in other positions. Admittedly it's harder with a striker.

[Danny]

18 minutes ago, Stan said:

His best games so far have been out wide though, and it's where he is most effective.

We've never tried him as a lone central striker so who knows. I'd much rather sign a quality striker to replace Vardy (almost an impossible task in itself) and keep Barnes as a direct, and pacy winger and a threat out wide.

No of course, and he is doing well outwide, but it’s easier to sign a wideman that chips in with goals than a forward who is expected to score the bulk of them right? So if you have a potential forward in Barnes, and a lot of strikers start on the wing before playing up top, then it’d be good to use him. But obviously that’s a discussion to be had when Vardy is done 

Edited February 16, 2021 by Danny

[Stan]

3 minutes ago, Danny said:

No of course, and he is doing well outwide, but it’s easier to sign a wideman that chips in with goals than a forward who is expected to score the bulk of them right? So if you have a potential forward in Barnes, and a lot of strikers start on the wing before playing up top, then it’d be good to use him. But obviously that’s a discussion to be had when Vardy is done 

Yeah, I think my desire for another out-and-out striker outweighs the option of Barnes moving there. We don't do well with signing wingers (read: replacing Mahrez) so unless we find another gem somewhere, I'd rather get a striker bought - experienced or not - to fill his boots. I think we need a couple of strikers, to be fair, anyway. We need better back-up and good options post-Vardy. Iheanacho does alright but we need more than 'alright' to be competitive in various competitions.

[Danny]

1 hour ago, Stan said:

Yeah, I think my desire for another out-and-out striker outweighs the option of Barnes moving there. We don't do well with signing wingers (read: replacing Mahrez) so unless we find another gem somewhere, I'd rather get a striker bought - experienced or not - to fill his boots. I think we need a couple of strikers, to be fair, anyway. We need better back-up and good options post-Vardy. Iheanacho does alright but we need more than 'alright' to be competitive in various competitions.

That makes sense tbh. Once you sell your next big player you'll probably have some money to replace them and add another, just a slow but consistent rise in the quality of your squad that will eventually see you make the gains you need to.

[Stan]

Maddison out for the foreseeable. Gone to see a specialist for a recurrence of a hip injury. 

 

Current injury list - Maddison, Pérez, Praet, Fofana, Justin. 

All first team absences. 

[Danny]

12 minutes ago, Stan said:

Maddison out for the foreseeable. Gone to see a specialist for a recurrence of a hip injury. 

 

Current injury list - Maddison, Pérez, Praet, Fofana, Justin. 

All first team absences. 

Euro 2021 is a ball ache, think a few players will be taking a short term hit to t try and get into contention 

[Stan]

Barnes out for 6 weeks. 

Evans off injured today. 

 

This season takes the piss. I'm joining the calls to end the season now. 

[Cicero]

Heard Banes needs surgery as well. 

[Stan]

Frank Worthington has died aged 72 after suffering Alzheimers. A Leicester legend and a player my dad loves to reminisce about watching back in the 70s. RIP

 

[LFCMike]

1 hour ago, Stan said:

Frank Worthington has died aged 72 after suffering Alzheimers. A Leicester legend and a player my dad loves to reminisce about watching back in the 70s. RIP

 

RIP

Was meant to sign for Liverpool from Huddersfield but failed two medicals 

[Stan]

11 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

RIP

Was meant to sign for Liverpool from Huddersfield but failed two medicals 

Yep, safe to say we definitely profited from that!

[Stan]

 

 

Happy for him. 

[Dan+]

He's earned that. He's really turned it around here.

[Danny]

And you all laughed when I said he’d be a good signing