Leicester City Discussion

[Dan+]

The circus continues. Just embarrassing again.

[Dan+]

35 minutes ago, The Palace Fan said:

Yeah, just a classic case of owners working against the best interests of the people on the field in the interest of money.

I'd love to know the amount of money we actually generate for this. We won't even play either game we were meant to play in Thailand (though we still have Singapore in a week). This was agreed when our top flight status was under real threat meaning it was always likely to scupper our plans but the fact we aren't even going to get a game out of it. The crowd as well was an embarrassment. It was played in a fifty thousand stadium so I anticipated a decent crowd but I think literally about 7,000 showed up and of those, you're pushing even 1,000 were there supporting us.

This should be a wake up call to the club again. If you want to be a relevant 'brand' then how about focus your energy into getting us promoted. We're small-fry outside of this country if we aren't in the top flight.

I've actually felt quite positive about things for the first time in a couple of years but this is a reminder that it's still a circus at heart. We'll have gained next to nothing for this while we're going to go into our opener (at home to our local rivals no less) undercooked.

[Dave]

1 minute ago, Dan said:

I'd love to know the amount of money we actually generate for this.

Kevin Day and Kieran Maguire looked in to it after the debacle Palace had last summer where half our team couldn't go Australia because they weren't vaccinated and the said it 'wasnt remotely close to being worth the hassle'. 

[Dan+]

4 minutes ago, The Palace Fan said:

Kevin Day and Kieran Maguire looked in to it after the debacle Palace had last summer where half our team couldn't go Australia because they weren't vaccinated and the said it 'wasnt remotely close to being worth the hassle'. 

In the Championship it just looks desperate. What price can you really put on being undercooked in a game like Coventry at home? They have never won at our current ground and they would love nothing more. I think in many ways it's the worst possible opening fixture we could have and we've put even more obstacles in our way for it. All for another stupid vanity project.

If we're actually out in Thailand we ought to get a couple of games arranged with some of their teams. It's better than nothing.

I need to start giving pod that a listen again. Maguire is particularly brilliant. 

[Dan+]

So that's our pre-season wrapped up, with a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in Singapore.

I watched the game but admittedly extremely tired so I could be off the mark but I thought we actually looked really neat and cohesive for 25 minutes, the better team for me, but Liverpool got their goal and we just capitulated. I think the key was they stopped pressing us right from the front and started closing off passing lanes instead, and we had no answer. Liverpool were sharp but we know they can do that to teams.

It tops off what's been an absolute joke of a pre-season and the club themselves deserve nothing but a humiliation next week for the way we've gotten our priorities all wrong. The only thing that reassures me about things is that Maresca is quite clearly of the same mindset of me that it's all an absolute joke and I don't think he'll allow the team themselves the same complacency and mindset that the clowns above Maresca blatantly have.

It's been such a farce. I knew when we arranged it it seemed ridiculous yet the whole thing somehow fell short of my extremely low expectations. Quite the achievement.

We go into the Coventry game with just four signings. So much for the big reset. It'll probably be five in the next couple of days as Mavididi sounds done but they've decided to postpone that. Wouldn't want anything that might improve our team to distract those in Thailand and Singapore from the PR roadshow. Maresca is being hung out to dry already and I'm already sensing a clash down the line.

This is a quite negative post when I still believe we are fixable and believe we have a decent chance to get promoted, but I'll believe it when I see it with us now. I think we have an exciting coach with fresh ideas for the team but is having his tough job made tougher by those above him. I know it's probably an alien concept to our director of football but Maresca actually needs this to work - if he flunks this, that'll be two failed jobs from two for him and that probably kills his managerial career at any decent level before it's gotten going.

Coventry on the opening day as well. I get the whole mindset of giving him time and that you can expect some turbulence early doors, but that's a fixture that is going to yield pretty emotional response whatever the outcome.

Good luck Enzo, I'm with you - as you can see below, he's clearly realised what he's up against.

 

[Dan+]

Mavididi official.

[Michael]

16 hours ago, Dan said:

So that's our pre-season wrapped up, with a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in Singapore.

I watched the game but admittedly extremely tired so I could be off the mark but I thought we actually looked really neat and cohesive for 25 minutes, the better team for me, but Liverpool got their goal and we just capitulated. I think the key was they stopped pressing us right from the front and started closing off passing lanes instead, and we had no answer. Liverpool were sharp but we know they can do that to teams.

It tops off what's been an absolute joke of a pre-season and the club themselves deserve nothing but a humiliation next week for the way we've gotten our priorities all wrong. The only thing that reassures me about things is that Maresca is quite clearly of the same mindset of me that it's all an absolute joke and I don't think he'll allow the team themselves the same complacency and mindset that the clowns above Maresca blatantly have.

It's been such a farce. I knew when we arranged it it seemed ridiculous yet the whole thing somehow fell short of my extremely low expectations. Quite the achievement.

We go into the Coventry game with just four signings. So much for the big reset. It'll probably be five in the next couple of days as Mavididi sounds done but they've decided to postpone that. Wouldn't want anything that might improve our team to distract those in Thailand and Singapore from the PR roadshow. Maresca is being hung out to dry already and I'm already sensing a clash down the line.

This is a quite negative post when I still believe we are fixable and believe we have a decent chance to get promoted, but I'll believe it when I see it with us now. I think we have an exciting coach with fresh ideas for the team but is having his tough job made tougher by those above him. I know it's probably an alien concept to our director of football but Maresca actually needs this to work - if he flunks this, that'll be two failed jobs from two for him and that probably kills his managerial career at any decent level before it's gotten going.

Coventry on the opening day as well. I get the whole mindset of giving him time and that you can expect some turbulence early doors, but that's a fixture that is going to yield pretty emotional response whatever the outcome.

Good luck Enzo, I'm with you - as you can see below, he's clearly realised what he's up against.

 

Looking at your squad, I think that you've probably got the strongest squad in the Championship. I'd be surprised if I don't see you guys bounce straight back into the Premier League next season.

[Stan]

50 minutes ago, Michael said:

Looking at your squad, I think that you've probably got the strongest squad in the Championship. I'd be surprised if I don't see you guys bounce straight back into the Premier League next season.

The squad is likely to change a lot by this time next month though. Need/want to sell before we buy again. I think players like Castagne/Iheanacho/Soumare/Ward & Vestergaard(fingers crossed) all leave.

[Dan+]

4 hours ago, Michael said:

Looking at your squad, I think that you've probably got the strongest squad in the Championship. I'd be surprised if I don't see you guys bounce straight back into the Premier League next season.

I think we have a very good squad for this level but it's totally imbalanced and we won't be promoted without some more quite substantial changes.

[Dan+]

3 hours ago, Stan said:

The squad is likely to change a lot by this time next month though. Need/want to sell before we buy again. I think players like Castagne/Iheanacho/Soumare/Ward & Vestergaard(fingers crossed) all leave.

I had a feeling he'll play against Coventry and it scares me. I think bar passing, which he's very hit and miss with (he does play the occasionally excellent one) he's completely terrible, he's weak, clumsy and he can't defend at all. The bloke is awful and I've tried with him. Sunday was a reminder that he needs to go.

[Stan]

We're about to sign a right-winger from Galatasaray called Yunus Akgun. Watched him vs Molde in the week and he was very good, set up Icardi for a brilliant goal.

Finally some better balance on that side as currently relying on two young youth products. 

[Dan+]

On 26/08/2023 at 18:08, Stan said:

We're about to sign a right-winger from Galatasaray called Yunus Akgun. Watched him vs Molde in the week and he was very good, set up Icardi for a brilliant goal.

Finally some better balance on that side as currently relying on two young youth products. 

He reminds me a little bit of Knockaert from watching that game. Pretty nimble, technically sound, looks like he can create and has a bit of natural flair, but he's strikingly slow. Don't think that'll be a big issue in this league though.

[Lucas]

In our desperation for a LB, it appears we may be doing a loan deal for Luke Thomas.

I'd find that really strange for Leicester to loan him to us personally, but equally it doesn't seem he's wanted there.

Not sure how I feel about it personally, it certainly doesn't scream exciting.

[Stan]

1 minute ago, Lucas said:

In our desperation for a LB, it appears we may be doing a loan deal for Luke Thomas.

I'd find that really strange for Leicester to loan him to us personally, but equally it doesn't seem he's wanted there.

Not sure how I feel about it personally, it certainly doesn't scream exciting.

He's probably okay in this division, nowhere near strong enough for PL.

He just doesn't suit our system and I guess Maresca doesn't think he'll get much game-time. He's a proper traditional left-back and that's what you get. I think he'll get bullied in some games (be it for us or you) and will do well in others. 

[Lucas]

4 minutes ago, Stan said:

He's probably okay in this division, nowhere near strong enough for PL.

He just doesn't suit our system and I guess Maresca doesn't think he'll get much game-time. He's a proper traditional left-back and that's what you get. I think he'll get bullied in some games (be it for us or you) and will do well in others. 

To be fair, we have so little option other than playing centre backs, midfielders or RB's there that I'm prepared to give him a go, especially for free.

[Dan+]

Got to laugh haven't you - gets the move to the Championship when it actually acts to our detriment  

[Stan]

Fingers crossed for a full recovery

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67087402

 

Quote

 

Former Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare has been diagnosed with cancer.

Shakespeare, 59, managed the Foxes in 2017 and became the first English manager to win their first four Premier League matches.

He had been Claudio Ranieri's assistant in 2016 when Leicester upset the odds to become Premier League champions.

The League Managers Association said Shakespeare's cancer diagnosis was recent and he is undergoing treatment.

After being sacked as Leicester boss in October 2017, Shakespeare had spells on the staff of Everton, Watford, Aston Villa and Norwich.

He returned to Leicester in April 2023 following the appointment of new manager Dean Smith, whom he previously worked under with Villa and Norwich.

However, the Foxes' relegation to the Championship resulted in the coaching team not having their short-term contracts renewed.

Leicester chief executive Susan Whelan said on Thursday: "Everyone at the club sends their strength and support to Craig, his wife Karen and their children Elle and Jed."

Shakespeare briefly served as an assistant to Sam Allardyce with the England national team in 2016, leaving when Gareth Southgate was appointed as Allardyce's successor.

 

[Whiskey]

Oh ffs

[Dave]

Terrible to hear. Hopefully he makes a full recovery and gets back in to football should he wish to.

[Dan+]

Horrible. Was only so recently actually employed by the club as well as he was part of Smith's team. One of the gooduns. Wish him all the best.

[Pyfish+]

Looking good for Leicester! Could be a record breaking season.

[Stan]

That would be insane! 

But I think our dip will come in January, we will be missing Iheanacho and Ndidi, and possibly Fatawu, to the AFCON tournament. 

But imagine smashing it by that much

 

[Bluebird Hewitt]

2 hours ago, Pyfish said:

Looking good for Leicester! Could be a record breaking season.

In fairness, I wouldn't be surprised.

Bar Hull and a couple of teams giving them a close match, Leicester have generally been pissing the league with very little trouble so far. They'll only strengthen further in January as well.

[Danny]

Hello Ly-Chester-City fans. You appear to be doing well in the Championship.

Assuming you were to get promoted this season, how would you like your current squad to look next season? Players you want gone? Must keeps? Players who might be ready to step up a level? What would the squad look like and do you think you’d have the capacity to eventually get back to top 6?

[Stan]

1 hour ago, Danny said:

Hello Ly-Chester-City fans. You appear to be doing well in the Championship.

Assuming you were to get promoted this season, how would you like your current squad to look next season? Players you want gone? Must keeps? Players who might be ready to step up a level? What would the squad look like and do you think you’d have the capacity to eventually get back to top 6?

I think the first thing to address is that Maresca clearly knows which kind of player to target and focus on, and one's with the right mindset and attitude. We lost that with Rodgers.

It's hard to say how the squad will look like next season. I think players like Vestergaard, as well as they've done so far, won't be here as they probably aren't quite PL-level quality, but can boss the Championship. 

Ward and Iversen are likely to be gone, and should be. Hermansen is really good.

Fatawu has to be here. You can tell he's the kind of player with a high ceiling. Dewsbury-Hall, Winks, Pereira, Coady, Justin, Ndidi, Iheanacho, Vardy, Mavididi, Faes I'd like to still see at the club. There's a mixture there of talent and experience and some of them who regressed seemed to be on an upward trajectory again under Maresca. Albrighton perhaps but purely from an experienced leader perspective as opposed to having the quality on the pitch. 

I think we have the capacity to eventually get into top 6, but how long that'll be I don't know. As well as individual players regressing, I think we were set back a good few years with the relegation. Financially and on the pitch. With how we've played so far and changed in such a short time under Maresca, it gives me hope that we'll play productive football and actually have some identity about us, which will hopefully be attractive to players we'd want to sign which can meet the demands of a PL club.

I think the team should be built around Winks. He's so good under this way we're playing.