Leicester City Discussion

[Danny]

Gives him a bigger wedge and buys Leicester more time to keep him.

I know this, I play Football Manager.

[Dave]

4 hours ago, Dan said:

Just read it was four years so it's not a big increase. Still though it guarantees us a big fee if we sell him.

I guess if he's not to join Manchester United his agent would have pushed for a much bigger pay rise.

[Dan+]

10 hours ago, The Palace Fan said:

I guess if he's not to join Manchester United his agent would have pushed for a much bigger pay rise.

His stock has risen a lot since his original contract as well.

I can't tell if giving Vardy & Schmeichel big money, long term contracts was sensible or stupid.

[Dave]

4 minutes ago, Dan said:

His stock has risen a lot since his original contract as well.

I can't tell if giving Vardy & Schmeichel big money, long term contracts was sensible or stupid.

Hasn't Vardy since signed another contract?

[Dan+]

1 minute ago, The Palace Fan said:

Hasn't Vardy since signed another contract?

Vardy signed a new four year deal a couple of weeks ago.

What I will say for him is the way he's played in the past year or so has made this "he'll be finished when he loses his pace" argument a bit redundant. Obviously his pace is useful but he's finding more and more ways around that I feel. He didn't score quite so many from running onto a ball over the top, rounding the keeper and slotting in which was basically his signature move

[Dan+]

On 20/08/2018 at 03:30, Danny said:

Your stadium has a stand called the Kop? Your entire stadium is a Kop.

The place will look very very different in three years.

[Danny]

12 hours ago, Dan said:

The place will look very very different in three years.

Any images as to how?

[Dan+]

11 hours ago, Danny said:

Any images as to how?

Sadly not, they've shown a few people who got random invites (so they say) and those who've seen it reckon it will be very unique. I can believe that though, the owners are quite egotistical in that way (that's not a criticism either).

[Stan]

On 12/09/2018 at 17:12, Dan said:

Sadly not, they've shown a few people who got random invites (so they say) and those who've seen it reckon it will be very unique. I can believe that though, the owners are quite egotistical in that way (that's not a criticism either).

yep, looking at some of the other buildings they own, they are quite eccentric and extravagant in that way.

[Dan+]

A year of Claude Puel on Thursday.

38 games managed in the league. 14 wins, 8 draws and 16 defeats, 50 points over a whole year.

A good article written on him before the Arsenal game yesterday which kind of sums up a number of points to me. I think there are problems at both ends - I think Puel is probably not going to really improve us on what he has done so far simply because of the number of times he completely bodges the in-game management with either baffling substitutions or tactical switches that don't pay off, but at the same time I think we've become a genuinely tough club to manage and have demands on all areas of the club that are quite simply not going to be met. I think the Leicester job, rightly or wrongly, is a bit of a poisoned chalice.

You do get the impression he's never far from the boot. With West Ham, Cardiff and Burnley as our next three games he's going to need some results. We're not doing terribly but there are still issues in our side that just don't ever seem to be rectified. I get the impression it's not a particularly happy camp and that politics is still a problem here. For example it's become a bit like what Liverpool was with their transfer committee where they're effectively saying "if you're getting to sign him, I'm having him" etc... - why else do we buy Ghezzal, and then barely give Soyuncu, one of the brightest young defenders in Germany a kick? These are situations that just wouldn't happen elsewhere.

This is the aforementioned article; https://t.co/bA179AwijX

[Stan]

We're the only side in the league to have scored in every game so far.

[Dan+]

On 03/11/2018 at 17:24, Stan said:

We're the only side in the league to have scored in every game so far.

came in this thread to post a few little bits, noticed that we would end this record in the next game. Typical.

Anyhow I thought I'd throw in here our latest transfer news / rumours as I'm not sure anything is thread-worthy...

- Vicente Iborra has left for Villarreal. Fee is rumoured to be about £9million which I think personally, given his age and who we've sold him to, is about treble what I expecting so we've done well. I didn't think he was a poor player, but he's not really fit Puel's system (although this system I think is questionable).

- Adrien Silva is likely to join him in leaving for his own homeland, annoyingly it's likely to be a return to Sporting on loan which really does make a complete mockery of us - we've paid them £55million for two players aged 28 or above, neither who have really performed (Silva's done absolutely nothing sadly, at least Slimani did score a few) and now we're going to loan him back there to complete a hat-trick of howlers from us, although this one is probably necessary. Choudhury's emergence makes this more tolerable, although if we're relying on James and King then I'm a bit worried because neither are good enough. Feel for James but he looked well off the pace at Newport.

- Fousseni Diabate has joined Gaziantepspor of Turkey on loan for the rest of the season. Started well here but seems to have almost vanished, has repeatedly disappointed for the U23's too, for me outperformed by Layton Ndukwu who I think if he was fit, would have a chance of making our bench at the minute. Our winger situation is a problem, and sadly, an entirely predictable one.

- Harvey Barnes can be recalled but it's now sounding more and more like he'll stay at West Brom. I'd personally recall him as I think his ceiling is higher than Gray and Ghezzal, and he offers something we don't have - actual productivity from the wing (Gray and Ghezzal have 3 goals and 0 assists this season between them which is frankly a disgrace). I am excited by him though, seems to perform at every level he's at.

- ITK claims we are trying to sign Che Adams from Birmingham this month.

[Stan]

8 minutes ago, Dan said:

came in this thread to post a few little bits, noticed that we would end this record in the next game. Typical.

Anyhow I thought I'd throw in here our latest transfer news / rumours as I'm not sure anything is thread-worthy...

- Vicente Iborra has left for Villarreal. Fee is rumoured to be about £9million which I think personally, given his age and who we've sold him to, is about treble what I expecting so we've done well. I didn't think he was a poor player, but he's not really fit Puel's system (although this system I think is questionable).

- Adrien Silva is likely to join him in leaving for his own homeland, annoyingly it's likely to be a return to Sporting on loan which really does make a complete mockery of us - we've paid them £55million for two players aged 28 or above, neither who have really performed (Silva's done absolutely nothing sadly, at least Slimani did score a few) and now we're going to loan him back there to complete a hat-trick of howlers from us, although this one is probably necessary. Choudhury's emergence makes this more tolerable, although if we're relying on James and King then I'm a bit worried because neither are good enough. Feel for James but he looked well off the pace at Newport.

- Fousseni Diabate has joined Gaziantepspor of Turkey on loan for the rest of the season. Started well here but seems to have almost vanished, has repeatedly disappointed for the U23's too, for me outperformed by Layton Ndukwu who I think if he was fit, would have a chance of making our bench at the minute. Our winger situation is a problem, and sadly, an entirely predictable one.

- Harvey Barnes can be recalled but it's now sounding more and more like he'll stay at West Brom. I'd personally recall him as I think his ceiling is higher than Gray and Ghezzal, and he offers something we don't have - actual productivity from the wing (Gray and Ghezzal have 3 goals and 0 assists this season between them which is frankly a disgrace). I am excited by him though, seems to perform at every level he's at.

- ITK claims we are trying to sign Che Adams from Birmingham this month.

That was in November mate  

We've not scored against Tottenham or Cardiff since then sadly...

Diabate has joined Sivasspor. 

We need to get Barnes back. Even if he plays 45 minutes of football he'll do more in that than what Ghezzal has been able to produce in his appearances so far. 

I don't know why we're fussing about with him. Not bothered about West Brom or what their fans think - some on Twitter saying it's 'disrespectful' we might call him back because our own wingers aren't delivering. That's part of the fucking point of a recall option you absolute imbeciles. 

[Dan+]

Just now, Stan said:

That was in November mate  

We've not scored against Tottenham or Cardiff since then sadly...

Diabate has joined Sivasspor. 

We need to get Barnes back. Even if he plays 45 minutes of football he'll do more in that than what Ghezzal has been able to produce in his appearances so far. 

I don't know why we're fussing about with him. Not bothered about West Brom or what their fans think - some on Twitter saying it's 'disrespectful' we might call him back because our own wingers aren't delivering. That's part of the fucking point of a recall option you absolute imbeciles. 

Yeah I know, but I mean the very game after you tweeted that we lost our record by drawing 0-0 with Burnley. We're a bit weird though, we often pull a goal out of absolutely nothing. Ndidi v West Ham the best case of the lot, an absolute fluke and nothing more.

West Brom don't know the meaning of disrespectful. Disrespectful would be bringing him back and then sending them Ghezzal, I doubt we'll do the latter too.

Ghezzal has been sadly, everything Monaco fans warned us he'd be - he looks a bit lost on the pitch, he's reckless with where he tries skills (that often don't come off), can't actually beat a man. There is the occasional bit of quality but not enough to justify him being on the pitch. £12million as well. It's unbelievable really.

Gray has just been usual Gray, which I'm now 95% sure is what he's always going to be - 1 good game in 7/8, party trick is to pick the ball up, dribble it, shoot from 25 yards but either drag it wide or smash it over. Not the worst player I've ever seen, but worrying to think some people thought he would ever replace Mahrez. I would personally sell Gray, think he's quite limited and think that we could upgrade on him for less money than we would get for him. His stock is higher than it should be for me which makes it the right time to sell. I've always struggled to really warm to Gray to be honest, think it was largely how many times he used to subtly have snipes at the management on social media about him never playing, yet when he has played he just hasn't backed it up time and time again. 6 goals and 5 assists I think since he joined us. That's absolutely shite.

[Stan]

3 minutes ago, Dan said:

Yeah I know, but I mean the very game after you tweeted that we lost our record by drawing 0-0 with Burnley. We're a bit weird though, we often pull a goal out of absolutely nothing. Ndidi v West Ham the best case of the lot, an absolute fluke and nothing more.

West Brom don't know the meaning of disrespectful. Disrespectful would be bringing him back and then sending them Ghezzal, I doubt we'll do the latter too.

Ghezzal has been sadly, everything Monaco fans warned us he'd be - he looks a bit lost on the pitch, he's reckless with where he tries skills (that often don't come off), can't actually beat a man. There is the occasional bit of quality but not enough to justify him being on the pitch. £12million as well. It's unbelievable really.

Gray has just been usual Gray, which I'm now 95% sure is what he's always going to be - 1 good game in 7/8, party trick is to pick the ball up, dribble it, shoot from 25 yards but either drag it wide or smash it over. Not the worst player I've ever seen, but worrying to think some people thought he would ever replace Mahrez. I would personally sell Gray, think he's quite limited and think that we could upgrade on him for less money than we would get for him. His stock is higher than it should be for me which makes it the right time to sell. I've always struggled to really warm to Gray to be honest, think it was largely how many times he used to subtly have snipes at the management on social media about him never playing, yet when he has played he just hasn't backed it up time and time again. 6 goals and 5 assists I think since he joined us. That's absolutely shite.

Ah right, I understand.

Yeah that Ndidi goal was fluky as fuck. Rescued a point that game.

Ghezzal must be one of the most underwhelming signings ever, at least for us if not Premier League. Might as well have chucked £12m down the drain. The only thing of note he's done was against a lowly League One side in Fleetwood in the League Cup. Says it all really that that was the only real time he delivered. I think with majority of signings there was some optimism that it may work out even though it doesn't at one club - so as much as Monaco fans may have disliked the player with them, sometimes a move away can kick-start a player's career again. Sadly not the case with Ghezzal for us. As you say he's everything Monaco said he'd be. I don't think he's fully settled here - he doesn't play with any comfortability on the pitch and I don't know what Puel sees in him.

I'm losing patience with Gray. He had age on his side when he first joined in that you could clearly see some potential there but he's never lived up to it with any kind of consistency. Like you say he's the kind of player to dribble, cut inside, shoot. Very predictable and easier to defend against when 99% of the time that's what he'll do. I know he scored that sentimental goal away at Cardiff this season which will never be forgotten by any of us, and I know he's scored a few here and there, but the last genuine bit of quality that got me properly up out of my seat in excitement was the goal against Everton in October 2017 where he ran from own half, took on a couple of players and played it in to Mahrez to lead to a goal. Never seen anything quite near that level and time is running out for him to prove any quality he has. Having said that, no doubt if he left the club he'd be a quality player for whoever he moves to . 

[Dan+]

1 hour ago, Stan said:

Ah right, I understand.

Yeah that Ndidi goal was fluky as fuck. Rescued a point that game.

Ghezzal must be one of the most underwhelming signings ever, at least for us if not Premier League. Might as well have chucked £12m down the drain. The only thing of note he's done was against a lowly League One side in Fleetwood in the League Cup. Says it all really that that was the only real time he delivered. I think with majority of signings there was some optimism that it may work out even though it doesn't at one club - so as much as Monaco fans may have disliked the player with them, sometimes a move away can kick-start a player's career again. Sadly not the case with Ghezzal for us. As you say he's everything Monaco said he'd be. I don't think he's fully settled here - he doesn't play with any comfortability on the pitch and I don't know what Puel sees in him.

I'm losing patience with Gray. He had age on his side when he first joined in that you could clearly see some potential there but he's never lived up to it with any kind of consistency. Like you say he's the kind of player to dribble, cut inside, shoot. Very predictable and easier to defend against when 99% of the time that's what he'll do. I know he scored that sentimental goal away at Cardiff this season which will never be forgotten by any of us, and I know he's scored a few here and there, but the last genuine bit of quality that got me properly up out of my seat in excitement was the goal against Everton in October 2017 where he ran from own half, took on a couple of players and played it in to Mahrez to lead to a goal. Never seen anything quite near that level and time is running out for him to prove any quality he has. Having said that, no doubt if he left the club he'd be a quality player for whoever he moves to . 

From my experiences especially since social media, it's that the fans of the club as a collective are very rarely wrong. Wisdom of crowds. Can you remember any player who we were told by fans of said club who has turned out rubbish after they told us he'd be great, and vice versa? I can think of very few obvious examples.

We needed another wide man but Ghezzal never was going to be the answer. I'd be surprised if he's still here in a year.

That Everton goal you mention is the bit I point to when I say that he's surely better on the right than left. He hasn't got that natural creativity about him, more one likely to run at the opposition. He's very direct so why we insist on having him cutting in I've no idea, he hardly ever looks like he could run inside and slot a ball through for Vardy. Play him on the right to at least get the most from what he can do.

I do have fears we'd look back and regret it but he is very much a highlights player so I think people would more than likely be worrying unnecessarily. One of these players rated far higher by outsiders than our own fans.

[Stan]

Just now, Dan said:

From my experiences especially since social media, it's that the fans of the club as a collective are very rarely wrong. Wisdom of crowds. Can you remember any player who we were told by fans of said club who has turned out rubbish after they told us he'd be great, and vice versa? I can think of very few obvious examples.

We needed another wide man but Ghezzal never was going to be the answer. I'd be surprised if he's still here in a year.

That Everton goal you mention is the bit I point to when I say that he's surely better on the right than left. He hasn't got that natural creativity about him, more one likely to run at the opposition. He's very direct so why we insist on having him cutting in I've no idea, he hardly ever looks like he could run inside and slot a ball through for Vardy. Play him on the right to at least get the most from what he can do.

I do have fears we'd look back and regret it but he is very much a highlights player so I think people would more than likely be worrying unnecessarily. One of these players rated far higher by outsiders than our own fans.

Yeah that's true. Wes Morgan I can think of as an example, I remember some Forest fans saying he'll be poor, happy with how long they'd had him for and his contribution over the years but happy to see him go. Little did they know

Gray's played there probably to accommodate Mahrez when he was here and Albrighton. 

[RandoEFC+]

Demarai Gray is exactly the player that I hope Ademola Lookman doesn't turn out to be but fear he will.

[Smiley Culture]

Harvey Barnes has been recalled. 

He’s got to walk straight into that team, surely?

[Marc]

Haha brilliant, we play them tomorrow. A bit shitty but hilarious to confirm it a day before one of their biggest games of the season.

[Stan]

14 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

Harvey Barnes has been recalled. 

He’s got to walk straight into that team, surely?

You'd like to think so. 

[Stan]

Quality goal from one of our youngsters tonight in the U23s Premier League Cup.

https://streamable.com/rjmdl

[CaaC (John)+]

1 hour ago, Stan said:

Quality goal from one of our youngsters tonight in the U23s Premier League Cup.

https://streamable.com/rjmdl

Cracker of a goal that what was the young lad's name? 

 

[Stan]

1 minute ago, CaaC - John said:

Cracker of a goal that what was the young lad's name? 

 

Lamine Kaba Sherif. Midfielder.

[CaaC (John)+]

Just now, Stan said:

Lamine Kaba Sherif. Midfielder.

Aye, it's on your Leicester City Facebook page, can I show the goal here via my Facebook?