N'Golo Kante ...

... is **** in the air ...

 

Get over it FFS.

 

... in all fairness I am (although many won't be until after we do the double over you this season ) ... larest reports are that Mahrez is staying, and with all due respect to N'Golo Kante replacing a guy who scored 17 goals and had a hand in another18 - not to mention goes past defenders as if he is floating - would have been far more problematic...

... reallyexcited about the season ... best squad ever assembled at LCFC ... love the fact that I have been able to say that for the last 4 seasons consecutively ...

With Vardy, Musa, Mahrez, Schlupp and Demarai Gray we will again be the speed merchants of the top flight ...

Can't wait ...

 

You know i'm a big fan of Ranieri,and i hope you do well again.

 

Same here. Leicester will continue to be my second team

 

Cheers lads .. I feel the love

 

Congrats on the Title Fosse.......If Carlsberg did seasons and all that !!!
2 questions for you. Do you think you will lose any more of your first team and where do you honestly feel you will finish this season ?

 

Ranieri is being very bullish about Mahrez staying ... and tbf the lad has looked full of the joys of life whilst at the Austrian training camp ... he stated he would be staying at the end of the season (in marked contrast to Kante) ... most of the 'rumours' appear to be nothing more than 'mischevious' press speculation ... his wife has just had their second kid and he seems well settled ... we are sure to be bumping his contracy to 6 figs a week (like Vardy) ... we've turned down a bid of £9m for Jeff Schlupp (who I don't think we would want to sell - full stop) ... the only one I think will leave will be Gokhan Inler ... ironically, he was supposed to be our 'stellar' signing to replace Esteban Cambiasso ... but the poor bugger caouldn't get a look in ... cost him the Swiss captaincy and a trip to the Euros ... fair play to the guy mind ... hasn't complained at all and is always smiling and joining in ... squad seem to love him ..

As to where we will finish ... we are already being written off and plenty of 'pundits' saying we will struggle this season ... many of those were saying we would get relegated last and I think they still have severe ring chafing and are hoping and praying that we collapse to save their damaged egos ...

If you count the last 10 games of the previous season (none of which Kante played in of course) we have only lost 4 in 38 EPL games ... yet now that Kante has gone we are apparently doomed..

Back to reality .. the Huth / Morgan defensive partnership was at the centre of our miraculous escape .. Ranieri swapped the full-backs after the first few games last season .. bringing in Simpson and Fuchs ... with Schmeichel in goal and the whole team defending from the front we became very difficult to break down, never mind beat ... that structure is still there .. and is the rock on which our very quick counter attacking style is built ...

We've strengthened in midfield and up front with Nampays Mendy and Ahmed Musa coming in - both breaking our transfer record ... now N'Gol Kante is a fabulous little player and will be incredibly difficult to replace .. but Mendy was our first choce for that role this time last year but we couldn't get him ...

Demarai Gray and Jeff Schlupp are also incredibly quick young players - Gray has a touch of the Mahrez about him - Schlupp may well be the quickest player in the EPl ...

Rather a long winded meander to get to this - but no I don't think we will struggle and I expect us to challenge for a top 8 spot (hopefully better) - I suspect that will hinge on how well the more regular CL teams strengthen and whether their additions gel from the off ...

I'm a huge fan of Ranieri .. I was one of the more optimistic about his appointment ... and only had to watch the first half dozen games to appreciate how good his in game management and tactical nous was ... for me the major difference between him and Nigel Pearson .... Ranieri doesn't just have a plan B, he has half the alphabet ...

Forza Claudio!

 

Yeah, i think Vardy commiting so early was vital as an example to the rest. Some players are always prone to having their heads turned. I wouldn't be surprised if Mahrez went. It could be one that goes right to deadline day. I came across Inler when he played for Napoli. Always a good player. He scored a cracker at the Bridge when they came in 2012...a game we won on aggregate and one of the best atmospheres i ever experienced. I knew you were strong during the season when he wasn't getting a look in. Always loved and always will love Claudio. As well as a good manager...an absolute gentleman. Good luck with the new season.
P.S. Have you come down from the clouds yet ?!!!

 

I think Mahrez will stick around but I don't think he'll have as big an impact has he did the season just gone. Although it probably is difffult to follow that one up tbf.

Danny Simpson will get found out sooner or later though, he's shocking.

 

Still in the clouds ... was still holding my breath on my way to your place for the last game ... and we'd already won it by then

 

... now it's funny you should say that ... he was absolutely shocking in the couple of appearances he made for us under Nigel Pearson and I was extremely criticalof him... but Ranieri gave him a chance, starting at Norwich (after Arsenal had taken us apart defensively at ours) and he grabbed the chance with both hands and made himself absolute first choice right-back. His distribution is quite poor there is no doubt ... but as a defensive full-back in our type of back four he is playing tto his strengths and really well ... he's a tremendous athlete (more anthlete than a fottballer tbf) and he can get forward ...but there is no need ... he gives Mahrez freedom to just do what he does best by minimising any defensive duties for our enigma ...he does the simple things, defends, wins ball, gives it to one of the central midfield players or, more often, to Mahrez ... and away we go again ...

From being quite a critic I thought he might even have got a shout at the Euros ... not as any sort of offensive option sure enough ... but he would not have lost his man like Kyle Walker did again and again ...

 

Great write up mate.

However,

Your previous season, last 10 games - most of them were very kind fixtures and Nigel got lucky as well - Taylor's Burnley penalty miss before Vardy's 1-0.
That is also another reason - Nigel is still out of work.
Having said that - you cannot discount a player like Kante. To me in the modern game a great CM is like 20+ goals striker or even better.

Players like Kante provide that Defensive Solidity & Offensive fluidity - without which your core style will be flawed.

I am not saying you would be found out - but you will definitely find it difficult without a player like Kante.

 

Guessing my Nigel you mean Pearson? He's at Derby now, was surprised it took him so long to get back to it though

 

... if we hadn't got Mendy in I would be more concerned ... plus we also have Daniel Amartey who can play there ... put in some great cameos towards the end of the season ... and actually picked up 2 title winner medals .. with us and FC Copenhagen in Denmark ... I'm not discounting Kante ... I've said how good he was and he got my vote for our player of the season ... but it is easier to find a 'good' replacement or even 'alternative' to Kante than it would be for Mahrez ... been watching Leicester for close to 46 years ... never seen such a naturally gifted player in our colours in all that time ...

As for penalty misses ... if Mahrez hadn't of missed against Bournemouth and Villa ... we'd have finished 14 points clear at the top rather than just the 10 ..

Things like that can go for you or against you ... as I'm sure West Ham fans will tell you

 

Oops, I missed that.

Agree with you about Mahrez. However, Mahrez can be his usual self thanks to the hardwork of Kante. If your replacements replicate Kante's shift - pretty sure Mahrez will be as special as this season.

 

Ranieri will have a decent replacement ready and waiting as he would have for Mahrez.Don't
underestimate your manager,the bloke is pure quality.I def think you'll finish in the top 8,but not
necessarily 8th.

 

Yes indeed and we did our bit by making Spurs come third in a two horse race. Good luck for next season!

 

Fossy on here in search of some much needed comfort due to the ongoing exodus.

Poor ****er.

 

Skylarker following my every post coz he's still suffering severe bum chaf because Leicester City didn't do a 'Slippy G \And The Bottlemen' when the pressure was on ... but, in marked contrast, accelerated away and won an EPL title by a 10 point margin!!! ..oh wait ... and finished 21 points clear of the mid-table detritus to boot ...