Off Topic The General Chat Thread.

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!
Seems that Evans can't get fit and now Ndidi is out for several weeks, things aren't getting any better. Palace away is a tricky one then it's Man Utd after that. It seems that creating clear cut chances is our problem, I still wish we'd kept Praet. Something needs to click soon, there doesn't seem to be any drive or urgency about our game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HarboroughFox
Another hard watch. A team better than Palace would have been out of site at by halftime. Two very good goals again but completely over run in midfield and defensively a bit of a nightmare. Thought Bertrand and Vesterguaard showed some Southampton form today. The biggest concern for me is Youri is not going to see the team building and will decide he is off.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BucksFox
Spot on, NZ. It was a very disjointed performance. We started off woefully. There was no pressing or determination in our play until we scored our opener. Then we had a good couple of minutes before going back into our shell. Then we scored again and looked okay for another couple of minutes. But we never pressed our advantage home. Barnes was a complete waste of time again. No desire to make things happen or fight to get the ball back when he lost it. And is Lookman any better than Albrighton or Pereira? He looked busy going forwards but never created anything and was lacking in defensive awareness.

And Brendan didn't help with his substitutions, which are starting to be as puzzling as Pearson's. Why take Iheanacho off? He was the one player who had caused Palace a problem all afternoon and was working hard for the team. If he wanted to strengthen the midfield then leave Choudhury on and bring on Soumare for Iheanacho. Maddison offered nothing again. He isn't the answer to trying to prop up a physically struggling midfield.

Like NZ, I do worry about Tielemans. Wilf has played almost continuously since the start of last season and has succumbed to a hamstring problem. Tielemans has played even more. We can't afford to lose him temporarily, let alone permanently.
 
Something isn't quite right is it?

Both our wingers offered nothing against Palace.
Vesterguaard will be nowhere near the 1st team when Fofana and Evans are fit.
Even Youri gave the ball away a lot.
This was not the game to bring on an out of form Maddison.
How the hell we were 2 up at half time I'll never know. That said, to throw it away so easily was shameful.
A real shame we let Praet go.
What has Benkovic got to do to get a game. He can't be any worse surely!

Vardy and Iheanacho have scored something like 34 goals between them in 33 games. Start with these 2 and build backwards.
I still think our full back options should be Ricardo on the right and Castagne on the left.

Hopefully the international break will do us some good.
 
We are missing some very influential players - Justin, Fofana and Evans. Without the latter two we can't play 3 at the back and use our wingbacks. The rest of the squad need to step up. If Praet were still here it wouldn't make any difference. If Perez only had one leg Brendan would select him over Praet.

For me the real surprise is Soyuncu. He's a full regular first choice international yet without someone to guide him he looks like an accident waiting to happen. Vestergard has been disappointing. With his height I expected him to dominate both penalty boxes.

Brendan needs to be more vocal, start rattling a few chains and challenge a few of the squad to start performing and show some grit. We can't carry passengers at a time like this.
 
I see Newcastle are being linked with half our squad and Rodgers, hilarious.
I bet Perez isn’t one they're after though.
 
Last edited:
leicesterlove said:
I see Newcastle are being linked with half our squad and Rodgers, hilarious.
I bet Perez isn’t one they're after though.
Click to expand...
To be honest I can see Rodgers being seriously tempted by this. He wants to be at the level of Pep and Klopp and rather than wait to be approached by one of Europe's top sides here's a great chance to build a team of his own. No denying they are a much bigger club than us and if we have a season where we don't finish in the top 6 then the light comes off him and on to others. If I asked myself given the opportunity, would I? For sure.
 
With the potential within the squad we have, and owners who are prepared to invest not only in players but facilities too, plus the relationship he has with Top I don't think it would cross his mind to leave. He'll have a job on to weed out the players he wouldn't want there and to bring new players in, plus no one know how volatile or patient these new owners at Newcastle will be. My guess is that Gerrard will be approached and agree to it for next summer, someone may get a temporary job there to make sure they don't go down, IF Bruce is sacked.
 
leicesterlove said:
With the potential within the squad we have, and owners who are prepared to invest not only in players but facilities too, plus the relationship he has with Top I don't think it would cross his mind to leave. He'll have a job on to weed out the players he wouldn't want there and to bring new players in, plus no one know how volatile or patient these new owners at Newcastle will be. My guess is that Gerrard will be approached and agree to it for next summer, someone may get a temporary job there to make sure they don't go down, IF Bruce is sacked.
Click to expand...
Certainly hope you are right on all of the above.
 
The performance caught be by surprise to say the least. Looks like playing Iheanacho and Vardy is the way forward for the time being, Maddison had a good game too, actually looking to go forward instead of falling over looking to the ref for a foul as he has had a tendency to do.
Ndidis injury may prove to be a blessing in disguise, it seems Rodgers chose to put Iheanacho in for him and actually attack the opposition which paid dividends in the end. I just hope we play with a bit more intent from now on.
 
What happened there? Was that the same group of players who have been wandering around the pitch aimlessly for the last few weeks? Having Evans back made a huge difference. He not only gave the defence more confidence, more importantly he allowed us to play 3 at the back. Castagne and Pereira dominated the wide positions and were both well up for the fight - something I don't think Barnes offers. Maddison looked much more effective, and Youri was everywhere and always in the right place. What a class goal from a top class player. There was purpose and aggression all through the team, and a desire to win the ball back as soon as it had been lost. And a special mention for Nacho. His all round effort has improved so much from when he first arrived. His pressing of their defence along with Vardy set the tone. And great to see the reaction to Daka's goal. Hopefully many more to come. A performance like that really lights up your weekend.
 
Well what a difference to our past few performances. Credit due everywhere. Rodgers got his selection, formation and tactics bang on and had the team up for the game. We are a different side with Evans looking after the back line. Everyone was sensational but Daniel Armartey was superb and it is so good to see we can win without Wilf.
 
Best match for a long, long time. From the first minute to the last, everyone put in 100%.

Hopefully this is a kickstart to the season, but 2 difficult games coming up. Play like that and we will be fine.
 
Has to be the formation going forward, think we all knew that 3 at the back would have been implemented sooner if we had 3 CBs fit, Castagne also made that left side more dangerous than Bertrand and Barnes combined.

Probably more chances/shots today than the rest of the season combined.
 
Wow that's pretty impressive ... I was brought up on the Saffon Lane about a mile or so away from the ground... would walk either up Saffron Lane or Aylestone Rd on a matchday before taking a left down Raw Dykes Rd to get to Filbo ... whole area around there is going to be unrecognizable... and amazing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back