It's glaringly obvious that the squad is nowhere near good enough whatever happens this season and manager wise means we need a massive clear out and also loan players sending back, is anybody going to tell me that Kane is better than schlupp or even panayitu (however its spelt!) Players to go Waghorn Vardy Gallacher Whitbread Dyer Futacs Beckford We need a decent tough tackling midfielder - been saying this for the last 2 seasons although I think Wellens has a part to play still. I'd also keep Danns - this time last season he carried the team for a few games especially Derby away. A left back and right back - schlupp should be a striker, his goal last night proved he's wasted not getting games when dross like Vardy and Waghorn get on the pitch! Whether this happens with Np as manager who knows but we are carrying too many passengers in the comfort zone and need to get them off the wage bill.
.. that Danns is not here and playing so well for the Udders (scoring the first for Leeds) is further damage to Nigel Pearson's managerial reputation... he brought back Wellens eventually (and arguably way too late) to try and bolster a lightweight (although talented) midfield ...
I'd also give Kingy a run upfront as a striker, he's an empty shirt in midfield but gets himself in goal scoring positions and he can't be any worse than what we've got
I've commented recently about playing Schlupp as a left winger. Think he did well for us there when he came on and has a much better finish than Dyer, who yet again missed a sitter!!!!!
Kasper Schmeichel- More than good enough. Would walk into any side in the league. I think our biggest task in preseason - Premier League or not - will be keeping hold of him. He's been superb. Ritchie De Laet - Pleasantly surprising. I didn't think he'd be as good as he is and I think he's a better attacker than Kyle Naughton (who every right back will be compared to) but he's a bit iffy in defence. Wes has covered for a lot of his mistakes this season. Hopefully he can improve. Paul Konchesky - Not good enough. One of the reasons we played a ****e hoofball game yesterday. He just launches the ball with no direction. He's lost a yard of pace since last season and he's not as mentally strong IMO. Realistic replacements - Ezekiel Fryers, Matthew Briggs, Jeffrey Schlupp, George Taft. Danny Drinkwater - When he plays well, the team plays well. Yesterdays result was the biggest indicator of this. Therefore he has to me more consistent. I think the best thing we can do is to replace his midfield partner. Wes Morgan (Club captain) - Superb. Nothing else to say. Put him with an equally comfortable centre half next season and teams will struggle to score against us even more. Zak Whitbread - A decent player, but he gets injured all too often. I also think it takes him too long to get up to speed after injuries and because of this he's often the culprit of stupid mistakes in defence. - Realistic replacements - Adrian Marriappa(?), Grant Hanley, Michael Keane. Ben Marshall - What on earth has happened to him? A shadow of the player who tore teams to bits last season. Honestly, if WBA really do come in for him with a bid over 2m i'd rip their hands off now. Consistency is key in this league and he's really not consistent enough. Realistic replacements - Jerome Thomas, Michail Antonio, Albert Adomah Jamie Vardy - Not good enough, please either loan him or release him. The gamble hasn't paid off. - Realistic replacements - Simeon Jackson, Jamie Mackie, Nicky Maynard. Andy King - Had a much better season defensilely than he has offensively, which has made a change. He's been much more involved than he has in previous season but is he really good enough? I'm going to say yes but he is borderline. He really needs to add something new to his game because he's been found out IMO. Lloyd Dyer - You never know if you're getting Dyer or dire when he plays. He's not getting younger either. I say cash in because I think he's still worth a bit to someone in this league. He's not consistent enough but when he's on fire he's ****ing unstoppable. - Realistic replacements - See Ben Marshll. Sean St Ledger - Can't really make a balanced decision because he's been out for nearly all season. Conrad Logan - We need a better back up keeper. Kasper needs to be kept on his toes and so i'd look at bringing in a talented youth player. No idea where to look though. Martyn Waghorn - See Jamie Vardy. Michael Keane (on loan from Manchester United) - I'd love to make his loan permanent but I think United hold him in very high regard. Would anyone else agree that a swap for Jeffrey Schlupp would be quality business? Matty James - Injury prone. We play better with him in the side and I think he's the right man to play alongside DD. Paul Gallagher - Too much of a liability. We can't keep him on the pitch just for his set pieces. Flog him in the summer IMO. - Realistic replacements - See Ben Marshall. Jeff Schlupp - Needs to be played more. Yesterday proved that. Richie Wellens - Despite playing very well yesterday his ship has sailed. Unfortunately we need to call it a day. He's been very good for the club and he'll be missed. Realistic replacements - Liam Briddcutt, Liam Trotter. Anthony Knockaert - Signing of the season, will be a real battle to keep hold of him in the summer if we don't go up. He does need to be more of a team player though. David Nugent - Clearly more than good enough when played in the right position. Under performing right now. Harry Kane (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) - Not good enough. Send back ASAP. - Realistic replacements - See Jamie Vardy. Chris Wood - See David Nugent. Neil Danns - Has clearly falen out with Pearson. Will depend on wether he keeps his job as to whether or not he stays. He's not getting younger though. - Realistic replacements - See Richie Wellens. Marko Futacs - See Jamie Vardy. Jermaine Beckford - See Jamie Vardy Liam Moore - Would really like to see him given more game time next season. Especially when we need to defend leads. He's defensively superb and would be an asset to many teams at this level. Really bright future for him. General overview - We need a backup keeper, a left back, a central midfielder, at least two wingers and at least two strikers. Our first 11 might well be good enough but our lack of strength in depth is showing.
Excellent stuff AKCJ I agree with more or less everything you have said. I would want to keep Schlupp as a "replacement" for Dyer. I would also like to St Ledger in a back 3 alongside Morgan and Keane....don't think I will though!!
St Ledger was very poor yesterday ... would rather we gave Liam Moore a real chance - another baffling decision loaning him out when we need cover from people who can actually cover at full-back .. which St ledger patently can't ... any wide player with a little pace causes him nightmares ... yet earlier in the season we successfully nullified the then in form Blackpool pair of Ince and Matt Phillips with Jeff Schlupp and Liam Moore ...
Schmeichel- Top class keeper and best in the league. His passion and commitment is also clearly there to see, I dont think we will be able to keep hold of him if we dont get promoted. If we stays he will be a key player for us regardless of what division we are in next season De Laet- Very good season so far for Ritchie, for 1M he looks a steal. Going forward he reminds me of Kyle Naughton (Like AKCJs referred to) and defensively I cant recall any goals coming from the right hand side. He will still he first choice next season Konchesky- With his wages I would suspect we would look to ship him out regardless next season. I also think there is better options out there then Konchesky. Drinkwater- Had a very good season but he has gone a little off the boil in recent weeks. Very commanding midfielder on his day Morgan- Been superb all season. Like a few he has been a little off form in recent weeks but still pretty solid Whitbread- We should look to ship him out. Not good enough and too injury prone Marshall- He has got worse as the season has gone on. Im not sure whats up with him but I would rather keep him then sell him Danns- For the wages he is on and the performances he gave we should ship him out Vardy- He tries but just not good enough. I have said for along time I dont think he is any good but the abuse he is getting on twitter is massively unfair. He has jumped very far in a short space of time and he has tried his best. He should be let go in the summer though King- If a decent offer came in for him I would sell him. Isnt influential enough for this league Dyer- Very good impact player but too inconsistent to start every week. St. Ledger- I suspect we will look to sell him in the summer. He is a high earner and his ability doesnt match his wages. Still a decent player though Logan- I would keep as back up. He has been a very good servant to the club but I would want him playing any games Waghorn- I think he has a future he still as a back up player. He was one of our best players before he got injured at Christmas. Still only 22 Keane- I would love us to sign him. Strong in the air and very good defensively, a threat in the box aswell. Another loan would seem more likely James- A very under rated player but too injury prone Gallagher- With his wages he might be difficult to shift. Short term he is still a option but after this season he should be really letting him go Schlupp- Man U rate him and want him so there clearly is ability there. Why hasnt he got more games in the side? His best position is debatable as he looks very good at left back and left wing. I dont think his future is as a striker Wellens- Exactly the same as his mate Gallagher Beckford- All depends on if we can shift him with his wages. He still has another 2 years here so it will be difficult. If Nigel Pearson isnt here the new manager might decide to give him a chance Moore- Looks a very good prospect for the future at either right back or centre half Knockaert- Great find but like Schmeichel I suspect we will struggle to keep hold of him unless we get promoted Futacs- Rather pointless signing as he has never really been used much. He seems a mixed bag when he has played Nugent- His first touch has been very poor since returning but still a goal getter at this level and should still be here next season. His wages might be an issue though Kane- Utter **** Wood- What do we need to say, a young man with a very big future here Another thing worth noting As of the end of the 2013/14 season Kasper Schmeichel, Paul Konchesky, Wes Morgan, Zak Whitbread, Neil Danns, Lloyd Dyer, Sean St. Ledger, Martyn Waghorn and David Nugent's contract will all run out
Back to the point- my view is that, in centre midfield notably, our squad is so weak that there's no impetus to perform- you're going to get picked regardless of how **** you've played. Tactically we've also been worked out- stop the supply in midfield and we rely on hoofball, which we can't do. Wes Morgan is probably the best defender in the league, but passing-wise he's hardly Xabi Alonso. I didn't see any spirit yesterday- that being the first game I've been to see for a good few months, I was horrified to see that loss. It was interesting that Schlupp came and gave his all when he came on- that's what I was hoping for from the rest. It's a shame that spirit is to earn a contract at another club, and that we're about to let one of the best talents this club has produced in ages go. I've always been a supporter of Pearson, but I am losing my patience. I'm sick of us bottling it, and I'm getting sick of his man-management. I don't care what's his beef with Neil Danns, and I'm not going to pretend like he's the messiah or anything, but he'd have made a difference in that game- like he did in the same fixture last season. He's still OUR player, and should be giving to this club. Rant over.
I think we have too many "home" players. At away games sometimes we just dont know how to get a foothold in the game. As soon as Derby scored their first I knew the best we could get from the game was a draw. Once they got their second I knew we had lost. If we score the first goal we are a very good side and we will win most games. But if we concede first we are pigging awful and we dont know how to get back into the game I think our squad lacks leaders. Other then Kasper, Morgan and Konch no one else is really any sort of a leader. Thats why Richie Wellens could still prove an asset for us
Charlie, I was actually enjoying this thread and finding it interesting to see the honest and unbiased views of Leicester fans of their squad. I had absolutely no intention of posting though, what could I possibly contribute to a thread about the strength in depth of the Leicester squad? Then you came along and ruined it. I used to get narked off with AKCJ coming on our board and ruining threads but fair play to him he's calmed right down. I suggest you do likewise because you're making a fool of yourself, again. I also find correcting a fellow posters grammar and spelling really sad.
Agreed I will tidy it and we can get back on subject. So they flip the coin a minute. If we do get promoted who would we need to shift then? Konchesky, Whitbread, Marshall, Danns, Vardy, Gallagher, Wellens, Beckford, Futacs For me Dyer would be a very good sub with his pace so he would still offer something to us. Konch would get destroyed most weeks as would Whitbread. Marshall is struggling in this league. Whether a season long loan would be a good idea or not. Vardy would be a complete passenger in the prem
... broadly agree with your 'discards' with the exception of Marshall who, at least, still has some potential .. and has shown in flashes that he can can be a game winner... the more you look at it the more you start pondering what has happened to the 'team spirit' ... I think we have lost direction and the camp, if not completely split, gives the impression of being somewhat divided ...
Getting rid of Jermaine Beckford will be the hardest thing. We wanted him to go to Huddersfield and do well and put himself in the shop window. He has been injured alot and has struggled for goals. Loaning him out would seem the most likeliest way of getting rid of him. But then IF we have a new manager they might want to keep Beckford here
Keep: Schmichael De Laet Morgan Keane (if possible) Marshall Drinkwater James King Dyer Knockeart Wood Nugent Undecided: St Ledger Whitbread Konchesky Schlupp Futacs Out: Gallagher Danns Wellens Beckford Vardy Waghorn The squad that would be left would be a much more "affordable" squad for FFP with a bit of flexibility for new players.
I'd be keeping Schlupp and ridding myself of Futacs (he is an inferior Wood) - Konchesky depends on the wages but he would not be a first choice - same applies to St Ledger - if the wages are too high get rid - they would both be liabilities should we get to the Prem ... not seen enough of Whitbread - a fully fit Waggy may still have a future in the game ... needs to get back to where he was when we very first had him on loan - maybe that involves going out on loan to a better side in L1.
We were all raving about Waghorn a couple of months ago- he's a keeper in my eyes and should be getting more game time. I'd have brought him on against Derby instead of Kane. Let's not start the Waggy-bashing again...
Well we do need some backup for Kasper... To be fair to Waggy, he was never going to prolific. He did only get 12 in 43 league games in 2009-10. Since he joined perm he's got 8 in 58, but that includes a LOT of brief cameos and also being played out of position. Waggy is a good player but will never get the goals Nuge and Wood will. I think forwards like that are always a problem - great if played with a goal-scoring striker and wide men that can score but not so good if you're relying on him to get the goals.
