If we can't beat Leicester and Ipswich this season, what hope will we have next season? Play offs again?
I'm not sure Leicester will be as strong next season as they were last season. They haven't got the likes of Barnes, Maddison and Castagne to cash in on. Vardy will be two years older. KDH, who was arguably the best player in the Championship last season, has obviously already moved on. And that is before considering any potential transfer embargo or points deduction. I'm not saying they won't be a threat, because I absolutely think they will be. But for most of last season, they were on course to beat the divisional record. I can't see them being at that level again. Ipswich, however, I think could be a huge obstacle. I'm still undecided whether I would prefer them or Wolves to go down.
Ipswich will be rubbing their hands with glee; on a bad run of form? Striker who hadn't scored in months? We're the team anyone wants to play to end bad form ...
Im blaming the entire of this season on Martin tbh. He clearly had a big hand in recruitment and bringing in his players, and going down the English route in the main (something he said in an interview during the summer) which is almost impossible to do with the “English tax” on players and our relatively limited budget. Then not adapting his style at all and getting dicked week in week out for the first 16 games or whatever it was, shattering any confidence or belief in the team.
I still believe Downes is a PL player. I think in a competent team he could do a job. Successive managers have set up midfields that were always going to fail. Why do we not try 3 in midfield? Fernandes/Les/Downes 2 defensively minded players instead of 1. Aribo is not a 6. I am completely baffled why 2 managers in a row continue to hang our defence out to dry. (Don’t think les is a PL player either though tbh.)
Yeah the RM legacy (ball & chain) is going to take a long time to extinguish. It’s well documented I never liked his style of football but as the season has moved on, I really do dislike him (being polite).
I think Les is probably more a PL player in waiting than Downes is, though I do agree with the double six pivot being Downes and Les.
Tbh, hands up, Downes was one I wanted too but he is underwhelming this year for me. Fraser has not been anything like what he was when first here on loan. Juric has got a bad hand, but at least I get the impression that he’s honest about things to the players and us. I can take that.
Downes was the one player we all seemingly wanted, so to criticise RM for pushing for it seems a bit harsh and very much hindsight based. Fraser on the other hand, we all knew and accepted shouldn't have been signed. Love him for those moments he gave last season but yeah, should've left as was ...
With Downes. At the end of the day, that’s our level of signing. He’s clearly a cut above the championship. He was a rolls Royce in that league. I really think if you put him in a different team, where he gets help, he becomes a solid PL player. Both Martin & now Juric are setting us up to fail. Les had a shocker today defensively. But i equally feel sorry for him as every time he gets dispossessed or someone else does, he’s surrounded by acres of space. I like Aribo, I think hes a top level championship attacking midfielder that can do a job off the bench in the PL. What he absolutely isn’t is an Oriol/Wanyama player that’s going to win you the midfield. It’s just suicidal all around. How does Juric expect us to compete in this system? How did Martin? What are they seeing in training?? Does Aribo turn into makalele?
Sorry Os Downes at prem level ain't ever going to be good enough. He looked decent when we got promoted,and he bossed it, because that's his level .
