Off Topic The General Chat Thread.

If Man City win Europe does it go to 5th place?

 

The words 'straws' and 'clutching' spring to mind.

I don't know what to make of things. The form we showed up until the end of the year indicated we wouldn't disgrace ourselves in the Champions League. Since then we have become a side that would be totally out of their depth. We still have players in the side who are not up to the level of a title challenging side.

Let me throw in a few names: Ayoze Perez, Iheanacho and Praet. What have been your impressions of them?

 

Think we need a bit of perspective - if at the start of the season we were told we would have a chance of CL by winning our last match at home, we'd all have taken it and viewed it as a good season.

We played well yesterday for much if the game but we're undone by a mixture of bad luck and excellent finishing.

Some players are not up to the very highest level but there is some very promising young talent coming through.

It's not all gloom by a any means - we could do quite well in the Europa (if it comes to it) and it will be great experience for the younger lads ... Leicester in Europe again? ... the older heads on here will appreciate just how amazing that is in relative terms and after the dross wee watched for a quarter of a century as we yo-yo'd between the top 2 divisions

 

I appreciate what you're saying, Fosse. I would definitely have taken top 6 before the season started, and believe we are in a far better place than we have probably ever been as a club. The concern for me is the way in which our form fell off a cliff at the start of the year and how some players seemed to lose their way. That may have as much to do with management as the individual players, and they have to up their game too next season. But I fear that by not actually getting into the Champions League, we might be susceptible to losing a few players who have become disillusioned with the ability/effort of some of the others around them. Saying that, getting into the Champions League doesn't guarantee player loyalty as we found out with Kante.

Whichever way the season pans out, the team will have fulfilled their ambition to get into European football next season. It would be great to keep this group of players together for a second season and see how far they can go. If the academy can keep pumping out youngsters like Luke Thomas then we should be in good shape.

 

Perez is a much better player, playing more central.....he is not a wide player!
Nobody knows what Iheanacho is going to do when he has got the ball........and I am including Iheanacho in this!!!
I actually like Praet. He can do a bit of everything, but needs a run in the side.
Barnes needs to learn how to finish. If he could do that, he could be one hell of a player.

 

I've noticed he rarely looks up when he has the ball, which is probably something he needs to work on.

 

You're right. His finishing and his final ball are both poor because he is in panic mode (or lack of composure mode) and doesn't give himself time to get his head up and look for the gap in the goal or for a team mate. His approach play has seen a definite improvement in the last couple of matches, so it would be a real bonus for the lad if he can improve his composure.

 

This @FosseFilberto .
No doubt we’d have taken it start of the season and had we been consistently decent to good or bad early on and then had a great second half to the season it’d feel like a win. My concern is the mentality of the team not being that of winners when compared to previous sides. What happened to Foxes Never Quit as this side...well......
I personally don’t think Rodgers has the mentality to win anything in this country anyway. We’ve basically turned into Spurs which is not a compliment.
The saving grace is that the performances have picked up a bit so maybe bodes better for next season as that was my concern. We can point to injuries, bad VAR/ref decisions against us and Man Utd getting a pen every game but no team should be losing a 15 point lead no matter their league position relative to expectation or other circumstances. We should have wrapped this thing up as whilst Europa League is more winnable, and probably a better experience for us as fan, it’s no doubt a financial blow for the future ambitions of the club to miss out.
At this point, there’s no way we get in with the help Man U will get next week from the powers that be. That said, I’d love to win it last minute from Vardy dangling a leg in the box and going over thin air and slotting the pen away. That’d be justice!

 

Nowt like a conspiracy theory John ...

All you can do us give it a go ... our gaff ... go for it ... Barnes and Vardy through the middle at pace ... could make life very interesting for Lindelof and Slab Head ... nowt to lose

 

I just can’t see our makeshift defence coping. Too much a lack of pace. Probably would be better going back 4, drop Bennett and try to get the defensive cover from midfield. Playing a high line with Morgan, Evans and Bennett against Son and Kane etc was stupid and would be against Man Utd. We would be better staying deeper and playing on the break if Rodgers wouldn’t let his ego cloud judgement.
And I think there’s plenty of evidence of the theory

 

It's a real shame Benkovic is out on loan as this would have been an ideal opportunity for him to show what he can do ... and I agree that playing the 3 together was asking for trouble ... we made Harry Kane look quick

 

For what it’s worth I thought we’d have had them yesterday if we had our full defence out. I like seeing youngsters through so good to see Thomas and Hirst. Agree re Benkovic. The strength in depth just isn’t good enough for the games we had left with a team low in confidence.

 

Agree with all of these. Perez plays much better centrally, playing him wide is either borne out of justifying playing him having paid £30m for him or that Gray or any other wouldn't do much better. Praet I thought was looking a good addition until the lockdown. I'd like to see a diamond midfield with Ndidi behind Praet and Tielemans with Maddison at the tip.

 

Would be interested to know how many points per match we accrued with Ricardo in the team, and the same since his injury. We shouldn't have to rely on one player but he offers so much going forward. If we play 3 at the back again I will do me nut in. We need some pace at the back and our only options there are JJ and Thomas. I think Kelechi has looked sharp recently - looked good at Bournemouth and wanted to have a go at Spurs. Europa and a golden boot aint a bad return for the season.

 

So then ... we have a fighters chance of CL qualification ... time to see what we are made of ... you never know

 

If we just had Soyuncu and one of the full backs I’d actually feel really confident...just can’t see how the makeshift defence will hold out against their attack which is nothing to be ashamed of. Perhaps time for a back four, drop Bennett and go for it.
Chelsea one down which is good. Preparing for EL, anything more is a happy surprise. Odds are still stacked against us but the respective levels of performance of both sides has levelled the playing field from about two weeks ago

 

I’d go back 4 too. Not sure the back 5 helps when the actual players are so poor

 

How badly is Soyuncu's moment of stupidity going to cost us. From having an absolute stand out season he has gone when we needed him most and for the most stupid reason. Agree with a back four, Justin and Thomas will at least give us some pace. Not sure that Perez is aggressive enough for a game like this so would start Iheanacho in his place as well.

 

I've very mixed feelings about where we finish. On the one hand it would be great to get into the CL, but I'm not sure this group of players is ready for that level. A spirited and determined final performance is all I want to see, regardless of the result.

 

I’ve been a critic of Rodgers but I would not want to be in his position this weekend. Yes he needs to take his share of responsibility for it not being secure by now but this game alone is very hard to call the best approach. Normally we would be frustrated to see him be too conservative like Man U away amongst others when they were out of form and after taking the lead against Bournemouth. We need a win so logic say all out attack but we saw what Spurs did and they are bang average, Man U have the potential to destroy the back line. The odds so so against us but as above, just show a positive show for going into next season and let’s hope Vardy can tie up his own personal achievement.
Funny to see all the bed wetting from Man U fans though who think they’ve ****ed it because they drew with West Ham. How entitled! If they can’t win with half our team out and all the help they’ve been getting then they may as well pack up.
Guesses for the minute of their pen?