Dragovic

[Foxxed]

Not sure about the long ball stats, but clean sheets before and after Morgan returned are fairly telling. If you can explain that to me I'd be impressed.

[Foxxed]

50 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Did I say all the time? I was talking about a two game comparison. Their pass success rates are similar, so either Morgan doesn't "hoof" it anywhere near as much as people think he does, or they are more accurate than people think they are. 

It's a fair point. I'd be interested to know what happens after Morgan and Drag have hoofed it. Do we retain the ball and land in a position of strength?

[Vardinio'sCat]

15 hours ago, mozartfox said:

Why not if he was playing well, which is what he was doing?? Shocking Team Management tactics by Puel.  To play players on past reputation disregarding the current form of others holding the shirt is why Shakey screwed up. If he goes, yet another Fuch hope by those that run the Club.

 

I absolutely wanted Drago to stay in the side, and think he was doing a better job than Wes has since he came back, by no small margin.

 

If you look at this thread I was an early supporter of Drago, and if we lose him I will blame Puel. But I think Puel is trying to give some of the old guard a genuine chance to get with his program, and Wes had a good first half of the season, after being written off time and again on here.

 

Although I would have had things different, and I think we have paid a price for bringing Morgan back in, I'm trying to give the manager room to manage. I do share your frustration, although it is coming out in a slightly different way.

 

[st albans fox]

Having wes in the defence makes things easier for the opposition when they don’t have the ball. drago much better at passing faster to a team mate and also along the ground in between the lines so less likely to be pressed. 

 

I think we are more solid defensively with wes but I think we attract less pressing on us when we have the ball with drago. 

[Dr The Singh]

4 hours ago, Babylon said:

Did I say all the time? I was talking about a two game comparison. Their pass success rates are similar, so either Morgan doesn't "hoof" it anywhere near as much as people think he does, or they are more accurate than people think they are. 

Babs without a hoof stat, stats mean shit

[Arriba Los Zorros]

To be fair I don't think we need stats to see that Wes is a hoofer and that Dragovic is a lot more composed on the ball, its clear with the evidence of your own eyes. Wes has his strengths, technical and passingability is certainly not among them!

[gurru991]

37 minutes ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

To be fair I don't think we need stats to see that Wes is a hoofer and that Dragovic is a lot more composed on the ball, its clear with the evidence of your own eyes. Wes has his strengths, technical and passingability is certainly not among them!

It was kind of fun watching Maguire & Drago playing the ball out but now we are back to the no imagination game. 

[M0901]

I think Morgan has actually been a lot more composed on the ball since Puel has come in. He'll only go long if he's under pressure and without option. He likes to play it short to the supporting midfielder most of the time.

 

He's your typical old school defender and I'm not sure I've seen a defender as good at putting himself on the line as Morgan here at Leicester. Whoever plays I'll support the team (his inclusion seems to be life or death to some fans) but I'd love to see Dragovic sign permanently and take his place in the summer.

 

Make no mistake that Morgan will always be held in the highest regard because of his achievements. Phenomenal player for the club.

[Gerard]

Just a thought but maybe we aren't playing Dragovic because Puel doesn't think he's any better than Morgan and doesn't want to spend €20m on a player who is a bit meh.

 

If West Brom get relegated then Jonny Evans is available for £3m and we might be in the box seat to get him after showing our interest last summer for big money, His other suitors in Man City have moved on and Wenger is likely to leave Arsenal.

 

People talk like Dragovic not playing is a miscarriage of justice but we have very few players who are automatic selections and he isn't in that category. Our automatic picks are arguably Schmeichel, Maguire, Ndidi, Mahrez and Vardy. If we're spending big money I want someone of that calibre not someone who isn't an automatic choice, we have enough of them already we've spent huge money on.

[Babylon]

12 hours ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

To be fair I don't think we need stats to see that Wes is a hoofer and that Dragovic is a lot more composed on the ball, its clear with the evidence of your own eyes. Wes has his strengths, technical and passingability is certainly not among them!

Who said that Dragovic wasn't more composed on the ball, it's not even an argument. But it seems like people do need to stats, as preconceived ideas seem to be taking precedent over what's actually happening on the pitch. Morgans pass completion rate has gone from 67% last season to 82% this season. His pass length has dropped, the number of long balls have dropped, he's not just passing it backwards either before someone chimes in with that as his passes forward have gone up as well. 

 

So I take exception with people calling him a hoofer when he quite plainly hasn't been one this season. Sure he'll still wallop it, sure he'll still do the odd aimless punt. But it's changed drastically from what it was and he's not just hoofing it like people suggest and literally any stat out there shows that. 

[st albans fox]

The difference between wes and drago is wes takes longer to get the ball under control. Having your head up earlier means there are more available passes which are likely to be positive for the team moving up the pitch.  The full backs receiving the ball before the winger is closed down or the striker coming short -  it’s this split second difference that makes a huge difference when it comes to the team just passing it around and going nowhere or actually opening up space between the lines. 

 

Imo, wes is a better raw defender but drago is better for the team overall. As has been said above, I suspect we have other irons in other fires come the end of the season which would mean drago continues to be third choice, even if wes moves on.  

[Babylon]

2 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

The difference between wes and drago is wes takes longer to get the ball under control. Having your head up earlier means there are more available passes which are likely to be positive for the team moving up the pitch.  The full backs receiving the ball before the winger is closed down or the striker coming short -  it’s this split second difference that makes a huge difference when it comes to the team just passing it around and going nowhere or actually opening up space between the lines. 

 

Imo, wes is a better raw defender but drago is better for the team overall. As has been said above, I suspect we have other irons in other fires come the end of the season which would mean drago continues to be third choice, even if wes moves on.  

I agree,  I just take exception with the notion all he's doing is hoofing it when he just isn't. People are picking the wrong argument when they can make others that are factual.

[VLC86]

Wouldn’t shock me in the slightest if he drops Morgan for Drago today pissing them both off in a week.

[ZeGuy]

14 hours ago, Vardinio'sCat said:

 

I absolutely wanted Drago to stay in the side, and think he was doing a better job than Wes has since he came back, by no small margin.

 

If you look at this thread I was an early supporter of Drago, and if we lose him I will blame Puel. But I think Puel is trying to give some of the old guard a genuine chance to get with his program, and Wes had a good first half of the season, after being written off time and again on here.

 

Although I would have had things different, and I think we have paid a price for bringing Morgan back in, I'm trying to give the manager room to manage. I do share your frustration, although it is coming out in a slightly different way.

 

What chance? Simpson will never be an attacking FB and Morgan is 34. That much is certain and I'd be baffled to see them start next season.

 

Better drop a 27 years old defender on loan who has the same abilities as Morgan but is better on the ball and more suited to Puel's system?

 

[Vardinio'sCat]

55 minutes ago, ZeGuy said:

What chance? Simpson will never be an attacking FB and Morgan is 34. That much is certain and I'd be baffled to see them start next season.

 

Better drop a 27 years old defender on loan who has the same abilities as Morgan but is better on the ball and more suited to Puel's system?

 

 

I agree that sacrificing the future for the past is perverse, and it contradicts Puel's idea of what football should be.

 

I cannot believe they will be first 11 next season either, whatever happens between now and the end of the season, and it would be a crying shame if we lost Drago over the summer.

 

[WigstonWanderer]

Wrong thread

Edited 10 March 2018 by WigstonWanderer

[MC Prussian]

Mercury journo James Sharpe quoted in LAOLA1's recent piece:

https://www.laola1.at/de/red/fussball/international/england/premier-league/leicester-city--darum-spielt-aleksandar-dragovic-nicht/

 

Essentially, it's simply for the Austrian audience to know why Dragovic hasn't featured as of late (because of Morgan's return from injury). Sharpe would like Dragovic to stay and cites fan feedback that sounds similar. Sharpe also praises Dragovic's progress at LCFC

[Johnthefoxrayner]

On 02/01/2018 at 21:22, Papasmurf said:

If he doesn’t get games then I can’t imagine he will want to sign on a permanent basis. 

He would sign if Morgan stepped down can't see Morgan playing PL much longer due to his age 

[Al-aLondon-Foxile]

Maybe he will sign with assurance of a starting birth ahead of Wes next season. I like him. 

[ZeGuy]

29 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

Mercury journo James Sharpe quoted in LAOLA1's recent piece:

https://www.laola1.at/de/red/fussball/international/england/premier-league/leicester-city--darum-spielt-aleksandar-dragovic-nicht/

 

Essentially, it's simply for the Austrian audience to know why Dragovic hasn't featured as of late (because of Morgan's return from injury). Sharpe would like Dragovic to stay and cites fan feedback that sounds similar. Sharpe also praises Dragovic's progress at LCFC

In short he got dropped because Morgan is captain and not because of his performances. Morgan might be "big and strong", he doesn't read the game as well as Dragovic and it still is absurd to plan for the future whilst keeping him on the bench. Dragovic is from great help to build the back and the more the CB pair Plays together the better. Their coordination with Kasper is crucial as well. It must terribly frustrating for him at the Moment and surely weighs a lot in his decision to either stay or go.

 

Give the captaincy to Schmeichel in the meanwhile and play Dragovic before it's too late

 

Should another decent PL club come sniffing around, I wouldn't begrudge if he wants to go.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, ZeGuy said:

In short he got dropped because Morgan is captain and not because of his performances. Morgan might be "big and strong", he doesn't read the game as well as Dragovic and it still is absurd to plan for the future whilst keeping him on the bench. Dragovic is from great help to build the back and the more the CB pair Plays together the better. Their coordination with Kasper is crucial as well. It must terribly frustrating for him at the Moment and surely weighs a lot in his decision to either stay or go.

 

Give the captaincy to Schmeichel in the meanwhile and play Dragovic before it's too late

 

Should another decent PL club come sniffing around, I wouldn't begrudge if he wants to go.

I'm pretty sure we have first dibs on him even if someone else comes sniffing. 

 

I'm surprised you don't feel the same about Diabaté and Mahrez. surely Morgan has as much right, if not more, to his last 8 games than Mahrez.

[ZeGuy]

2 minutes ago, FIF said:

I'm pretty sure we have first dibs on him even if someone else comes sniffing. 

 

I'm surprised you don't feel the same about Diabaté and Mahrez. surely Morgan has as much right, if not more, to his last 8 games than Mahrez.

First off Mahrez is still essential if we want to reach the 7th place and I'm firmly convinced that it will be fought until the last day. You simply can't drop your best player especially when he's the only source of creativity in the team. Now if the 7th is definitely lost, Puel might want to give him a go on the right wing. I still doubt it since every point or win will be essential for Puel to strenghten his legitimity. There is also the joy factor and people might want to see one the club's best players ever as much as they can.

 

Diabaté made an immediate impression on me and I sincerely think that he'll become a great winger. But he's no Mahrez yet and I can't see him leading the attack with Simpson as support. He's generous in the effort, tricky, pacey and good in his decision making, however if he has Mahrez's vision remains to be seen, I'd want to see him on the left wing even if it's not his preferred side or maybe behind Vardy (kinda doubt he's good there though). he'll be great with an attacking FB and a capable 10.

 

Secondly to synchronize a CB pair and make it work is a lot more difficult than slot in a winger. It takes time. They command the whole defense and to the contrary to an attacking player a single mistake from their part can lead to a goal. Maguire and Dragovic showed very encouraging signs and fit perfectly Puels system. The defense is an enormous problem that needs to be adressed as soon as possible.

[Detroit Blues]

I think people make Dragovic's inclusion a much easier decision than it is. There's consequences to benching your club's captain for a player who is on loan. He isn't some young Leicester player, like Chilwell, who is the club's heir apparent at CB. Dragovich could realistically be gone in a few months time. Does Puel want to potentially disrupt the team for a slight upgrade at CB? 

 

 

 

 

 

[TheUltimateWinner]

6 minutes ago, Detroit Blues said:

I think people make Dragovic's inclusion a much easier decision than it is. There's consequences to benching your club's captain for a player who is on loan. He isn't some young Leicester player, like Chilwell, who is the club's heir apparent at CB. Dragovich could realistically be gone in a few months time. Does Puel want to potentially disrupt the team for a slight upgrade at CB? 

 

 

 

 

 

In my eyes the perfect time to bench him was when he got injured.That way he wouldn't have been 'dropped' simply down to the fact that upon his return from injury he was being kept out by the consistently performing Dragovic. That didn't happen though.

 

Think it's too late this season to swap them round again, as like you say, dropping the captain could cause issues. Start of next season would be the next sensible time to try phasing him out.

[Detroit Blues]

4 hours ago, TheUltimateWinner said:

In my eyes the perfect time to bench him was when he got injured.That way he wouldn't have been 'dropped' simply down to the fact that upon his return from injury he was being kept out by the consistently performing Dragovic. That didn't happen though.

 

Think it's too late this season to swap them round again, as like you say, dropping the captain could cause issues. Start of next season would be the next sensible time to try phasing him out.

 

I completely agree.