Players not good enough to take us forward under any manager.

[volpeazzurro]

3 minutes ago, MPH said:

 

 

whilst i agree with you, what i am saying is that people were saying the players were not good enough  and that’s really my point... some people are saying the players are not good enough but maybe a switch of manager and formation and things like that COULD make a huge  difference...

In which case I think they were absolutely right in the case of Mourhinio because you'd have to look at some of the extreme quality players they have on their books and come to the natural conclusion that they really can't ALL be that bad. Coupled with the fact Mourhinio had similar for at Chelsea!  I think it is totally different at Leicester  (just in my opinion) because I don't think anyone I can see being suggested to come here, all of which equally or more so have flaws like Puel, could make any difference with the current squad of players we have here. Unlike United, we really do have some poor unsuitable for the Premier League players let alone ones that should be fighting for a European place. It's all very subjective of course.

[volpeazzurro]

8 minutes ago, SixtiesFox said:

We have a very talented young squad. It is the manager's job to get the best out of every player at his disposal. Poor man-management and too much chopping and changing of personnel have contributed to Puel's inability to get the best out of all but a few. We need a few additions (striker/creative midfielder) but our underachieving, particularly against less talented teams, is clearly down to Puel.

I  wouldn't assume thst some of these teams are less talented. I  do assume that teams like Cardiff, for example, know exactly how to minimise what little threat we have at our disposal.  Strangely enough by employing not unsimilar tactics to what we use against teams to whom we are considered less talented! We really aren't that talented in the player department yet as some are just learning their trade.

[LCFCSOULBOY]

If we are really fair and look beyond our blue coloured specs our squad is pretty mediocre. A couple of exceptions of course. But no one who can really change a game around like Mahrez could. He was frustrating but he did have that extra something. Currently we have huff and puff and little else. Don't think we really have any real intelligent players in our squad. No real quick thinking brain. We always seem to be reacting instead of being proactive on the pitch. Little things we do well but don't really have any finished article.

[Hanan96]

6 hours ago, inckley fox said:

One of those was for 24 hours and the other was as early as October. We finished those seasons in 12th and 9th so it's important not to look at an isolated moment as being indicative of a whole campaign.

 

In the case of the 12th place finish we were still wobbling with the post-title hangover and our relatively small squad was struggling to balance league and Champions League commitments. Ranieri had a nightmare but even with Shakespeare at the helm we ended up comfortably mid-table. In the case of last season we had an horrendous early run of fixtures which gave a false impression of our situation, not to mention a manager who wasn't really a manager. When these things ceased to be a problem we improved. 

 

It's also worth pointing out that since we last flirted with the drop zone we've added 9 players to our squad, 6 of which are internationals, at a cost of over 123m. We've also moved on 7 more for 84m (of which only 2 were current internationals). So there's a lot of new quality been drafted in since October 2017, despite the loss of Mahrez.

 

Yes, it's true that Schmeichel, Morgan, Simpson, Vardy and Albrighton - as well as experiencing immense success - have all seen us in the bottom three (especially if you go back to early 2015!), but equally Hazard, Fabregas, Matic, Willian and Costa have seen Chelsea just a point above the drop zone too. They still have pedigree. And most of the players at our mid-table rivals Everton, West Ham, Burnley, Brighton, Bournemouth have been in the bottom three since we last were. All of them, and Watford, Wolves and West Ham, have averaged lower league finishes over the past five years than we have.

 

So whether we compare ourselves to mid-table rivals in terms of average league finish, or wage bill, or internationals, or silverware, or how many internationally respected stars we possess, or even how recently we were in the relegation zone then, whatever the measurement, we're still up there. In comparison to our rivals we have some serious top flight quality to choose from and it's not so absurd that our fans should believe us capable of finishing above those sides. 

 

I don't think we should expect this, of course, and I don't think we should be thinking of firing Puel now but the argument that Puel is doing great because, well, we're a bit crap doesn't stack up.

Yeah there's 2 times. While majority of the time were on bottom half. With those big money signing, breaking transfer record twice, and refusal to sell our striker, who rarely plays just because the one who made bid are our relegation rivals.

 

We ended with 12th yes, but that's helped a lot by new manager bounce effect. Just like last season when we finished 9th, part of it were due to this effect. 

 

Those international signing, how many are in our first team? Kasper, Morgan, vardy, mahrez, kante are already here before that money for sure. Silva, Iborra aren't part of our first team squad. Ghezzal is still struggling. Left us with Ricardo, Maguire, Ndidi. 

 

The chelsea player while also in bottom half and relegation zone, are way much lesser time compare than our guys

 

I didnt say that puel is perfect guy. My point is that while we won the title, we are jumping up and down from relegation zone to as high as 8th the following season, and the season after, and that with majority of title win squad plus those big spendings. 

 

By now majority of our signing aren't anymore finished product, still developing. Not that expensive and not a peak player. Between 7-9 th aren't end of the world as their growth curve are going up as their age increase. 

 

[Raw Dykes]

17 hours ago, Kitchandro said:

I bet most teams would say that. Our squad is as good as any outside the top 6. Our squad was 'weak' when we won the league remember - we had very little outside of our first 11.

 

Most if not all of those players you mention should not expect to start matches so it doesn't excuse our performances.

 

Frankly, I think we would be fine with 1 quality striking addition and another centre back. We've got an overload of midfielders, plenty of talent there if used properly. 3-5-2 would suit us so we don't need more full backs at the moment.

Don't agree with this. We've got plenty of centre-halves.

 

While we do have enough options in central midfield, I don't think the required quality or balance is there. I think King's, James' and Silva's days here are numbered. Mendy, Ndidi and Choudhury are the only three who are good enough for where we want to be, and they're all defensive. The squad's crying out for a creative CM to play next to one or two of NM, WN and HC. If it was up to me, I'd be looking to ship out King, James and Silva and replace them with 2 playmaker/box-to-box CMs.

[Nick]

.........................Kasper

 

............Soyuncu Evans Maguire

 

Ricardo........................................Chilwell

 

........................Hamza......................

 

Albrighton.........Maddison..........Barnes/Gray

 

............................Vardy 

 

The above players are more than good enough to compete. The problem is the formation and tactics. That’s down to the manager.

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

Just now, Swan Lesta said:

.........................Kasper

 

............Soyuncu Evans Maguire

 

Ricardo........................................Chilwell

 

........................Hamza......................

 

Albrighton.........Maddison..........Barnes/Gray

 

............................Vardy 

 

The above players are more than good enough to compete. The problem is the formation and tactics. That’s down to the manager.

Depends what you mean by compete. We are competing with everyone excoet the top 6 overall

 

But a few of those players are either not yet at their best/past their best, not good enough to have us in a better league position than we are now

[Foxxed]

It's still shocking Puel played Simpson and expected him to do more than just defend. Looked out of his depth as to be expected. There was some lovely moments with Richardo passing it around under pressure and then he passed to Morgan who, when he found himself in possession, could do nothing but punt the ball up field to invariably a Wolves player. Why we started with Morgan and not Soyuncu is beyond me.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

A lot of the 'winning edges' put in place under NFP (sports science, psychologists, pastoral care to name a few), have been slowly eroded since he left. That's for me one of the biggest reasons why we're not getting the best from what we have, we've lost the backroom set up. 

[jayfox26]

Whilst i have and still am backing Puel, as i feel our shortcomings are down to our players, he really isn't helping himself by keep playing the likes of Morgan and Simpson. Both will always be legends for what they achieved but they should not be playing such an active role now. We haven't got much to play for now other than trying to get as high as possible in the league but Puel has got to get them playing to save his job. With Evans' injuries and his reluctance to play soyuncu i dont understand why he hasn't recalled Benkovic. We know we won't be making any signings in jan but Barnes will be like a new player and Benkovic could be as well. I just don't understand Puels loyalty to Morgan. Surely he can see what a liability he has been recently. 

[Bunyip]

18 hours ago, peterborofox said:

Definitely do need a big clear out and rebuild process

 

Bit like when Pearson came the second time and it took a while to get it right 

But I thought Puel was here to do a big clearout and rebuild ? what went wrong?

[The Doctor]

37 minutes ago, Swan Lesta said:

.........................Kasper

 

............Soyuncu Evans Maguire

 

Ricardo........................................Chilwell

 

........................Hamza......................

 

Albrighton.........Maddison..........Barnes/Gray

 

............................Vardy 

 

The above players are more than good enough to compete. The problem is the formation and tactics. That’s down to the manager.

Not sure you can slag off the tactics while suggesting a 1 man midfield...

[Nick]

56 minutes ago, The Doctor said:

Not sure you can slag off the tactics while suggesting a 1 man midfield...

It’s not a one man midfield, obviously but those players can pass the ball and play that little bit more compact rather than having two sitting ducks expected to have the skills to orchestrate forward play. Which is pretty ridiculous.

[Nick]

1 hour ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

Depends what you mean by compete. We are competing with everyone excoet the top 6 overall

Results don’t really suggest that do they?

 

Are you thinking about position in the table or the football matches?

 

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

3 minutes ago, Swan Lesta said:

Results don’t really suggest that do they?

 

Are you thinking about position in the table or the football matches?

 

Position in the table. We are in the mix with all teams rigt below the top 6. Its anyone's call who the best of the rest will be at the moment as all these teams results are patchy.  We are competing with them, not falling significantly behind

[southfox66]

In the games we have less of the ball we won 50% so the players clearly have talent to win when under pressure but in games where we control the ball we won 29% of the games, that's down to mismanagement. I'm sure alot of people have had a boss who's clueless but has the support of the owners, so you do as they tell you, why would football be any different. 

Edited 20 January 2019 by southfox66

[Nick]

1 minute ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

Position in the table. We are in the mix with all teams rigt below the top 6. Its anyone's call who the best of the rest will be at the moment as all these teams results are patchy.  We are competing with them, not falling significantly behind

Quite. I recognise your point - I’ve never had a problem with our position in the table. I have a problem with the direction of the football for 12 months or more.

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

Just now, Swan Lesta said:

Quite. I recognise your point - I’ve never had a problem with our position in the table. I have a problem with the direction of the football for 12 months or more.

No doubt. Ive got to the point where I think all players have been given a good chance (barring Silva but there must be some reason) and want to see players keeping their place on form from now on..no cup games or fixture congestion as an excuse

 

Mendy, like the guy but i think Hamza has absolutely earned the right to displace him, for one change

[copunk]

Puels style of play would be effective if we had the right players to carry out his orders, it's plain to see clearly that we don't, we persist with playing a cm pairing of so ndidi and mendy who can't pass the ball like puel would like, that's not a knock on them both as we already know they play best and are most effective when shielding the back 4, however ndidi needs to be dropped for a game or 2, on his day he's a machine and wins everything but the last couple of months hes been way off the mark, we are in a tricky position really because we know we can catch teams on the counter, but every other team we come up against (bar maybe top 6 who will come at us and take the risk of us catching them out) will happily sit back and know we struggle most of the game to carve anyone open, for me the lack of urgency in bringing in a tall, powerful striker, even as a plan b when we have to resort to lumping balls into the box, is quite alarming, I can't see how puel and his staff think we can rely on vardy constantly and will take kelechi as back up, it's crazy, I'm still on the fence with ode Claude and am happy with some things he's doing, like the push for youth to come through etc, but I think the Times come where the players just aren't playing for him anymore, I feel sorry for him in a way but as always I want what's best for my club, with him or without him 

[Bossman Blessed It]

I genuinely could have f*ucking cried when Iheanacho wasn't even ready when Puel wanted him to come on. 

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

23 hours ago, Paddy. said:

I'll be honest, I think it's more of an effort issue than a talent issue. We've got a good squad, capable of a lot more.

I don't think so. My belief is that we have a poor squad that is getting worse and worse.

[Nick]

3 hours ago, DANGEROUS TIGER said:

I don't think so. My belief is that we have a poor squad that is getting worse and worse.

Yeah but your level of optimism has always been a glass half broken rammed through one’s intestines.

[Dahnsouff]

5 hours ago, Bossman Blessed It said:

I genuinely could have f*ucking cried when Iheanacho wasn't even ready when Puel wanted him to come on. 

That was totally shocking I thought. Should have told him to sit the **** back down.

Edited 20 January 2019 by Dahnsouff

[foxinsox]

8 hours ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

A lot of the 'winning edges' put in place under NFP (sports science, psychologists, pastoral care to name a few), have been slowly eroded since he left. That's for me one of the biggest reasons why we're not getting the best from what we have, we've lost the backroom set up. 

I think this a very important point. When Ranieri got rid of the sports psychologist was when things went bad. 

 

We have several potentially good players whose heads are all wrong, particularly Nacho. Puel can manage the shouting, but there is a need for a good cop too. 

[Analysethis]

On 19/01/2019 at 15:00, KFS said:

You’re right Lee, we have a shit squad quite frankly. Taken me a while to really notice this given some of the performances we’ve been capable of. 

Posts like this typifies some people have very little idea about football.

 

Where I agree with the original poster that we have a lot of dead wood, we also have a load of high quality players. Yes many of the old guard need to go but that is not a problem as there is more than enough quality at our club to do very well. Ive mentioned it in other threads but we have so many players that the top 6 would bite our hands off to buy. They may not all be in peak form as I type but Schmeichel, Maguire, Ricardo, Chilwell, Ndidi and Vardy have all been linked with one or more of the so called big 6 whilst the likes of Maddison and Gray have been spoken about as future England Internationals. To say the squad is shit is madness. The players that we may consider as dead wood are just back-ups where our "crap" squad players like Okazaki, Fuchs and Simpson have all been linked to moves at other prem clubs this transfer window.

 

Squad wise I think we are in great shape if we were utilising Silva in midfield and if Kelechi had some confidence but we are only two or three signings away from knocking on the door of the top 6 IMO, thats if we had a manager that could play tactics and a team to suit what we have.