Soumare

[Guesty]

33 minutes ago, Daggers said:

Can't speak for the others, but it's documented that Rodgers courted Vestergaard. Maybe the truth is the others weren't all his fault, but this one was completely on him signing a player who he then expected to change from playing to his strengths.

 

I think the fact that this situation didn't exist to remotely the same level under previous managers accentuates that it became an issue under Rodgers. I go full Occam's Razor on this and point the finger at the Gucci man.

I mentioned earlier in this thread but people may have missed it. Rodgers never wanted Soumare.

 

I listened to a podcast last year - 90% sure it was an Athletic football podcast about our lack of summer signings. They said the club had to really convince Rodgers to agree to sign Soumare and he relented. But he never really wanted him and after we signed him didn't rate him. That's why Soumare barely played.

 

I imagine this was part of the breakdown between the recruitment side of things and Rodgers - and why Vestergaard said Rodgers had personally been phoning him and chasing after him.

 

Hopefully we'll get to see the real Soumare now. Can't be easy to be motivated when your manager never wanted you and it's common knowledge. 

Edited 24 April 2023 by Guesty

[Chelmofox]

10 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Can you or someone else find that for me please? Because I don't think that's the case at all.

 

My recollection is that after Fofana was injured, Rodgers made the please to Rudkin to get a player to come in so we could sustain a challenge across the season. Vestergaard was the one that was available and Rodgers approved it. Vestergaard is not the type of player that he's used in his teams before. On paper, his forward passing ability was the thing that would have stood out, and maybe the feeling was he wouldn't be that bad in a high press - things that you could apply to Harry Souttar. 

 

When we signed him, Vestergaard had just had a strong Euros for Denmark. But there was always that feeling that he felt a bit out of place because he's a player in a very different mould to Soyuncu, Evans or even Amartey. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11808769/Leicester-defender-Jannik-Vestergaard-baffled-frozen-boss-Brendan-Rodgers.html

 

This story blew up nearly 2 months ago and was reported in quite a few places. Vesty said that Rodgers courted him and convinced him to join.

[Daggers]

31 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Can you or someone else find that for me please? Because I don't think that's the case at all.

 

My recollection is that after Fofana was injured, Rodgers made the please to Rudkin to get a player to come in so we could sustain a challenge across the season. Vestergaard was the one that was available and Rodgers approved it. Vestergaard is not the type of player that he's used in his teams before. On paper, his forward passing ability was the thing that would have stood out, and maybe the feeling was he wouldn't be that bad in a high press - things that you could apply to Harry Souttar. 

 

When we signed him, Vestergaard had just had a strong Euros for Denmark. But there was always that feeling that he felt a bit out of place because he's a player in a very different mould to Soyuncu, Evans or even Amartey. 

"‘I really felt wanted by Brendan Rodgers,’ Vestergaard told Danish publication EkstraBladet. 'While I was at Southampton, he really convinced me that I should switch to Leicester.'

 

'So Brendan Rodgers and the club knew exactly which player they were buying with both my strengths and weaknesses, and it’s hard to understand that from one moment to the next I’m suddenly unusable. 

'It feels strange, I must admit.’"

[StriderHiryu]

1 hour ago, Chelmofox said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11808769/Leicester-defender-Jannik-Vestergaard-baffled-frozen-boss-Brendan-Rodgers.html

 

This story blew up nearly 2 months ago and was reported in quite a few places. Vesty said that Rodgers courted him and convinced him to join.

 

1 hour ago, Daggers said:

"‘I really felt wanted by Brendan Rodgers,’ Vestergaard told Danish publication EkstraBladet. 'While I was at Southampton, he really convinced me that I should switch to Leicester.'

 

'So Brendan Rodgers and the club knew exactly which player they were buying with both my strengths and weaknesses, and it’s hard to understand that from one moment to the next I’m suddenly unusable. 

'It feels strange, I must admit.’"

Thanks chaps. Well that blows my argument out of the water then doesn't it 

 

In professional football it's a difficult situation. Let's say a player doesn't work out, understandably you want to move them on, but if the player doesn't want to go, you can't make them. There's plenty of stories of managers treating players like crap, look at Djed Spence who signed for Spurs but Conte immediately decided he didn't want. But in these cases even though the manager is acting awfully, they need to make it clear to the player they need to go because their wages and position are damaging the rest of the squad / team / club. Just watch Chelsea this summer for drama of the highest order.

[Daggers]

3 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

 

Thanks chaps. Well that blows my argument out of the water then doesn't it 

 

In professional football it's a difficult situation. Let's say a player doesn't work out, understandably you want to move them on, but if the player doesn't want to go, you can't make them. There's plenty of stories of managers treating players like crap, look at Djed Spence who signed for Spurs but Conte immediately decided he didn't want. But in these cases even though the manager is acting awfully, they need to make it clear to the player they need to go because their wages and position are damaging the rest of the squad / team / club. Just watch Chelsea this summer for drama of the highest order.

There was a far better article than the Mail that I read, can't remember where tbh but I don't have the time to go hunting it right now.He went into more detail about how he'd been courted by Rodgers over more than one season. It's not the first time ex-players of his have said they were tapped up with praise then when they began playing under him he wanted them to be someone else - and when they couldn't they were sidelined. And still the bloke gets jobs and becomes impossible to fire - go figure. 

[LFox99]

Different player

[sdb]

If he could step up another gear and remove the brain farts we'd have a serious player on our hands 

[SafewayFox]

3 minutes ago, LFox99 said:

Different player

Agreed, who would have thought he’d be such an important player in this run in.

 

 

[StanSP]

His change from Rodgers to Smith management is incredible. 

Just seems more imposing, confident, physical and aggressive in the right moments. 

 

Keep going, Bouba! 

[South Shire Fox]

Like last week he grew into the game, looked an absolute car crash first 15 of the 2nd half but turned it around

Edited 25 April 2023 by South Shire Fox

[LVFox]

I've slagged him off so much on here. Thought he was very very good tonight. Uses the ball well and put a real shift in. Where the ****s this Bouba been hiding?

[funkyrobot]

We played some lovely intricate stuff in midfield tonight with Soumare very much involved. He works really well with Tielemans. His only real error was when he was trying to be too clever and ended up getting booked. For someone who hasn’t played much, 7 bookings is alarming!  He needs to tidy that part of his game up but he did well again tonight. 

[RowlattsFox]

Unfortunately he Will always have a mistake in him and it will cost you. But generally so much better. Good when he moves the ball quickly. 

[Big Dave]

Was great again tonight.

Tackled back really well on a few occasions as well.

Where has he been hiding all this time.

[sm1]

Smith must have him on some form of PEDs, because his work rate has gone through the roof. 

[Tielemans63]

Bar that one brain fart* which ended up in a yellow card, I thought he was excellent tonight. Impressed with his discipline after the booking. Keep it up, Bouba.

 

To be fair to him, absolutely no one showed for the ball which left him short.

 

Edited 25 April 2023 by Tielemans63

[desertfox2]

Quality again. Under Rodgers he didn't run at all. Didn't track back, didn't press, didn't tackle. Looked miserable and uninterested. He looks like a completely different player now. This version of Soumare I can understand us spending the money on.

[BACKO]

Was great again tonight.  Excellent passing, driving forward with the ball and combative. Couple of moments caught wanting too much time again but showed massive desire to win it back which we didn't see before.  I like this Bouba!

[Buzzell]

Since Rodgers fvcked off he’s been a different player. 

[HybridFox]

Managed the rest of the game quite sensibly considering he was on a booking

[Paninistickers]

He was motm, hands down. 

 

Outstanding performance. Fair play to him. 

[LFox99]

15 minutes ago, funkyrobot said:

For someone who hasn’t played much, 7 bookings is alarming!

In fairness, we're up to the 15 booking mark for a suspension now so get into them lad... preferably late in the game when we're ahead and you're stopping a counter

[Chelmofox]

2 games in a row he has been fully committed, which is something we haven't seen before. Was MoM for me - thought he was better than the more fashionable Madders and Youri. 

[Hammo]

Not totally convinced yet as, like Ndidi, you always sense he will give the ball away carelessly in a dangerous position, but the lazy body language has gone and he is definitely starting - finally - to look the part, for which Smith deserves great credit.

[StriderHiryu]

Could have been MOTM for me, though I think I would go for Iheanacho overall. Unfortunate to be offside for the goal, but do remember he won the ball back to give it to Tielemans to score in the first place.

 

Smith's got the best we've seen out of him, got to give credit where it's due. Shame we are only seeing it now, with his wages (80K I've heard), I think he will be a guarantee to be sold if we go down.