LCFC vs Southampton - Pre-Match Thread

[SemperEadem]

5 hours ago, Dames said:

It was a bog standard Rodgers interview.

 

The only annoying thing really is that several members of the clubs hierarchy decided that it was a wise move to sanction 15 million pounds up front and 70k (or more) a week on what is essentially a back up player.

 

It just compounds the fact that stupid decisions have left us in a mess this summer and the season is essentially a write off in terms of ambition before it really begins.  

Rudkin and Susan are doing very well to avoid heat for some of their decisions.

Edited 18 August 2022 by SemperEadem

[The Doctor]

So, he blamed inexperience last week and singles out the two players who actually put something of a shift in? You can clearly see why people think he's lost the plot. Shades of Mourinho 15/16 when he opened the season blaming the physio for treating an injured player

[AKCJ]

12 minutes ago, Ricey said:

The Vestergaard comments have got me. £15M and £80k p/w for a fourth choice defender.

 

The amount of spin in these press conference, he might as well start doing them here...

 

Bigger clubs pay this sort of money for backup. If we want to claim we're up at that level then we need to do the same.

[AKCJ]

1 hour ago, moore_94 said:

Brendan Rodgers Pre-Match Press Conference vs Southampton

Barnes can start?

“We’ll decide if he can be in from the start. He’s looked good in training. He may be available to start. It might not be 90 minutes. We’ll assess that tomorrow.”

 

4-3-3?

“It certainly opens up that possibility if there is a winger that gives you that speed in the game.”

 

 

[Dames]

3 minutes ago, SemperEadem said:

Rudkin and Susan are doing very well to avoid hear for some of their decisions.

They seem very happy for Rodgers to front up and take the flak whilst they hide behind Tops coat.

 

1 minute ago, AKCJ said:

Bigger clubs pay this sort of money for backup. If we want to claim we're up at that level then we need to do the same.

We aren't a big club though, even if we are at that level on the pitch we shouldn't be making stupid financial decisions based on delusions of grandeur. Especially when the back up players aren't even good enough. 

[Spudulike]

29 minutes ago, Cropwellfox said:

Assuming Barnes is fit surely he’ll go 

Ward

Castagne

Fofana

Evans

Justin

Ndidi

KDH

Tielemans

Barnes

Vardy

Maddison

subs Iversen Thomas Amartey Soyuncu Mendy Praet Albrighton Iheanacho Daka 

 

if this team doesn’t win the game it’ll be very toxic by 95 mins 

That is such a good team. Not surprising that we get envious glances from other clubs. 

[AKCJ]

1 minute ago, Dames said:

We aren't a big club though, even if we are at that level on the pitch we shouldn't be making stupid financial decisions based on delusions of grandeur. Especially when the back up players aren't even good enough. 

We never will be with this attitude.

[Foxes96]

Always have to take Manager press conferences with a bucket of salt, and Rodgers is not alone in that respect. 
 

Interesting to see more targeted questions being asked though! Was last summer a success? What do you mean by inexperience etc? 
 

Questions which have cropped up on here a few times now being directed at Rodgers 

[Tuna]

18 minutes ago, Ricey said:

The Vestergaard comments have got me. £15M and £80k p/w for a fourth choice defender.

 

The amount of spin in these press conference, he might as well start doing them here...

 

Could have got Gary Cahill on a free transfer if he wanted a 4th choice defender.

[FoxesWalk]

1 hour ago, Jimmy said:

Albrighton vice-captain? ok so who will actually captain the side if Evans is out?

Leaves the door open for the likes of KDH and Maddison to be handed it potentially 

[Dames]

1 minute ago, AKCJ said:

We never will be with this attitude.

Okay so where's the money going to come from for us to just even be on the same level as Spurs?

 

We can compete with them on the pitch if we recruit right but we can't fill our squad with duffers on high wages just because the 'big' clubs do it. 

[coolhandfox]

4 minutes ago, Dames said:

It was a bog standard Rodgers interview.

 

The only annoying thing really is that several members of the clubs hierarchy decided that it was a wise move to sanction 15 million pounds up front and 70k (or more) a week on what is essentially a back up player.

 

It just compounds the fact that stupid decisions have left us in a mess this summer and the season is essentially a write off in terms of ambition before it really begins.  

I have no argument that Vestiguarrd is a very poor signing best on what he produced on the field. 

 

But 15m isn't an outrageous amount for a backup player in the PL, everyone is generally guessing what he earns and whether that is straight up or includes things like an appearance bonus etc.

 

The change in FFP via UEFA has had more impact than the signing of one player.

 

Why does the ambition for the season change just because of the transfer window? 

[AKCJ]

1 minute ago, Dames said:

Okay so where's the money going to come from for us to just even be on the same level as Spurs?

 

We can compete with them on the pitch if we recruit right but we can't fill our squad with duffers on high wages just because the 'big' clubs do it. 

Spurs were saying this about the sides above them 2 years ago. Their training ground and stadium has pushed them to a new level. Coupled with the investment into the squad and their manager, they look the most likely challenger outside of Man City and Liverpool.

[coolhandfox]

6 minutes ago, Tuna said:

Could have got Gary Cahill on a free transfer if he wanted a 4th choice defender.

But at the time we didn't want the 4th choice when Fofana and Evans were injured and we only had Soyuncu and Amartey fit.

 

Just happens they are once everyone is fit. 

[goose2010]

8 minutes ago, Tuna said:

Could have got Gary Cahill on a free transfer if he wanted a 4th choice defender.

sorry i dont remember Cahill coming out and saying PLEASE SIGN ME Leicester

[Dames]

16 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

I have no argument that Vestiguarrd is a very poor signing best on what he produced on the field. 

 

But 15m isn't an outrageous amount for a backup player in the PL, everyone is generally guessing what he earns and whether that is straight up or includes things like an appearance bonus etc.

 

The change in FFP via UEFA has had more impact than the signing of one player.

 

Why does the ambition for the season change just because of the transfer window? 

The ambition changes because its a well known fact that our backup players cannot compete with the first 11, the manager wants to shift a good chunk of them but can't as no body wants them. We are essentially saying that we cannot improve the squad in any way this season despite the first 11 still having weaknesses. On top of that we are one injury away from playing a style that doesn't suit the team and doesn't get results. That 1 injury is based on an injury prone player with no back up that is trusted by the manager for his position.

 

We have a good first 11, it needs improving out wide but it can compete but we also have bad luck with injuries and have to rely on players who are not up to standard and not trusted/wanted by the manager far to often. 

 

18 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

Spurs were saying this about the sides above them 2 years ago. Their training ground and stadium has pushed them to a new level. Coupled with the investment into the squad and their manager, they look the most likely challenger outside of Man City and Liverpool.

Spurs have a ground twice the size of ours and a much larger global following especially in South Korea at the minute. So where is the following going to come from that will allow us to push on to that next level? Granted we've got potential in Thailand yet its still not been tapped fully. Where is the investment in the squad and manager going to come from? Its all good saying those things but where is it going to come from especially in the short-medium term.

[AKCJ]

1 minute ago, Dames said:

The ambition changes because its a well known fact that our backup players cannot compete with the first 11, the manager wants to shift a good chunk of them but can't as no body wants them. We are essentially saying that we cannot improve the squad in any way this season despite the first 11 still having weaknesses. On top of that we are one injury away from playing a style that doesn't suit the team and doesn't get results. That 1 injury is based on an injury prone player with no back up that is trusted by the manager for his position.

 

We have a good first 11, it needs improving out wide but it can compete but we also have bad luck with injuries and have to rely on players who are not up to standard and not trusted/wanted by the manager far to often. 

 

Spurs have a ground twice the size of ours and a much larger global following especially in South Korea at the minute. So where is the following going to come from that will allow us to push on to that next level? Granted we've got potential in Thailand yet its still not been tapped fully. Where is the investment in the squad and manager going to come from? Its all good saying those things but where is it going to come from especially in the short-medium term.

Continuing to get into Europe and winning trophies.

[Dames]

1 minute ago, AKCJ said:

Continuing to get into Europe and winning trophies.

And how can we do that when the board are writing a whole season off and seemingly one of our best players wants out? 

 

To compete and push to the next level the club absolutely cannot do what it has done this season, whether people like to admit it or not we are going to be spending the next few years in a bit of a wilderness whilst we rebuild. The club could have got a head start on that but depending on who you believe we are either skint or not skint but not spending money. 

[AKCJ]

15 minutes ago, Dames said:

And how can we do that when the board are writing a whole season off and seemingly one of our best players wants out? 

 

To compete and push to the next level the club absolutely cannot do what it has done this season, whether people like to admit it or not we are going to be spending the next few years in a bit of a wilderness whilst we rebuild. The club could have got a head start on that but depending on who you believe we are either skint or not skint but not spending money. 

Pretty certain that Spurs didn't buy anyone a couple of years ago either.

[taupe]

Yep, I feel the transfer window has become like a league of its own, and you're doomed unless you outspend those around you.

[Dames]

8 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

Pretty certain that Spurs didn't buy anyone a couple of years ago either.

I mean that's a fair point they didn't immediately regress but they also didn't have as many glaring weaknesses as we do now. 

[Tuna]

43 minutes ago, goose2010 said:

sorry i dont remember Cahill coming out and saying PLEASE SIGN ME Leicester

Odd comment.

 

He was a free agent and if we wanted experienced cover he was available at the time we signed Vestergaard.

[Bob Hazels shorts]

Vestergaard no matter how much is not a good deal and is not back up as doesn't suit Rodgers highline

 

If you needed a plumber would you employ an electrician because he's tall 

[roblcfc84]

Fair play to Jason Bourne, he asked some very challenging questions in the press conference 

[Guest Col city fan]

Is this genuine about Vestergaard being on 80k per week, having spent 15 mill to buy him?

If so, what on earth is the club doing at the moment and I ask again, who is in charge of this nonsense?

It’s so bizarre it’s almost farcical. That’s a combined WEEKLY wage of 155k for the pair from Southampton!

🤷‍♂️