Where did it go wrong for you?

[glenny_fox]

Giving Rodgers and his cronies control of the transfer dealings. How he hasn't come in for more slack from outside leicester I don't know. Guy bangs on about needing more cb's, when he's the one that bought in a broken cart carthorse in vestergaard.

 

Because of his bad transfers, its set us back years.

[taupe]

No single point or match but tbh I think the signs have been there for a few seasons now. Certain teams, playing a certain way have been able to find us out for some time. We've never successfully addressed those frailties, simply been able to get more good results than bad.

 

The club's model has been to move players on for a decent profit, so ensure sustainability and slow growth. That didn't happen last season, we've been unable to sell players and this has hampered our growth cycle. Then financial factors played a part. There's an element of 'perfect storm' about it but the seeds for our failings where planted sometime ago and have been evident but glossed over by our successes.

[davieG]

Maybe it's what we had to do to challenge the rich6 but our wages structure is beyond our means.

 

This has affected our transfer strategy of sell high and replace cheaply which only works for the better players unfortunately the high wages  of the better players seems to have affected the level of pay of the less able players.

 

We've also made the mistake of filling back up spaces with expensive PL players instead of future potential.

 

So we're left with an unbalanced overpaid team of misfits that for whatever reason, not good enough, not liked by Rodgers or can't be arsed players leaving us with a very small squad of players including inexperienced ones and some who want to leave.

 

 

[Shane]

3 minutes ago, Matt said:

Changing style.

 

I'll go back to the season after our league win we were apparently 'found out', apparently it wasn't sustainable, so we ripped that up and went down the style the majority of other clubs play, the boring, insipid, disgusting style, every team matching each other up, playing exactly the same making for a boring game period.

 

We're now been playing the tippy tappy shite, sideways, backwards, the so called 'way to play football', apparently a sustainable and 'pretty' style for 5 years now, it's clear we've been found out, so how long are we going to continue with it? Bearing in mind we instantly ripped up our old style because we'd been 'found out'.

 

I'm not sure it's ever been good, exciting, positive or pretty and if you ain't got the players to play in such a way I don't see how its particularly sustainable.

 

Many of the players we have are suited to our old style, we still sign many players largely suited to our old style, yet there is a brief from someone in the club. the board? That we want to go down the route playing in this way, the club is confused.

I also think our change in recruitment strategy was a mistake. Under NP our signings had to be a good fit for the dressing room and have a good attitude. We’ve completely scrapped that and went searching for shiny new toys we could sell for a profit. 
 

Now what are we left with? A bunch of players who don’t want to be here or fight for the shirt. More than happy to use us a stepping stone and collect a big wage though. 
 

Imo we’d have been better off trying to find the next Morgan, Fuchs and Okazaki’s of this world instead of the Wesley Fofana’s!! 

[RumbleFox]

That Bournemouth capitulation. 

[Claridge]

Realising our good players were not really that good, (although they thought they were )and have the backbones of jelly fish.

Same for the manager. Last few years have been like a Ponzi scheme, signs were there 

[Kinowe Soorie]

Like @Fox92 said about the Norwich game, really irritated me at the time, but laid seeds of doubt in my mind. 
Such a weak team, physically and mentally, which stems from Rodgers.

He’s completely ruined his legacy here, and won’t be fondly remembered.

Many poor signings, which we are lumbered with. 

[TheFiveTime]

It has been a slow decline over the last two years. From missing out on Champions League twice in unfortunate circumstances, the injuries to key players, the poor transfers, players not wanting to be here the way we handled Europe last season and of course, significant mismanagement in so many footballing areas (ie corners). We have completely fallen off the cliff this season but the cracks were already there. You just needed the fofana incident to really expose what has become a shell of a club.

[fox in the sox]

Only the big 6 and Everton have stayed in the Premier League consistently. For the rest it is difficult, if you have a good manager they get whisked away. In our case we have not been able to pull any more rabbits out of the hat with transfers and Rodgers tenure has just come to a natural end. However we still have good enough players to stay up if we get the new manager right.

[Stuntman_Mike]

It's been on a slow decline in most departments for a while, but for me it was not making the change at the end of last season.

 

It would have been the perfect time for a rebuild and fresh ideas with a new manager with what we had, rather than what Rodger's told the fans and media was coming that hasn't.

 

Finishing 8th sounded respectable to everyone else but it was only because we ended the season playing teams on the beach. 

 

 

 

 

[RowlattsFox]

Its been coming for a while and certain results have papered over cracks. Not always a fan of certain stats but our expected goals, chances conceded stats have been woeful for ages and they've caught up with us. 

 

 

Edited 18 September 2022 by RowlattsFox

[shailen]

We played some of the best football I've seen us play under Rodgers especially in his first full season. 

 

I think the issue has been our style of play. When we're confident and in full flow, it looks incredible. When we're in a rout like we are right now, it exposes us horribly. We're still trying to control games that we should be conceding that we're second best in and make it difficult for the opposition.

 

Add to that, Rodgers calling out the players saying the squad isn't good enough, and we needed new players has spiralled into a confidence crisis. We need to get that back and our quality will shine! 

[ithuriel]

Things set into decline after the FA cup win but the Forest game last season was where I and a few others openly discussed in the stands whether he should go.

This season he should have been sacked instantly after the Brighton game.

I really could not believe the transfer business last season though, what a waste of money and hearing that he had been after Vestergard for sometime and then watching him play.

[Aus Fox]

I think both the January’s in the season we finished 5th, we failed to add to the squad. At both times we looked good for a Champions League spot, and could have attracted some top players to see us over the line - The second season in particular we were doing well in Europe, but had seen the season before we didn’t have the strength in depth to see out the whole season. 
I really think in January both season we should have taken a risk and spent some cash - we didn’t and ran out of steam both seasons.

I think over the last couple of years there has been a few mistakes of the field - no loan manager in place, no head of recruitment, no set piece coach… we have failed to capitalise as a club on the foundation we have built, those foundations are now eroding away and we are back to where we were 4 or 5 years ago.

[Bugg]

6 minutes ago, RumbleFox said:

That Bournemouth capitulation. 

That was definitely one of the first signs of it all going wrong, we were comfortable with 4th place in the bag up until that point. 

[Pliskin]

He’s been erratic throughout his entire time here. 
 

His most stable period was when he first took over, after that we’ve had two extremes in his first two full seasons in charge, and then mostly inconsistent last season.

 

The FA cup victory has covered up what has largely been an extremely inconsistent tenure, but to an extreme level.

 

We steam rolled the start of his first two full seasons in charge, and then relegation form saw us throw away the top four rather spectacularly, twice.  
 

After this the FA cup was the notable achievement, but even then the season surrounding it we had a poor end. 
 

Brendan has had some success scattered in amongst a lot of poor form, we’ve seen some breathtaking performances, and some of the worst performances. 

 

It may go down as one of the most bizarre managerial stints in the clubs history. 

[SkidsFox]

No one going to mention the Fofana injury (plus the Ricardo injuries)? We've been shaky in defence ever since. 

[Guest Kopfkino]

Maybe a tad fatalistic but this was always going to happen. Not necessarily as spectacularly as the start of this season but it would take near perfect operations to sustain a stint towards the top of the league much longer. It’s quite incredible that we achieved two seasons challenging right at the top, might call it ‘bottling’ the CL but that does an disservice to how much of an achievement those two seasons were.

It takes a reasonable amount of luck and eventually you just can’t sustain it.

 

Southampton the obvious example before us - not many others have sustained themselves towards the top of the league but you could look at Everton under and since Martinez too. We almost completely capitulated after winning the league. 

Football goes in cycles, even for the top teams most of the time, they just tend to have more leeway and resources that mean a bad year or transfer window is more easily rectified. We just happen to have been in a position to take advantage of other teams’ flux on a couple of occasions now. The challenge is to speculate when that will be and make sure you’re placed for it again.

 

For LCFC I think that means significant changes everywhere. Football is increasingly fast moving. Ferguson and Gill were good at recognising when teams need regenerating, I think football has gone further than that and it needs to happen across clubs. Too many people at the club been around too long (players included), too much power in too few and possibly the wrong hands (as happened with the power given to the manager). 

[harpendenfox]

I'd say the 4-1 implosion at Bournemouth in July 2020. Sure we did well for much of the next season, but I'm not quite sure how - Kelechi's goals frankly!

 

But I think that Bournemouth collapse revealed a mental fragility that continues to haunt us. The sheer will and determination of Kasper saw us through to some degree, but now he's gone, I fear we have no real leaders in the group. We have talent, but no inspiring figure like Big Wes or Kasper. Too often on the pitch we flounder when under pressure. That's the time you need players with reserves of resilience, and I just don't think we have them.

[Bilo]

16 minutes ago, RumbleFox said:

That Bournemouth capitulation. 

That's where it really started for me. But the 0-4 defeat to Liverpool on Boxing Day definitely had a psychological impact. 

[StevieH]

There seems to be a lack of leadership and communication. With the first goal last night the defence should have pushed up but Kane was left to nod in from very close in. Ndidi was at fault but where was the shout that he was bring pressed. Ward has no where near the presence that Schmeichel had which makes the backline more nervous. Lots of things going wrong and players confidence is rock bottom.

[harpendenfox]

4 minutes ago, Kopfkino said:

Maybe a tad fatalistic but this was always going to happen. Not necessarily as spectacularly as the start of this season but it would take near perfect operations to sustain a stint towards the top of the league much longer. It’s quite incredible that we achieved two seasons challenging right at the top, might call it ‘bottling’ the CL but that does an disservice to how much of an achievement those two seasons were.

It takes a reasonable amount of luck and eventually you just can’t sustain it.

 

Southampton the obvious example before us - not many others have sustained themselves towards the top of the league but you could look at Everton under and since Martinez too. We almost completely capitulated after winning the league. 

Football goes in cycles, even for the top teams most of the time, they just tend to have more leeway and resources that mean a bad year or transfer window is more easily rectified. We just happen to have been in a position to take advantage of other teams’ flux on a couple of occasions now. The challenge is to speculate when that will be and make sure you’re placed for it again.

 

For LCFC I think that means significant changes everywhere. Football is increasingly fast moving. Ferguson and Gill were good at recognising when teams need regenerating, I think football has gone further than that and it needs to happen across clubs. Too many people at the club been around too long (players included), too much power in too few and possibly the wrong hands (as happened with the power given to the manager). 

Very good post this. I was lucky enough to enjoy very grand hospitality yesterday, and stayed in the bars at the stadium for an hour after the game to avoid queues at Seven Sisters tube. About half an hour after the final whistle, Gian Piero Vetrone led the non-playing Spurs squad players on the pitch, and led them through an insanely gruelling 45 minutes fitness routine. He's called 'The Marine' by the way. This before a two week international break. By contrast one of our fitness coaches came and did 5 minutes jogging with Luke and Albo. Compare Conte and Rogers in the manager zones. Conte is constantly demanding more. Rogers looks downbeat and frequently reverts to looking at replays on one of the mini TV screens. We're tired and stale. The pre match routine has been identical for three years. Everything is stale and lethargic, and sadly, that's why we are bottom of the pile.

[Motty]

23 minutes ago, Sampson said:

Don’t think that’s where it all went wrong.

 

I do think we’ll look back and say that game marked the end of the club’s Golden Era though.

Yes I know what ur saying things had been deteriorating from the season before.

That was the game I knew Brendan needed to go. No plan B poor Plan A and a rerun of the final games of the last 2 seasons clueless leaderless and a spent force mentally.

So for me that's my Wrong point if you can understand

[RedSoxUK]

Few things that are related..

 

Pushing for top 6 has inevitably led to our collapse (financially and on field.) Rewarding aging players with big contracts and offering squad depth (for sustained Europa / cup) big deals - Hamza, Bertrand, Vesteegaard, Praet, has had a disastrous effect on our potential the last 2 windows.

 

Losing quality players to be seen as a 'stepping stone' - and we didn't replace in a sustainable way: Magurie wasn't effectively replaced, nor was Chilwell, nor was Fofana, nor was Mahrez and Kasper now. That's a direct reason for our drop. The players who have filled their spots are not at the level. Couple that with natural regression, bad form / injuries, a drop in player quality overall since 3 years ago.

 

Failing to recruit when its been needed, not even to push the top 6, but to sustain a top half position. It's been clear our defence is Championship quality and nobody rectified it. Ndidi / Hamza sitting above have also been no way near the level. Chilwell wasn't amazing defensively but I don't recall him making possession errors so high up the pitch like Jusin / Thomas (might be recency bias.) Kasper had been looking weaker and as we knew not good in the air and we absolutely should have bought a replacement and we knew this was coming. Ward is not a Premier league quality goalkeeper. Evans has regressed and is not captain material at all it seems (we lack leadership,) Soyuncu is clearly off, Vestergaard didn't fit, Amartey is a championship player, 

 

Rodgers and the coaching staff haven't helped in the deadline over the last season and summer, off the pitch and tacticaly on it. I do think we were probably pushing it above our level, and I always say you are where you finish. We were not a Champions League quality team, we know that as a lot of those same players are shipping 4, 5, 6 goals. We're also not a relegation tier team at all (yet!!!) I think it will even out over the season as our fixtures have been difficult early and there's a period of 'easier' games and you can't ignore it. Spurs A, Man U H, Chelsea A, Arsenal A, Brighton A. We ****ed up Vs Southampton and Brentford but we didn't look worse. I'm not surprised we haven't started well, but I'd expect 5-6 points at least. We have the 5th 'easiest' fixtures in the next 7 so they need to rid some of the errors and mentality and basically start again. Before the WC we should be on 12/13 points from 14. But it's looking bad all-round.

 

 

[rruunneerr]

Morgan leaving, the real leader in the pack.