Pre Season 23/24

[Dan LCFC]

Faes was a breath of fresh air when he arrived but he's yet another who has downturned. I'm in the camp with him where I'd take a decent offer for him but I'd also not completely write him off under new management. I fear he's got the issue that Coady supposedly has - at Reims he played a lot in the middle of a back 3. Is he a player who needs this surrounding to succeed? Red flag, if so.

 

He seems to be fine for Belgium though and actually starts for them.

[Sly]

The fact Vestergaard is involved again, I do wonder if Maresca might use him. 
 

At the moment, we’ve got a squad of:

 

GK - Ward, Iversen, Stolarczyk, Smithies

 

DF - Coady, Kristiansen, Ricardo, Vestergaard, Justin, Nelson, Souttar, Castagne, Faes, Thomas

 

MD - Winks, Dewsbury-Hall, Praet, Marcal-Madivadua, NDidi, Choudhury, Soumare, McATeer, Albrighton

 

FW - Vardy, Daka, Iheanacho, Maswanshise, Barnes, Hurst

 

I make that 29 players and that isn’t including Evans. 
 

No Barnes, Albrighton, Hurst or Faes yesterday. 
 

I believe Faes has only just returned so sat it out.
 

Albrighton has struggled with double sessions, so say it out. 
 

Hurst, I’ve no idea and Barnes is clearly close to the exit door. 
 

Liam Moore watched the game yesterday as well apparently. He’s training with our under 23s. 
 

 

[Lesta2014]

Still doing double sessions from what ricardo put on his Instagram at lunch yesterday. Hopefully a positive mood in the squad building too. 

[Lionator]

2 minutes ago, Lesta2014 said:

Still doing double sessions from what ricardo put on his Instagram at lunch yesterday. Hopefully a positive mood in the squad building too. 

The food he posted looked bleak lol.

[Lesta2014]

16 minutes ago, Lionator said:

The food he posted looked bleak lol.

Yes it did, I thought that

[alanf0x]

4 hours ago, Sly said:

The fact Vestergaard is involved again, I do wonder if Maresca might use him. 
 

At the moment, we’ve got a squad of:

 

GK - Ward, Iversen, Stolarczyk, Smithies

 

DF - Coady, Kristiansen, Ricardo, Vestergaard, Justin, Nelson, Souttar, Castagne, Faes, Thomas

 

MD - Winks, Dewsbury-Hall, Praet, Marcal-Madivadua, NDidi, Choudhury, Soumare, McATeer, Albrighton

 

FW - Vardy, Daka, Iheanacho, Maswanshise, Barnes, Hurst

 

I make that 29 players and that isn’t including Evans. 
 

No Barnes, Albrighton, Hurst or Faes yesterday. 
 

I believe Faes has only just returned so sat it out.
 

Albrighton has struggled with double sessions, so say it out. 
 

Hurst, I’ve no idea and Barnes is clearly close to the exit door. 
 

Liam Moore watched the game yesterday as well apparently. He’s training with our under 23s. 
 

 

Wow - that midfield is honking! Needs freshening up big time 

[Fazzer 7]

No matter the circumstances. They should not be losing a game to Peterborough on their own turf. But they did and that is disappointing .

Edited 13 July 2023 by Fazzer 7

[Finnegan]

4 hours ago, Sly said:

The fact Vestergaard is involved again, I do wonder if Maresca might use him. 

 

I think he will as things stand. I don't think he has a choice. 

 

Everyone's acting like we've been relegated yet somehow we're out of the woods financially. 

 

Yes, the wage bill has been slashed but so has our revenue massively. Yes, a few of our second string have had their contracts run out but we're still left with plenty of others. 

 

I dont personally think any of Vestergaard, Castagne, Praet, Choudhury, Ward or even Ndidi are likely to be wanted by Maresca longer term but we seem to be stuck with all of them. That's six senior pros that need to have their wages paid as things stand. We couldn't afford to have them really just sitting round when we made Premier League money, er definitely can't afford to have them sitting around doing nothing now. They'll have to take their places in the squad and be involved. 

 

So far what have we signed? Like for like replacements. Winks for Tielemans, Coady for Evans and a loan is incoming to replace Soyuncu/Amartey. 

 

We appear to be lining up Piroe and Mavididi in case we make some money selling Barnes and Iheanacho. That's probably going to be about it isn't it unless we can start shifting others. 

 

Underwhelming? Probably. But our problems weren't just going to magically go away in one summer. The idea of this great "rebuild" being a snap of the fingers was silly naive. 

 

[walkerleeds]

On 12/07/2023 at 10:05, Costock_Fox said:

Me too, really warms the heart to see a bloke that’s robbed a living over the past 4 years continue to wear the shirt.

 

I know it was the case for most of them but that 45 minutes against Fulham was the biggest "I genuinely cannot give a flying fvck" I've seen in a while. 

Edited 13 July 2023 by walkerleeds

[Leicesterpool]

Be interesting to see if Barnes plays Saturday, should do considering his contracted to play and a deal is still far from complete. Perhaps though not play full 90, at half time bring McAteer in. Give him some vital minutes. 

[VLC86]

2 hours ago, walkerleeds said:

 

I know it was the case for most of them but that 45 minutes against Fulham was the biggest "I genuinely cannot give a flying fvck" I've seen in a while. 

Exactly. Being honest, he has been treated like shit by the club but I genuinely don’t want to ever see him in a City shirt again… which is what will make my decision to go to Northampton on Saturday all the more puzzling.

[VLC86]

2 hours ago, Leicesterpool said:

Be interesting to see if Barnes plays Saturday, should do considering his contracted to play and a deal is still far from complete. Perhaps though not play full 90, at half time bring McAteer in. Give him some vital minutes. 

Doubt he plays, we need the money rather than paying someone about £70k a week to sit on an injury table for a year and lose him for free in a couple.

[Leicesterpool]

I know the expression "Pre-Season is not about the result, it's about fitness and getting some minutes"  but could quickly turn negative if we don't perform well. Like if we find ourselves 0-2 down at half time at Sixfields Stadium, many fans will certainly be concerned and peed off. Certainly like the season we have just had.

Edited 13 July 2023 by Leicesterpool

[FoxinNotts]

9 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

I know the expression "Pre-Season is not about the result, it's about fitness and getting some minutes"  but could quickly turn negative if we don't perform well. Like if we find ourselves 0-2 down at half time at Sixfields Stadium, many fans will certainly be concerned and peed off. Certainly like the season we have just had.

The result really doesn't matter, (as long as you don't get played off the park,) it really is all about cohesion and fitness.

Did anyone see the two close chances we had against Peterbro ? Kel's free kick off the post was a treat! 

[James_lcfc]

17 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

I know the expression "Pre-Season is not about the result, it's about fitness and getting some minutes"  but could quickly turn negative if we don't perform well. Like if we find ourselves 0-2 down at half time at Sixfields Stadium, many fans will certainly be concerned and peed off. Certainly like the season we have just had.

We lost against Northampton in a friendly before we won the Championship 10 years ago...it would be a great omen if anything!

[Lillehamring]

10 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

Faes was a breath of fresh air when he arrived but he's yet another who has downturned. I'm in the camp with him where I'd take a decent offer for him but I'd also not completely write him off under new management. I fear he's got the issue that Coady supposedly has - at Reims he played a lot in the middle of a back 3. Is he a player who needs this surrounding to succeed? Red flag, if so.

 

He seems to be fine for Belgium though and actually starts for them.

There's a suggestion that he came in with a relegation clause in his contract, which has ages to run - - if so there is absolutely no need for the club to sell him unless someone comes in with a sizeable bid, which seems unlikely.  I suppose if he makes a fuss, the natural thing would be a loan out. 

[Lillehamring]

3 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

I think he will as things stand. I don't think he has a choice. 

 

Everyone's acting like we've been relegated yet somehow we're out of the woods financially. 

 

Yes, the wage bill has been slashed but so has our revenue massively. Yes, a few of our second string have had their contracts run out but we're still left with plenty of others. 

 

I dont personally think any of Vestergaard, Castagne, Praet, Choudhury, Ward or even Ndidi are likely to be wanted by Maresca longer term but we seem to be stuck with all of them. That's six senior pros that need to have their wages paid as things stand. We couldn't afford to have them really just sitting round when we made Premier League money, er definitely can't afford to have them sitting around doing nothing now. They'll have to take their places in the squad and be involved. 

 

So far what have we signed? Like for like replacements. Winks for Tielemans, Coady for Evans and a loan is incoming to replace Soyuncu/Amartey. 

 

We appear to be lining up Piroe and Mavididi in case we make some money selling Barnes and Iheanacho. That's probably going to be about it isn't it unless we can start shifting others. 

 

Underwhelming? Probably. But our problems weren't just going to magically go away in one summer. The idea of this great "rebuild" being a snap of the fingers was silly naive. 

 

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that any and all of those players, under a new manager, in a refreshed team, against weaker opposition, won't have something of a renaissance - i mean were talking about players (other than hamza) who are still actively  representing decent national teams.  All of whom, on their day, are probably far too good to be playing at this level - so maybe keeping them isn't the nightmare scenario people are describing.

 

If they're not sold and play, it's in their own interest to show other clubs they are worth buying.

[Gamble92]

4 hours ago, Fazzer 7 said:

No matter the circumstances. They should not be losing a game to Peterborough on their own turf. But they did and that is disappointing .

I seem to remember meltdowns when we lost a few games to lower league teams under Pearson. Then went on to win the league with 100+ points.

 

It's 2 XI's and the first game back. 7 or 8 of them won't even be here. We don't need to go over all this again, but i just did.

[Leicesterpool]

As there ever been a particular friendly you could say it was entertaining end to end encounter? 

 

Leicester v Real Madrid I can remember being quite an event, mainly because the high profiled names present. Plus on the day, Leicester gave the Spanish champions a run for their money. 

[Ric Flair]

11 minutes ago, Leicesterpool said:

As there ever been a particular friendly you could say it was entertaining end to end encounter? 

 

Leicester v Real Madrid I can remember being quite an event, mainly because the high profiled names present. Plus on the day, Leicester gave the Spanish champions a run for their money. 

Yes, we drew 3-3 with Fiorentina at Filbert St. It was relentless. Chiesa scored a hattrick, the bastard.

[Rain King]

4 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Yes, we drew 3-3 with Fiorentina at Filbert St. It was relentless. Chiesa scored a hattrick, the bastard.

 

I always remember it that way too but he only scored two, Nuno Gomes scored the other.

 

Dean Sturridge, however, did score a hat-trick.

[Lesta2014]

Annoyed the little training videos have stopped. Was enjoying them. 

[copunk]

You would hope that morale and harmony among the players is high given they are doing double sessions every day, can go 2 ways I guess, some players may get p**sed off with it

Having said that it's needed and would be a massive kick up the arse after how unfit we looked last season 

 

[CosbehFox]

1 hour ago, Leicesterpool said:

As there ever been a particular friendly you could say it was entertaining end to end encounter? 

 

Leicester v Real Madrid I can remember being quite an event, mainly because the high profiled names present. Plus on the day, Leicester gave the Spanish champions a run for their money. 

Not for a good few years. 
 

I detest friendlies. I’d rather watch no football at all. 

[FoyleFox]

5 hours ago, James_lcfc said:

We lost against Northampton in a friendly before we won the Championship 10 years ago...it would be a great omen if anything!

I always think a bit of a rough pre-season is a good omen.