Jobyfox

People often look at squads of players and decide which team will be successful based on how they can cope with injuries and suspensions. For me there is a 3rd factor of effort v quality. We quite often see teams fade over a season. A side promoted to the Premier League will often have good early results, but when fatigue sets in over the course of a season they can’t maintain it. A high energy, high press, run all over the pitch style isn’t sustainable. Then you have to start solely relying on the quality that you have in your squad to sustain the churning out of results. That’s why teams like Man City can sustain form for longer, but others start chasing harder and harder to cling on. I look at the quality in our squad in the Championship and see no reason why we can’t have that longevity. We can even afford injuries along the way. I never write any team off (see LCFC 15/16), but I have my doubts whether Ipswich can keep up an attacking style over a 46 game season. That’s why I keep looking to the likes of Leeds and Southampton as our key rivals. The bigger gap we put between ourselves and those clubs gives me more confidence of promotion. Of course Ipswich are capable of blowing this theory apart and, personally, I’d like nothing more than us and them filling the automatic promotion places if that ultimately proves to be the case.

Much as I want Rooney to fail and I have no love for Birmingham City …. he’s been there for TWO games. How much time are managers given these days before we denounce them as crap?

I would usually warn our fans against tempting fate when they all start predicting a win. No need this time as the QPR fans are doing it for us:

Probably not. Leeds have a squad that really should be challenging top two. So have we so it’s really encouraging to be building up such a gap between us. We might need it or we might not, but we certainly can’t be definitive about it after 13 games of a 46 game season. Ipswich don’t have a squad that should be challenging for top two, but here we are. They might well fade, but ….

Because we were a solid Premier League team and Hirst was nowhere near good enough. We’ve got worse, he’s got better, but it still wasn’t the wrong decision.

Every neutral would respect and admire Ipswich. But I’m beginning to find them a tad irritating

Yep - I’m delighted how that comment has aged so far tonight

That’s what I keep hearing. Hope you’re right

Southampton winning. A team people were writing off too early. The three relegated sides will all be in the promotion shake up come the end of the season. 3 into 2 doesn’t go so we have to make sure we stay ahead. Especially if Ipswich continue to throw in the curve ball

Yep, agree with that. Go with the team you think gives us the best chance of getting the right result. Sensible rotation for fatigue might be wise, but forget bookings. If someone gets suspended then - so be it - they'll get a rest and come back with a clean slate

Don't care as long as we go up. We'd need to build a squad for the Premier League with players coming in and players going out in any case. The team might look very different in the Premier League, but the key is being in it!

Is this finally the fixture that sees us revive the “Ever Obliging Leicester” thread?

It’s a crap atmosphere and has been for some time. It won’t change until something significant changes (e.g. a standing area). The people who do make a noise need to be close to each other to generate atmosphere. Rather than dispersed by those who like to watch in quiet reflection Meanwhile why would it change? It’s generally the same people, in the same seats, season after season …

I hope she’s a Leicester fan. Otherwise I can see a ‘Ted Lasso’ situation developing in about 20 years time

Wow! The lengths some people will go to for a shag these days!

We were unlucky to go down from the Championship on 52 points. We were unlucky that the three promoted teams were stronger than usual in the Premier League last season and all stayed up. We are unlucky that after a record breaking start we’re not further away from second this season. Blah..blah.. blah… makes no difference really. You just play the cards as they are dealt. If we look after ourselves then hopefully we won’t need luck

People keep comparing us to a Premier League we’re not in. How we’d be punished by players who aren’t present. And speculating how we might do in a league we’ve yet to earn the right to play in. I couldn’t care less about next season to be honest. I’m just hoping we can maintain form and relatively unscathed in terms of serious injuries. There are still lots of things that could go wrong with 34 games to go. If this were the Premier League it would only be 4 games in. The discussion is irrelevant anyway. Hopefully we will go up. Then we need a good transfer window. We’ve no idea who would go up with us and how strong they’ll be. We’ve no idea how sides in the lower half of the Premier League will recruit in the next 2 transfer windows. It could be a completely different proposition if or when we get there. It’s a cliche, but let’s see where we are one game at a time

There were a few walking wounded after yesterday. Akgun went off, Ian was limping etc.. Any news on their availability? Given Enzo’s penchant for rotation it’s difficult to pick the starting eleven. I’d have expected Yunus and Nacho to be rotated in if it wasn’t for their tweaks

Well they’ll probably both have Premier League offers. So there would be no point in them rushing to sign with us until they’re sure what league we’re playing in next season. There’s still work to do on that despite some thinking we’ve already won the league

Ward? Hmmm… Too far?

The Manchester United starting eleven had a fairly familiar CB partnership starting tonight’s game…

I really don't know. There were certainly quite a few players who looked poor last season under Rodgers who we know aren't poor players. Vestergaard, unlike players like Ndidi, didn't have any currency with us fans as there wasn't previous seasons of decent performances to refer back to. You could only use the evidence of the games he played in. I don't think many would have reasonably predicted that Vestergaard would become an integral part of our team this season. I know I didn't

Well the criticism then was probably as fair as the praise now as he did look truly dreadful. I'm glad he's proving a useful signing and I'm delighted for him and the club, but it doesn't rewrite history

League Table looking good. 10 points between Leeds in 3rd and Plymouth in 21st just above the relegation zone. 11 points between Leeds and us