ALC Fox

He looks much improved than even his first U21 games at the start of the season. Such an exciting player to add to the ridiculous talent we're bringing through. If the rumour of other clubs interest is true, we have to get him a first team squad place soon, maybe even minutes to drive up the potential compensation and hopefully put those suitors off a bit, allowing us to get Motsi to commit to a pro deal with us.

Really good to see different elements to his game. Good goal as well. Seeing a player excel well above his age is incredibly exciting. Definitely looks incredibly lightweight doesn't he. He may need some time to become ready physically but at the moment he looks like he could take the first team by storm when he is ready.

Ironic considering we may just p!ss away our Championship status

This could be such an important thing. He's pushing the envelope again. Crossing another line. In the same interview he conceded that he does need to abide by international law. But he's sewn the seed that may enable him not to. He's already done it with invading Venezuela and kidnapping Maduro. But if nobody bats an eyelid when he says something and immediately backtracks on it, he'll keep pushing it and he will begin to do that thing with regularity. Ditto regarding the cancellation of the midterm elections in November 2026. He's 'joked' about cancelling them. Don't be surprised if he tries it. Don't be surprised if protests on the streets give him the excuse to justify his authoritarianism, painting 'the radical left' and 'foreign invaders' as those responsible.

Supermarket car parks. Getting beeped at to move forward so someone can get into a disabled bay but I'm waiting for someone to exit a different bay. Then when I park up, I'm stopped and see a car reversing into a bay going at probably a relatively slower than normal speed but not exactly crawling. They're literally a couple of seconds in before the driver of a car waiting is shaking his head, smirking to himself and throwing his hands in the air. Another time at a different supermarket, I find a space but the car behind me is coming way too fast and seems genuinely surprised (by the gestures he throws my way) when I reverse into the bay. Don't get me started on those that park in the hatched no-parking areas or loiter on the road near the drop-off areas (but not in those areas), blocking the road and reducing visibility for anyone emerging out. Feels like nearly everybody has collectively lost their patience and tolerance for what other people are wanting to do on the road. Try to overtake someone on the motorway and they speed up when you're alongside them. Overtake on a normal road and they scream up behind you and tailgate you later on down the road. Such weird, entitled behaviour sometimes.

Seems to have kept himself fit and had a few bright moments this season. Would be a much more reliable option than Antonio. The only problem being the schedule and intensity of the Championship. We'll probably have to rotate him in order to reduce the chance of him breaking down with a long injury.

If something else doesn't materialise during the window, presumably we'd still be able to sign him as he'd be a free agent still? Unless there's also a deadline for finalising your squad?

Absolutely

Ford Kuga taxi on the way into Leicester down Welford Road, repeatedly changing lanes all of a sudden without indicating. Thanks for severely cutting down my stopping distance without warning on an icy night. Gimp.

Clearly the people of Venezuela require a better government than an authoritarian dictatorship. The trouble is that Trump throwing his weight around and interfering in foreign affairs on the pretence of US national security is a scary thing and there's every chance that MAGA becomes as authoritarian as Venezuela whether under Trump or a successor. Greenland (and by extension Denmark and Europe) should be watching this closely and putting measures in place to stop this happening in the Arctic. Panama will be watching terrified as well.

Short term, O'Neill. Had an instant impact at Celtic between the putrid end to Rodgers' reign and Nancy's catastrophic start. Technically more successful than Pearson here but the game has moved on too much for him to be a long-term solution, I feel. For half a season, I think he'd send us on a big run to the playoffs and we'd win them. Longer term, Pearson, if we're looking for a manager to build a legacy. His first stint was an instant turnaround but in his second he needed time to change a bloated, poorly recruited squad into one that sang from the same hymn sheet and played for one another as a band of brothers. We may sneak 6th with Nige, we might not. But he'd set us up for a few seasons of success, I think, and leave us in a really good place whether that would be in one, two or five years' time.

I think you're right about KDH. Looking at how KDH is playing this season as well. He is a brilliant ball carrier. We retained possession through having those types of players in KDH, Winks, Vestergaard and Ricardo in those central areas. Having the twin 8s by including Ndidi just gave us bodies and the ability to keep the ball in central areas. That allowed us to hit the wingers at the more opportune moments when they're likely to be most effective. Contrast that to now and I think both Mavididi and Fatawu are receiving the ball further away from goal and are being expected to beat players and do something. Fatawu is putting it all on himself by shooting at every available opportunity when there are better options on or a chance to build and create rather than waste a low-percentage shot from a ridiculous distance. And Mavididi is getting past players but then finding himself surrounded without much option. We're not making best use of our wide players, I think. Although Fatawu, when he gets a one-on-one, gets past his man to the byline and cuts back to De Cordova-Reid, is still producing results. I'm not saying we need Winks back. Far from it. He's been awful and his attitude isn't right for a senior pro. But something in our system needs to change to make two of our potentially most dangerous players more threatening.

I'd love him back. 100% never going to happen at this point in his career and while we're in this state. All the noise points to him waiting until the summer and replacing Pep at Man City.

I think it was a €5m option rather than an obligation

Sheffield United are among the form teams in the division over the last six games. Will be tough as we well know. It'll be another test of our often fragile resolve but if we can get another decent foothold in the game, perhaps we'll do well. During the Derby game, Marti's substitutions stemmed the tide. In other games, we haven't been able to reverse the momentum and have lost points, but perhaps it was the youngsters that will help us turn that particular corner. It reminded me a little of the 15-16 season when Demarai Gray came into the squad in January and was used as an outlet to relieve the pressure late on in games. Silko, Monga, Page and (hopefully) Ramsey can be the players to do that for us and give us some threat late on in games. Tough game but if Sheffield United are pushing towards the end I'm backing Silko or Monga to grab a breakaway goal late in this game to secure a win.

Fair play to Marti, the subs changed the flow of the game and we saw it out quite comfortably in the end, despite the one chance for Derby at the end. It'll be interesting if Page, Monga and Silko can get a proper run of games together, perhaps with Aluko and Evans too, to really get the hang of playing together at this level. But their pace and energy nullified the momentum Derby were building. Not a perfect performance by any means but a welcome return to winning ways. 6 points over Derby is always a good thing. I thought James looked rusty at points today but he scored a very, very good goal. The strength and finish were excellent. And De Cordova-Reid is really proving his worth at this level. We'll need both on form again against West Brom. I thought Mavididi toiled again. Fatawu tried to do too much. He needs to be freed up. Some more players providing flair and a proper outlet would put less pressure on his shoulders. A real shame for Ramsey to go down after a couple of minutes on the pitch. I hope it isn't too bad. Otherwise it could easily be both him and Carranza going back to their parent clubs in a few days (if we're able to cancel any of those loans, that is).

Leicester Fosse reboot on Vicky Park incoming for 26-27 season

When things are going so wrong off the pitch, you need players to give absolutely everything on it. During the slide into League One and the seasons before it, we had a few that looked like they couldn't give a damn but most of them - despite being limited - looked like they were trying. This is levels below that in how committed some of our players look. Some clearly do. But when players have checked out, they become far less than the sum of their parts. Transport some of these into a confident team with a top manager and they'll fly. But right now it's horrible. The players need to take responsibility for the things they can. We need a character from somewhere who can drag these players up. I thought James was that guy and he continues to deliver but maybe one voice is too few, especially from a young player. We need a Wes Morgan, Steve Howard, Kasper Schmeichel type of character. Leads by example. Uncompromising in standards. Never wilts and brings players up to their level. With potentially James being the only one of those in our squad, I imagine his voice is being drowned out among the cacophony of weak-willed mediocrity. Talent-wise, this isn't the worst it's been. But.it could quite possibly be the meekest, most cowardly squad I've witnessed at the club.

The Fox Leisure and Scoreline retro kits, the bobble hats, the pin badges and some of the mugs are pretty good. The rest of the keepsakes and clobber, I wouldn't bother. The Scoreline cagoule looks decent but not £75 decent. And that King Power stadium BRXLZ 3D puzzle is tempting but looks too cartoon-like to me. Absolutely tons of tat on there of course. I'm impressed by the St Martin's coffee collab, though. This is the stuff they should be promoting more. Loads of people love coffee. And partnering with a local business is surely a PR win. It boggles the mind that I've only just found out about it by deliberately scrolling through the club shop's offerings for ages. More stuff like that, promoted well, would be nice to see.

He's very young for a centre back. Ideally he'd be brought in alongside a good pro in a decent team. Vestergaard is a good pro but he's hardly brilliant and the back line in general is shocking. His performances are always going to fluctuate in quality. Putting the spotlight on him each time he has a bad one is just not going to be helpful at all. He needs to be allowed to have a bad performance every now and again without the entire fan base falling apart each time and overreacting.

Only just heard about this! What an utter disgrace. Anybody going to the games please protest. Stay on the concourse for the first 15 minutes of each game, banners and chanting outside and inside the stadium, just keep it up until these charlatans are gone. They're killing the club.

I can see Skipp being a real asset in the Championship. He seems to be settling down and finding a role now. The Premier League is a different matter but in all likelihood we won't be competing in that division for at least another season after this one. If we do manage to go up this season, then I suspect he'll have played a major part and we'll get to find out how Marti sets up and a confident Skipp performs in the top division.

Fair

A bit like Chris Davies' Birmingham last season, his team are expected to do well in League One. And we know a confident side can give teams from higher divisions a good game. He's one to keep an eye on but let's not get too carried away.

It's a short career. He came to us to further his career by moving to the Prem. He left because playing for a morally depleted team in the Championship may mean he'd be forgotten and his career would stagnate. He's moved to the Bundesliga and is proving his quality there. I don't begrudge players wanting to move after relegation. The problem is if they remain here and they continue to sulk and moan, put in half-hearted performances and their body language is atrocious (e.g. Winks). Bilal is too good for the Championship. If we'd had a competent manager last season who could structure the team to help him and Buonanotte create more chances, maybe he'd still be here and maybe we'd be looking like a proper Premier League team again.