Product of 84

He can perform a long throw as well!

I don't disagree. Going forward that would help no end. However, with our confidence levels from a season where every time we coughed up possession we conceded as our full backs were out of position I think its a clever move to hold them back. It also helps support our slow CBs and allows one of the CBs to step into midfield to interrupt the oppositions play when they counter. Something Faas and Vestergaard can do. My point is our wingers can have a go without fear in the present system as when the full back is up with them I think they fear losing the ball. If we can get a 10 that teams fear it will create more space for our wingers. I like Page and I'm certainly not going to knock him, but he shouldn't be starting at his age and development stage. He needs 20mins here and there. If we can get Bilal back I think we will look more fluid in attack. I like the current system. It's a bit pragmatic but I'd rather that and 3 points then fluid football and 75% possession and lose. If it stops working I hope we have a manager that will change the system.

Luke Thomas gets a lot of stick but he is the perfect full back for Monga and Mavididi. Especially, in the present system where the fullbacks don't bomb forward. It's the same with Fatawu and Hamza on the other side. It reminds me of how Raneri set up his defence. I think this is why we look so secure at the back. Having out and out wingers with like for like on the bench is brilliant and why Kasey was sold. Its great for Monga's development to have a system where he can concentrate on attacking and pressing knowing he has Luke behind him sitting with the rest of the back 4. Like all, I'm really excited to see what he produces.

He reminds me of Simpson in the RB role. He plays the position more traditionally and therefore is rarely seen out of position. He has the talent to play the ball forward as well. Justin was always caught out of position, and I thought it was telling that when Ricky came on so did Faas to help cover the space he leaves when he goes forward. The system changed when he was introduced. I think Hamza and Thomas really suit the system we've played in the last two games where the fullbacks sit deeper to allow the wingers the licence to thrill. The midfield two are then expected to cover the space between and a CB can also step forward out of the line to break up play.

We need to be braver. Since scoring, when we've had the ball, we've looked to keep it. This has meant going sideways and backwards until there press has forced us all the way back. I think this is a hangover from last season where we coughed up the ball and the opposition scored. If we can keep winning confidence will build tho. We are only 3 and a half games in.

I really dislike the transfer window still being open 4 league games and 1-2 League cup games into the season. If we play him and he has a great game tonight; rips Birmingham to shreds. One of the Prem teams will take him. If we don't play him we 'protect' him and ourselves from the above. I think the club have been shrewd here (hard to imagine). We've sold enough to keep him and Fatawu. "We want to keep our best players". And the 'protect' line is a perfect excuse for not playing him. In a few weeks we'll be over the moon if we've kept Fatawu, Bilal, Mavididi and Monga. These 4 will help us be Prem ready should we return. We need the window to close. Then we can build team identity. At the moment there is too much transfer drama.

Does this team stay up? I was quite surprised how they fit into a team. Just a Right Winger Short. Hermansen Justin Fofana Maguire Castagne ? Dewsbury-Hall Youri Barnes Maddison Wood

I don't disagree but there must be a tipping point where we can start replacing what we are selling. I think we can lose Faas and Kristenson without a direct replacement but we still need a striker. Also if Winks goes he will need replacing with a cm. I also think El Khannouss will need replacing if he departs. I'm hoping we are selling enough that we don't need to sell El Khannouss. Marti said we want to keep our best players. If he is desperate to leave (I imagine he is) but we are stronger financially we can hold out for the right fee. I'd love to see a leader come. A nasty one. Someone horrible to play against.

Wouldn't it be great if we've sold Justin and McAteer so we don't have to sell El Khannouss.

Well that ends the debate over whether he can play 8, 9 or 10 for us. I feel very conflicted. We clearly need the money- either to balance the books or to create a transfer pot. Selling our 4th choice winger with other players in and around the squad that can also play his position for over ten million seems like great business. But he was one of our own and I'd have rather seen other players depart.

For me it's clear these players don't want to play for Leicester City. They clearly don't take disappointment well which is probably why they haven't made it into one of the top European Clubs. They don't seem to get on with each other either. We've seen how dangerous this attitude is for the club in the recent past. Youri being allowed to play when refusing to sign a contract and clocking off was a major error. The club has got to play hard with attitudes like this. Anyone not giving it there all, being disruptive etc needs putting in the reserves. Not selling. If we sell Winks now for say 5 million they will all be at it to force a move. I think many here have said that they'd rather watch the kids even if it means mistakes etc if it means we see a team fighting. I agree. What's frustrating is the players we have should walk this league. It's only them that's holding themselves and us back.

There 2nd goal was terrible defending and not all Hamza's fault. He did need to engage Ashia on the ball but couldn't as the overlap was the more dangerous outcome as they'd have been in behind and cutting the ball back. He got caught positionally as he was covering the passing lane. By the time cover got across (Soumare!) it was to late for Hamza to engage with Ashia and instead hoped to block or at least make it difficult. It was some finish. I'd imagine he scores that once in ten/twenty attempts or he'd be Premier League. This kind of action happened a lot in the last 15 minutes of the game where players were left exposed by team mates either out of position or to slow to support. I know we were 'going for it' some what but it had the feel of a pre season fixture with how exhausted some players (Soumare!) looked trying to cover.

I just can't see it... Unless we are about to lose a few CBs or full backs. I suspect it's just lazy journalism. I'd imagine that the perception is that we have money from selling players and as he has played for us before journalists guess we'd be interested. I'm not to fussed about him either. He had a unique skillset (at the time) which we needed to play the Enzo way. I believe he was good on the training pitch as well as he could show others what Enzo wanted having come through the Man City academy.

Winks did two things better than Skipp that really helped us yesterday. 1. He played the ball accurately between the lines which gave the players around him confidence that he'd make the pass of they made the run. 2. He found the space to receive the ball in more dangerous areas of the pitch. If we are dominant in procession then Winks is the answer. Skipp isn't that physically imposing so will lose out to Soumare and isn't as good on the ball as Winks. He is better when we don't have the ball so much at making interceptions and then recieving the ball in the space afforded by more attacking teams. If you watched Skipp yesterday when we had procession he was often found on the right side with his back to goal in the middle of a square of Sheffield players. Hence 'going missing' as we were reluctant to play him the ball as he hasn't the skill set to keep possession. Winks has the ability to do this, receive the ball and move it on- sometimes by playing a defence splitting pass. Like most of our team Winks, Soumare, Skipp (in the right games) will be fine in this league and we should be up there but it's what happens if we are promoted. None of them are good enough in the Prem where we will go from dominating the ball to being dominated. And that's the biggest problem our whole club has. Apart from Fatawu we don't really have a Premiership ready player. We have players that could do 'jobs' in the right set ups.

I'm afraid Vestergaard and Faas are our best defenders when playing against a low block. Okoli is better than both when we don't have as much possession of the ball. I want to see Nelson in the cup with Okoli. We've also got Souttar to come back. I'm happy to see Faas and Vestergaard play if we are winning and up in the automatic spots for promotion. However, they will both need to be replaced at some point. Either because they can't do it in the Prem or because we can't afford their wages in the Championship. Nelson seems to be an ideal replacement. From what I saw of him at Oxford he is combative and great at playing the ball out as well.

Sheff Wednesday had all 11 in their own penalty area in open play.

Do you think we are waiting until the end of the month so we save a month's wages?

I guess it's the hope that kills you...

Hopefully, the appointment will be made public tomorrow. Looking back now the dust has settled I think Ruud was told his replacement once we were relegated. I also think his replacement was dictating selection over the last few games and talking to our players. I think that's why the youngsters have signed up. I hope it's not Dyche- I've convinced myself it's not. I think it's either Rohl or Carsley. My betting would be Rohl as the press believe he is leaving and wasn't at Wednesday for their pre-season work last week. Whoever it is- all I want is to see us play a style this season that, if we are fortunate enough to be promoted, we can use in the Premier League. I believe Vardy's 'shit show' phrase is about the transition from Maresca' s over playing to Cooper's pragmatism to Ruud's rigidity and inflexibility. Players can't keep adapting. They need a pattern/s of play instilled in pre-season to take into the league games.

I'd rather have Mark Robins than Wellens

I think we are just waiting for his birthday in August.

I'd never previously thought of him as a 9. A 10 maybe. But as many have just pointed out he has a lot of attributes that would work as a 9. Especially, in the modern game where the 9 is expected to link play like 10's did 5/10 years ago.

So when an established Premier League Club (who is expecting to finish in the top half) is relegated how do they survive? You can't sack the players because you have to pay their wages for the duration of their remaining contracts. My understanding is you are basically being forced to sell. But what if the player doesn't want to leave as the club buying them is less favorable in terms of location or wages offered. I just can't see what the club were supposed to do to meet the regulations and stay competitive. Also all three promoted teams have been relegated. Doesn't this prove that with the financial restraints teams have that the league has become fixed. How much do Leeds say need to spend to survive? And what player is going to move there under the present PSR rules?

As Rooney was mentioned earlier as a possible worse manager than RVN I thought I'd add my 10p worth. At Birmingham Rooney has said he was asked to play a particular way. Which he did. He soon went to the board and said, the players are not good enough to play this way. The board told him to keep playing that way and that he'd get new recruits in the transfer window. Just before the transfer window he was sacked. At Plymouth, you are asking managers to manage players who aren't good enough for the championship. We've played them recently and they offered little other than massive resistance. My point is we are expecting miracles from managers. Most mentioned in this thread will be more than competent. And now, quite often, the way teams play isn't the managers choice. I think we transitioned to far style wise from Rodgers to Enzo. The journey back in order to survive in the Prem was too great and we've paid the price this season. We've now got a squad that wants to play in different ways and isn't worried about causing trouble if they don't get there way. We weren't surviving under Enzo either. We'd have been a better Southampton and he'd have dropped us like a stone. Kompany was Enzo's career model. He is where he always wanted to be. At one of the most affluent clubs in Europe. As a club it would have been better to appoint a Cooper type manager for the Championship season. They'd then of had a true chance of keeping us up. Whether it's RVN or someone new I couldn't really care less. As long as there is a plan to survive should we get promoted. This starts with a clear identity and recruitment to fit. We then have to go about this coming season playing that way. It's a massive moment for the club. Get it right and we will have another hero of a manager.

All I want is a style that can get us back up and then keep us up. If Ruud can do that... ok. I can forgive this season. Just. If he can't. Who can? And get them in now.