ThaiFox

My top 10 from keepers I've actually watched in my lifetime: 1) Shilton. 2) Wallington. 3) Banks. 4) Flowers. 5) Kasper. 6) Keller. 7) Fulop. 8) Poole. 9) Walker. 10) Muggleton. I thought Wallington a very, very underrated keeper. Watched him make brilliant saves year after year and he was so consistent. It was a shame he was around when there were so many good English keepers playing at the same time. I'm sure he would be England's number 1 if he was playing today as I don't really think any of the England keepers currently are as good as he was. In fact most of my top 10 keepers are better than the current English keepers. (In my humble and totally unbiased opinion!)

3) The other centre backs we have are just not better than Wes, ready to play, or fit enough to play.......yet. Puel is watching them all train everyday. He obviously thinks Wes is the best choice we have at the moment. Wes is quite unfairly attacked on here when both our right backs are not yet giving confidence, or the required support, and Wes is often having to cover for their mistakes. I must admit I would like to see Wes be more of a leader when we start slowly, or when the right backs mess up. I have elaborated on this in other posts. His biggest weakness though, is he is so predictable when he has the ball, and the opposition know this and are happy for him to have it. It is either pass back to Kasper, a square pass, or a hoof. Puel knows this, but still sees him as better, at the moment, than the alternatives we have. However, it seems obvious to me that his team mates don't see him as a liability and he remains a respected captain by them, if not some on here.

Glad you saw how good Ibora was too. That's three of us! I would like to see him given a run in the side somehow, although it may mean changing formations as I just can't see how he fits in with a 4-2-3-1 formation, unless Mendy or Ndidi are injured or lose form. However, he's a very useful sub as he calms things down, has great vision and presence, and is a real threat in the air. His pace is his big downfall though and I'm sure that's why Puel isn't starting him ahead of Mendy or Ndidi.

I was luckier than you because I grew up watching the great Jimmy Bloomfield's team. After he went it was dreadful under McLintock, and although things recovered when Jock Wallace took over, restoring some pride in the club, he soon went and then it was dreadful again until Little came in. McGee played some nice football, but he cleared off to the great Wolves. Apart from the O'Neill days, it really was hard work to support the team at times, until Pearson came, who started rebuilding the club, just as Puel is now trying to do. This is why I appreciate the work Puel is now doing. I am so pleased the owners can see the bigger picture too. The Southampton owners certainly couldn't see what he was trying to do at Southampton, although they do have Mark Hughes in now who has really improved them!

Spot on. Against Huddersfield I noticed Vardy having and Puel having a real laugh together. And I very much doubt Kasper, Maguire, Ndidi, Vardy and Maddison would have signed such long contracts if they were unhappy with either Puel, or the way the club is heading. And I'll bet we have a greater chance of signing bright young players now than at any other time, because they know Puel will bring them on and give them game time. I'm looking at the bigger picture of the coming seasons and I'm glad our owners are too.

We managed and controlled the Newcastle match and played some very good football at times. For a manager to come in, change the squad, bring in and improve young players, all whilst keeping us mid table shows great progress in my opinion. Of course there will be some poor matches, and naive decision making because they are young, but I'm really liking the progress of the club at the moment. As long as we remain competitive and keep well away from the relegation zone, I think Puel is doing a very good job under a great deal of stress from supporters who are living off our title win. I'm looking beyond this season because the building work has only just begun and I am glad our owners are looking at the bigger picture.

All excellent points and I agree with every one. Like you I'd much prefer us to control and manage matches like we did last Saturday. And I thought we played some lovely stylish football.at times. How we score goals does not matter as long as we do, whether it be by a set piece, counter or by passing through teams. I keep saying it, but if you are unhappy with our current playing style, go and watch the dross we were playing under Pleat, Levine, Megson, Bassett, Shakespere, Ranieri's second season, some of Pearson's sides, etc etc etc.... I really think some of the posters here think playstation is real football!

Puel's end to his Southampton days was so similar to ours under him last season. It had me wondering why, and I think he was just trying to implement new ideas when both teams were safe from relegation and has little else to play for. Southampton couldn't see what he was trying to achieve, and now they have the masterful Hughes in charge. I'm glad that our owners could see the bigger picture of a proper plan, youth and how much a big change in the squad was needed.

Professional performance. Sometimes some of our play was excellent, others we were a bit naive, especially some of the square passing which led to possible interceptions or hospital balls. It's what I expect of a very young team. Otherwise I thought we were very impressive all over the pitch.

Glad to see Puel is appreciated by some on here. 92% confidence is not bad for a manager who two games ago was favourite for the sack and over 50% on here wanted Benitez as our manager, and some wanted Dyche, Wagner and even Warnock! I know the game was as good as dead when he came on, but was I the only one who thought Iborra's 10 minute cameo yesterday was class? Good to see NDidi back to decent form too.

Spot on. I actually think that's one area of his decision making he needs to improve on.

Do we go for Ramsey? Even on a free transfer his wage demand would be detrimental to squad harmony. So, easy answer is no.

GREAT post.The 'who replaces Puel' post where 23% of our fanbase want Eddie Howe......nearly 5% want Neil Warnock, nearly 4% Sean Dyche, 50% Benitez, and 5% Wagner!!! All outstanding managers of teams that will probably be battling out the relegation places this year, and mostly (Howe excepted) play really dire football. It really astounds me the managers people want instead of Puel. You can see the players are playing for him, and I'm sure Vardy, Kasper, Maguire, NDidi, Maddison etc would not have signed long deals if they thought him hopeless. I noticed Vardy having a good laugh with him on Saturday when Puel was giving instructions. As for style, it is coming. Even the Bournmouth performance was not the terrible effort so many have posted on here. We actually played with some style, but were just defensively poor. Give Puel time, support him, he is building here and I like that, just as Pearson did in his years here. There was no building under Ranieri who did very little to improve us after our title win, when we had a fantastic opportunity to really attract players. And some our football late in our title winning season and early the next season was dreadful (as it was under Shakespeare and for a long time Pearson). The other point I like about Puel is that young talent are coming here, staying here, and more will want to come here in the future, knowing they will get game time and develop, if they are good enough, and I doubt there are any other PM managers out there that would put so much faith into younger players, plus keeping us safe in mid table. For me, that is an achievement in itself. As for playing Morgan (who is not half so bad as people make out), only Puel knows the fitness and attitude of the other players. My main gripe with Morgan is that he should show much more leadership early in matches. This starting slowly is a concern, which Puel realizes, but Morgan is on the pitch and as leader, he should be telling the players to wake up, but he just stands there. This was very evident in the Liverpool match, when Salah missed a sitter after just a few minutes. Morgan didn't stir the team and 5 minutes later we were 1-0 down. Or let's just sack Puel and get Fat Sam or Pardew in, or one of the disasters above. Now that's progression! Peace!

Excellent and spot on post. Could not put it better myself. All the moaners who complain about Puel should look at the bigger picture. Bringing on youngsters, getting rid of deadwood, and changing the playing style will take time. He has only been in the job a year. The team does show real progress and although we are inconsistent at times that is because of the huge changes he has had to bring, and this has resulted in us being around 8th-10th in the Premier League. Some of the critics here should go and watch old clips of us under Pleat, or Levine. Even Bottling Hotspuds fans moan about a 'wasted generation' under Ponch. There will always be fans who can't see the bigger picture. The last thing we need now is another change of manager. Support Puel whilst he is here and you might be surprised where he takes us.

How about this for a slightly offbeat vote for best of the rest.....? Richie De Laet. That goal against Villa started the fight back from us being 0-2 down. (Plus it helped get Captain Bellend the sack shortly after!) Seriously though...has to be Ulloa. Stepped up when needed and his defensive work when coming on as sub is often overlooked.

Arthur Rowley. Absolute gentleman, the nicest footballer I ever met, plus Leicester City record holder for most goals in a season. 265 goals in just 321 appearances. The best ratio of any Leicester City player.

He's got 49. The missed penalty would have been his 50th. Hope he gets a hat trick at Chelsea to win the golden boot, and goal of the season v Liverpool. CHAMPIONS

Very interesting! Don't forget as well that the Gestede goal was a blatant handball. That goal should never have stood. Take that out and the statistic is even more amazing and a credit to our defense and coaching staff.

I thought he was still in his pram the way he throws his toys out every time they lose or get any sort of decision against them! :xmasbiggrin:

Drinkwater cleared off the line in the 10th minute with Kasper beaten. If he'd been there again for the first goal I think he would have saved that too. The second goal was clearly offside and should not have stood. The manager, before the game, and the keeper and the captain, during the game, should organize this and they must be be to blame. There should always be a man on each post in my opinion.

My favourite will always be when I met the great Arthur Rowley. I met him when he was manager of Southend United. My parents had moved to Southend for a while when I was in my early-mid teens. I was wearing a Leicester City shirt playing football with some mates in a park. I didn't really take much notice of a group of men training over the other side of the park. It turned out to be Arthur Rowley training the Southend United squad. He spotted my LCFC shirt and the great man came over and asked me if I was a Leicester supporter. We then spent about 30 minutes talking about Leicester City leaving his Southend United players to run around the field by themselves. My mates were amazed, all being Southend United fans that he actually took the time to come over to talk to me. A really lovely bloke too, I wish I'd seen him play, but I was only 2 when he left the club! I think he enjoyed talking about Leicester City as much as I did and there was no doubt in my mind he loved both playing and supporting the club.