escape2victory

I actually think Kristiansen has the profile to be very good as the LCB in a back 3. Doesn’t seem dynamic enough going forward to be a wing back but is solid defensively, a decent size and good enough on the ball to push forward and create those overloads

We don’t. Kompany zero championship experience. The year before, Marco Silva, zero championship experience!

I’m no huge fan of his but he is a good foil for Soumare and Tielemans with his energy, as well as providing good cover on the left when Barnes can’t be arsed to get back. Away wins at Wolves, Everton and West Ham with KDH, Soumare, Tielemans midfield 3, and that’s what I’d go with vs Fulham

I think 36 points with our healthy goal difference will be enough. So 2 wins and a draw. Would mean Forest and Leeds would need 7 points from their 5 games to get above us. One of them might, but can’t see them both getting 7+ points.

Southampton gone, any 2 from Leicester, Everton, Forest and Leeds for the last 2 places

He needs more help at the very least. They need to review the structure of the footballing side of the club. If I’m not mistaken Rudkin is the DOF for Leicester and Leuven as well as the academy director. At the very least they need to appoint someone to oversee the academy day to day, to take that off his plate and ideally appoint a new sporting director for the first team alongside Rudkin, to assist with planning/strategy for the first team squad

If we are in the prem next season is ok for a squad player who can come in for the odd cup game and play 5-10 league games but not someone who should be in our first 11

Iversen Castagne Soutter Faes Ricardo Ndidi Mendy Kristiansen Maddison Barnes Iheanacho running out of central midfield options. Ndidi and Mendy strict orders not to cross the half way line ! Could do with Evans or Tielemans coming in asap purely just to take the captaincy away from Maddison as looks like it’s dragging him down

Forest sacking Cooper later. It’s all there for Southampton, Bournemouth and Forest to be relegated…..if (big if)we can sort ourselves out

Iversen Castagne Soutter Faes Ricardo Mendy KDH Kristiansen Maddison Iheanacho Vardy

I’m not going to bash Top or Rudkin too much but what I would say is the whole structure needs a review. If I’m not mistaken, Rudkin is DOF for both Leicester and Leuven as well as the academy director. Basically doing 3 jobs and its starting to show ! They need to appoint an academy director and a sporting director specifically for the first team and keep Rudkin as the high level DOF overseeing it all

Unpopular opinion but Maddison is far more productive starting wide and drifting into space rather than starting as a 10 centrally. Seems easier for the opposition to mark him out of the game centrally. That 2 month period from Spurs away in Sept to the start of the World Cup in Nov, when we went 4-3-3 with him in a free role off the right, he scored 5 and 3 assists. Since the WC due to him being injured I don’t think we have gone back to that system. Having said that, Tielemans is vital for that system too.

Gabriel Sara at Norwich looks a baller. Left footed central mid, like the look of him

I quite like him when he plays as an 8 in a 4-3-3 as he drifts into those half spaces on the left and links well with Barnes and the left back and also is allowed to press really high with with reassurance of 2 central midfielders behind him. I don’t like him when he plays deeper more of a 6 in the 4-2-3-1 as we then rely on his technical ability more which isn’t up to standard

Unacceptable performances from the usual suspects, Thomas, Soumare & Amartey. Praet too passive. is always on the periphery. KDH many qualities with energy and pressing, terrible in possession at times and lacks quality in the final third. Tete needs to get involved more and demand the ball.

Will give the opposition at least one huge chance a game with a poor pass or getting caught in possession. Absolute liability

Equally as average as Ward. Some poor slow passes out to defenders and midfielders inviting the pressure

Expecting another capitulation and writing down some of these names in our starting 11 makes you realise how far we have fallen, but for what it’s worth I’d go with something like this : Ward Amartey Faes Soyuncu Albrighton Tielemans Mendy KDH Castagne Iheanacho Daka

I can see it panning out where we bring him in as the number 2, sell Iversen to Stoke. In the summer sell Ward and bring in a new number 1. Then our GK department would be the new number 1, Dubravka as number 2 and Smithies as emergency number 3. I’d be happy with that

Ward Justin Evans Faes Castagne Ndidi Soumare Thomas Maddison Barnes Daka

Ward, Justin, Thomas, Vardy, all really crap tonight. The rest average. KDH I love with his attitude and determination, but he needs to come in for some criticism when on the ball. He just needs to calm down a little, trying the killer ball too often when not on, ball like a hot potato with him at times. The one positive was the performance of Soumare, thought he was excellent

For the love of god please tell me 05 is a typo

Ward Castagne Amartey Evans Justin Tielemans Soumare KDH Maddison Vardy Barnes

From the outside looking in, Rudkin has stretched himself too much. If I’m not mistaken, he is the director of football at Leicester and Leuven as well as the academy director ? basically doing 3 jobs ! Maybe even 4 jobs as we are without a head of recruitment this summer too ! I know there is Andrew Neville as the football operations director, though not too such what his remit is. Fair enough Rudkin to be in charge and have a high level overview of both Leicester, Leuven and the academy, but they could do with appointing a more hands on day to day sporting director too

I don’t mind this if it’s a loan with an option to buy as being reported. Will presumably be cover for Barnes and Maddison, meaning we wouldn’t have to change to a back 5 if either get injured in the season. Harit, right winger and 2 x CBs before end of window. Wishful thinking I know !