escape2victory

I’ve never known a player need so many factors to play well. He needs a left footed midfielder (KDH) to support him and play him the ball early. He needs a full back to not overlap (Chilwell/Castagne) but to stay back and feed him the ball (Thomas). He needs a link striker (Iheanacho) to play one twos with. Jesus, your either a player or not and don’t need all these excuses as to why he can’t possibly perform. I don’t see any improvement in the past 2 years, still the same streaky type player, who flits in and out of games, often on the periphery, with poor decision making.

Out for the season. Seems more and more comical we gave him a new contract.

‘The profile of player we are missing’……basically Ndidi. It’s pathetic to be blaming missing one player for our set piece issue.

Quite the stretch Rodgers stating when he came here we were a club happy to stay in the division and now we are a club disappointed not to win a trophy ! If I recall, when he arrived, we were around the ‘best of the rest’ outside the top 6 and his appointment was to take us that step further, which to be fair previous 2 seasons he has done, but absolute utter nonsense him saying when he arrived in 2019 we were a club happy to survive in the prem !

Yeah sorry I suppose the above was more of a 3-4-2-1 with the wide forwards inside, as the wingbacks provide the width. I just think the number 10 position is a bit of a luxury these days, not many play it. The likes of Foden, Mount, Grealish, Sterling, I’m sure would love to play ‘10’ but invariably play off the left,right or false 9, to give balance to the team. I just think us rocking up away from home especially in a 4-2-3-1, with a luxury 10, 2 attacking wide players and advanced fullbacks, we would just get picked off

Just seen Brighton play some delightful football in a 3-4-3/3-4-2-1 so I’ve been converted Schmeichel Fofana Evans Soyuncu Castagne Tielemans Mendy Justin Perez Vardy Maddison

The only ones I’d be gutted to see leave are Schmeichel and Vardy for longevity/sentimental reasons and Fofana, KDH and Maddison. The rest I wouldn’t be bothered if we sold as more than easily replaceable

I think Ricardo has got to shoulder some of the blame too, he could of made it more difficult for Abraham, it was a pretty pathetic attempt, real lack of aggression from Ricardo.

The most annoying thing for me was the quality of the corners, Pellegrini was on the money. Maddison for whatever reason is terrible at corners, the quality of them last night was so poor. I love Maddison and think he is a great player but for the love of god, take him off corners please !

Pure football manager this but what the hell ! Out: Ward, Jakupovic, Castagne, Bertrand, Soyuncu, Amartey, Mendy, Choudhury, Praet, Tielemans, Perez, Iheanacho…..we can get £80-£90 mill for that rabble ! In: Colwill, Tarkowski, Maehle, Sangare, Madueke, De Ketelaere, Lookman starting 11 for our inevitable first game of the season, home vs Wolves: Schmeichel Fofana Evans Colwill Justin Ndidi Sangare Maehle Madueke De Ketelaere Maddison

Ahh yeah sorry forgot about KDH !

Apart from Fofana and obviously Vardy, there isn’t anyone else in the squad I’d be gutted about leaving.

Not going to slate Rodgers too much as to be fair the starting 11 was what I wanted and the half time changes to match them up and take off the inept Barnes and Lookman was sound. However why have Ricardo marking Abraham on corners is a mystery. We clearly don’t rate Ricardo in the air as he stays on the half way line when we have corners ! It’s just that attention to detail which I think let’s Rodgers down at times. Also compare Pellegrini’s corners to Maddison, ridiculous !

I remember we were linked a couple of years ago when we got Fofana, so I’m sure there is probably something in it, but as others have mentioned, the price and other ‘bigger’ teams sniffing around will probably mean we lose out.

Really annoying tactic bringing on another CB to try and see the game out. Rodgers said after Newcastle, ‘control the ball, control the game’, well taking off Mendy and bringing on Amartey and going 5 at the back totally contradicts that, less passing lines for the defence into midfield, thus forcing them to go long and inviting more and more pressure. Also it affects the rhythm of the back 4, look at the goal for example, Evans dragged out wide, when I’m pretty sure if we had stuck to the back 4, he would of been in the box defending the crosses. By all means, make defensive subs, such as Albrighton for one of the wide players, Hamza and go solid 5 across the middle, but please stop this extra CB nonsense to see games out, it doesn’t work.

Easily replaceable. I do like Castagne and he is a solid dependable 7/10 every week. With his energy, he gets into some really good advanced positions, but I’ve always thought his final ball & quality of cross isn’t the best, backed up by the stat of 3 assists in nearly 2 full seasons. Would actually give the squad more balance if we replaced him with a left footed left back

I’d like us first to get a system we want to play and then recruit to fit that system, not the other way around and shoehorn players into a system. For what it’s worth, in my opinion a 4-4-2 diamond would allow KDH to play in that left side pocket he loves, gets Maddison in the ‘10’ position and 2 upfront which would get the best out of Vardy, Iheanacho, Daka and potentially De Ketelaere if the rumours are true. Recruit a Tielemans replacement who can play the right side of a diamond, few months ago I would of said Loftus Cheek but seems back in favour at Chelsea now, but that type of profile. Barnes and Lookman as the wide options to change games if needed. Schmeichel Iversen (cup keeper) Ricardo Fofana Evans Castagne Justin New CB New CB Thomas Ndidi Mendy New CM KDH Albrighton Soumare Maddison De Ketelaere ? Vardy Iheanacho Daka 3rd keeper/Barnes/Lookman/Amartey to complete 25 man squad. Somehow shift out: Ward, Jakupovic, Soyuncu, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Choudhury, Tielemans, Praet, Perez,

Need a big one from Barnes, he is due a good game. Tends to go missing away from home a little, need him to step up and be our threat on the counter

Not much in it first half until we scored and then I thought for the first 20 mins in the second half we were superb. Their penalty gave them a bit of momentum but I thought we comfortably saw out the game. MOTM: Dewsbury-Hall Good: Lookman, Mendy, Maddison, Justin, Soyuncu, Amartey, Schmeichel Average: Thomas, Daka Poor: Tielemans

You can tell he is lacking confidence at the moment, everything is bouncing off him. Earlier on in the season he has shown enough to suggest his link up and hold up play is decent. Apart from the Spartak game I’d say the Newcastle home game was his best performance for us, played a decent one-two with Maddison for Maddison’s goal, so I’m sure will come good eventually. The main area for me he needs to improve is his physicality, too easy for defenders to brush him off the ball, but I’m sure a season in the PL will help him

First name on the team sheet for me. Doesn’t matter if he plays 10, 8, off the right, off the left, just has to play. He along with Tielemans are the ones who just have that little bit extra quality on the ball and can produce moments in games.

With a bit more quality, composure and confidence in the final third we would of won that. That’s why Maddison should be first name on the team sheet, even if in and out the game he can produce moments of quality that only he and Tielemans can do. Was disappointed in Barnes this evening, had a lot of ball but seemed passive and quite sloppy in possession

Yeah fair enough your probably right, it just seems unless your playing a back 3, having 5 senior CBs on the books is excessive, especially with the probability of no European football so won’t be the need for as much rotation and keeping them happy/match fit would be tricky

I’d be quite happy with 4 CBs going into next season provided the new CB is pretty much ready to go straight in alongside Fofana. With reduced playing time you would like to think Evans can be then managed through a season, and the emergence of Amartey is a very adequate 4th choice. In the event of another injury crisis then the likes of Brunt/Nelson will have to be called upon. Can’t just stock pile CBs on high wages in case worrying about Evans blowing up. We need to trim this bloated squad.

Is good to see him playing well from a wide starting position and getting into those pockets of space. We have tried him off the left or right earlier in his career and it was a bit of a disaster, so is pleasing to see that development in his game. The likes of Grealish, Mount, Foden and Sterling all play off the left or right or as a false 9 to allow the team shape to be solid and we are no different. Having a creative Maddison off the left or right with a solid 3 in the middle, I really like that balance it gives.