OntarioFox

Reminds us just how much we still relied on a geriatric Vardy, and why he was still getting picked week after week at 37. He was just ten times the player of the alternatives, even with his legs gone. I guess this is the fallout from that - we're left with basically nothing up top since we had the best part of ten years to plan for his succession and failed miserably. Again, I won't be too hard on Carranza as this falls more on Daka and Ayew, who have played a lot more football even this season and contributed one goal between them. But he needs to show he's capable soon if he doesn't want to lose his spot to Patson, who is at least showing other qualities.

I think it needs saying again that our three 'strikers' combined have one league goal between them in NINE games. Appalling all round. Vestergaard has scored more for God's sake Carranza for me though gets the benefit of the doubt, as he has barely had minutes compared to the other two. The issue is, despite his pathetic goals return we genuinely look a better team with Daka in from the start, so if he's going to take a chance it's going to have to be from the bench for now.

Think what I'm getting at is that his boner for playing a certain way got found out, a bit like Enzo did towards the back end of the season but on a more serious level. In our case it almost cost us the title - we pipped Ipswich by a single point in the end thanks to that pathetic run from February to April. Then again, we'll never know just how messy it would have been if Enzo had stuck with us given he also struggles to deviate from the plan. Chelsea really struggled at first under him. But the answer certainly wasn't hiring a clueless wasteman like Cooper

His Southampton side that should have been challenging us for the title limped over the line via the playoffs, then proceeded to threaten Derby's infamous record - all while playing appalling one-dimensional football. I think it's safe to say he was garbage for them too. I remember when we were supposedly in for him, people were pointing to the saint's record unbeaten run as part of the mental gymnastics, but there were a heap of draws in there where they actually dropped two points from a winning position - which is what ultimately cost them automatics. Even against Championship opposition they were getting found out playing Russellball.

It's telling isn't it? Even more frustrating knowing that it's almost entirely caused by the fallout of that pathetic Cooper window last summer. I'll give credit that JJ's loan apparently has an affordable €5m obligation to buy if we go up. That's a double edged sword though, since he's clearly good enough and will most likely have his head turned by a few prem clubs if we don't do the business. Ultimately we are where we are thanks to our own ineptitude, but we do at least appear to have made some shrewd acquisitions in the circumstances.

He's going to be an absolute beast if he can bulk up a bit as he continues to grow. He's lightweight at the minute but that's completely understandable, it's easy to forget how young he js. The lad probably spends his weekdays flicking elastic bands at the girl he likes in assembly then gets a lift to Seagrave from Mum. Not seen someone so confident in beating a man in so long. He's the antithesis of what Stephy offers in that position right now and has his spot on merit.

Our phobia of players from lower leagues has been an albatross around our neck for a while now. If we really were considering him last summer off the back of him starring in a poor Birmingham side, but went for the 'safe' option of £20 million on 'proven Premier League' talent in Oliver Skipp, that says everything about how brainless our recruitment is. I'd play devil's advocate and suggest that he's only here because he spent last season abroad rather than at another Championship club. Our failure to pursue Kone this window shows we still haven't learned the lesson, we should have thrown the budget at him but I imagine Rudkin and co. were terrified at the thought of taking a chance on a player from League One. As it is, we're still without any proven goalscorer while QPR have the signing of the season. Anyway, rant over, he's class, glad we've got him even if it's a year and £20 million of wasted money late.

Ok, well now the dust has cleared, think that was the closest thing to a complete performance today. We gave them maybe fifteen minutes before and just after the penalty, but they barely threatened apart from that one cracking save Jakub made at the near post. Class individual performances from JJ and Fatawu. Think Thomas had a steady game which is rare but welcome. Monga decent, nice cameo from Ramsey which is promising after the Oxford debacle. Daka will eventually score and there will be a pitch invasion when he does - he has very little threat in front of goal but he's the best option we have for bringing others around him into the game. Marti made the right subs to see the game out, which was the most crucial thing after last week. I'm not against Soumare off the bench if the other option is Skipp. But no denying that JJ, Winks and Ramsey should be our main 3 at all costs, they're all leagues ahead.

King Power learned from the best with the K-Bet debacle then

I thought both theirs and ours was garbage today Decent once Fatawu's screamer went in, but before that it was 70-odd mins of murmurs and 20 second pockets of chanting otherwise. We are not beating the 'only sing when you're winning ' allegations. Nor are Swansea - about the only thing I remember them singing is Carnival de Paris every ten minutes or so, which confused the hell out of me as my brain associates it with scoring a goal, not random breaks in play piped up all of a sudden after their joke of a penalty but otherwise very poor. Glad Jordan James got some appreciation but don't think his worldie being down the other end helped, that would have been limbs down our end most days. The huge banks of empty seats are an omen for where we'll be at if we stagnate in the second tier.

Wow, that's out of nowhere, fella was in the media bandying about the idea of repurchasing Sheff Weds only a month or two ago Hard to know how to feel about it from an LCFC perspective really, oversaw some absolute horseshit and took us to an all-time low, but arguably it was a poisoned chalice and he did also oversee Pearson's first spell. RIP.

I actually saw us win live for the first time since (checks notes)... West Ham at home in Ruud's first game.

Absolute mustard, been three games and he's first name on the teamsheet now. It's not even just a Garth Crooke 'Who Scored XI' response, he runs the midfield box-to-box in a way we've clearly been lacking. KDH is the obvious comparison but honestly think his ceiling is higher. Reminds me of peak Drinkwater in a lot of ways.

Bloody hell, just watched it back, that was clear as day NOT a penalty. I shrugged my shoulders in the ground because I figured with it being Faes it must have been his usual once-a-match brainfart but no, it was a perfectly timed challenge. Well done to the lads for rallying after that injustice is all I can say - seemed to put a rocket up them. 👍

Hello from the arse end of mid-Wales It's wet and windy, but I have a bacon and sausage cob They tried to tell me it's a bap, different world round here it is See you nerds in Swansea later

Update: someone (not sure who) is working on a proper LCFC badge west of the city. There's a smaller one I made in the centre now too, roughly between Belgrave and Northfields. Also, those who draw on here will know the pain of running out of pixels. Started marking down our title winning team and got this far before running out

Danny from Rate My Takeaway, now he's a free agent

Thank you for being a vocal opponent of the Super League when it was being bandied about, Susan. Apart from that, you can do one, been every bit as much a key figure in our collapse as Rudkin, Top and Glover. Top taking "temporary charge" of the CEO position is hilarious though - you watch us just happen not to hire to the position ever again. Still, it's promising to see this happen - out of the blue too. Gives you hope that Rudders could eventually piss off too. Imagine Top taking on that role as well

yEAh bUT thEiR faNs dEsERve bEtteR thEYrE wErlD fAMoUS

absolute scenes when he gets sent off again

That's a lot to squeeze on the side of a van, can we just go with "RUDKIN OUT" again?

He's got a decent cross on him to be fair. Can't think of much else but there's that. I'd honestly switch it up to a 3-5-2 when he's on-field, tell him to f*** off the defending and see what happens when he's played further up the pitch like a Temu Marc Albrighton. He's definitely better than Thomas at that side of things. It's just a shame it's been a decade now since we had anyone who knows how to head a football.

"Yeah yeah, and that's Jannik Vestergaard, he's as slow as a tanker yakno, proper carthorse, just stand him up and turn and you're sound, fella". "Did I ever play with him? Nah, he kept me out of the team, I was the one lad he was faster than"... ... "what do you mean I'm spending the rest of the season in the rezzies, Gaffer?"

@Union FS said it before, will say it again - what are the chances of a "Give Youth A Chance" banner in your section? Page, Aluko, Nelson should all be knocking on the door of the first XI with the way things are going. We can't just shrug off the same old wastemen clogging up the squad and costing us valuable points just because Monga has broken through. Vest-uhhhhhhhhhh-gard and Skipp collectively at fault for the goal tonight. The usual shit, different week, the usual suspects costing us.

I watch National League North when I'm not at LCFC games, and it would still be completely unacceptable - even part timers know to stand up and see that out for a corner / goal kick.