yorksfox

Avoid at all costs! Have watched Swansea at Huddersfield these past 2 seasons. Endless tippy, tippy quite pointless possession with few, if any, incisive passes. Both games bore draws despite Swansea clearly having the better players but unable to impose themselves and reluctant to test the home keeper and defenders. Forever taking the easy sideway / backward option - sound familiar?

12 years ago in 2009 we had just lifted the League One title, having edged past Cheltenham... or was it Crewe? The club has been fairly successful since then winning the odd thing here and there. Not achieving a 4th place finish is not something to keep me awake at night but I was bloody livid when we lost that League Cup semi to Villa last season. This has been a history-making season for us irrespective of a 4th or 5th place finish.

Absolutely agree, get off the lad's back. Outstanding prospect, as is Forfana who, despite his fair share of errors, largely escapes criticism on this forum.(perhaps it helps not being a local lad for some reason)

Once again Man City won the foul count. This time 11-5, despite Leicester only having 39% possession. They do this every week, impossible to break and build attacks because CHOP! 3 nasty ones tonight (why did Silva go unpunished for his second 'yellow'). Rarely the same offender, clever rotation - masters at it and at playing the referee. Unfortunately works in this league but not in the CL where they have to allow the opposition more of the ball as they can only regain possession legitimately.

How on earth was he signed on a 5 year contract? Perhaps I'm mistaken but read it somewhere. Clearly lacking in confidence but a poor attitude and not a team player.

Yes, Big Frank was a tough 'un alright. Also saw him play many times for my hometown, Northampton, and mustn't forget that he started his career with Halifax at The Shay.

Kember, Carlin from the 70's, Coatsworth, Whitlow,Lennon. Frank Large was hard as nails!

Yes, 42k was always the official maximum attendance with many more actually inside. Less money for team building going forward not necessarily a bad thing, given the wasted millions since the summer of 2016.

I'd take him. Swansea and Liverpool invested little during his reigns there and both did well. Plays progressive football that is good to watch....... no perhaps not, forget him, I've got used to catching up on sleep/social media/online banking during home games.

I never doubted that once he'd settled in, Evans would make a huge difference to our defence. He is first and foremost a defender and if it's clean sheets we want, then he has to be selected ahead of Maguire - who is clearly at his best in a back 3, with licence to roam.

Pull is undoubtedly tactically inept and I'm basing that more on the performances at the end of last season than this. He (and his coaching staff) seem incapable of setting up a team that can, if required, battle for a point and actually defend their goal. I'm happy to give the guy a few months, even the whole season, if only to break the cycle of sackings, but I honestly can't see him bringing about the necessary improvements.

I'm sure this season is no more important than any other and if we lose 3 or 4 on the bounce or go 6 or 7 without a win the outcome will be as predictable as ever i.e. Farewell Claude, bring back NP / MoN / Martin Allen. Fortunately, it does appear that the board have exercised a little patience and also backed him in the transfer window so there are reasons to be positive even though I cannot forget our 0-8 aggregate against Jeff Schlupp and Palace last season.

I'd be amazed if any of these changes improve matters. Puel is still the guy on charge so we can expect more of the same... TEN goals conceded in our final two away games, isolated Vardy, listless midfield....the guy must think he's untouchable but he'll be gone by January.

I would certainly expect Mahrez to be present for pre-season starting Monday. Why on earth not? His contract has 2 (or 3?) more years to run and he is very much a Leicester City player.

Don't happen to think either of Sporting or Porto would last a season in the Premier League, regardless of what they may or may not have won in the past. A certain team from the East Midlands who won the PL only 2 years ago this week, could soon be facing Championship football if they don't start recruiting more effectively and leave the Portuguese league well alone.

Certainly not an upgrade / equivalent to Drinkwater, or Andy King for that matter. Like Slimani another signing from a poor league and for an inflated fee. Sporting? Benfica? Both about as competitive as a mid table Championship side. But with our lazy recruitment team, headed by the hapless Rudkin, I guess there'll be more of the same over upcoming windows.

Wilf has not improved, his defensive attributes are excellent, as before, but he has lost the knack of scoring and his shooting from outside the box is no longer a feature of our play. As for the rest of the squad, I can't see any improvement - a lack of clear communication, any sort of tactical plan and any consistency in team selection have left the squad in disarray. This was clear after the home game against Palace (Only 3-0 to Roy on that occasion) and Watford away. What a strange, uninspired appointment Puel was, but there are others who also have to leave the club at once- those responsible for leading the recruitment team, our transfer dealings over the last 4 windows have beggared belief.

Good point St Albans Fox! I was watching my 'second' team, Huddersfield play Everton this afternoon. The Toffees never gave Town a hint of a chance due to their considerable application and organisation. The 0-2 scoreline did not flatter them against a team striving for the points. Puel has clearly lost his way, losing by an aggregate 0-8 to a side in a relegation battle! (well, until today that is)

The decent results in the early days of his tenure were when we were still playing on the front foot but with a slightly more possession based game. That clearly suited the players well. Now that his preferred style is fully embedded not only are the results poor but it's bloody awful to watch. He certainly cannot claim to have saved us from relegation when we have not occupied any of the relegation places all season and Appleton had already guided us to our first away win (Swansea) and best cup result (Leeds) of the season just before he took over. His whole touchline demeanour coupled with limited communication skills make him a poor fit for this club. A strange choice at the time - and it hasn't been vindicated.

Agreed. We'll certainly win the possession stats but Palace will win the game. We have defenders who can no longer defend, midfielders that can't shoot and only pass sideways, wingers that can't cross and never track back (Albrighton excepted) and a lone striker who must be totally fed up. Please wake me up when Puel has gone.

Given most, if not all of our recent displays, this is a crucial game against the type of team that possess the fighting spirit of a team I used to support. Another toothless, abject display and I feel the writing will be on the wall for Puel. Not only that you have to protect the integrity of the competition and allowing a relegation threatened team to easily gather the points....hats off to Man City v Swansea last weekend! If we can't beat teams in the bottom six then that is where we'll be heading next season.

Yes, Diabete certainly belongs in that rare category, at least post 2015, of being 'excellent value for money', with a strong chance of that value actually increasing! Let's hope he starts against Palace, where I hope City show some grit and character and don't hand the points over as if they're already on the beach.

I have not seen City at home this season, thankfully. After the initial 'new manager bounce' back in November / December the team appear to be playing without any passion or belief, something that I've rarely seen in a Leicester side since the David Pleat era. The games I have seen were at Huddersfield and Everton, both dreadful performances, one under Shakespeare and one Puel. What is clear is that tens of millions have been wasted in the transfer market. Someone at the club must be accountable, surely? After the failure of Mendy, Musa and Slimani to then repeat the mistake with Nacho, Silva and Iborra beggars belief (about 120 million for that lot!). I dread to think who might arrive over the summer but, as with Maguire and Ndidi - do your background research / scouting properly and there are some gems out there that needn't involve the handing over of a small fortune. I do, however, accept that our owners have fairly bottomless pockets so should perhaps just let them get on with it!

What an excellent posting, Paddy. Certainly justified as I can include myself as someone who has been slightly critical of, in particular, Maguire and Gray this season. 40 years ago when Jock Wallace was blooding the likes of Lineker, Buchanan, Peake and May I seemed to have all the patience and understanding in the world! Maybe because they were of a similar age to me though probably, as others have pointed out, there was not then the obsession with instant gratification and success. I, for one, will take heed and let Mr Puel patiently build us an outstanding young team.

Apparently Kasper Schmeichel pays into Juan Mata's charity, one of very few from the PL and the only one from our club. To think, Frank Worthington joined for £300 pw but the club did throw in a Ford Capri on top of that.