Danny Drinkwater almost left Leicester City last season

[filbertway]

I wonder who's name will come out next, Vardy then Drinkwater. I'm going for Wes Morgan nearly moved to Derby. Or Maybe Mahrez nearly left for Watford.

[Guest]

I wonder who's name will come out next, Vardy then Drinkwater. I'm going for Wes Morgan nearly moved to Derby. Or Maybe Mahrez nearly left for Watford.

 

Or King, nearly went to....oh no.

[Babylon]

I guess you missed the "stat" of being our player of the season in the championship.

And? What they hell has that got to do with anything at all? I clearly said he had ups and downs in the championship, patches where he performed and others where he didn't.

 

 

Manager can play you in the wrong position. He can play in the correct position but with poor complimentary players around you. You can be playing but the instructions of how to play are totally ****ed. and many many more "not being given a chance".

 

So nobody "got a chance" last year then. Wes didn't get a chance because he wasn't playing with Huth, Vardy didn't get a chance because he wasn't playing with Okazaki. Do me a favour.  He got the chances almost everyone else got, because they were all playing in the same team.

 

 

Makes me laugh how you go on about cambiasso who was in a team that nearly took us down, when we can see just how good a team without cambiasso is now.

 

Cambiasso was also in the team that kept us up. Drinkwater, Vardy, Mahrez, Wes etc etc were all also in a team that nearly took us down... but no, it's all down to Cambiasso.

 

 

With Cambi we had to play slow football which didn't suit people like Vardy, we had to pack the defence to cover up his glaring deficiencies and even that failed. His few good passes were far outweighed by the wet nurse and minder he needed.

 

Remember that terrible slow football we played at the end of the season.... awful winning all those games.

 

 

Still enough about ex-mercenaries you'll just get me banned again.

Fingers crossed.

[Guest]

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Or King, nearly went to....oh no.

Everton?

[Guest]

Everton?

 

Or was it huddersfield?

[Thracian]

There's a lot of assumptions in here. For a start who knows how the team would have performed without Drinkwater? How did we do last season when he wasn't playing?

Secondly how much of our renewed/continued success (after the comparable success of the second half of last season) is down to some major changes in the team - notably the arrival of Kante, a demonstrably more solid back four with the eventual arrival of Simpson and Fuchs, the arrival of Shinji to join Albrighton in reinforcing our ability to defend and win the ball back and also the greater defensive reliability of us not using DeLaet?

All of those things have combined to make us stronger defensively. Yet, because of the particular and contrasting individual abilities of Vardy and Mahrez, we've managed to keep scoring and therefore to keep winning games or points - with Shinji now increasingly contributing to our attacking threat.

Drinkwater's done well no question but as a more inspired Drinkwater rather than anything greatly different.

I've never thought Drinkwater plays especially well with King. They're more like rivals for the same position than mutually beneficial team-mates. Very like King and Wellens. I've not checked but got the impression our results improved when Drinkwater was out and King in but that would not necessarily tell the story because Huth was one of the main differences and had a massively stabilising effect on our defence.

King, being seemingly more easy going than Drinkwater, has allowed himself to become more inhibited as a result and less of a risk taker.

He also seems to have accepted a substitute's role more gracefully while - as alluded to by the video clip - Drinkwater seems to have taken the attitude "play me or I'm off".

And no I'm not now making a case for King.

I think Kingy's problem is that he's not athletic enough to play 90 minutes with the intensity necessary in today's team and in trying to do so he's generally stopped getting forward and doing the things which put a gloss on his normal safety-first style. I still wonder if his old achilles heel problem made a difference.

The other thing is that King, like Inler, doesn't have the pace or athleticism to track runners as well as he needs to. It's a difficult skill if you're not pacey. So as ever, he's fitted into a new role as "go-to substitute" while Kante does a huge amount of the tracking on the pitch.

Drinkwater, meanwhile, remains as excellent cog in the team but still short of the goals threat he badly needs to add to his game because, sooner or later, Vardy and Mahrez will need some support in getting goals.

The problem is that if Drinkwater tries to attack the box like King's done in the past and at his best, he'll find it harder to do his regular work. Yet sometimes he needs to offer such support.

For now the team seems admirably balanced - and might also work now as a 4-3-3 given that Ranieri will probably be able to play the system more effectively than we've done on occasions in the past and given that we seem to have the pesonnel for it. With 4-3-3 we would be able to have a potential scorer in central midfield as well as goals from both outside strikers as well as Vardy.

Aspects that show the team can still evolve, improve and become more adaptable in the face of even more difficult challenges.

[catfordfox]

Good interview - illustrates why i get so irritated with the mass ranks of know nothing pundits banging on about how the only credit due to Ranieri is that he 'didn't change much from last season.' Yes, fine he didn't sack the entire back room team a la Moyes, and didn't bring in legions of overpaid 'big names' like Sven, but on the pitch he's changed almost everything. As Schwarzer says, 3 out of our 4 star players this season were bit part players at best for most of last season - perhaps they needed time to adapt, but none were dMahbreally given that time in their best positions. Ranieri's built the entire team around Vardy and Mahrez, and look whats happened. Similarly the defence is almost unrecognisable from last season. We defend corners a million times better (though still not perfectly - but we were awful at defensive corners for the entireity of Pearson's reign). And not to mention that we play 442, which we rarely if ever played last season.

 

None of this is to undermine the amazing job Pearson did with us, but the idea he would have been capable of getting a season like this out of this is squad (and that Ranieri has just got lucky) is ridiculous.

[katieakita]

Last year it took us 3/4 of the season to find our feet and get a winning formula, we were very close before that but not quite where we wanted to be. We found a pair in Cambiasso and James who worked wonders for us, it may have been DD and James or DD and Camby that clicked we don't know but we did better when he couldn't get in the team, that does not make him a bad player just others were chosen ahead of him. Perhaps his injury on the first day of last season didn't help also.

 

At the start of this season people were at panic stations because James was injured and Camby had left and our midfield was threadbare, we brought in a pretty much unknown French midfielder from a mid table side and then had DD, KIng and Hammond and went with that. It clicked and we even brought in the Swiss national captain, KIng did not do much wrong before Kante replaced him and the evidence points to our middle 2 being as good as any in the premier and certainly suitable for our style of play. DD and Kante have been exceptional and both should be one of the first names on their countries Euro 2016 squads. Matty James is fit soon but will struggle to make the matchday 18 let alone starting 11 but he has not suddenly become a bad player he just cannot get in the team simple as Cambiasso our player of last season would not shift these 2

 

You would hope all players want to start every game and being on the sidelines for some cannot be easy his hunger for game time shows a lot better attitude than some other teams have with players seemingly happy not to be involved but earning large sums of cash, having players constantly fighting to keep their places has certainly paid off.

[Captain...]

Good interview - illustrates why i get so irritated with the mass ranks of know nothing pundits banging on about how the only credit due to Ranieri is that he 'didn't change much from last season.' Yes, fine he didn't sack the entire back room team a la Moyes, and didn't bring in legions of overpaid 'big names' like Sven, but on the pitch he's changed almost everything. As Schwarzer says, 3 out of our 4 star players this season were bit part players at best for most of last season - perhaps they needed time to adapt, but none were dMahbreally given that time in their best positions. Ranieri's built the entire team around Vardy and Mahrez, and look whats happened. Similarly the defence is almost unrecognisable from last season. We defend corners a million times better (though still not perfectly - but we were awful at defensive corners for the entireity of Pearson's reign). And not to mention that we play 442, which we rarely if ever played last season.

 

None of this is to undermine the amazing job Pearson did with us, but the idea he would have been capable of getting a season like this out of this is squad (and that Ranieri has just got lucky) is ridiculous.

 

Ranieri deserves a huge amount of credit, but sometimes you do wonder how much was luck and how much was judgement.

 

He tried a lot of formations in pre-season and I didn't have a clue how we were going to line-up against Sunderland, but the 11 and formation he settled on has been so successful with only minor tweaks, Kante, Fuchs and Simpson coming in.

 

Did he pick up quickly that 3 of our most talented players, DD, Vardy and Mahrez were confidence players and knew that making them first choice and putting a lot of faith  in them would get the best out of them, or did he just get lucky that we got off to a good start and those 3 have thrived as a result.

 

Probably a bit of both, experience and a calm head with clear tactics and approach and a talented squad that if they get it right can beat anyone on their day, oh and King Richard being re-interred and the planets aligning and Rachel Riley have all lead us here.

[lgfualol]

That would have been a shock because I rememeber him once saying that he could "see himself playing his whole career at Leicester".

Very glad he didn't go anywhere. Last season was merely his off-season - he goes good bad amazing bad and right now he's really amazing! Super player.

[Babylon]

Yes my thoughts exactly. Oh and your point about Drinkwater being player of the year and showing himself to be good because of that... I'll leave you with this.

 

[foxfanazer]

He really has been a fantastic signing for us. He's had his bad patches where many have written him off but he comes back better than ever and should be in contention for England in my totally unbiased opinion

[Babylon]

Good interview - illustrates why i get so irritated with the mass ranks of know nothing pundits banging on about how the only credit due to Ranieri is that he 'didn't change much from last season.' Yes, fine he didn't sack the entire back room team a la Moyes, and didn't bring in legions of overpaid 'big names' like Sven, but on the pitch he's changed almost everything. As Schwarzer says, 3 out of our 4 star players this season were bit part players at best for most of last season - perhaps they needed time to adapt, but none were dMahbreally given that time in their best positions. Ranieri's built the entire team around Vardy and Mahrez, and look whats happened. Similarly the defence is almost unrecognisable from last season. We defend corners a million times better (though still not perfectly - but we were awful at defensive corners for the entireity of Pearson's reign). And not to mention that we play 442, which we rarely if ever played last season.

 

None of this is to undermine the amazing job Pearson did with us, but the idea he would have been capable of getting a season like this out of this is squad (and that Ranieri has just got lucky) is ridiculous.

Ranieri has benefited a lot. The mistakes Pearson made were there for all to see, so he and the staff left behind knew not to repeat them and where are strengths were in this league. Those "bit part" players weren't bit part at the end.

 

Issues we'd had last season were already being fixed (purchases of Huth, Fuchs, Kante, Okazaki) all happening or started before Ranieri joined.

 

He's walked into a fantastic setup behind the scenes with the scouting and sports science, along with the team spirit Pearson always tried to create.

 

He's added a much better tactical setup. He's capable of seeing an issue and fixing it quickly either mid game or in training. Our defensive setup is fantastic, we were always open under Pearson even in the championship. He's really compacted our defensive shape and we leave so few gaps.

 

It's really a perfect storm, with the best of what made Pearson teams good, with all the good bits you get from Ranieri added in.

[EnderbyFox]

Amazing how some people hold onto some kind of weird bitterness towards Cambiasso, we wouldn't be where we are now without him. We'd be sat in the Championship for one. 

[Babylon]

Amazing how some people hold onto some kind of weird bitterness towards Cambiasso, we wouldn't be where we are now without him. We'd be sat in the Championship for one. 

Some people can't be wrong I'm afraid.

[foxfanazer]

Amazing how some people hold onto some kind of weird bitterness towards Cambiasso, we wouldn't be where we are now without him. We'd be sat in the Championship for one.

Not some people, Just Col

[Fox92]

Amazing how some people hold onto some kind of weird bitterness towards Cambiasso, we wouldn't be where we are now without him. We'd be sat in the Championship for one. 

 

No we wouldn't. Huth was just as influential as Cambiasso and I'd go as far as saying we'd be in the Championship without Huth. You only have to look at how Morgan's game has improved playing at the side of an experienced Robert Huth.

[Webbo]

Some people can't be wrong I'm afraid.

Says you?

Anyway, I loved cambiasso, why can't be glad we had him last season and enjoy this season without him?

[Fox92]

I think Pearson changed the team too much last season. I know it's easier to pick a settled team when you're top of the league, but take Drinkwater as an example. He played 23 league games last season and has currently played 21... Same applies for the likes of Vardy and Mahrez (although Mahrez is understandable at times given his inability to defend). Albrighton played just 18 times last season, too.

[Sharpe's Fox]

Drinkwater wasn't good enough last season, but like all our other players he has improved with the experience he picked up. It's called life, people.

It's obvious to me that Danny is the biggest "confidence player" we have. When we are winning, like promotion season and now, he is outstanding but when we are on a bad run, last season and the bad run before Watford play off, his performances spiral off dramatically.

But of course N'Golo Kante would make Ritchie Wellens look like Xabi Alonso.

[GaelicFox]

Still surprised cambiassio left

He did a great job for us and well well paid

But he really isn't deserving of being in a muzzy or walshie type of "legend"' bracket

You only gain that level of respect over a prolong period of time or exceptional success (trophies ) in a short period

If Vardy goes in summer (he won't ) his level of "legend" status would be based upon if he fires us to win premiership or not , but if he stays next 3 years and cements us in the league and in Europe he will certainly join the true "legends" bracket without having to win the title.

Legend is a term that needs serious earning

Cambiassio is a fantastic page or two in our clubs long history book , but is he a club legend ? ... No , not for me

[catfordfox]

Ranieri has benefited a lot. The mistakes Pearson made were there for all to see, so he and the staff left behind knew not to repeat them and where are strengths were in this league. Those "bit part" players weren't bit part at the end.

 

Issues we'd had last season were already being fixed (purchases of Huth, Fuchs, Kante, Okazaki) all happening or started before Ranieri joined.

 

He's walked into a fantastic setup behind the scenes with the scouting and sports science, along with the team spirit Pearson always tried to create.

 

He's added a much better tactical setup. He's capable of seeing an issue and fixing it quickly either mid game or in training. Our defensive setup is fantastic, we were always open under Pearson even in the championship. He's really compacted our defensive shape and we leave so few gaps.

 

It's really a perfect storm, with the best of what made Pearson teams good, with all the good bits you get from Ranieri added in.

 

agree with most of that really (though Mahrez still wasnt being used that much even in the winning run at the end, and Vardy was still being used more out wide HOdgson style than central). But really dont think can underestimate the importance of the tactical set up Ranieri has introduced, particularly the way we play when we don't have the ball. We weren't doing that at the start of this season, so this run of clean sheets is clearly his influence coming to the fore

[sylofox]

Some people can't be wrong I'm afraid.

lol lol u would know.

[Thracian]

I love the way you choose stats to help some of your arguments and not others.

 

They're are many forms of "not being given a chance".

 

The skill was always there yet for some reason NP didn't use it properly/abused it last season.

 

Drinky is playing far better this season - agreed - far better than Cambiasso last season as well and he's one of the main reasons we're 1st and not last.

Who'd be idiotic enough to use stats to diminish his argument?

How you draw your last sentence conclusion I don't know.

You may or may not be right but there's been so much change within our team I don't see how you can quantify the effect - in terms of points - of one player compared with another.

How much effect has Simpson had? Or Kante? Of Fuchs? Or Shinji or all sorts of players in conjunction with others?

That's not anti Drinkwater. He's played well in the main. Who hasn't?

But I still think the guy can and should do more as a threat.

But then I could say almost every player could do better though I'm struggling with Vardy, Morgan and Kante on that one just now, when it comes to specifics and being realistic.