A missed opportunity and what it could mean?

[49er]

The best we can now hope for is eighth place, which means no European football next season. I'm sure that the owners were hopeful of a top six finish, bearing in mind what we did last season, that we had virtually the same squad( apart from Kante) and that we invested in the likes of Musa, Mendy and Slimani and, subsequently, Ndidi.

 

Had we managed to get into Europe again, I believe that it may have convinced someone like Mahrez to stay. Now, I would think that he is pretty certain to leave. The same could apply to Schmeichel.

 

It shows the serious impact on the club caused by Ranieri's disastrous second term as manager. Far from building on what had been achieved, he went about destroying the foundations. What an embarrassment to experience abject defeats against the likes of Hull, Sunderland, Swansea, Burnley and to play for a 0-0 draw against lowly Middlesbrough!

[Callabinho]

We drew 1-1 with Atletico at home....I'd hardly say that's a missed opportunity...yes it's a kick in the bollocks to be out of the champions league, however putting your realism hat on, we were never going to get beyond the semi's....AM are a well drilled side with a sprinkle of world class talent....I'm immensely proud of the lads, and with the right kind of investment next season could see us back up there again......

 

There is no reason why we can't get back to being a top four team....

[Blue ROI]

Last night was gut-wrenching but the missed opportunity would have been to miss out on the title last season.

 

We were perfect when we needed it most.

[49er]

I think that our progress in the Champions League was been incredible. The 'missed opportunity' I was referring to was the Premier League,

[weller54]

The CL campaign was something to be very proud of. 

Realistically it's extremely likely it will be a VERY long time before our club experience it again. 

 

[Matt]

I may be being naive but honestly don't get wheres this panic of Mahrez leaving is coming from, its obviously a possibility but I keep saying based on his form this season I can't see many clubs knocking on the door, only unless they are planned a cheeky low bid in which case we simply reject and if Mahrez is unhappy about that then perhaps he should have pulled his finger out.

 

I am concerned Kasper might leave but then i'm maybe deluding myself in thinking he really enjoys it here, has real passion.

 

Our missed opportunity came last summer, when we were at our strongest and had most to offer, we became weaker for it, that is where my blame and finger is pointed at Ranieri and which ultimately cost him his job, along with changing tactics and being too stubborn to change them back to what was tried and tested.

 

My aim along with the owners was probably a top 6 - 8 finish, I disagree with the OP saying the best we can hope for is a top 8 finish, I think 8th has gone, the best we can finish is 9th. In the circumstances 9th or 10th, CL QF's it's been a good season, it was looking like a depressing, disastourous season but it's turned out pretty good.

 

The aim for next season is top 6 and I don't think that is unrealistic, we obviously have a few high and lows during the summer to come before we can finally confirm that top 6 is the aim, if we do lose some/alot of players than we might have to lower expectations, reassess but keep most of the players, get rid of few of the flops, get decent replacements and competition in and we can be positive going into next season.

[brucey]

Delighted just to survive after Ranieri tried his best to send us down, tbh. That was a proper near miss. Losing out on Europe and maybe losing 1-2 players is better than going down and losing basically everything.

[StanSP]

1 hour ago, 49er said:

I think that our progress in the Champions League was been incredible. The 'missed opportunity' I was referring to was the Premier League,

The missed opportunity lies in the poor transfer activity and lack of investing even more in to a squad that could compete in both competitions and not having to sacrifice one to focus on the other.

 

And because of that, we weren't able to compete on both levels. Perhaps not getting rid of Ranieri hindered us to and ironically perhaps that was a missed opportunity as well. Hindsight is a wonderful thing though.

 

It is what it is. We're staying in the Premier League and we've not become the embarrassment most expected us to be in the Champions League. If anything, we've embarrassed the other British clubs in getting so far. 

 

A missed opportunity would have not qualifying out of the group stage and still fighting off relegation. 

[Captain...]

European football is great, but it becomes a priority and takes focus off the league.

 

Last season we won the league with no European distractions and Chelsea look like doing the same this season. Spurs have improved since getting knocked out of Europe.

 

Next season would be harder with Europa League action, this way we can focus on league position and a significant challenge in the cups. This team can beat anyone on their day and a cup win is definitely possible.  

[Aus Fox]

You talk of finishing top 6, the team that has spent most of the season in sixth spot spent more on one player than we have on all incoming players.

In terms of budget, facilities and expectations 8th is realistically where we should be aiming for.

Last season was one where all of the stars alligned and we completed a miracle.

The top 6 arguably have the 6 of the top 10 managers in the world and budgets and reputation to attract any player they want.

Even with Champions League Football we couldn't compete with Chelsea and Man Utd in the transfer market.

If we did manage to finish 8th, along with a Champions League q/f, I think you have to call this another great season.

[iancognito]

Any club that isn't classed as "big" should be aiming to hit 8th and then break into that top group. The first thing we do is try and break back into that top group. Nothing much has changed from last season. Arsenal still collapse, Liverpool are in their 26th year of transition, United are still 5th, Man City still can't defend and Spurs are still coming for someone. A year older, the defence needs a scalpel taking to it with a proper top quality CB adding in there - the scouting set up needs to unearth a Van Dijk or a Keane from somewhere but aside from that sit down with the group, find out who's committed and who's not and get the business done early. No £29M panic buys. If we can keep the main group together, we can get top 8 and build again from there.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

I think we need to appreciate just being in the PL even if it means a couple of years stabilising in midtable. Because in the long-term a run of 5 years or more in the PL will do wonders for our club, no need to go shit or bust trying to make the top 6

[fazzyfox]

The strain of the extra matches should be offset by the sensible use of the income (appearance fee / prize money) they generate (although it would have been brave to predict from the outset that we'd be the last English club standing and reach the quarter finals). Tactical changes aside, where we missed out was in not having other players who can come in and do a reliable job allowing you to rest others with confidence of still getting a result. Between them Mendy, Musa, Hernandez, Wague and to a degree Slimani have not made enough of a contribution to help the others put in 50-55 strong performances. Ndidi is an exception but numerically he replaces Kante and is clearly a starter not just an alternative option, the broadening of the squad in general hasn't been a success and notably in that strong second half performance none of those other guys were involved. 

A top half finish though would represent a position of realistically stabilitising strength, not the stride back into the wilderness that the media were craving for. Broader investments in the facilities and the clubs profile give us stronger roots for our next steps and I see us competing with Everton for 7th next season and who knows, the "big 6" have enormous pressures on them to succeed, one or two wobble or collapse and it could be even better for us.

[HighPeakFox]

You lost me entirely when you used the word 'embarrassment'.

[Koke]

After getting a taste of European football I'm desperate to have it again. Even Europa League. It will be hard to break into the top 6 so I hope we win a cup and play Europa League in 18/19.

 

Would love to play teams like Ajax and Lyon and Schalke.

[HybridFox]

1 minute ago, Koke said:

After getting a taste of European football I'm desperate to have it again. Even Europa League. It will be hard to break into the top 6 so I hope we win a cup and play Europa League in 18/19.

 

Would love to play teams like Ajax and Lyon and Schalke.

Or our old pals Sevilla again? 

[Redouane]

3 hours ago, Matt said:

I may be being naive but honestly don't get wheres this panic of Mahrez leaving is coming from, its obviously a possibility but I keep saying based on his form this season I can't see many clubs knocking on the door, only unless they are planned a cheeky low bid in which case we simply reject and if Mahrez is unhappy about that then perhaps he should have pulled his finger out.

 

I am concerned Kasper might leave but then i'm maybe deluding myself in thinking he really enjoys it here, has real passion.

 

Our missed opportunity came last summer, when we were at our strongest and had most to offer, we became weaker for it, that is where my blame and finger is pointed at Ranieri and which ultimately cost him his job, along with changing tactics and being too stubborn to change them back to what was tried and tested.

 

My aim along with the owners was probably a top 6 - 8 finish, I disagree with the OP saying the best we can hope for is a top 8 finish, I think 8th has gone, the best we can finish is 9th. In the circumstances 9th or 10th, CL QF's it's been a good season, it was looking like a depressing, disastourous season but it's turned out pretty good.

 

The aim for next season is top 6 and I don't think that is unrealistic, we obviously have a few high and lows during the summer to come before we can finally confirm that top 6 is the aim, if we do lose some/alot of players than we might have to lower expectations, reassess but keep most of the players, get rid of few of the flops, get decent replacements and competition in and we can be positive going into next season.

If Depay was sold for 21 millions to Lyon after how terrible he was at United, I don't see how Mahrez, top 10 top scorer in the champions league, 2015/16 player of the year, wouldn't get any offers.

 

Dont get me wrong, I hope he stays here because I enjoy watching play regularly and I like Leicester very much, but to say that he won't get any offers is totally false.

[UPinCarolina]

3 hours ago, fazzyfox said:

The strain of the extra matches should be offset by the sensible use of the income (appearance fee / prize money) they generate (although it would have been brave to predict from the outset that we'd be the last English club standing and reach the quarter finals). Tactical changes aside, where we missed out was in not having other players who can come in and do a reliable job allowing you to rest others with confidence of still getting a result. Between them Mendy, Musa, Hernandez, Wague

TBF, we have no clue what Wague would have offered - that was a freak injury and very unfortunate.

[WigstonWanderer]

Considering how bad things got, 9th or 10th coupled with our unexpectedly strong showing in the Champions League would be a pretty good season. I'd like to get 9th just to come higher than Chelsea did last season.

 

As for the future, our low possession, pacey, counter-attacking style gives us a much better bang per buck. I think it's essential to keep that but accumulate more quality to do it better. The alternative possession based style is what Bournemouth try to do but simply can't afford the quality required to do it properly.

[Matt]

5 hours ago, Redouane said:

If Depay was sold for 21 millions to Lyon after how terrible he was at United, I don't see how Mahrez, top 10 top scorer in the champions league, 2015/16 player of the year, wouldn't get any offers.

 

Dont get me wrong, I hope he stays here because I enjoy watching play regularly and I like Leicester very much, but to say that he won't get any offers is totally false.

I didn't say he wouldn't get any offers, I said I can't see too many clubs knocking on the door, I then went onto say the teams that might be interested would perhaps try and get him at a knock down price and if so we should reject, only sell at the right price, if he's unhappy about that despite me not liking unhappy players within the club he should have perhaps bucked his ideas up.

[sk3since03]

I'd imagine the owners will want to challenge for top 8 next season! Quite high expectations but perfectly do able with the right additions in the summer 

[Thracian]

16 hours ago, Callabinho said:

We drew 1-1 with Atletico at home....I'd hardly say that's a missed opportunity...yes it's a kick in the bollocks to be out of the champions league, however putting your realism hat on, we were never going to get beyond the semi's....AM are a well drilled side with a sprinkle of world class talent....I'm immensely proud of the lads, and with the right kind of investment next season could see us back up there again......

 

There is no reason why we can't get back to being a top four team....

I'd not call it a missed opportunity either. Just an opportunity blatantly inexcusably denied by an official.  

[Callabinho]

1 hour ago, Thracian said:

I'd not call it a missed opportunity either. Just an opportunity blatantly inexcusably denied by an official.  

Yes, that is what ultimately ended our "fairytale" and it's very hard not sit wondering if he was paid off given his position.....there's getting things wrong and then there was that.....

[Guest Lako42]

Back to actual organic growth now please.

 

 

If it means we lose a few thousand instafans then so be it.

[Thracian]

3 minutes ago, Callabinho said:

Yes, that is what ultimately ended our "fairytale" and it's very hard not sit wondering if he was paid off given his position.....there's getting things wrong and then there was that.....

I'd love the referee to explain for himself, because what I've seen seems like simplicity itself.

 

Film shows clearly, and by a noticable difference, that initial contact was made outside the box. So it is 100% impossible that the referee could have seen it as inside the box because it didn't happen that way. He might not have been sure because of the speed of things but he couldn't see what didn't happen....and it's no penalty if you're not sure anyway.

 

An alternative possibility is that his vision was impeded by a player passing in his eyeline. Again, if he couldn't see the incident in relation to the penalty box line he shouldn't give a penalty. Guessing is not an option. 

 

It's a pity given that the authorities don't seem prepared to be transparent, that our club can't, or don't wish to, take the matter to court and properly find out what happened and why? If technology had been used there wouldn't have been a problem. No penalty - simple as that - and apparent in seconds. 

 

I'm disgusted. I'd be happy to listen to a plausible explanation but find it hard to believe there is one and it sure leaves a nasty taste given the "previous" in playing Atletico.

 

.