Recruitment

[chapero82]

8 minutes ago, Babylon said:

There's zero evidence to suggest it's true other than one dead rubber against the best ball playing team in the league. 

 

Up against most other teams there is every chance that would not have happened.

 

We don't need a lot of players, we need a few to plug a few obvious areas. We aren't going to lose 11 starters to injury, we've lost three and that's about the worst we've had it in years.

Porto away? 

[Guest Col city fan]

27 minutes ago, chapero82 said:

I can't see how that is an over reaction? Without our main starting 11 we are crap  and it's been like that for a while

It isn't an over-reaction. Babylon is just being Babylon.

After out first team, our squad is paper thin in terms of quality.

Don't let anyone suggest last night was a one off. We've been pasted a few times this season.

[dayday]

9 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

It isn't an over-reaction. Babylon is just being Babylon.

After out first team, our squad is paper thin in terms of quality.

Don't let anyone suggest last night was a one off. We've been pasted a few times this season.

I totally agree, and it's a bigger job than people think, that's why we need at least 6 players, the midfield and central defence the priority, thinking about it another striker wouldn't go a miss , take Vardy out of the team and we're really struggling.

 

 

[The Doctor]

Last night only really tells you about the squad depth until benny came off tbf, after that it was just a gung-ho level of insanity, try a 5 or 6 forward formation while 3-1 down and you'll get picked off time and time again. We already knew that we needed more CBs, we already knew we needed an alternative to drinkwater since Amartey is more equipped to be a destroyer, backup to Ndidi and King is well King.  At best it just enforces the need for those improvements,

[mozartfox]

I think many are over looking the fact that may be first and foremost it is the 'Recruiter (s)' that need replacing?   How come we got things so wrong in the last two windows?    We will never know who we missed out on, but we did sign some over-rated and over-priced players  - and not just one!

[Babylon]

55 minutes ago, chapero82 said:

Porto away? 

And that's relevant how? How many teams we play of their class a season with a full reserve team out? 

 

If most teams plays a full reserve team against a quality team like them who need to win they'all get done over.

[Guest Col city fan]

For anyone suggesting that our summer recruitment wasn't too bad (or that we don't need much of an overhaul), last night's loss equalled the record for the most league defeats by the reigning champs in a 38 game season (18). The 6-1 defeat is also the joint heaviest loss by champs.

To go from the position we were in, with a summer where the recruitment could have been so much better, to these stats...is nothing short of appalling.

Despite the best efforts from the excuse merchants,  no one on here will persuade me otherwise.

[Foxes1]

1 hour ago, mozartfox said:

I think many are over looking the fact that may be first and foremost it is the 'Recruiter (s)' that need replacing?   How come we got things so wrong in the last two windows?    We will never know who we missed out on, but we did sign some over-rated and over-priced players  - and not just one!

One of the recruiters has already gone or scout or whatever he was called that is Steve Walsh alright I know he was responsible for Mahrez / Kante coming but in all honesty some of the other incomings have been nothing short of disastrous. Who was responsible for bringing Musa / Amartey / Slimani etc to the club could it be that our scouting team is not as good as people make out.

[Babylon]

1 hour ago, Col city fan said:

It isn't an over-reaction. Babylon is just being Babylon.

After out first team, our squad is paper thin in terms of quality.

Don't let anyone suggest last night was a one off. We've been pasted a few times this season.

Yeah we've been hammered by the best teams in the league and nobody else. The first time was under Ranieri having lost the plot, the second time was last night in a game that ended with us playing a near enough full reserve team, in all manner of weird positions. 

 

Against other opposition last night wouldn't have happened. Against your average premier league team we'd probably have taken points, as we have done before. We aren't going to be playing spurs every week and it's highly unlikely we'll have to play without having Wes, Huth, Drinkwater, King, Mendy, James. Losing so many first team players and first reserves has been an almost unheard of thing for years.

 

You throw them back into the mix, a new CB to replace Was, a new no.10 to replace Leo, a new creative mid and it's a totally different squad.

 

So yes it is a massive over reaction.

[Babylon]

47 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

For anyone suggesting that our summer recruitment wasn't too bad (or that we don't need much of an overhaul), last night's loss equalled the record for the most league defeats by the reigning champs in a 38 game season (18). The 6-1 defeat is also the joint heaviest loss by champs.

To go from the position we were in, with a summer where the recruitment could have been so much better, to these stats...is nothing short of appalling.

Despite the best efforts from the excuse merchants,  no one on here will persuade me otherwise.

What has that got to do with anything? You actually expect us to be up at the top of the league don't you. We aren't going to be, get used to it. It doesn't signal the fact we need an overhaul in any shape or form. A win against Bournemouth could see us finishing 9th. That doesn't signal a team that needs an "overhaul".

[lifted*fox]

No it's not. You're totally underestimating the work that needs doing to this squad. If you think one CB to replace Was is enough for us to move forward you're badly mistaken. Wow. 

[Babylon]

Just now, daz*dsb said:

No it's not. You're totally underestimating the work that needs doing to this squad. If you think one CB to replace Was is enough for us to move forward you're badly mistaken. Wow. 

Well considering I mentioned three players and not one sort of makes that post redundant doesn't it. There is nothing wrong with Wes and Huth, they are both capable of playing in this league still. Last night shows how much we bloody missed them. Another good CB to come in and potentially take one of their spots with Benny as fourth choice is more than adequate for that area of the pitch. I'd happily sell Benny though if we got an offer and bring another in to replace him, as he's not good to be a starter.

[Foxy-Lady]

10 hours ago, MrSpaM said:

I'm not confident at all that the players Shakespear will be able to attract are going to be anywhere near as good as the ones we are going to lose in the summer

 

After tonight that's a worrying thought

Ive been thinking same for a long while but I dont necessarily think the issue will be Shakespeare. 

 

Key problems i see with attracting better players might be...

1/. we can no longer offer CL football

2/. 'better' players may not want to come if they see our 'star-names' leaving (ie Schmeichel?  Mahrez?  Gray? ...) unless we pay them over-inflated salaries....whcih could unsettle the balance within the existing squad

3/.  the people in charge of recruitment at LCFC have no record of experience or success in this area.  (Huge Issue!)

 

Shakespeare might not appeal to 'gallactico' type players but do we really want those types in a team thats success is built around honest endeavour?

The Zola lesson at BCFC should be a lesson to all about 'celebrity' managers...

 

 

[Babylon]

Just now, Foxy-Lady said:

Ive been thinking same for a long while but I dont necessarily think the issue will be Shakespeare. 

 

Key problems i see with attracting better players might be...

1/. we can no longer offer CL football

2/. 'better' players may not want to come if they see our 'star-names' leaving (ie Schmeichel?  Mahrez?  Gray? ...) unless we pay them over-inflated salaries....whcih could unsettle the balance within the existing squad

3/.  the people in charge of recruitment at LCFC have no record of experience or success in this area.  (Huge Issue!)

 

Shakespeare might not appeal to 'gallactico' type players but do we really want those types in a team thats success is built around honest endeavour?

The Zola lesson at BCFC should be a lesson to all about 'celebrity' managers...

 

 

I'm not having that Gray is a star name

 

I think the club will want to get much of our business done VERY early, before we potentially lose a few players. Once they are signed up, it's tough luck then

[RonnieTodger]

Realistically, I can see Ulloa, Mahrez, Zieler, Hamer, Musa, Wasyl and one of Amartey or Mendy going. If we get another big offer for Slimani from China then he'd be off too. 

 

Id look at:
GK (back up)
2 CBs

1 RB

1 CM

1 "No.10"

1 winger

1 striker

 

For what it's worth, i'd keep Amartey to loan out but we've got too many CMs that just aren't good enough to warrant a regular place. I'd be interested to see how much of a chance Barnes, James and Lawrence get in pre-season too. 

 

[Tuna]

Okazaki needs replacing. We need an upgrade there, a better and more effective player and more creative. Shinji can still remain part of the squad. Sigurdsson would be a great buy for us but doubt he'd be interested in us now.

 

We need a quality centre half. Benny has proven himself capable, but he's one of 4 centre halves. Centre half must be better quality than Huth/Morgan and be first choice with either Huth or Morgan (My preference is Huth). Gibson would be a good option but I like Winston Reid at West Ham, doubt we'd get him though.

 

With a third centre half we have enough defensive options with Fuchs to use a back 3 comfortably with Albrighton covering right wing back where he was so effective in the great escape year and as we've seen Chilwell is potentially going to be a great player and lwb/lm looks like it will become his favoured position.

 

Goalkeeping, if Zieler goes we could get Ruddy in as backup. Decent enough player for that position as backup. If Kasper goes, we'll almost certainly end up with Joe Hart !!! Basically, any team that needs a GK outside the traditional top 6 would get Hart, however my preference for this position would be Asmir Begovic and I'd make him my top target if Kasper leaves.

 

Midfield is an interesting one, Ndidi will be a top class player and will get better and better but Drinkwater has had a dreadful season. I think he's suffering from not having any real competition for his place. Amartey is simply not good enough at the moment and Drinkwater needs to be pushed for his place, so I'd put a good quality midfielder in mind to partner Ndidi and compete with Drinkwater. James could take the fourth midfield spot, Kingy just isn't good enough. Doubt Adrien Silva would be interested this time around, I was disappointed we didn't go in for Jake Livermore whom I do rate in January.

 

Up top Vardy will supply us with plenty of goals, I'd keep Shinji and Ulloa as backup. Remains to be seen whether we'll keep Slim and Musa. Personally I think Musa is useless and we'd have been better keeping Jeff. Slim/Vardy partnership has never really gelled and I could see Slim leaving as he's not really got the minutes from the start. I'd expect us to play with Vardy up top and Shinji's replacement behind him, Shinji to come off the bench and Ulloa as a backup option. If we get that quality no.10 in we'd not really need much more up front if we kept Slim as well.

 

Would like to see us snap up a few young English talents like this right back from Luton and would like to see Barnes/Lawrence feature on the bench, it's time Lawrence in particular got an opportunity.

 

Obviously if Mahrez goes as well, we'd need another option on the flanks who can compensate for the lack of creativity we'll have although Gray should become first choice again we need quality cover and competition something that was badly exposed by Spurs yesterday.

 

I'd hope one of the buys we make is a set piece specialist as we've been largely woeful at these for years.

 

Ultimately, if we're keeping Shakespeare we just need to do what we've been doing but be better at it. No need for complete wholesale changes, replace the players who want to leave with decent players and add better quality to what we already have to get plenty of competition in. The players on the bench need to be as capable as those playing and then nobody's position in the starting XI should be taken for granted.

 

[Foxy-Lady]

29 minutes ago, Babylon said:

I'm not having that Gray is a star name

 

I think the club will want to get much of our business done VERY early, before we potentially lose a few players. Once they are signed up, it's tough luck then

You make a fair point about Gray!       I included his name purely for the benfit of those who do think he is a 'star' player...! 

[Lovejoy]

Our recruitment last summer was all geared towards providing squad competition and ultimately that was the problem. It is not rocket science that you should sign players with the thought process that they are being signed to be the best in their position. Otherwise there won't really be competition as the likes of Musa was never going to displace any of our starters, and the same goes for Amartey a little further back. In my opinion it's a waste of money unless you're talking a Gray who was always one for the future when we brought him.

 

If we target Adrien Silva, he goes straight in for Drinky, much as I've rated the chap (last three months aside). I think Harry Maguire would be a starter. A strong right back would possibly be too. This would be a far more logical recruitment policy than last year's feeble effort.

[foxy boxing]

the recruitment has been poor too many players brought in that have not improved the first team

 

Slimani - has scored a few goals but doesn't play regularly and has been injured, and can he and Vardy play together!

Musa - has been really poor and made no impact and for the money we paid for him you would have expected him to hit the ground running! is he only effective in one position ie Vardy's

Mendy- young and inexperienced and has been beset by injuries

Amartey - young and inexperienced of the Premier league and has looked out of his depth in games!

Zeiler - backup keeper and clearly not good enough and not commanding of his box enough!

 

We need to significantly strengthen the defence with top centre backs

[Vestan Pance]

I hope I'm wrong with this but our record in the last few transfer windows suggests another failure wouldn't be a surprise. I fully expect us to be scratching around for players again. 

[filbertway]

We'll probably sign about 4 winger/strikers. 3 of whom will be banished to the u23s and one who gets about 5 minutes every week.

 

[Gav_LCFC14]

It's good to see Craig is honest about the problem, it's more promising knowing that management understand and accept our recruitment has been shit.

[ARM1968]

Will need replacements for Kasper, Mahrez and Vardy before we even start - and that alone will be a tough to impossible ask. 

[Milo]

16 hours ago, Corky said:

I don't fancy Zieler as a number one all season

Hell no.

I'll go in goal, mate - no worries

[Lovejoy]

3 hours ago, Gav_LCFC14 said:

It's good to see Craig is honest about the problem, it's more promising knowing that management understand and accept our recruitment has been shit.

Indeed. I remember listening to Claudio after we'd secured none other than Molla Wagúe on deadline day saying we were fine at the back thinking he's either a shocking liar or just losing the plot.