Squad shaping up

[BrummieFOX]

Whilst I agree the post is a bit optimistic (e.g. Lawrence and Kaputska stepping up to fill Mahrez's void), I think if we started the season tomorrow we'd be fine, without setting the league alight.

 

I think we should count ourselves lucky that we got rid of Ranieri when we did and that we still have SOME of the momentum from our title win, despite much of it being wasted with poor signings, negative tactics and aiming for 40 points. 

[sk3since03]

How dare the OP show so much optimism and positivity  

[ZeGuy]

Still need a FB and a creative player able to fill Mahrez boots.

[foxes21]

its not beyond the realms of possibility that mahrez stays another season.

if he does stay he will be forced to play well again, otherwise the big clubs will never want him.

[Wdywd]

15 minutes ago, foxes21 said:

its not beyond the realms of possibility that mahrez stays another season.

if he does stay he will be forced to play well again, otherwise the big clubs will never want him.

"forced to play well" 

 

Alternatively quadrupled marked and increasingly furious as he gets 2 touches a game

[Guest Col city fan]

I can only assume with Maguire, Iborra and now going after Deeney, that Shakey is looking to be building a squad of strong physiques and strong characters.

That's one way to go, I guess. Physically being dominant over other teams, but it does seem a bit 'West Bromish', so to speak.

How's it looking at the moment, expect strong and solid, rather than little and quick, this season. Generally anyway

[foxinsocks]

19 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

I can only assume with Maguire, Iborra and now going after Deeney, that Shakey is looking to be building a squad of strong physiques and strong characters.

That's one way to go, I guess. Physically being dominant over other teams, but it does seem a bit 'West Bromish', so to speak.

How's it looking at the moment, expect strong and solid, rather than little and quick, this season. Generally anyway

Hmmmm i have a feeling you may be right....( yet hope the deeney thing is not serrious.....) but col, where are the gosls gonna come from? 

[Babylon]

15 hours ago, Kitchandro said:

You're crazy. Being positive is one thing but if we sign no one else we're in trouble.

We only bothered playing for 1/4 of a season and finished midtable. With less games, why would we be in trouble with a squad that's already been improved with Maguire and with players coming back to fitness.

 

You're the ying to his yang, ridiculously negative.

[Guest Col city fan]

Just now, foxinsocks said:

Hmmmm i have a feeling you may be right....( yet hope the deeney thing is not serrious.....) but col, where are the gosls gonna come from? 

Well the issue for much of last season, I always maintained, was lack of supply. Not supply per se, but lack of GOOD supply.

How things stand, nothing much looks to have changed on that score? I'd love to see us compliment the strength, with a real playmaker. 

A big if but should we now just bite the bullet, sell Mahrez if we have to and sign Gylfi, I'd feel much more comfortable on two fronts. Firstly, the supply would instantly rack up a notch. Secondly, I love watching players who can score from outside the box, take quality set plays etc

[Babylon]

25 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

I can only assume with Maguire, Iborra and now going after Deeney, that Shakey is looking to be building a squad of strong physiques and strong characters.

That's one way to go, I guess. Physically being dominant over other teams, but it does seem a bit 'West Bromish', so to speak.

How's it looking at the moment, expect strong and solid, rather than little and quick, this season. Generally anyway

Maguire isn't exactly much more imposing that Wes or Huth, he's a damn site better on the ball though. Until Iborra shows he's up to it, I can't see him being anything other than bench player to offer something a bit different. Yeah Deeney is a bigger presence granted, but so is Slim when we've started with him. I don't think we've gone down that route just yet. If we start buying big burley wingers and full backs then fair enough.

[foxinsocks]

3 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Well the issue for much of last season, I always maintained, was lack of supply. Not supply per se, but lack of GOOD supply.

How things stand, nothing much looks to have changed on that score? I'd love to see us compliment the strength, with a real playmaker. 

A big if but should we now just bite the bullet, sell Mahrez if we have to and sign Gylfi, I'd feel much more comfortable on two fronts. Firstly, the supply would instantly rack up a notch. Secondly, I love watching players who can score from outside the box, take quality set plays etc

Agree re supply.  I personally am over mahrez... if he doesn't go i think we will find it hard to get him firing.  

With the right personal coach i think we can get a lot more from slimani.... but i am not sure if he will knuckle diwn and work to be a prem cf. If he will then great. ... we csn bring in the play  maker

[Nod.E]

James is as good as a new signing for me. 

With him, Iborra and Maguire in the fold we're looking very solid down the middle. I feel quite passionately that Drinkwater has been below par for a while now and though I don't like to pinpoint blame on any one player, I feel his mismanagement of the ball was detrimental to our flow for much of last season, which in my view accounts for much of why we were so uneasy on the eye. A lot of people talk about him being injured but I'm unsure an 'injured' player endures a whole season without a break. I'd hope one of James and Iborra oust him to partner Ndidi if we continue with a 4 in the middle.

Between Maguire, Huth and Morgan I expect we'll settle on a solid back two. If we can add another CB then even better. In terms of a Mahrez replacement, Gray has a lot to do to convince me he's up to it. While he's young and opportunities were limited last season, it felt to me like he ran down blind alleys whenever he got the ball and didn't show much promise. Happy to be proven wrong and we've seen bigger swings in form season on season from different players in the past so I'm not ruling it out.

Regardless of an added CB and whether we get the Mahrez replacement right, I reckon if we were to add inheanacho into the mix we're knocking on the door of 7th/8th. Anything more than that is a bonus for us really so I'm relatively optimistic.

[Nod.E]

14 minutes ago, Babylon said:

We only bothered playing for 1/4 of a season and finished midtable. With less games, why would we be in trouble with a squad that's already been improved with Maguire and with players coming back to fitness.

 

You're the ying to his yang, ridiculously negative.

Kitchandro is the wang to any yang.

[Babylon]

Just now, Nod.E said:

A lot of people talk about him being injured but I'm unsure an 'injured' player endures a whole season without a break.

He was constantly withdrawn from England squads due to constant issues. No question he was carrying a problem for some time, I'm with you on his style. But before the first injury he picked up he was pretty much our only player anywhere close to last seasons form.

[Farrington fox]

16 hours ago, majaco said:

If Iborra signs, we will be looking pretty good.

 

If Mahrez leaves, perhaps Lawrence or Kaputska could step up.  Mahrez is difficult to replace; he has an x factor even if he can frustrate.  However, he was nothing when he signed.  Our League win shows that the  unexpected lurks.

 

I am a fan of Amartey.  Including him, our defensive options, bolstered by Maguire, look strong.  

 

We gave three midfielders who stand out: Drinkwater, Ndidi and Iborra.   Mendy could come good.  James could return.  

 

Vardy has a last great season in him.  Gray waits to be unleashed.   Albrighton is an asset.  Okazaki and Slimani are quality.  I don't know much about Barnes.

 

I'm sure there will be one or more signings.  Appleton has knowledge of lower league quality.   

 

Next season could be another interesting one.

We're in the Premier league not the Championship. I think you're way off, sorry.

[Nod.E]

5 minutes ago, Babylon said:

He was constantly withdrawn from England squads due to constant issues. No question he was carrying a problem for some time, I'm with you on his style. But before the first injury he picked up he was pretty much our only player anywhere close to last seasons form.

Maybe then, even so I don't think he missed many LCFC games. Either way it wasn't as though he looked immobile. His problem was more his distribution than mobility so any injury problem shouldn't take full credit for what was a frankly bizarre season from him. Would genuinely rate him a 2 or 3 for the season.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

1 hour ago, Col city fan said:

I can only assume with Maguire, Iborra and now going after Deeney, that Shakey is looking to be building a squad of strong physiques and strong characters.

That's one way to go, I guess. Physically being dominant over other teams, but it does seem a bit 'West Bromish', so to speak.

How's it looking at the moment, expect strong and solid, rather than little and quick, this season. Generally anyway

It's a fair point, but I also think Shakey wants us to have another game plan other than counter attacking. People were moaning that we seemed to just buy one-dimensional pace merchants until recently, I'm happy with the variety adding some slower players with more presence who are comfortable on the ball into the mix - Maguire, Iborra, James and Deeney. Bear in mind we will still have Vardy, Albrighton, Mahrez (possibly), Gray and Musa (possibly / hopefully not) to provide another dimension but you can't build a team around those types with the exception of Vardy

[Guest Col city fan]

5 minutes ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

It's a fair point, but I also think Shakey wants us to have another game plan other than counter attacking. People were moaning that we seemed to just buy one-dimensional pace merchants until recently, I'm happy with the variety adding some slower players with more presence who are comfortable on the ball into the mix - Maguire, Iborra, James and Deeney. Bear in mind we will still have Vardy, Albrighton, Mahrez (possibly), Gray and Musa (possibly / hopefully not) to provide another dimension but you can't build a team around those types with the exception of Vardy

Aye. Fair point also.

[m4DD0gg]

Pretty bleak, discontent sounds rife and with only one transfer done so far.

 

Huddersfield are showing how it should be done.

[cc_star]

10 minutes ago, m4DD0gg said:

Pretty bleak, discontent sounds rife and with only one transfer done so far.

 

Huddersfield are showing how it should be done.

We signed quite a few last summer, they were wank

 

We HAVE to sign players who will improve what we've got, for Huddesfield that's easy - For us, it's not

 

That Spanish bloke as head of recruitment sounds like he's stealing a living though

[cc_star]

4 hours ago, Col city fan said:

Well the issue for much of last season, I always maintained, was lack of supply. Not supply per se, but lack of GOOD supply.

How things stand, nothing much looks to have changed on that score? I'd love to see us compliment the strength, with a real playmaker. 

A big if but should we now just bite the bullet, sell Mahrez if we have to and sign Gylfi, I'd feel much more comfortable on two fronts. Firstly, the supply would instantly rack up a notch. Secondly, I love watching players who can score from outside the box, take quality set plays etc

Not sure why Gylfi would come to us, but if we can't hold on to Mahrez then we really must get someone like him

[coolhandfox]

The most important aspect for me is how Mr Shakespeare get on in he role of full time manager. Galvanising a squad short term is one thing, a new season will be the acid test.

 

Our poor recruitment last term has left the squad short on quality, we are still lacking in the creative department, and still have an aging defence.

 

I would like to see at least a quality no 10 and a extra wide player, plus a second centreback!

 

I can't help but feel we will be on catch up for a couple of transfers windows after last summers fiasco! 

 

 

[Guest Col city fan]

9 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

The most important aspect for me is how Mr Shakespeare get on in he role of full time manager. Galvanising a squad short term is one thing, a new season will be the acid test.

 

Our poor recruitment last term has left the squad short on quality, we are still lacking in the creative department, and still have an aging defence.

 

I would like to see at least a quality no 10 and a extra wide player, plus a second centreback!

 

I can't help but feel we will be on catch up for a couple of transfers windows after last summers fiasco! 

 

 

The most obvious omission for me is at RB. If Simpson loses form, gets injured etc, who fills in for him in terms of quality at RB? Can Maguire play there?

[AyewJoking]

our team is good if everyone is motivated but we just lack quality players who make the difference when the team is struggling.

 

if the OP thinks we're in good shape if Iborra signs, what does he make of our shape currently?

 

IMO we're still 4/5 players short but either cant sign the quality needed or the manager prefers minor adjustments.

[Unclenobhead]

21 hours ago, majaco said:

If Iborra signs, we will be looking pretty good.

 

If Mahrez leaves, perhaps Lawrence or Kaputska could step up.  Mahrez is difficult to replace; he has an x factor even if he can frustrate.  However, he was nothing when he signed.  Our League win shows that the  unexpected lurks.

 

I am a fan of Amartey.  Including him, our defensive options, bolstered by Maguire, look strong.  

 

We gave three midfielders who stand out: Drinkwater, Ndidi and Iborra.   Mendy could come good.  James could return.  

 

Vardy has a last great season in him.  Gray waits to be unleashed.   Albrighton is an asset.  Okazaki and Slimani are quality.  I don't know much about Barnes.

 

I'm sure there will be one or more signings.  Appleton has knowledge of lower league quality.   

 

Next season could be another interesting one.

Amarty is dogshit ?, Kaputska or Lawrence have never done anything to suggest they could even lace Mahrez's booots ?and mendy is offski ??