Why is Gray Starting

[waylander]

18 minutes ago, weller54 said:

It's absolutely baffling isn't it?... 

Dragovic dropped after some impressive displays!! 

Silva not even used as a sub to replace the totally ineffective James!!... 

WTF is Puel thinking of?.. 

If he plays James and Morgan against Bournemouth then I'll be seriously calling for those nice young men in their clean white coats to come and take him away!! 

Oh there going to take him away ha ha. In puel we trust 

[Blue ROI]

http://www.football365.com/news/f365s-early-loser-demarai-grays-failure-to-launch

F365’s early loser: Demarai Gray’s failure to launch

Date published: Saturday 24th February 2018 3:55

Few players at Leicester would have been happier than Demarai Gray to see Claude Puel replace Craig Shakespeare back in October. Given the French manager’s reputation for putting his faith in young players, it seemed like the right appointment at the perfect time for the winger, who was willing to spread the blame for his own stunted progress.

“Being in and out of the team is not good,” he said in November. “I know what I’m capable of… Over the last 18 months I’ve been held back a bit. Since Puel came in, I feel I’m going to get more chances.”

Having just started the first two games of Puel’s reign, it was a reasonable assumption for Gray to make. Across spells at Lyon, Nice, Southampton and Leicester, Puel has given 29 per cent of the playing time he has had to offer since 2008 to under-23 players. No other manager in Europe’s top five leagues can match the Frenchman’s faith in youth.

Couple that with Gareth Southagte’s willingness to offer England’s Under-21 regular an opportunity at senior level, then you might forgive Gray for expecting this season to be his breakthrough year, at club and international level.

Perhaps his expectation – maybe a sense of entitlement? – has played a small part in the 21-year-old’s struggle to properly seize the opportunities he has been given. Against Stoke at the King Power Stadium, Gray again failed to prosper.

Trusted with a central role, behind Jamie Vardy with Riyad Mahrez and Marc Albrighton flanking him, Gray failed to make any notable impact against a Potters side fighting for their lives.

In a first half during which the hosts enjoyed two-thirds of the possession, only lone striker Vardy had fewer touches than Gray, with Mahrez and Albrighton either side of him considerably more involved. Gray managed to create one half chance, but when his number was up on the hour mark, many might say it was overdue.

Stoke, Geoff Cameron in particular, deserve credit for snuffing out Gray’s threat and cutting off Vardy’s supply line. They defended narrowly, with Maxim Choupo-Moting and Xherdan Shaqiri keeping Leicester’s full-backs in check, and though they had to weather a late storm, Paul Lambert’s side deserved a point for their graft and industry. Entertaining they are not, but Lambert’s priority was to bolster the Premier League’s worst defence. They were a Jack Butland error away from a third clean sheet in five.

But, regardless of the Stoke’s renewed vigour in defence, these are the games where Gray has to repay Puel’s faith by making a difference. As has been the case too often since he was discussing the prospect of an England call-up in November, the former Birmingham attacker flattered to deceive.

Though he has scored three times since Puel took charge, Gray has not created a Premier League goal for a team-mate since December 2016. Indeed, all of the the attackers he started alongside against Stoke, plus Kelechi Iheanacho, have created more opportunities per 90 minutes in open play since the Foxes switched managers.

Tottenham and Bournemouth both had offers for Gray in the region of £30million rejected at the end of the summer window, but Spurs are probably grateful for Leicester’s refusal to sell, given they have since picked up Lucas Moura, an experienced Brazil international, for £5million less than that figure.

Gray cannot effect the market forces but now, nor can he bemoan a lack of regular first-team opportunities. The attacker spoke in November about the need to be consistent, and moving across the forward line perhaps is not conducive to finding and retaining his rhythm. But having also discussed his hopes of a senior call-up in time for the World Cup, it seems Gray needs to take a step back and focus on making a regular impact in the Premier League.

Puel enjoys giving youth its chance, but as his post-match comments about Leicester’s lack of “attacking desire and consistency” suggests, the manager’s patience is not limitless. Especially when the arrival of Fousseni Diabate in January means the Foxes boss has other young players in which to place his trust.

Edited 25 February 2018 by Blue ROI

[NorthfieldsFox]

So many premier league managers on here , I wonder why we struggle to find quality coaches at grass roots jnr football 

[Chocolate Teapot]

13 hours ago, Wymeswold fox said:

A new contract will hardly mean nothing to the player, especially if he had to for the club's sake of trying to get a big fee for him if he's still keen for a move in the future.

Thought it was just an extension, but on enhanced terms?

 

Also heard Roma again tried to negotiate with the club, to try and get a deal done for Mahrez to go there..

Had you heard this from your side of sources?

He got more money as a result of that deal - up to 60k I think. He signed it because he thought he'd get a chance under Puel, and didnt think Shakey would give him a chance.

 

On Roma, i didnt hear that, it was very quiet until the last minute was what I heard, doesn't mean that didn't happen though.

[Col city fan]

Looks to have been very over-rated. I’m not really sure what he does do? He doesn’t score many, doesn’t assist many.

[lgfualol]

4 hours ago, willie-bell-in-rothley said:

Because we cant compete against other sides when we only have 9 men contributing , Gray offers nothing, Chilwell offers nothing as a defender.

Chilwell offers more going forward than Gray

[weller54]

11 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Looks to have been very over-rated. I’m not really sure what he does do? He doesn’t score many, doesn’t assist many.

He steps over many!? 

[chris_lcfc_85]

I don't think he's good enough to play the 10 role yet. He's better out wide for me but on current form he's behind Mahrez, Albrighton and diabate 

[truebluethroughandthrough]

I think his time is running out.

Yesterday wasn’t ideally the game for him to start in the role he did, with stoke sitting so deep it limited his space thus limiting his best attribute - pace.

But he should of been far more involved in play than he was. It’s down to him to make space and show desire and willingness to get on the ball, showed little sign of any of these things yesterday.

Im all for giving players time to settle/adapt and lets be honest, the best of our current first team needed time, got it and improved significantly (Mahrez Vardy).

But with both of those players the improvement was gradual but  visible and obvious (vardys timing, link up. Mahrez tracking back was non existent) but both worked on their weaknesses and vastly improved their performances and increased their worth to the team.

Grays weakness is common among young ‘flair’ players and that’s knowing when to pass and when to dribble. He constantly gets it wrong and it’s frustrating as hell. Riyad still does this also but he’s got better and also has shown on numerous occasions he IS capable of beating 2+men.

Gray hasn’t improved in his weaknesses and I don’t know that he will.

It seems harsh but I say give him till the summer to show a desire to improve and if he doesn’t then loan him to Bournemouth with the hope he has a good season because if we sell him on current form we’d get 17k and a cortina from Barry fry for him

[the fox]

He's very good at playing football but he's not a very good footballer (if that makes sense).

It's like a box full of great cake ingredients. The only problem is, it's just not a cake. At least not yet.

 

He has a world-class footballing body but there's just something not quite right and i find a hard time putting a finger on it. The closest i came to as a conclusion is " lack of intangibles".

 

Reminds me of Andrew Wiggins (a young NBA player). you take a look at him and think "that's some talent right there". then you watch him play and think "so, what happened here?"

Edited 25 February 2018 by the fox

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

6 minutes ago, truebluethroughandthrough said:

I think his time is running out.

Yesterday wasn’t ideally the game for him to start in the role he did, with stoke sitting so deep it limited his space thus limiting his best attribute - pace.

But he should of been far more involved in play than he was. It’s down to him to make space and show desire and willingness to get on the ball, showed little sign of any of these things yesterday.

Im all for giving players time to settle/adapt and lets be honest, the best of our current first team needed time, got it and improved significantly (Mahrez Vardy).

But with both of those players the improvement was gradual but  visible and obvious (vardys timing, link up. Mahrez tracking back was non existent) but both worked on their weaknesses and vastly improved their performances and increased their worth to the team.

Grays weakness is common among young ‘flair’ players and that’s knowing when to pass and when to dribble. He constantly gets it wrong and it’s frustrating as hell. Riyad still does this also but he’s got better and also has shown on numerous occasions he IS capable of beating 2+men.

Gray hasn’t improved in his weaknesses and I don’t know that he will.

It seems harsh but I say give him till the summer to show a desire to improve and if he doesn’t then loan him to Bournemouth with the hope he has a good season because if we sell him on current form we’d get 17k and a cortina from Barry fry for him

Im surprised about people slating his performance yesterday because for me he played in mind of his weaknesses yesterday

 

He has often been slated for poor decision making, taking pot shots, not seeing team mates etc...

 

Yesterday he kept it simple, maybe too simple, but thats what you have to do if things havent been going so well.

 

He was probably one of the least wasteful in possession yesterday in contrast to others in the midfield and his previous games, and he made less mistakes than most

 

I dont think he makes enough direct runs to create space for himself or others, maybe thats why Puel tried him as a number 10 as Gray doesnt stretch the pitch as much as he should as a winger i think

 

But for people to slate him for yesterday when he actually snuffed out the things in his game that he gets criticised on here for every week i dont really get

 

If he starts getting the simple things right first then he has a better chance of building confidence and incorporating the flair aspect of his game

 

Not sure if it was correct to start him as a number 10 yesterday though

[SheppyFox]

1 hour ago, weller54 said:

It's absolutely baffling isn't it?... 

Dragovic dropped after some impressive displays!! 

Silva not even used as a sub to replace the totally ineffective James!!... 

WTF is Puel thinking of?.. 

If he plays James and Morgan against Bournemouth then I'll be seriously calling for those nice young men in their clean white coats to come and take him away!! 

I agree, I’ve heavily supported Puel but recently some decisions have left me utterly confused and annoyed.

[Bezzanator89]

Know that putting Gray back on the bench will give him reason to throw his toys out the pram again, but when Diabaté does more in 30mins than Demarai did in double that, you'd think that Claude needs to shake things up.

 

His selfishness on the ball has always rubbed me up the wrong way. Maybe some time as an impact sub may do him some good to get his confidence back up

[foxile5]

His weakness is his attitude.

 

He won't develop because he doesn't think he should develop. He fully expects to start every game and considered our club beneath him ; all this and he doesn't score or assist.

 

Huge problem, having made it in your own mind - it means there's nowhere else to go. 

 

Bin him and his ego.

[HankMarvin]

Hard to judge him when most of the team look shit.

 

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

19 minutes ago, foxile5 said:

His weakness is his attitude.

 

He won't develop because he doesn't think he should develop. He fully expects to start every game and considered our club beneath him ; all this and he doesn't score or assist.

 

Huge problem, having made it in your own mind - it means there's nowhere else to go. 

 

Bin him and his ego.

Dont think this is true, that he thinks he is developed

 

Wasnt he pictured carrying a self help book the other week?

[foxile5]

Just now, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

Dont think this is true, that he thinks he is developed

 

Wasnt he pictured carrying a self help book the other week?

 

"“I know what I’m capable of… Over the last 18 months I’ve been held back a bit. "

 

This from a man who is neither scoring nor assisting and, if we're being objective, hasn't ever really made much of an impact at this level. The last 18 months he's done MUCH, MUCH less than several other members of the team. That is his own fault, nobody elses.

 

This is the attitude children have when they mess up - it is everything else's fault : the sun, the time of day, the clothes. the grass, the wind etc etc.

 

Carrying a self-help book is not an analogue for understanding the need to develop one's professional skills over a period of time. 

 

 

[Colourmy]

25 minutes ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

Dont think this is true, that he thinks he is developed

 

Wasnt he pictured carrying a self help book the other week?

Hello again Mrs. Grey. Did you have a nice Sunday lunch?

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

59 minutes ago, foxile5 said:

 

"“I know what I’m capable of… Over the last 18 months I’ve been held back a bit. "

 

This from a man who is neither scoring nor assisting and, if we're being objective, hasn't ever really made much of an impact at this level. The last 18 months he's done MUCH, MUCH less than several other members of the team. That is his own fault, nobody elses.

 

This is the attitude children have when they mess up - it is everything else's fault : the sun, the time of day, the clothes. the grass, the wind etc etc.

 

Carrying a self-help book is not an analogue for understanding the need to develop one's professional skills over a period of time. 

 

 

Reading a self help book means that you want to develop yourself.  It doesnt mean you dont think you need help

 

I agree he hasnt done well this season in the premier league. Last season he wasnt getting game time when he should have been because everyone else was s**t. Thats what he was complaining about and i agreed.  Admittedly he was perhaps a bit arrogant and thought he would do better than he has done with his opportunities

 

This season he has not taken his chances well and I bet he knows he's not been good enough and to me yesterday's game looked like he was trying to aid the team and get the simple things right.

 

I agree he has not lived up to the hype. But I think the criticism he is getting on here for yesterday is unfair and people are just angry that we didnt win and are venting on him. I say this because he didnt have a terrible game yesterday, he did not play selfishly and he did play for the team.

 

That being, of course on the whole he needs to improve

 

 

But I must confess a bias because he did come out of my vagina

 

Yours

 

Mrs Gray

Edited 25 February 2018 by AlloverthefloorYesNdidi