unrest in the squad

[Captain...]

3 minutes ago, Donut said:

Its a well considered response, but this same group of players are the ones who literally mullered Everton for 60 mins and won easily, mullered Southampton away, Played brilliantly for large spells against Newcastle away and Spurs at home, both wins, spanked Huddersfield, spanked West Brom etc etc

 

They CAN implement new ideas. When Puel first came here, his opening 6 or 7 games were exceptional quality.

 

I just don't buy that you can get fully on board with someone from the get go, yet find them confusing and demotivating a few months down the line. That surely has to come from within the group of players, not the manager?

 

And Puel is also trying to improve the players. Do players like Danny SImpson have a glass ceiling? do they just accept im actually bang average so I wont work at my game? ill just maintain a bang average level which needs no improvement from myself because im likely to be picked anyway? why do they have that attitude where someone like Guardiola can take a failing player like Sterling and revolutionise him? Sterling is also a limited footballer, or was, just in a different area of the field.

 

And on the subject of minimising what they are good at........... what they were supposedly "good at" was failing miserably, and they've most certainly improved under Puel, points wise no question from the latter days of Ranieri and league position wise massively from Shakespeare.

 

So its not like their "strengths" were translating themselves into attributes that could win football matches. Not anymore it seems.

 

I feel really strongly that this is the time to stick with Puel and build on this project rather than binning it for something that is akin to a painkiller. A manager that makes everything feel good for a while, then the pain hurts twice as bad when it wears off.

 

 

A fair reply, and yes they can improve, but we are talking about Danny Simpson and Wes Morgan, not Raheem Sterling is who much younger and much more talented. It also took time for him to adapt. The other problem is it seems that it is those 2 in particular that are getting stick from the fans and they are being exposed by Puel's style and getting criticism for trying to implement it. If they aren't playing well in that formation/style then drop them or change the formation, don't keep flogging a dead horse. We have options, use them, force Simpson, Morgan, Albrighton etc to up their game or play someone who will. Puel has his style and his vision and if that is the direction we are to go in then he should pick the players that suit it, not try and get players to do something they are not capable of.

 

As for the early performances, the big difference was motivation and desire, I am no ITK, so this is pure speculation, but when you play like we did and destroy teams like Everton, Southampton, Newcastle and beat Spurs  and the manager is still trying to change things, that can affect motivation. The new manager bounce is a motivational thing, new manager, new hunger and desire, time to impress and show what you can do. The players showed what they can do in that spell, but Puel has not been able to get them to repeat it. The more he tries to implement his ideas the worse we look. We have lost all penetration by passing it sideways and being one dimensional in attacking the flanks. The instructions seem to be for Iborra and Ndidi to hold and Simpson to get forwards, which just makes no sense.

 

I want to like Puel, but I have found the last few months to be just plain dull, even the last minute equaliser at Bournemouth and sticking 4 past West Brom didn't excite me. He isn't getting the players fired up and any momentum is killed by crap passing in the middle of the park, because we are not a very good passing side. Possession is fine if you do something with it, but the more passes we make the more chances we have of giving the ball away. The more passes we make along the back 4 the more chances we have of giving the ball away in a dangerous position. Teams will know that Simpson and Morgan are not that comfortable on the ball so they will target them, and expose them.

[Donut]

3 minutes ago, Captain... said:

A fair reply, and yes they can improve, but we are talking about Danny Simpson and Wes Morgan, not Raheem Sterling is who much younger and much more talented. It also took time for him to adapt. The other problem is it seems that it is those 2 in particular that are getting stick from the fans and they are being exposed by Puel's style and getting criticism for trying to implement it. If they aren't playing well in that formation/style then drop them or change the formation, don't keep flogging a dead horse. We have options, use them, force Simpson, Morgan, Albrighton etc to up their game or play someone who will. Puel has his style and his vision and if that is the direction we are to go in then he should pick the players that suit it, not try and get players to do something they are not capable of.

 

As for the early performances, the big difference was motivation and desire, I am no ITK, so this is pure speculation, but when you play like we did and destroy teams like Everton, Southampton, Newcastle and beat Spurs  and the manager is still trying to change things, that can affect motivation. The new manager bounce is a motivational thing, new manager, new hunger and desire, time to impress and show what you can do. The players showed what they can do in that spell, but Puel has not been able to get them to repeat it. The more he tries to implement his ideas the worse we look. We have lost all penetration by passing it sideways and being one dimensional in attacking the flanks. The instructions seem to be for Iborra and Ndidi to hold and Simpson to get forwards, which just makes no sense.

 

I want to like Puel, but I have found the last few months to be just plain dull, even the last minute equaliser at Bournemouth and sticking 4 past West Brom didn't excite me. He isn't getting the players fired up and any momentum is killed by crap passing in the middle of the park, because we are not a very good passing side. Possession is fine if you do something with it, but the more passes we make the more chances we have of giving the ball away. The more passes we make along the back 4 the more chances we have of giving the ball away in a dangerous position. Teams will know that Simpson and Morgan are not that comfortable on the ball so they will target them, and expose them.

I take all your points on board. I think the last probably 2 months has been akin to wading through treacle. It seems hard work.

 

But i do think the basis of what we are trying to do has merit and requires more patience from the fans.

 

I mean, when we make our shopping list for the summer of transfer targets, whats the point in us looking at players who have actual skills and talents, if we want to move back to our "Leicester Way" identity? when you have a player like Iborra for example who has a good ability to control the tempo of the game and make little angles for passes, and instead we either thump it over his head and miss him out all together, or we tell him not to control the middle of the pitch by going into the channels all the time.

 

Whats the point in lauding a genuine ball playing defender like Maguire when he would be irrelevant in a direct style. Youd want two nightclub bouncers who were nutty enough to throw their head at balls most people wouldnt play with their feet and who could smash a ball as far away from our goal as possible.

 

Whats the point in looking for a skillful, intricate number 10, a position we have tried to fill for a series of windows, when theres no point in having one. All you need is a sewer rat who will look to cause panic by nothing other than intense work rate, constantly looking for the merest crumbs of service and being a nuisance.

 

If its more effective to play that way, then why did people want ball playing defenders in the transfer window? why did people laud Sigurdsson so much? why do people criticise the likes of Simpson and Morgan.....theyre exactly what you want, if you want this style of play.

 

The motivation for the players NOW should be the europa league. But frankly, unlike fans it wouldnt surprise me if they were the least bit arsed about that competition deep down. They just see flights to Cyprus and Bulgaria a pain in the arse, rather than a competition to be proud of being in.

 

They should also be showing that i am the man you want to pick, in my position, next season. Ive got the skills. You cant replace me with anything better. But do they? do they really extend themselves enough? lets be honest some players like Morgan and Simpson, James, probably Okazaki, Gray might be on that list....theyve got a nice little earner here. No one else would want them. they know the going is good at Leicester.

 

I do think Puel is guilty of showing faith to certain players, which has been a downfall of other managers too. Faith to the dependable Morgan, knowing he has a better centreback option yet shows faith to the leader, the captain. Shows faith to Simpson whos been a fixture throughout the title win. Faith to Mahrez that despite some tepid performances, he will keep the shop window open for him as not to cost the club money and to get him his move in the summer, faith to Okazaki as a workhorse favourite when really he would love just a better footballer in his position.

 

But i think given chance, we have to give him far more time and just buy into his ideas.

 

 

 

 

[Gazza M]

The players can **** off if this is true. They can't dine out on two years ago now. They weren't performing under Shakey either. Too cliquey by far this squad! 

[Corky]

They didn't want Ranieri so downed tools and put us in a relegation battle. They very publically said who the next manager should be and proceeded to leave us in the relegation zone. Now this one apparently doesn't work the way they want so now we wait to see a response. 

 

Thankfully we're away from the bottom three.

[NotTheMarketLeader]

3 minutes ago, Donut said:

I take all your points on board. I think the last probably 2 months has been akin to wading through treacle. It seems hard work.

 

But i do think the basis of what we are trying to do has merit and requires more patience from the fans.

 

I mean, when we make our shopping list for the summer of transfer targets, whats the point in us looking at players who have actual skills and talents, if we want to move back to our "Leicester Way" identity? when you have a player like Iborra for example who has a good ability to control the tempo of the game and make little angles for passes, and instead we either thump it over his head and miss him out all together, or we tell him not to control the middle of the pitch by going into the channels all the time.

 

Whats the point in lauding a genuine ball playing defender like Maguire when he would be irrelevant in a direct style. Youd want two nightclub bouncers who were nutty enough to throw their head at balls most people wouldnt play with their feet and who could smash a ball as far away from our goal as possible.

 

Whats the point in looking for a skillful, intricate number 10, a position we have tried to fill for a series of windows, when theres no point in having one. All you need is a sewer rat who will look to cause panic by nothing other than intense work rate, constantly looking for the merest crumbs of service and being a nuisance.

 

If its more effective to play that way, then why did people want ball playing defenders in the transfer window? why did people laud Sigurdsson so much? why do people criticise the likes of Simpson and Morgan.....theyre exactly what you want, if you want this style of play.

 

The motivation for the players NOW should be the europa league. But frankly, unlike fans it wouldnt surprise me if they were the least bit arsed about that competition deep down. They just see flights to Cyprus and Bulgaria a pain in the arse, rather than a competition to be proud of being in.

 

They should also be showing that i am the man you want to pick, in my position, next season. Ive got the skills. You cant replace me with anything better. But do they? do they really extend themselves enough? lets be honest some players like Morgan and Simpson, James, probably Okazaki, Gray might be on that list....theyve got a nice little earner here. No one else would want them. they know the going is good at Leicester.

 

I do think Puel is guilty of showing faith to certain players, which has been a downfall of other managers too. Faith to the dependable Morgan, knowing he has a better centreback option yet shows faith to the leader, the captain. Shows faith to Simpson whos been a fixture throughout the title win. Faith to Mahrez that despite some tepid performances, he will keep the shop window open for him as not to cost the club money and to get him his move in the summer, faith to Okazaki as a workhorse favourite when really he would love just a better footballer in his position.

 

But i think given chance, we have to give him far more time and just buy into his ideas.

 

 

 

 

He is employed to get the best out of the players we have, which he is not doing.

 

I don’t believe it makes any sense that we can’t create more than one shot on target at home with the players we have.

 

Silva, Gray, Diabate, Mahrez, Vardy etc are more than good enough to be a very good attacking unit, but we’ve regressed in the last two months to be a totally boring and negative side.

 

On that basis I cannot see why we would want to continue with this bloke. 

 

Pressing, attacking, high tempo football is the only way a team without the best quality players can make a fist of attempting to challenge and beat the better sides.

 

Passing the ball around slowly has never worked before and will not work while Puel has a hole in his arse.  Note two months results / performances for confirmation of that.

 

Tactics aside; is he a bloke who is going to motivate and inspire players? 

 

I think we we can all see he isn’t.

 

Ffs get rid: its a complete waste of time with this guy, the whole setup is simply going through the motions; fans will not continue to pay to see such boring unadventurous play as we have witnessed; the better players we have will leave if he stays, mark my words.

[David Hankey]

How often have we heard that players don't this tactic or that tactic since we arrived back in the Premiership. The fact is that the Club employ a manager whose job it is to manage and with the helped of his assistants set tactics against whatever the opposition is. What needs to be asked is; does the Club have the players to take us to the next level and the answer after Saturday's dismal display is abundantly NO!!

 

Players have too much power nowadays and with the antics of mischievous agents in the background it is becoming more difficult for them all to be singing and playing off the same hymn sheet. It's high time many got their heads down, did their job and started to respect the manager whoever he is.

[Donut]

The whole irony of this situation is, when a manager is sacked, they feel stung by the criticisim.

 

So they up their performance level, they want to "show a reaction"....."prove a point" to everyone.

 

And in doing so, all they achieve is simply to prove the point that they could have given more, and prove they have qualities that they dont show often enough.

 

They actually prove their critics right.

[volpeazzurro]

2 hours ago, Nigel Graham Pearson said:

The owners have entrusted Puel with making training and tactics decisions, and all the rest of the things a manager does. As long as that’s the case, they should shut up, grow up and do the job for which they are paid obscene amounts of money. 

Absolutely,  I second this. We heard the same regarding Ranieri. When they got their way with Shakespeare look how far that got them! If it was as simple as letting players sort themselves out there wouldn't be a need for managers. How many players in a team would want different things? Or would the biggest and possibly the thickest decide?

IF there is unrest then the main protagonists need getting rid of once and for all. No player is bigger than the manager. Unrest could simply be because certain individuals aren't getting a game, but again, that has to be down to the manager and not a popularity decision. 

It could be the mischievous press however who were dying to make that point in reference to Southampton before he'd even met our squad. Funny how he didn't have that reputation in France where a number of quality players praise him very highly. For all his faults Southampton have dropped like a stone without him this year. He did what he could there and played a style commensurate with what players they had available. Some people here likewise had typecadt him even before he'd started work! Without Kante and Drinkwater to execute it, our previous style was blown.  Our unremarkable team on paper was successful because of the sum of all of its parts. Some parts were sold, end of.  He's evaluating what we've got and some, despite their price tags, aren't fit for purpose. 

[gerrytaggart]

****ing hell...a bunch of overpaid pampered athletes dont like the way their superior makes them train or the tactics he employs?!.

 

well whoopdy doo, **** off and find a club and manager who will kiss your arse and let you train how you like.

 

Personally I think its just a load of bollocks story.

 

[Matt]

41 minutes ago, Corky said:

They didn't want Ranieri so downed tools and put us in a relegation battle. They very publically said who the next manager should be and proceeded to leave us in the relegation zone. Now this one apparently doesn't work the way they want so now we wait to see a response. 

 

Thankfully we're away from the bottom three.

Before I start the player's demands stink and I don’t agree with it or condone it, however I’m trying to take a view of both sides but I can kind of agree with the players to some extent.

 

So, they didn’t want Ranieri - they did bloody well in that first season under him for someone they didn’t want....

 

He then proceeded to change things in the 2nd season, it didn’t work, shit was signed (he was failed by the recruitment team), he got rid of important staff, it seemed very “his way” and wholesale changes, whilst I can understand him changing little things and putting his 'stamp' on things, why make so many big changes (before anything necessarily needed changing - don't fix what ain't broken) when by his own admission nothing needed changing in that first season under him.

 

However I did read they “ridiculed” him from pretty much day 1, how true it is we don't know, the point remains that they did incredibly well for someone they 'didn’t want' though.

 

Shakepeare, I believe they did play for him, but a tough start and it was a tough start mixed with Shakespeare trying to play too safe left us in a hole and it ultimately cost him.

 

Under Puel, it must be quite depressing and frustrating. It’s frustrating to watch, must be even worse to play in.

 

Alternatively why haven’t these managers had the bollocks to stand up to the player demands.

 

Maybe a disciplinarian is what is needed, Stand no shit, don’t let players simply walk back into the team, for starters.

Edited 9 April 2018 by Matt

[Vlad the Fox]

Remember when Pearson came in, remember there was unrest in the squad, remember that it was claimed that players thought they could get him the sack. Remember  that Pearson kicked them into touch and remember how he then built a team and backroom staff that that formed the foundation to our glory.

 

I'm not saying that Puel is going to repeat what went before or that he is the answer, but I'm sure a lot of people getting excited by this, seeing it as a justification for their desire to sack the manager, are big fans of what Pearson did here. I could also go further back, remember Martin O'Neil, remember his first 8 or so games, remember shef United at home with the Kop calling for his head. 

 

Patience and time, our owners have proved shrewd enough and ruthless enough to make changes (or not) when needed. If things are wrong then they'll make them, over the years I've heard so many rumours of similar nature. There's always someone unhappy at a football club.

Edited 9 April 2018 by Vlad the Fox

[foxinsocks]

7 minutes ago, Vlad the Fox said:

Remember when Pearson came in, remember there was unrest in the squad, remember that it was claimed that players thought they could get him the sack. Remember  that Pearson kicked them into touch and remember how he then built a team and backroom staff that that formed the foundation to our glory.

 

I'm not saying that Puel is going to repeat what went before or that he is the answer, but I'm sure a lot of people getting excited by this, seeing it as a justification for their desire to sack the manager, are big fans of what Pearson did here. I could also go further back, remember Martin O'Neil, remember his first 8 or so games, remember shef United at home with the Kop calling for his head. 

 

Patience and time, our owners have proved shrewd enough and ruthless enough to make changes (or not) when needed. 

I remember and we were right to moan. ... i expect you might have a varying opinion.

[lgfualol]

Players wont be happy until there is no manager and they call the shots in terms of team, tactics, etc. We will just keep hiring people and then spending millions getting rid because the snakes come out when they dont get their way.

[foxinsocks]

What about unrest in the fans?

 

All managers get sacked...might as well start moaning early 

[Donut]

3 minutes ago, NotTheMarketLeader said:

He is employed to get the best out of the players we have, which he is not doing.

 

I don’t believe it makes any sense that we can’t create more than one shot on target at home with the players we have.

 

Silva, Gray, Diabate, Mahrez, Vardy etc are more than good enough to be a very good attacking unit, but we’ve regressed in the last two months to be a totally boring and negative side.

 

On that basis I cannot see why we would want to continue with this bloke. 

 

Pressing, attacking, high tempo football is the only way a team without the best quality players can make a fist of attempting to challenge and beat the better sides.

 

Passing the ball around slowly has never worked before and will not work while Puel has a hole in his arse.  Note two months results / performances for confirmation of that.

 

Tactics aside; is he a bloke who is going to motivate and inspire players? 

 

I think we we can all see he isn’t.

 

Ffs get rid: its a complete waste of time with this guy, the whole setup is simply going through the motions; fans will not continue to pay to see such boring unadventurous play as we have witnessed; the better players we have will leave if he stays, mark my words.

Youre almost the walking cliche angry fan.

 

First of all, why have the last three managers managed to get the best out of the players, but in a short burst, before everything starts to revert to a tepid level? In fairness, Ranieri's burst was prolonged enough that something miraculous was achieved which will live in the memory forever. But then, it all goes flat again. And again with Shakespeare. And now again with Puel. Who are the constants in this scenario? the three managers, or the one group of players?

 

Your point about motivating and inspiring players. Who knows. I dont draw the conclusion that he isnt inspirational because he is French and quiet, which lets be honest, youre doing. So when you can all see he isnt inspirational, no we cant actually. Lots of fans are happy to give Puel time. He inspired Monaco to win a Ligue 1 and Lyon to reach a Champions League semi final, which aint bad for a duffer.

 

Your point about better players leaving. The one better player that will leave will be Mahrez. Definitely not Puel's fault. Mahrez has twice tried to orchestrate his own transfer away from Leicester, so it hardly seems fair to blame Puel for the actions of a player who has tried to force his own move out of Leicester. The other players, who knows. The club has to accept bids it feels are reasonable. thats why a wantaway player cant just up sticks and move, if his value isnt met.

 

Your comment about pressing, high tempo attacking football being the only way a side of lesser ability can win games is just completely wrong. Too many examples to mention. Notable ones would be Greece in the Euro's who relied on pure defensive organisation and resilience, Portugal in the Euro's who used similar tactics but the focal point of Ronaldo, the Chile side who won the Copa America under Sampaoli who at times played a 3-1-3-3 matrix formation no one had ever heard of, The Chelsea team who won the league last season playing a 3 at the back countering system and a focal point striker, the Inter Milan Catennacio team, the list could go on, and on, and on, and on.

 

And anyway, even if it was ALWAYS the best way to get results, what part of our style in the later Ranieri days, and then under Shakespeare, was attacking (??????) or was about pressing (??????) we were sitting deep, sucking teams onto us, and then trying to counter them.

 

We actually DID play with better style in Ranieri's early days like in the wins away at Swansea and Newcastle 3-0, Sunderland 4-2 at home, Stoke 3-0 at home with progression, passing, movement and skill.......and then we became a complete parody of "the Leicester way" by playing a tempo so fast as soon as a player received the ball it was like a grenade had landed at their feet, and by sitting further and further back.

 

Youve also done the walking cliche tactic of ignoring all the good performances and wins, and why wouldnt you, as it makes your non existent argument fail if you did point out weve been excellent in some games, and then used your own confirmation bias to assume we all hold your views.

 

Thank god we dont.

[Guest]

Damn you Riyad 

[sylofox]

If there is any truth in this unrest shite Imo only one person to blame. If he sacks Puel it will only make it worse.

 

Vichai needs to get to the bottom sort out the bad eggs and fvck em off. I personally would not be surprised if Mahrez was not one. Not because I think he's real trouble but because he's pissed again he's not got his move.

[reynard]

If true the answer for the players is really quite simple. Put in written transfer requests and ensure through their agents that this is made public. Then we can see the depth of the problem.

 

There are however, always two sides to every story and if this is true then I'm not surprised, disappointed but not surprised. After all enjoying  work should be part of it, if you're really not enjoying it then maybe it is time to try and move on. Players can do this , fans cannot. At present the only time I've been more bored watching Leicester was under Megson.

[foxfanazer]

4 hours ago, Nigel Graham Pearson said:

The owners have entrusted Puel with making training and tactics decisions, and all the rest of the things a manager does. As long as that’s the case, they should shut up, grow up and do the job for which they are paid obscene amounts of money. 

This, this and this!

 

Need a bit of a clear out in the summer, no more keeping players out of sentimentality 

 

[Vacamion]

 

People suggesting that the current group would only play for Pearson.

 

Yeah, right.   Like Pearson tolerated any player giving it Billy Big Bollocks during his spells here. 

 

One of his biggest achievements was offing overpaid strollers who were poisoning the dressing room.

 

Hmm, I wonder if that's a problem, now?

 

Reckon Claude should put on his white trainers and have a bit of a clear out....

[lgfualol]

Pearson couldnt handle a team with our wages. Hence Belgian league 2 where players get a quid a week.

[FoxyPalace.com]

Ranieri MK2.......

[Nigel Graham Pearson]

I really doubt Mahrez is one of the upset players. He doesn’t seem to be a part of the central clique (if it is a clique). Further, he’s been much better under Puel, and is too talented to have an affinity for the ol’ sit back, hoof and run like mad approach. 

[BenTheFox]

1 hour ago, lgfualol said:

Pearson couldnt handle a team with our wages. Hence Belgian league 2 where players get a quid a week.

Maybe that's a fair point. I love the bloke, but the players and their attitudes have have changed since he was here. 

[whoareyaaa]

20 minutes ago, Vacamion said:

 

People suggesting that the current group would only play for Pearson.

 

Yeah, right.   Like Pearson tolerated any player giving it Billy Big Bollocks during his spells here. 

 

One of his biggest achievements was offing overpaid strollers who were poisoning the dressing room.

 

Hmm, I wonder if that's a problem, now?

 

Reckon Claude should put on his white trainers and have a bit of a clear out....

Probably need someone with his character to handle these types of players, Puel isn't cut out for it.