Claude puel will prove to be....

[Livid]

I've been very impressed with the players we've managed to bring in, assuming the two CB's sign up today/tomorrow I think this has been an excellent window for us. Bravo Mr Rudkin et al

 

I'll admit my patience with him was severely tested last season.  Prior to the Arsenal game I had given up on my mantra of "not his team, give him time, give him the summer window" and jumped off the fence into the Puel out camp.

 

He's started to implement the high press which was nowhere to be seen last season (we just seemed to be going through the motions), he is showing faith in youth, brought in some exciting young players and if it wasn't for the fact that my enthusiasm is tempered by the thought of Wes and Benny probably starting at Old Trafford I would be really wired for the start of this season.

 

I think he's going to be alright.

[Buce]

43 minutes ago, l444ry said:

Still feel he'll be gone by Xmas. Love to be proved wrong but think the same old failings  will rear their head once we start playing proper games. 

 

The same old failings? Like no plan 'B'? An ageing defence? An over-reliance on JV to score our goals? Poor squad depth?

 

Those failings pre-date Puel's tenure by some considerable time.

Edited 8 August 2018 by Buce

[Bunyip]

3 hours ago, Clever Fox said:

Then maybe it's time you go to Specsavers before the season starts.

You haven't seen the improvement in Chilwell, NDiddi or Kelechi. Or our possession stats go up. Or us stay in matches longer against the Bigger Clubs.

We're a work in progress not the finished article. It takes 3 season to create a very good side unless you buy all the best players and even then you need some luck.

 

We don't have time for " work in progress " that spells relegation. The Prem is not that forgiving.

[l444ry]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

The same old failings? Like no plan 'B'? An ageing defence? An over-reliance on JV to score our goals? Poor squad depth?

 

Those failings pre-date Puel's tenure by some considerable time.

 

You can add those if you like Buce. I'm more concerned with the consistent slow starts, baffling substitutions and a football style that resembles watching crabs.   

[Buce]

3 minutes ago, l444ry said:

You can add those if you like Buce. I'm more concerned with the consistent slow starts, baffling substitutions and a football style that resembles watching crabs.   

 

Oh, those failings!

 

Well, it's his team now and he's had a full pre-season, so fingers crossed, eh?

[Clever Fox]

43 minutes ago, Bunyip said:

We don't have time for " work in progress " that spells relegation. The Prem is not that forgiving.

Yes we do. The Owners have already decided that were not going to spend the money for instant success.

That only leaves us two options. 1. We build a team over time to achieve success. Which is what Pearson done.

2. We behave like Villa, West Brom, Newcastle etc. That is a recipe for relegation.

I know which option I prefer.

[themightyfin]

Astute in the transfer market.

[Voll Blau]

2 hours ago, Bunyip said:

We don't have time for " work in progress " that spells relegation. The Prem is not that forgiving.

Well, we're in that boat along with about 70% of the league. I'd rather be the kind of "work in progress" club that tries to innovate with its signings and bring through its own youth into the first team, even if we risk being relegated doing so, than one which splashes daft cash year after year just for the sake of being part of the division.

[Gevans_97]

1 hour ago, Bunyip said:

We don't have time for " work in progress " that spells relegation. The Prem is not that forgiving.

I think "work in progress" is more a work is progress to reach the top 6 and Europe where the owners want to be.

 

We're an established premier league side, with young players coming through in a largely experienced squad (last few years.) Building young talent with experience in a "work in progress" to reach European football. Whilst we can't be complacent, I don't think you could argue this side is anywhere near relegation, surely?

[Guest Col city fan]

Do you know when you have that feeling, going into the start of yet another new season, looking at the squad and thinking....’hmmm not sure if that’s going to be good enough to do anything much this year’, other than probably have a bad run or two but end up about mid table.

I have that feeling this season.

I can’t for the life of me imagine how we are going to go away to the Theatre of Dreams on Friday evening, be on the tele and do anything other than lose.

The only saving grace seems to be that Mourinho has finally gone doolally and Pogba don’t wanna play for him.

I’m so sort of ambivalent towards Puel and have just no idea how he is going to do with us.

Heart says top 10 and cup semi final? 

Head says mid table mediocrity.

Cant be any more honest than that and...we’ll see.

[baldeagle]

On 07/08/2018 at 16:31, Ian Nacho said:

I think it's 50/50.

Since when has 65/35 been 50/50 ?

[Legend_in_blue]

I'll be giving my view on him tomorrow once the window is shut.

 

Assuming we get these two CBs in, we can't be anything but optimistic surely?

 

 

[STUHILL]

58 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Do you know when you have that feeling, going into the start of yet another new season, looking at the squad and thinking....’hmmm not sure if that’s going to be good enough to do anything much this year’, other than probably have a bad run or two but end up about mid table.

I have that feeling this season.

I can’t for the life of me imagine how we are going to go away to the Theatre of Dreams on Friday evening, be on the tele and do anything other than lose.

The only saving grace seems to be that Mourinho has finally gone doolally and Pogba don’t wanna play for him.

I’m so sort of ambivalent towards Puel and have just no idea how he is going to do with us.

Heart says top 10 and cup semi final? 

Head says mid table mediocrity.

Cant be any more honest than that and...we’ll see.

I have the same feeling. I think our squad is capable of keeping us well away from any danger at the bottom, but I also think we will struggle to push for European football. A lot depends on what the other teams do around us of course, as I expect another big gap from the top 6 to the rest, and so we could be best from the rest if other teams under perform. 7th to 15th could be separated by only a handful of points and so there is always a chance for 7th.

 

I do feel a certain inevitability for our first game though and expect Man U might win comfortably 2-0, without us really testing them. Hope to be proved wrong! 

[STUHILL]

6 minutes ago, Legend_in_blue said:

I'll be giving my view on him tomorrow once the window is shut.

 

Assuming we get these two CBs in, we can't be anything but optimistic surely?

 

 

If he is sticking with 4 at the back, then we are a top winger short of being genuinely optimistic IMO. 

[jayfox26]

Anybody know why Puel has dropped to 2/1 with skybet to be the 1st manager to leave? Mourinho dropped to 4/1 after his recent outbursts during pre season and all the talks of players being unsettled but now Puel has dropped from around 8/1 to 2/1. 

[Suzie the Fox]

7 hours ago, Col city fan said:

Do you know when you have that feeling, going into the start of yet another new season, looking at the squad and thinking....’hmmm not sure if that’s going to be good enough to do anything much this year’, other than probably have a bad run or two but end up about mid table.

I have that feeling this season.

I can’t for the life of me imagine how we are going to go away to the Theatre of Dreams on Friday evening, be on the tele and do anything other than lose.

The only saving grace seems to be that Mourinho has finally gone doolally and Pogba don’t wanna play for him.

I’m so sort of ambivalent towards Puel and have just no idea how he is going to do with us.

Heart says top 10 and cup semi final? 

Head says mid table mediocrity.

Cant be any more honest than that and...we’ll see.

I have had that feeling many many times in the past, but i honestly feel we will do something special this season. I dont have proof or reasoning for it, and 100% dont have any stats to post, its just a gut feeling.

I also think we will not lose on Friday, call me stupid, you wont be the 1st but i'm actually excited about the new season and cant wait for 1) this transfer season to be over and 2) 8pm Friday night. 

 

 

 

 

[Guy]

Pearson wasn't particularly entertaining as a person either though, almost the English version of Puel if you like! What NP did for our club overall in his two spells really did put back on the map though, in no uncertain terms - and most, myself included, credit him as the main reason why we won the Prem., thanks to his foundation building in his second spell here...which Ranieri then tapped into and oversaw in all the other depts. too, the media handling and keeping the players' feet on the ground included..... 

 

As for the modern day 'hire and fire' happy trend in this country, then some of us on here remember the 80s crystal clear - and we used to reference the word 'madness' as Serie A's attitude to managers.....as regards the instant turnover of club managers in Italy if things weren't going well after one season or less - sadly that attitude amongst the boardroom and over expectant fans (in most cases) is easily more commonplace in the Prem. now than it ever was in the 1980's Serie A for a multitude of reasons! I suppose a club like Leeds is the best example of that here. 

 

I guess things have moved on since those 'stick with the manager and give him time' days though and finishing 9th in the Prem. and reaching two cup quarter finals is no longer considered good enough for a team that was beginning life in League One ten years ago - all as a result of a trigger happy chairman of the time the season before then! The fact that we've since won the Championship and Premier League in the decade since then does hugely influence expectation levels and matters I know but even so, a bit of rationale is what is most required here. I can't believe the stick Puel got last season.....ashamed!

[Suzie the Fox]

1 hour ago, Guy said:

Pearson wasn't particularly entertaining as a person either though, almost the English version of Puel if you like! What NP did for our club overall in his two spells really did put back on the map though, in no uncertain terms - and most, myself included, credit him as the main reason why we won the Prem., thanks to his foundation building in his second spell here...which Ranieri then tapped into and oversaw in all the other depts. too, the media handling and keeping the players' feet on the ground included..... 

 

As for the modern day 'hire and fire' happy trend in this country, then some of us on here remember the 80s crystal clear - and we used to reference the word 'madness' as Serie A's attitude to managers.....as regards the instant turnover of club managers in Italy if things weren't going well after one season or less - sadly that attitude amongst the boardroom and over expectant fans (in most cases) is easily more commonplace in the Prem. now than it ever was in the 1980's Serie A for a multitude of reasons! I suppose a club like Leeds is the best example of that here. 

 

I guess things have moved on since those 'stick with the manager and give him time' days though and finishing 9th in the Prem. and reaching two cup quarter finals is no longer considered good enough for a team that was beginning life in League One ten years ago - all as a result of a trigger happy chairman of the time the season before then! The fact that we've since won the Championship and Premier League in the decade since then does hugely influence expectation levels and matters I know but even so, a bit of rationale is what is most required here. I can't believe the stick Puel got last season.....ashamed!

Sorry no reps left, but great post. 

[volpeazzurro]

13 hours ago, Col city fan said:

Do you know when you have that feeling, going into the start of yet another new season, looking at the squad and thinking....’hmmm not sure if that’s going to be good enough to do anything much this year’, other than probably have a bad run or two but end up about mid table.

I have that feeling this season.

I can’t for the life of me imagine how we are going to go away to the Theatre of Dreams on Friday evening, be on the tele and do anything other than lose.

The only saving grace seems to be that Mourinho has finally gone doolally and Pogba don’t wanna play for him.

I’m so sort of ambivalent towards Puel and have just no idea how he is going to do with us.

Heart says top 10 and cup semi final? 

Head says mid table mediocrity.

Cant be any more honest than that and...we’ll see.

I think you're dead right, but I think and accept that it's a transition that we've got to go through. It's been in need of a root and branch change since our 'win'. From the moment Kante left, a bit of player power, poor recruitment that following season, whatever the well documented reasons were, things started to go down hill badly. Whilst the odd star is vital, a successful team is usually only the sum of all it's parts (we of all teams know that, but, we were left with a mish mosh of not necessarily bad players, but players who were perhaps asked to play out of their natural position or players that couldn't fit in with our particular then style of play or who found it difficult to adapt to the Premiership. 

 

It needed someone to come in and shake things up! We weren't,  despite what some deluded people think, an attractive proposition for a top manager for a number of reasons and neither did there appear to be one available. If it hadn't of been for the odd circumstances at Southampton, I doubt whether we'd have got Puel either. At lesst his previous career in France is respected by a number of quality French players and journalists. Time will tell but this summer's apparent more position targeted approach to our transfers appears much better and you can at least see some rhyme and reason to it. The age of the players and market place that we bought them seems more in keeping with hopefully a buildable brighter future compared with the nearly 30yr olds Slimani, Silva and Iborra type investments for big money in two cases. These being players who have little time left to adjust, no possible sell on value and, arguably,  not that great in the first place.

 

Not all this new batch may work out with question marks perhaps over a couple of them but there does seem at last to be a discernable vision. Sadly it's not all going to join up this season due to words like adapt, gel, youth and inexperience. There's even more promising youth on the sidelines also. There will be mistakes in abundance so expect to lose quite a lot of games but it will be exciting to see them develop over the next couple of years.  Let's just do our best to stay positive rather than those few that clearly just like to appear to know it all and who would find the negative in whatever the club did for there own supposed kudos and personal self gratifying agendas. We're not a big club but a club with big ambitions. The new journey starts here. 

 

 

[MC Prussian]

Ahh, the league prediction and managerial carousel fantasy thread merged into one.

 

As far as Puel is concerned, I do hope he has learned from his previous mistakes and that horrible run of games and some of the most pathetic performances I've seen from us in the Premier League ever during the second half of last season.

Pre-season results have sent out positive signals, such as many established players performing for the manager, youth players given a chance to shine and the inclusion of our new signings.

Sure, people want to like the manager as a person, but also like a competent manager on the sidelines. I think we'd all want to be able to relate to the man in charge, especially once the fanbase realize that the manager is also apt at relating to the fans. That's what Pearson, Ranieri and Shakespeare have done - acknowledging the fans, clapping them, being open to them. Puel doesn't do that. He sticks to himself, retreats quickly, doesn't usually come across as somebody keen on giving interviews or explaining himself (the language barrier certainly doesn't help). Again, I do hope he's learnt from his previous mistakes and starts to open up a little in that regard.

 

Still, a few players need to be sold or shipped out on loan in order to trim down the squad. Once Puel has Maguire and Vardy back, that's when crunch time arrives. Tomorrow's game against Manchester United for me is a pass, because we're not up to full strength yet (given the possibility of some more new signings still). Not going to judge Puel on a game where we're fielding Morgan and Benalouane as the main centre-back pairing, and one of our greatest strikers of all times probably forced to the bench.

 

However, the Wolves home game should be very telling...

[lcfc sheff]

He wants us to be aiming for 6th! I like the ambition!

[mazarron fox]

Any manager that would come to our club in the post premier league win years would  find it very difficult. First of all he would have to deal with the eventual break up of the winning team and evolve into a side that doesn’t depend on counter attack which was becoming brutaly exposed.

it was brilliant to witness and I’m so glad it happened in my lifetime. Before that I thought seeing the boys lift the league cup twice in quick succession would be my lifetime high supporting our great club. Since then trips to Porto and Madrid watching the boys has been the icing on the cake especially amongst the Atletico fans on that great night.

What I like about Puel is that at least he is trying to evolve us correctly with a mixture of experience and youth it’s another question altogether whether he gets time or support but these are surely changes that are needed. As other FT on here have alluded the likes of Mourinho are here for themselves and the now and don’t give a toss about the clubs youth or future only what happens during his tenure.

I hope Puel does well I like at least his thoughts and plans but as we know realization and success with these plans are a different matter altogether.

Enjoy the season

[Vardinio'sCat]

 

better in his second season than his first. The club have addressed many of the imbalances of last season, even if we are a bit unsure if the new faces will deliver.

 

He is even doing jokes now, what with dropping a Harry bombshell on the assembled sporting press. Lets hope we can deliver a decent start and get some momentum going

[Guest Col city fan]

9 hours ago, volpeazzurro said:

I think you're dead right, but I think and accept that it's a transition that we've got to go through. It's been in need of a root and branch change since our 'win'. From the moment Kante left, a bit of player power, poor recruitment that following season, whatever the well documented reasons were, things started to go down hill badly. Whilst the odd star is vital, a successful team is usually only the sum of all it's parts (we of all teams know that, but, we were left with a mish mosh of not necessarily bad players, but players who were perhaps asked to play out of their natural position or players that couldn't fit in with our particular then style of play or who found it difficult to adapt to the Premiership. 

 

It needed someone to come in and shake things up! We weren't,  despite what some deluded people think, an attractive proposition for a top manager for a number of reasons and neither did there appear to be one available. If it hadn't of been for the odd circumstances at Southampton, I doubt whether we'd have got Puel either. At lesst his previous career in France is respected by a number of quality French players and journalists. Time will tell but this summer's apparent more position targeted approach to our transfers appears much better and you can at least see some rhyme and reason to it. The age of the players and market place that we bought them seems more in keeping with hopefully a buildable brighter future compared with the nearly 30yr olds Slimani, Silva and Iborra type investments for big money in two cases. These being players who have little time left to adjust, no possible sell on value and, arguably,  not that great in the first place.

 

Not all this new batch may work out with question marks perhaps over a couple of them but there does seem at last to be a discernable vision. Sadly it's not all going to join up this season due to words like adapt, gel, youth and inexperience. There's even more promising youth on the sidelines also. There will be mistakes in abundance so expect to lose quite a lot of games but it will be exciting to see them develop over the next couple of years.  Let's just do our best to stay positive rather than those few that clearly just like to appear to know it all and who would find the negative in whatever the club did for there own supposed kudos and personal self gratifying agendas. We're not a big club but a club with big ambitions. The new journey starts here. 

 

 

Great post

[Bunyip]

My hope is that we get a good enough start so as to feel comfortable about the rest of the season. If it goes badly from the start then rightly or wrongly Puel will get the blame and I have no doubt the owners will once again be ruthless. With Benitez saying he is only looking for survival at Newcastle after yet another disappointing transfer day for them I could see him being a great option if it all goes wrong.   

 

But on the other hand, we could well see Puel start to flourish with the new players and new style he wants us to play after a negative end to last season due mostly to not having the right players to implement his ideas. Like any season it could go either way but I have a feeling it may well turn out better than most expect. All in all, I think the transfers have been good quality and I'm so looking forward to seeing the men in action. C.O.Y.B's