Popular Post Paddy_D Posted 2 August 2019 Popular Post Posted 2 August 2019 Might be posted elsewhere..... Seems a fair assessment. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/02/premier-league-2019-20-preview-leicester-brendan-rodgers-perez-tielemans Premier League 2019‑20 preview No 9: Leicester City Premier League 2019-20 previews Premier League 2019‑20 preview No 9: Leicester City The captures of Ayoze Pérez and Youri Tielemans have the potential to lift Brendan Rodgers’ buoyant side up another level Guardian writers’ predicted position: 7th (NB: this is not necessarily Paul Doyle’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips) Last season’s position: 9th Odds to win the league (via Oddschecker): 250-1 It is advancing nicely, Leicester City’s plan to evolve from blue sky champions into contenders for all seasons. No one expects the upcoming campaign to yield a repeat of the 2016 title bonanza but Brendan Rodgers’ team could prove to be better than the league-winning one even without achieving as much. Leicester have a squad full of energy, invention and versatility, and they should threaten the elite this season no matter what becomes of Harry Maguire. Rodgers has the tools and knowhow to build on the useful work done by his predecessor, Claude Puel. The Frenchman began Leicester’s transition from counterattacking sensations to slick all-rounders but he did not have the personality or personnel to complete it. Rodgers is better armed. For a start, he may well have found the solution to the riddle that has stumped Leicester for much of the past three seasons: what to do when opponents neutralise Jamie Vardy by depriving him of space? The answer is to give Vardy better support while also developing an attack with more prongs. Ayoze Pérez, signed from Newcastle for £30m, is ideally suited to succeeding where players such as Kelechi Iheanacho and Islam Slimani have failed. Pérez gives Rodgers precious options because he can play either as a partner for Vardy or as a winger; in either role he is skilful and clever enough to link play and deadly enough to finish most chances. Think of him as a belated upgrade on dear Shinji Okazaki, with far more goals plus occasional razzle-dazzle on the wing. Leicester’s other big summer signing is likely to prove even more valuable. Youri Tielemans thrived after being lured on loan by Puel in January and his decision to commit permanently to Leicester is a powerful endorsement and driver of the club’s hopes under Rodgers. If the Belgian, 22, can consistently produce the form he showed in a dozen league games last season, then Leicester will be uplifted by one of the finest playmakers in the Premier League. Tielemans’ vision and passing can elevate Leicester to a higher level, enabling them to unhinge defences with faster and less predictable attacks. And opponents dare not over-commit to stifling him because doing so would give more freedom to Leicester’s other mischief-makers, particularly James Maddison or any of the team’s bevy of dangerous wide players, whether that be Pérez, the underrated Marc Albrighton (challenge: without even considering his other qualities, name five Premier League players who cross the ball better than Albrighton) or Harvey Barnes, a 21-year-old who can be expected to shred many defences and to develop more composure in front of goal (mind you, something similar was said about Demarai Gray a year ago and he is one of the few young players at Leicester who has not progressed as hoped – but, at 23, he still has time. This is a big season for him.) Rodgers wants to strengthen that armoury by signing another offensive midfielder. The attackers Rodgers deploys, and in whichever formation, are likely to enjoy regular support from two of the best full-backs in the Premier League, Ben Chilwell and Ricardo Pereira. Leicester’s creative talents should revel on the stage secured for them by an excellent midfield linchpin, Wilfried Ndidi, who will be assisted when required by Hamza Choudhury, another young player nurtured under Puel who could flourish even more under Rodgers. In collective terms, at least, the Northern Irishman has shown signs of giving Leicester the cohesion, intensity and tempo that Puel said he was working towards but did not reach regularly. Leicester were often wasteful last season (Opta, for what it is worth, tell us they were a top-six team in terms of chances created, averaging 13.6 per match – or 14 after the arrival of Rodgers – compared with Arsenal’s 12.3). Everything suggests that this term they are are going to create and convert far more chances. Thank you for your feedback. But how well will they defend? That depends partly on how they deal with the Maguire fandango. It would obviously be handier for Leicester not to have to replace the England centre-back on the eve of the campaign. He was not at his best last season but was highly influential, a useful carrier and distributor of the ball as well as a formidable stopper whose aerial power was one of the reasons why Leicester conceded fewer goals from set pieces than any other team in the league. But his loss could be mitigated by a smart purchase – the interest in Lewis Dunk, for example, is sensible, as, without being as nimble on the ball as Maguire, the Brighton player is solid. But he, or whoever Leicester signed, would have to find his feet quickly. Indeed, there is a case for Leicester signing another centre-back even if Maguire stays but the club seems to be counting on the classy Jonny Evans avoiding injuries, the 35-year-old Wes Morgan telling Father Time to back off, or Caglar Soyuncu or Filip Benkovic fulfilling their uncertain potential. In goal, at least, there are no doubts: Danny Ward is a sound deputy to the reliable Kasper Schmeichel. Last May Leicester would have introduced a dramatic twist into the title race if not for a wild miss by Iheanacho at Manchester City. By next May they could have really shaken up the top clubs. We will soon have a clearer idea of how likely they are to do that, as their first eight matches include jousts with Wolves, Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool, all of whom finished above them last season and all of whom, unlike Leicester, must contend with European action on top domestic duties this term. 6
Popular Post Tanya Posted 3 August 2019 Popular Post Posted 3 August 2019 I'm not sure if this is the right thread, but I just got home from holiday in Vanuatu. My partner and I were sightseeing and I saw our guide had a PSG ball on his dashboard. Sensing a chance to (finally) talk football, we had a pleasant enough chat about PSG and the French league in general (shared conclusion: Neymar is toxic barnacle that needs to be removed. And the bloke totally blanked on Puel). Anyway, we finally got to who I support, and when I said Leicester, the guy brightened and started talking very quickly about "fairy tales" and "the great underdog." It was really heartwarming, because these guys don't watch the Prem. They only get the French league over there, and only care about the domestic teams in the Champions League. But this guy knew who we are and had such genuine, unaffected affection towards us. And this was right in the thick of the jungle in Vanuatu. Just goes to show you how our title win really resonated everywhere. I'm still a little down about Harry since he's one of my favourite players, but really, when you think about it, we have such a great platform to build on that success. It makes me proud to be a Fox. 17 2
davieG Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 Can't listen to this myself. All About Leicester: With Schmeichel, Rodgers and Fuchs Football Daily Steve Crossman goes behind the scenes at Leicester City in the second of our series of Premier League specials. Radio 5 podcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07jnlwy 3
Popular Post davieG Posted 3 August 2019 Popular Post Posted 3 August 2019 Wow what ****ing great wordsmith ***** I bet the ***** were up all night writing that ****ing master piece. 5
Leicester_Loyal Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 It's going to be hilarious if he gets found out there on the counter attack. 1
HybridFox Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 38 minutes ago, Leicester_Loyal said: It's going to be hilarious if he gets found out there on the counter attack. scenes of him chasing down Vardy as he's through on goal
srbfox Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 1 hour ago, TK95 said: Not sure if it's been posted elsewhere Manure fans are really an embarrassment! they have turned into everything the dislike, Liverpool fans!
ithuriel Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 4 minutes ago, srbfox said: Manure fans are really an embarrassment! they have turned into everything the dislike, Liverpool fans! Who cares, the plasticy wankers will soon be crying when they still are not winning the league after splashing so much more cash and increasing their debt and then start seeing who else they can drag to that theatre of faded dreams, the career graveyard of ye Old Trafford.
srbfox Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 2 minutes ago, ithuriel said: Who cares, the plasticy wankers will soon be crying when they still are not winning the league after splashing so much more cash and increasing their debt and then start seeing who else they can drag to that theatre of faded dreams, the career graveyard of ye Old Trafford. True - but when the misses is one it does get on my tits a bit 1
The Bear Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 I take it he'll still get a good reception at the King Power?
TheSomersetFox Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 1 minute ago, The Bear said: I take it he'll still get a good reception at the King Power? Warm enough I'm guessing. Not here long enough for a heroes welcome and certainly not offensive enough for any boos.
Popular Post Vlad the Fox Posted 3 August 2019 Popular Post Posted 3 August 2019 1 hour ago, TK95 said: Not sure if it's been posted elsewhere Posted it in new chants but seems an appropriate response to also put here; you’ll pay what we want, you’ll pay what we want, we’re Leicester City and you’ll pay what we want. 11 4
ScouseFox Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 9 minutes ago, The Bear said: I take it he'll still get a good reception at the King Power? we’ve got probably the weirdest, sense lacking group of fans of any sports team so who knows. it’ll probably either be 90 minutes of singing about how much we love harry maguire or 90 minutes of burning flags with his face on. nothing in between. 3 1
Popular Post Vlad the Fox Posted 3 August 2019 Popular Post Posted 3 August 2019 4 minutes ago, ScouseFox said: we’ve got probably the weirdest, sense lacking group of fans of any sports team so who knows. it’ll probably either be 90 minutes of singing about how much we love harry maguire or 90 minutes of burning flags with his face on. nothing in between. Well I’ve lifted all the paving slabs in my back garden and slung them in the local canal, the ****ing bastard. 8
Poznan34 Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 That's the worst football chant I've ever heard, terrible. Man Utd generally have a pretty decent range of chants, too. 1
joachim1965 Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 1 hour ago, Leicester_Loyal said: It's going to be hilarious when he gets found out there on the counter attack. Fixed.
Corky Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 1 hour ago, The Bear said: I take it he'll still get a good reception at the King Power? It's the last game of the season so we've got a while to wait.
Fox92 Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, Leicester_Loyal said: It's going to be hilarious if he gets found out there on the counter attack. I have got this image of Vardy skinning him just before smashing in the winner at Old Trafford. * It's more of a hope actually. Edited 3 August 2019 by Fox92
ARTY_FOX Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, Leicester_Loyal said: It's going to be hilarious if he gets found out there on the counter attack. I mean wasn’t it put out there for the world to see in that Manchester City documentary that he turns like a bus, has no pace and stands too high up the pitch? Edited 3 August 2019 by ARTY_FOX 1
Carl the Llama Posted 3 August 2019 Posted 3 August 2019 11 hours ago, davieG said: Can't listen to this myself. All About Leicester: With Schmeichel, Rodgers and Fuchs Football Daily Steve Crossman goes behind the scenes at Leicester City in the second of our series of Premier League specials. Radio 5 podcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07jnlwy Very interesting interview, cheers for that. Sounds like Fuchs is living his best life.
Dave Fishwick Posted 4 August 2019 Posted 4 August 2019 (edited) isn't that chant just the one England fans have for Maguire with a bit changed? quite funny that its got people's backs up in here, its just a chant Edited 4 August 2019 by Dave Fishwick 1
Aus Fox Posted 4 August 2019 Posted 4 August 2019 9 hours ago, TK95 said: Not sure if it's been posted elsewhere Be hilarious if Man City turned him at the last minute.
old koppite Posted 4 August 2019 Posted 4 August 2019 Hmmmm, nice song- nice to welcome your new star signing and his family to your legendary club with words that accentuate a physical aspect of his appearance that has probably bothered him all his life. Idiots. i get the impression he is a really nice , modest bloke. Hope he does well for England, but my dislike for Man U has gradually increased over the last few seasons.
yorkie1999 Posted 4 August 2019 Posted 4 August 2019 4 hours ago, old koppite said: Hmmmm, nice song- nice to welcome your new star signing and his family to your legendary club with words that accentuate a physical aspect of his appearance that has probably bothered him all his life. Idiots. i get the impression he is a really nice , modest bloke. Hope he does well for England, but my dislike for Man U has gradually increased over the last few seasons. It’s not about that though is it. It’s about the feel good factor which then lifts a club. Too many soduku fans at Leicester. 1
Recommended Posts