What do you do with a problem like Wes Morgan?

[yorkie1999]

Time for a change. Give Evans a run till January and see what happens.

[ARM1968]

Cattle prod?

[FLAN]

On 07/10/2018 at 20:25, Crispin LA said:

I also thought we should of cashed on him when Newcastle wanted him last year, plus him coming back messed it up with Dragovic becoming a permanent signing for us, I was very disappointed with that outcome! 

As if they did. Who would he replace in their first choice defence?

[Jimmy]

3 minutes ago, F1_AN said:

As if they did. Who would he replace in their first choice defence?

They wanted him when they got promoted

[FLAN]

Is this like the King/Everton story?

[vanity]

7 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

The captaincy appears to be an issue, Claude doesn’t seem to want to drop the captain, if it’s that much of an issue then we need a new captain

That would make me doubt Puel as a manager far more than any of his other decisions. 

[Jimmy]

24 minutes ago, vanity said:

That would make me doubt Puel as a manager far more than any of his other decisions. 

Really? He’s constant being talked up as being sacked and we have a squad infamous for the power wielded by the players Wes is the long time captain and very popular I could see why he’d have doubts over doing it

[sacreblueits442]

On 07/10/2018 at 19:31, don_danbury said:

he didn't even seemed surprised. think he knew it was coming anyway.

...if he could see it, why did'nt Puel?

[vanity]

37 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

Really? He’s constant being talked up as being sacked and we have a squad infamous for the power wielded by the players Wes is the long time captain and very popular I could see why he’d have doubts over doing it

I think it made sense last season for him to leave Wes in place, I always thought that was why we didn't let Dragovic start, bc Wes supported Puel in the clubhouse. But at this point, he is so well overmatched that he is costing us points in the table. If Puel is so weak a manager he needs to play an inferior CB at the expense of the team just to keep  his job, I'd say let's him go, he's too weak to survive this club anyway. And I say that as a fan who wants to see Puel stay long-term.

 

[Spicer]

Evans has been awful so far this season in his limited matches. Time for him to step the **** up

[Foxy harry]

every player has that moment when they realise that its time to retire, I think wes had that moment when richarlison ran past him with ease saturday. I would not be at all surprise if he tells puel this is his final year and to phase him out

[Hanan96]

Wes already said that his body aren't up with it anymore and felt pain. 

Unfortunately evans are looks vurnerable and rusty while soyuncu still struggling with adaptation. 

 

If only drago was here, he looks sharp even when he's not playing for long

 

I think we will need to let Evans play for one or two match for u 23 when its not close to the 1st team, made him play like twice in a week. Wes will be banned for 2 matches, so 3 or 4 match in 2 weeks should be enough for him for being match fit. 

 

After he's match fit Im sure he will oust Morgan as he did againts wolves and phase wes out in the whole season

[UpTheLeagueFox]

Wes Morgan isn't finished. He still has a role to play for us. That role, however, is not starting every week.

He should've been phased out last season, especially with Dragovic looking impressive.

Had he not been messed about, Dragovic would've come for about 17m.

Puel clearly has a blind spot with Morgan.

 

He's led us to the Championship and PL titles. He deserves respect for what he's done for us.

But we shouldn't let that cloud judgement over his current ability.

It's not his fault he keeps being picked.

 

[norwichfox]

Thanks for the god memories Wes, but I really don't want to see you struggling again on the pitch for the first team for another week of your footballing career. Good of you to drop yourself for a couple of games again, but it would have been at least a point for us if you'd left it until the last minute.

 

Cya Wes

[Dames]

Wasn't there rumours at the time of Morgans back injury that it had the potential to retire him? Its no coincidence that his decline has started since that injury. He'll forever be remembered as the captain of the 5000/1 title winning team and an absolute club legend but right at this moment he is on a very sharp decline and isn't up to the physical aspects of the Premier League anymore.

 

Jonny Evans is a capable Premier League defender and should now be given a proper run of games to build up some form and confidence.

[vanity]

11 hours ago, Hanan96 said:

Wes already said that his body aren't up with it anymore and felt pain. 

Unfortunately evans are looks vurnerable and rusty while soyuncu still struggling with adaptation. 

 

If only drago was here, he looks sharp even when he's not playing for long

 

I think we will need to let Evans play for one or two match for u 23 when its not close to the 1st team, made him play like twice in a week. Wes will be banned for 2 matches, so 3 or 4 match in 2 weeks should be enough for him for being match fit. 

 

After he's match fit Im sure he will oust Morgan as he did againts wolves and phase wes out in the whole season

Are you at all concerned that it isn't rust with Evans? That he simply doesn't have the ability (drive?) to excel as a starter at this level anymore? 

 

I ask bc *surely* he was signed to start, to replace Wes as we wait for younger talent to mature, yet Wes continues to be first team. I worry that Puel is simply playing our best two CBs each week, that Wes is playing better than Evans in practice, and that Evans' shocking play in the 1H against Wolves is simply how he will look against teams with speed. Admittedly he looked ok against Huddersfield, but they cannot score and utilize a slower target man besides, Morgan likely would've been fine against them as well.

 

Agree re Dragovic, I never understood why he wasn't valued more, he proved he was Prem-quality, we saw a number of consecutive clean sheets with him in the lineup, plus he is excellent with longer passes, which would've helped us to mitigate the trouble our DMs have on the ball, he has the passing skill to initiate the quick counters we've had so much success with over the years (including this season). So unfortunate we passed on keeping him.

[themightyfin]

Personally I don't think he's been any worse than the rest of the defence this season.

He obviously brings a lot on and off the pitch or he would not be playing.

Do you really think a manager who's job is on the line every week it seems would pick what he thinks is an interior player over another player just to be stubborn?

He watches Wes and the other options in training every week and makes a judgement call.

With all due respect most here do not watch training or see the dynamics behind the scenes.

Yes he's had 2 reds this season very harsh in my view but don't recall him actually costing us any points apart from Saturday. 

The same can not be said if the rest of the back 4.

Wes is Leicester through and through and if he's picked to play what's he supposed to do say "Sorry gaffer but I think I'm past it"

He's already said himself he will not play every week and feel like he's become the scapegoat that we look for here on Foxestalk  every season.

[sacreblueits442]

....if I started a Poll, "Should Wes be starting in the first team", I imagine the result would be 90% No and  10% Yes.!!!!

We know that when his ban is over, Puel will be playing him as a starter.

Now is that a problem with Wes or a problem with Puel?

[themightyfin]

4 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

....if I started a Poll, "Should Wes be starting in the first team", I imagine the result would be 90% No and  10% Yes.!!!!

We know that when his ban is over, Puel will be playing him as a starter.

Now is that a problem with Wes or a problem with Puel?

Or the supporters looking for a scapegoat? 

[murphy]

The problem is not Wes, he's 34 and his age is catching up with him, we knew that.

 

The problem is that we blew tens of millions (yet again) over the summer on replacements that aren't up to replacing him.  This is hindsight talking I know.  At the time I thought we had done well, but then I'm not a scout and I'm not paid vast sums to get these things right.

 

Btw, with all this talk about foreign recruits needing time to adapt, can anyone hazard a guess as to why someone like Dragovic was prem-ready?  Seems to me, if you're good enough you can meet the challenge.

[mozartfox]

1 hour ago, sacreblueits442 said:

....if I started a Poll, "Should Wes be starting in the first team", I imagine the result would be 90% No and  10% Yes.!!!!

We know that when his ban is over, Puel will be playing him as a starter.

Now is that a problem with Wes or a problem with Puel?

'If'  Puel persists with Morgan post his ban, then there is something fundamentally wrong with both Evans and Soyunco.  I do not believe there is.   But if I am wrong, Puel would be wise to change any practice games to 10 v 11, as Wes will rack up more cards if he is up against pace and we continue to leave a space as large as the Ponderosa to his rear.

[dayday]

Strangely Evans said earlier in the season he preferred the left side of the defence rather than the right, that’s why he felt uncomfortable against Wolves, but in the past he has said he likes the right side as it’s easier to pass, make of that what you will.

 

We basically have 2 options, play Evans or take a gamble on Soyuncu, can’t play Amartey at CB, as Ricardo can’t be trusted as a right back

 

[sacreblueits442]

….lets look at this from Wes’s point of view!!!!

 Just turned 34, struggling to deal with quick pacey players.

“ This is not going too well this season, got caught out a few times and got pelters for it, but what do you do.

Boss keeps wanting me to play!,…..I am so knackered…… does he realise this is my last season?... thought I would just need to keep fit….just in case.

We have signed new Centre Backs so might get the occasional game here and there….I feel I need to go to games to support the boys though….even if  just in the squad.

  Boss has put me in again…..he’s moved the new boys around ..what the hell!!... Evans is quality!!…..not sure what is going on here!.

  Thought this was going to be a light final season……boss is playing me in every freaking game!…I am so knackered…getting ripped apart by the fans….got to stay away from FT.

 …Simmo got his **** kicked last year, looks like my turn.

  Well got a few weeks off now…..probably safe to go on FT when this dies down…..I hope?”

[sacreblueits442]

32 minutes ago, mozartfox said:

'If'  Puel persists with Morgan post his ban, then there is something fundamentally wrong with both Evans and Soyunco.  I do not believe there is.   But if I am wrong, Puel would be wise to change any practice games to 10 v 11, as Wes will rack up more cards if he is up against pace and we continue to leave a space as large as the Ponderosa to his rear.

...so once again you are blaming Wes!!!

It is quite clear where the problem to this conundrum lies and it is not at the feet of Wes. Something is seriously wrong when the most obvious answer is in front of you yet you choose the avenue of the least resistance.

 

  Just to be clear, Wes is struggling to keep his place within the team and there is a call to be made by the manager. He won't make that call, why!

He needs to step up and lead, make the tough decisions and that is something that we do not see from Puel.

  Have you noticed how much he embodies Arsene Wenger and like Arsene he does not like to manage strong characters. Arsene inherited a back 4 that you would want standing behind you in a dark alleyway in the bronx. It was noticeable that their problems started with the decline of their back 4. Wenger never replaced them with like minded players.

   Puel can't deal with strong characters that's why he goes for youth.

  

[don_danbury]

19 hours ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...if he could see it, why did'nt Puel?

i think most people could see it tbh. maybe puel thought he should know better? difference is he probably does know better but has no choice when he's up against a younger fresher guy.