What Do We Need In The Next Two Windows To Make 4231 Effective?

[HKFox]

4 hours ago, gurru991 said:

I'm not so sure that Maguire will be sold and to be quite honest with you Mendy is way ahead of Ndidi at the moment.  

I think the money will be too good to turn down unfortunately. Maguire will get more money and play for one of the biggest clubs. 

 

Ndidi has not been good for a while granted. The competition for places between Ndidi and Mendy, will hopefully get Ndidi playing to his best again. 

[Mehrez]

16 hours ago, filbertway said:

Loftus-Cheek would make a massive difference for us, especially against teams that sit deep. Would be well worth spending 30 odd million on him.

Loftus Cheek would be my top target but no way Chelsea sell for £30m they’ll want £50m+ especially from us after we had their pants down over DD 

[StriderHiryu]

Honestly the thing we need the most is patience! Players are improving in our team and our results are improving as a result.

 

But I think this thread is a good one, because if you factor in things like trying to build upon success and becoming a team that qualifies for Europe then it means building a larger squad and adding competition for places. So for me I would look at the following:

- Another striker to rotate with / compete with Vardy for a place. Nacho just hasn't ever done it and I don't ever see him being a modern number 9 who can play up top on his own. Plea of Borussia MGB is a former Puel protege would be the sort of forward we will probably bring in. If not him, then someone with similar attributes. (Can hold up the ball, fast, can finish, good at linking with other players).

 

- Another tricky forward who can create and score. We were linked with Mendez of Celta Vigo and it wouldn't surprise me if he signed in January. We also have Barnes to come in next year so that should do us. I think as a team we have compensated for Mahrez (more or less, we have scored slightly more goals than this time last season), but someone with top draw quality would understandably make a huge difference.

 

- Another CM to rotate with Mendy and Ndidi. Someone who can drive the game like Mendy has been doing recently. Iborra is a bit slow for me and though a decent option I think longer term we need someone else in here. It will hopefully be Hamza if all things work out. Would love for Silva to turn it round as he seems like a nice guy but can't see it happening. Perhaps Matty James gets back to his best? Might have to being in someone new if none of these work out as when Mendy has an average / poor game the whole team struggles. It's a key position for the system.

 

- Another option at Left Back to compete / rotate with Chilwell given Fuchs will be off in the summer. Could be Callum Elder so maybe we don't need to buy one.

 

 

Overall we have a pretty good squad with lots of room to develop and grow! We don't deperately need anyone right now which is a very fortunate place to be in. As long as we keep improving I am quite content to see this team continue to develop and grow.

[Babylon]

19 hours ago, Stadt said:

Here I am moaning about Puel again but I think better players would only somewhat mask underlying problems with chance creation. We're too cautious to begin and we lack structure with the ball.

What underlying problems with chance creation? I'm not suggesting there isn't room for improvement, there clearly is. But the way people go on about this you'd think it was a huge problem.

 

We're 8th, only 7 teams have scored more. We're middle of the road in terms of shots per game (overall only 10 shots less than Spurs). We've missed 19 "big chances" this season, when you take out the big boys who create more, then we're one of the worst for missing easy chances. Only 5 teams have hit the woodwork more.

 

This is after losing one of our best creative talents ever and not replacing him and being stuck without a decent creative CM. We're really not that far off having a decent team if we can add in those crucial areas.

[Nick]

Loftus... What would we have to offer to actually get him? £45-50 million?

 

Zaha... probably the same and whether either are worth it, I really don't see us dropping £40 plus million  on a proven Premiership player. It'd be a statement alright but simply not going to happen in my opinion.

 

I have to admit though, to those suggesting it, it would be a very cool way to spend £100 million quid and would sort us right out!

[Stadt]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

What underlying problems with chance creation? I'm not suggesting there isn't room for improvement, there clearly is. But the way people go on about this you'd think it was a huge problem.

 

We're 8th, only 7 teams have scored more. We're middle of the road in terms of shots per game (overall only 10 shots less than Spurs). We've missed 19 "big chances" this season, when you take out the big boys who create more, then we're one of the worst for missing easy chances. Only 5 teams have hit the woodwork more.

 

This is after losing one of our best creative talents ever and not replacing him and being stuck without a decent creative CM. We're really not that far off having a decent team if we can add in those crucial areas.

We're 11th for xG created according to understat (https://understat.com/league/EPL/2018), I know it's not the be all and end all but we don't consistently create enough good chances in open play.

 

 

It's certainly not a terminal issue but for a side that usually has more of the ball we're poor at converting and creating open play chances. Our fixtures have been fairly kind up to now too. 

[Babylon]

24 minutes ago, Stadt said:

We're 11th for xG created according to understat (https://understat.com/league/EPL/2018), I know it's not the be all and end all but we don't consistently create enough good chances in open play.

 

 

It's certainly not a terminal issue but for a side that usually has more of the ball we're poor at converting and creating open play chances. Our fixtures have been fairly kind up to now too. 

Counter attacks are also "open play", combine the two columns and it's not really an issue. It's like suggesting we can't count Maddisons goal as being from open play Saturday.

 

Our fixtures haven't been that much more favourable than anyone else, I went through all of this the other day. Generally most of those around us had played the top 5 either 2 or 3 times so far.

 

[AKCJ]

On 03/12/2018 at 13:27, HKFox said:

Lozano from PSV or Lolley at Forest

 

One of the most sought after players outside the top 6 leagues or someone who couldn't cut it at Huddersfield. Tough one.

[Simoken]

8 hours ago, Mehrez said:

Chelsea sell for £30m they’ll want £50m+ especially from us after we had their pants down over DD 

It eased the pain of losing Kante for £32 quid

[RumbleFox]

On 03/12/2018 at 13:10, ozleicester said:

We seem blind to our needs, you can see on film that we are lacking something... if we dont get it sorted, it will be curtains

 

[HKFox]

On 04/12/2018 at 23:09, AKCJ said:

 

One of the most sought after players outside the top 6 leagues or someone who couldn't cut it at Huddersfield. Tough one.

Need I say we won a league title with a team full of players other clubs didn't want. 

Vardy couldn't cut it at Sheff Wed. Drinkwater, Simpson, Kasper from United. Plus the rest of the squad. Players improve at different times, Lolley scored a cracking goal for huddersfield on his last game and was not wanted by the manager. Forest he is turning into one of the best players the championship regarding goals and assists. 

 

 

[Nicolo Barella]

2 minutes ago, HKFox said:

Need I say we won a league title with a team full of players other clubs didn't want. 

Vardy couldn't cut it at Sheff Wed. Drinkwater, Simpson, Kasper from United. Plus the rest of the squad. Players improve at different times, Lolley scored a cracking goal for huddersfield on his last game and was not wanted by the manager. Forest he is turning into one of the best players the championship regarding goals and assists. 

 

 

Dwight Gayle is one of the best players in the championship. Do you want him? Yes we have done well in the past with players from the lower leagues... That doesn't mean we're automatically qualified to do well with any we pick up. If Wagner, an excellent coach, doesn't want Lolley, I have serious doubts about him too.

[HKFox]

10 minutes ago, Nicolo Barella said:

Dwight Gayle is one of the best players in the championship. Do you want him? Yes we have done well in the past with players from the lower leagues... That doesn't mean we're automatically qualified to do well with any we pick up. If Wagner, an excellent coach, doesn't want Lolley, I have serious doubts about him too.

I can say the same for Maddison, he seems to have done well.

 

No to Gayle. Decent but championship is his level. 

 

Wagner is a decent coach for sure, and made his mind up. I just think Lolley will be a premiership player next year, with or without us. If you have seen some of his goals and assists this season he looks a very exciting young player who could link well with Chilwell, Gray, Maddison and Vardy. All potentially of course as he could be shocking. But for a realistic signing I think he is a reasonable option. 

[Nicolo Barella]

16 minutes ago, HKFox said:

Wagner is a decent coach for sure, and made his mind up. I just think Lolley will be a premiership player next year, with or without us. If you have seen some of his goals and assists this season he looks a very exciting young player who could link well with Chilwell, Gray, Maddison and Vardy. All potentially of course as he could be shocking. But for a realistic signing I think he is a reasonable option. 

Fair enough. This is the sort of signing I would trust the scouts to get right. They're supposed to be the ones that see through "potential" and sift the diamonds from the zircons. As we can see, they obviously have at least some good scouts in the championship by getting the Maddison signing right. If he's any good, I expect we will see some interest, if Puel doesn't ask the board to wait for summer.

[HKFox]

Agreed. I think we will look into championship more often, mainly due to our recent signings from abroad since the unbelievable title win so far proving they are not up to a great deal. Of course, I could be completely wrong.

 

I only suggested Lolley as he is a more realistic signing in my view, rather than Zaha who would be ideal but we likely won't be able to get. 

 

 

[HKFox]

28 minutes ago, Nicolo Barella said:

Fair enough. This is the sort of signing I would trust the scouts to get right. They're supposed to be the ones that see through "potential" and sift the diamonds from the zircons. As we can see, they obviously have at least some good scouts in the championship by getting the Maddison signing right. If he's any good, I expect we will see some interest, if Puel doesn't ask the board to wait for summer.

Agreed. I think we will look into championship more often, mainly due to our recent signings from abroad since the unbelievable title win so far proving they are not up to a great deal. Of course, I could be completely wrong.

 

I only suggested Lolley as he is a more realistic signing in my view, rather than Zaha who would be ideal but we likely won't be able to get. 

[Nicolo Barella]

24 minutes ago, HKFox said:

Agreed. I think we will look into championship more often, mainly due to our recent signings from abroad since the unbelievable title win so far proving they are not up to a great deal. Of course, I could be completely wrong.

 

I only suggested Lolley as he is a more realistic signing in my view, rather than Zaha who would be ideal but we likely won't be able to get. 

Fair enough. I would like to see us go to the Italian league more - plenty of talent to be had, and its more similar to the PL than La Liga or the Portuguese league. Chiesa or Barella in this team would be heavenly, even if a big ask.

[coolhandfox]

A ball playing CM play maker, how can also put a shift in.

 

A wide player with pace, tricky and a eye for goal.

 

However January window is expensive and hard to deal in.

[siraaj_lcfc]

How bout Hazard Jr?

[gurru991]

On 06/12/2018 at 00:44, Nicolo Barella said:

Dwight Gayle is one of the best players in the championship. Do you want him? Yes we have done well in the past with players from the lower leagues... That doesn't mean we're automatically qualified to do well with any we pick up. If Wagner, an excellent coach, doesn't want Lolley, I have serious doubts about him too.

Funny you say that as I just finished reading an article about Spurs looking at Madisson but Poch saying no. All managers make mistakes and that was why Vardy was available.

[Nicolo Barella]

12 hours ago, gurru991 said:

Funny you say that as I just finished reading an article about Spurs looking at Madisson but Poch saying no. All managers make mistakes and that was why Vardy was available.

That's different. Spurs have Alli and Eriksen and even Lamela who can play in the 10, or deeper in Alli and Eriksen's cases. Maddison, as much as we love him, wouldn't have been a good buy for them, as he realistically is better than maybe Lamela in the 10, and worse than him on the wing. 

Moot point anyway, I'm just trying to say that just because recently we've had more success than failure buying from the Championship doesn't mean that we're more likely to succeed than fail with future signings. Look at Huddersfield for example, Kachunga, Ince, etc from the Championship have been awful for them. Pritchard is their one success from last season, and even then he's been bang average.

[Foxxed]

On 06/12/2018 at 13:13, coolhandfox said:

A ball playing CM play maker, how can also put a shift in.

 

A wide player with pace, tricky and a eye for goal.

 

However January window is expensive and hard to deal in.

Barnes will be here next season who may fill some of that criteria if he starts well. I'd hope Hamza steps up again. He can certainly put a shift in and he already has an assist for the first team but he's definitely a DM. Between those two, though, if all goes well, we have someone who can put a shift in and someone with pace, trickery and an eye for goal.

[Dr The Singh]

Richie Wellens