Puel’s arrogance (or blindness).

[Ted Maul]

We played 3 in midfield yesterday and everyone was happy with the decision. Don't let that get in the way of your agenda though.

[lgfualol]

52 minutes ago, F1_AN said:

He’s the Stinkerman. Constantly shuffling the pack and not allowing any momentum to build. 

Not really though. He picks the same players a lot, it is injuries and poor performances which result in shuffling. Momentum isnt being built because most of the squad are not good enough for this system.

[Foxxed]

Pair Maddison in midfield with Ndidi or Mendy and then play Vardy and Ian up front? Eh. Not enthusiastic.

[st albans fox]

one shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that we need to find an alternative way of playing for when vards is unavailable ....the last two games have illustrated that ....... puel just needs to work out for himself what system that is .........  

[FLAN]

18 minutes ago, lgfualol said:

Not really though. He picks the same players a lot, it is injuries and poor performances which result in shuffling. Momentum isnt being built because most of the squad are not good enough for this system.

I was away for Watford but apparently gray played well.  Dropped. Evans did as well as anyone against arsenal. Dropped. He is so inconsistent in his approach to picking and dropping players. It’s ridiculous 

Nacho awful against Fulham. Stays in team. I could go on 

[The Year Of The Fox]

6 minutes ago, F1_AN said:

I was away for Watford but apparently gray played well.  Dropped. Evans did as well as anyone against arsenal. Dropped. He is so inconsistent in his approach to picking and dropping players. It’s ridiculous 

Nacho awful against Fulham. Stays in team. I could go on 

I thought he’d finally seen the light regarding Albrighton after his two performances against Watford and Fulham. 

 

But no

[fuchsntf]

2 hours ago, Farrington fox said:

And they call Claudio the Tinkerman.  I cannot be arsed to look, but has Claude fielded the same team back to back this season.

Why should he!!???  We all know,we have injuries,we have had red cards,and.....most importantly we know the squad aint  quite

good enough,for any too higher ambitions. The only small advantage we have,is that some players are not doing too bad,while a couple

of them are struggling to show that their hoped early potential is going to bring any immediate success.Then we as a club,because of

being too top heavy on player investment that have been considered surplus to requirements....have took a stance,until we offload a

few we arent going to make any massive new player investment....

 

The club have shown they are willing with Puel to take the flak from some fans,They have an hard unfortunately needed agenda...

Any critic on selection issues is therefore a mute topic,because Puel and coaching  staff,have to work with the tools/players that they

have.With that Puel is forced to (tinker) try and make tactical changes,to find that balance with a certain % of young players,mixed

with experience. Wether frustrating or not they are way off any decent  consistent form ,we are where we are!!! 

Puel was always going to be the easy even obvious target. I just believe we need to support him and the club,because since Shakespeare's demise

and a used up date,of the BBone of our squad,and no great player investment was ever going to be made, any manager was going to struggle to

realise any high ambitions. 

 

I am sure he hoped,that some positions would still have enough potential to hold their own.

In many of of our games,even if we didn't win,we had taken some of our created chances,the intensity,the growing movement in many

Games would of looked or turned out different.....

 

 

[lgfualol]

1 hour ago, F1_AN said:

I was away for Watford but apparently gray played well.  Dropped. Evans did as well as anyone against arsenal. Dropped. He is so inconsistent in his approach to picking and dropping players. It’s ridiculous 

Nacho awful against Fulham. Stays in team. I could go on 

I imagine it was more a rotation thing for Gray. It is clear Puel rates him highly. It isnt always a case of being dropped. Nacho wasnt dropped as Vardy is injured and Okazaki is not a striker.

 

Evans was wrongfully dropped yep but Morgan will play every game as long as he is captain. This is wrong, but was always going to happen as Puel doesnt want Morgan starting problems.

[UpTheLeagueFox]

The training regime needs looking at.

No wonder we look so ponderous at times and pick up injuries.

[StanSP]

I don't get how anyone can moan at Puel for the 'tinkering'.

 

Everyone was begging Morgan gets dropped for his slow start to the season culminating in two red cards. So fans got what they wanted albeit through a forced change. 

Maguire gets injured - forced change causing a mildly good partnership between Morgan and Evans forming.

Vardy gets injured - forced change meaning we have to play Iheanacho and Okazaki. Of course neither live up to filling Vardy's boots but they shouldn't be expected to considering they are all three different types of strikers. It's clear that Iheanacho needs support up front so perhaps Puel should have approached yesterday differently given we improved against Fulham when both played together.

Maddison suspended - again, a forced change causing a change of shape/formation.

 

This isn't to mention we have 8 or 9 games this month so he's bound to have bit of rotation in the squad - literally every manager in the league does it so I don't know why Puel is beaten with that stick for doing it too. If he stuck with the same squad week in, week out we'd end up with more injuries to key players and then the players who haven't been playing come in, aren't match-fit or that prepared and then there's more criticism headed his way. He's in a no-win situation whatever he does.

 

It wasn't that encouraging to hear that Puel doesn't fancy buying any players in January (not exact words, I know) but since when does anyone give any credence to whatever anyone says in the press. I'll be as annoyed as anyone if we don't get a striker and perhaps cover in the right-back position. 

 

As for criticism above about Ndidi and Mendy being played in midfield together - of all the parts of the team to criticise, the central midfield part is not where I'd go first. They're there to accommodate Maddison being played a bit more centrally further up the field. I've got no problems with Ndidi and Mendy playing and after a slow start from the former, they seem to be building a reasonable partnership there; Mendy especially has been a good player. If we played Maddison and Mendy or Maddison and Ndidi as a two-man midfield, we'd get ridiculously exposed when Maddison is asked/goes up to support the strikers where he's more effective. 

[peterborofox]

I'd like to see 3 at the back with wing backs but either it doesn't accommodate players like Gray, and if we played 3-4-3 like Chelsea used to then we can't fit Maddsion in.

 

Feel like we have to play four at the back with wingers unfortunately

[shailen]

It's so frustrating because we get into good positions and then go backwards. I understand patience but we aren't man city to keep the ball for sustained periods of time.

 

We need a lot more urgency and take time the initiative more often. Why we don't shoot more or get in good crossing positions and don't cross is really frustrating.

[Collymore]

It's all too predictable at the moment and tactically naive last night. 

 

Playing the 3 DMs broadcasts to the whole the world that we're most likely in this game going to be relying on  Chilwell and Ricardo to provide most of the attacking opportunities or of course JM who is easy to nullify with no other attacking danger. This is where the puzzle is easy to solve because the opponent will know that the ball will be most likely entering the box from the flanks, and probably low as we don't have tall players (TBF, Ricardo tries to mix it up a bit more that Chilwell as RP will cut inside and is a little more unpredictable than BC) Spurs then had the box loaded with players and would cut the balls out with ease as they only had Nacho to worry about. There are some DMs  (or even better a all rounder box to box player) that can still pose some attacking threat but not our 3 of VI, WI and NM. WI was the only one who tried to attack but with embarrassing consequences. 

 

Spurs almost treated us like teams treat Barcelona when visiting the Camp Nou;  let them have it out wide and just hope they can defend in numbers and keep the score down, the difference being they didn't need to keep the score down and had game plan to win the game.

Spurs team talk last night would have been "Just mark JM tightly and make sure you're ready for the low balls coming in the box from their fullbacks... That's the only way they can attack. Oh yeah remember, when you cut out the balls from coming in to the box both of their fullback will likely to be out of position and their 3 DMs will be scrambling all over the place to try and cover... Easy win tonight lads" 

 

Just tactically awful last night IMO. 

Edited 9 December 2018 by Collymore

[Old Fox]

Sadly Puel is the issue ………..I have just posted similar in the thread about our promise for 19/20......we need to progress now and I cannot see any improvement in us tactically and actually most of our players seem to lack belief.

 

We got rolled by any of the sides with bits of quality and don't even seem to have our own pattern - last night we played an average Spurs side without there best two attacking players and we never put them under pressure or intensity.

 

We all know we needed to develop other tactics than just counter attack but I will be damned if I can see anything in what CP is developing.

 

Ponderous, one dimensional, no pattern and also killed what we were good a - I know the Top 6 is a stretch but I am not convinced that except City and Liverpool that the rest are that much ahead of us on the ability within the squad but the way we are set up and play is absolutely dreadful.

 

Our best players who are winners will not want to stick around playing the way we are and we are not seeing 50% of their potential - players like Gray, Albrighton, Maddison, Vardy need to be allowed to express themselves and the way we play is so slow and at times we desperately over play - yes we have more possession but boy we are not playing to the pace and athleticism of half the team....I could cope with watching us lose if you could see a pattern, some dynamism with a passion to try and score goals.

 

Sadly like Southampton I fear that we will become even duller and he will drain the life out of the players which could leave to young stars or old leaving where we should be looking for 2 or 3 first team starters who would take us to the next level but I cant believe those players would want to come and play for dull Puel…..

 

Hopefully the owner sees that and will be brave ….

[kingfox]

18 minutes ago, Old Fox said:

Ponderous, one dimensional, no pattern and also killed what we were good a - I know the Top 6 is a stretch but I am not convinced that except City and Liverpool that the rest are that much ahead of us on the ability within the squad but the way we are set up and play is absolutely dreadful.

 

All this talk of potentially challenging the top six is ridiculous.

 

The amount of "There is no reason why we can't challenge the top six" comments is laughable.

 

There is a reason and it's not down to the way we set up, it's down to our lack of quality when it comes to squad depth.

 

We are a team on par with the likes of Bournemouth, Everton, West Ham, Watford, nothing more. 

 

All this moaning after a loss to Spurs without a recognised striker is OTT, seeing that line up last night with Iheanacho up front what did you well and truly expect? Without Vardy our forward options are limited and clearly not good enough.

 

This is a young developing side who are unfortunately going to get turned over by numerous teams, right now we are nothing more than an inconsistent mid table team.

Edited 9 December 2018 by kingfox

[danny2997]

Providing we stay in no danger of relegation like now, I'm prepared to give Puel as much time as the owners want to give him.

[Nick]

3 minutes ago, danny2997 said:

Providing we stay in no danger of relegation like now, I'm prepared to give Puel as much time as the owners want to give him.

Give him 4 years.

 

We’ll still be shit.

 

But it’s gonna take that long for everybody else to stop making excuses for him.

[BenTheFox]

1 hour ago, peterborofox said:

I'd like to see 3 at the back with wing backs but either it doesn't accommodate players like Gray, and if we played 3-4-3 like Chelsea used to then we can't fit Maddsion in.

 

Feel like we have to play four at the back with wingers unfortunately

I'm totally fine with that. 

[danny2997]

2 minutes ago, Swan Lesta said:

Give him 4 years.

 

We’ll still be shit.

 

But it’s gonna take that long for everybody else to stop making excuses for him.

Maybe so, but its the owners decision. So until they decide to make a decision of his future, we might as well support him.

 

I agree that under Puel, many of our performances have been disappointing to say the least. However, there has been times where we've played incredible even under Puel so there's clearly potential there or we'd always be bad. If the owners decide he's taken too long to realise the potential then fair enough I support the decision to get rid but I also support the decision to not get rid if they still believe he can realise the potential.

[nnfox]

Transfers is what is needed. As others have said, we have a seriously unbalanced squad and it needs addressing asap with an urgent need for a proper No. 9 type striker.  Yesterday against Spurs, not long after we went 2-0 down, Albrighton got the ball on the left, about 40 yards out. As soon as he received the ball he looked up and shaped to ping a cross in as he does, but despite being 2-0 down at home and in desperate need of a goal, there was not a single Leicester player in the penalty box.  I put this down to us really only having one proper striker in Jamie Vardy. When he is not available we have Iheanacho who, when confident, is a great finisher, but is best suited to playing behind the main striker. Or we have Okazaki, who is a weird hybrid of a striker/defensive midfielder.

 

What we need is a quality striker who will lead the line. Slimani would have been great to bring on against Spurs because he would have done that job. Our problem is that our default setting is to play a style of play where Jamie Vardy is the number 1 striker and anyone else coming in is playing for a supporting role only.  Top strikers want to play every week and every top striker knows that that isn't going to happen here without an horrific injury to Jamie.  Creativity isn't our problem so much. We have Iheanacho who is creative, Maddison is creative, Gray is creative, Albrighton is creative and Ghezzal is creative. What we lack are options for these players to pass to!

 

It's a difficult one because Vardy is an exceptional player, but we need some succession planning and having been stung in the past with big fees on the likes of Musa and Slimani, I'd be tempted to spend £15-20m on 4 or 5 lower league, young, hungry players that can be developed into the team, rather than £30m on someone who might or might not play or who might not suit our style.

[foxinsocks]

15 minutes ago, danny2997 said:

Maybe so, but its the owners decision. So until they decide to make a decision of his future, we might as well support him.

 

I agree that under Puel, many of our performances have been disappointing to say the least. However, there has been times where we've played incredible even under Puel so there's clearly potential there or we'd always be bad. If the owners decide he's taken too long to realise the potential then fair enough I support the decision to get rid but I also support the decision to not get rid if they still believe he can realise the potential.

Part of being a supporter is that we care about what's best for our club... and we love to discuss.

 I understand that some feel we should give puel more time... or some say support him until the owners say go.  

I believe in saying how i see it. I do not approve if puels tactics.... I would fire him this afternoon.  Lucky for him i am not in charge... but i have the right to say so.

[whoareyaaa]

5 hours ago, Farrington fox said:

And they call Claudio the Tinkerman.  I cannot be arsed to look, but has Claude fielded the same team back to back this season.

Once Newcastle > Everton 

[whoareyaaa]

I honestly don't think he knows what his best team or formation is and hes been here long enough now to have that in toe, something isn't quite right he's done some good things with the team but nothing to shout about that other managers wouldn't have seen, I think it comes down to player management just can not see a fairy-tale ending in sight.

 

Rodgers or Pearson will be in by the end of the season imo

[danny2997]

3 minutes ago, foxinsocks said:

Part of being a supporter is that we care about what's best for our club... and we love to discuss.

 I understand that some feel we should give puel more time... or some say support him until the owners say go.  

I believe in saying how i see it. I do not approve if puels tactics.... I would fire him this afternoon.  Lucky for him i am not in charge... but i have the right to say so.

Agreed on wanting the best for the club and by all means, I'm not trying to censor any opinions.

 

However, sometimes on this forum and at matches the line is blurred between voicing an opinion and just being toxic and that's what I was more trying to be against.

[SheppyFox]

You’re being short sighted, a lot of the FT faithful are. I can’t stress enough the time it will take to repair the damage done in the windows after winning the league. Our squad is a mess, it will take more than the time Puel has spent here to fix it, he needs another 3 windows. 

Edited 9 December 2018 by SheppyFox