Can we accommodate Maddison and Barnes in the same team?

[lcfc sheff]

Barnes could technically play as a left forward with vardy on the right and Maddison in the hole.

 

whilst keeping a midfield three.

[volpeazzurro]

23 minutes ago, Deeg67 said:

If the priority is Europe at any cost, I think you bring Barnes back and worry about the positional fit later.  The squad is in desperate need of a creative outlet that can make those "moments" happen from nothing, and Barnes is clearly one of those guys.  Get he and Maddison out there together and figure out how to make it work.

 

The problem is, it's not 2018-19 at any cost when you're developing around a core of 20-22 year old players - which we are, and is why Puel was hired.  So you have to factor in what's best for Barnes (probably staying at WB and helping them get promoted).  And not only that, the fact that if you leave him where he is you're basically getting the chance to use the rest of the season as an audition for guys like Gray, Ghezzal and (eventually) Diabate to see who's good enough to be part of that long-term future you're developing.  It's bitter medicine, knowing there's a guy who can help you short-term and not making the move - but it's probably medicine that should be swallowed.

I don't think Europe this season is a priority at any cost,  I think it's a season of evaluation and gauging what dead wood needs shipping out finally and buying wisely to the new plan that we seem to have. Europe, like it has been with burnley can be problematic without a good squad in depth. 

[MPH]

44 minutes ago, Realist Guy In The Room said:

The 4-3-3 with Barnes, Maddison and Vardy up front and Hamza, Ndidi and Mendy in midfield is more than workable.

and it would certainly get vardy more service and give us more of a goal threat. 

[Gazza M]

In my opinion get him back with the intention to play him every week. For me Gray has had chance after chance. He just isn't going anywhere. His progression is minimal. Put Barnes in that role with Maddison at 10. 

 

[Countryfox]

12 hours ago, StanSP said:

Schmeichel

 

Pereira - Morgan - Maguire - Chilwell

 

Ndidi - Mendy

 

Albrighton/Gray - Maddison - Barnes

 

Vardy

 

What a team ! ...  but defo with Albrighton not Gray ...   and so exciting !

 

We can but dream ...   

[Fosse93]

Barnes upfront with Vardy, Maddison playing behind them in a 3-5-2.

[Finnegan]

I'd rather give Barnes a run than keep persisting with Gray and hoping one day he improves. 

 

But I'd still absolutely leave him at WBA for now. Let him keep up his good work then bring him back when we've got a summer to get him integrating in to the first team.

 

We're not desperate, don't rush him. 

[Foxxed]

Barnes is playing as a left side striker. And he can also play on the right. And has played on the left wing. He's not played as a no 10 at WBA for ages.

 

So yes we can.

 

He's not scored the last two matches. And all four of his shoots last match were off target. I can't wait for the boo boys to give him the encouragement he needs.

[Bozman]

13 hours ago, SheppyFox said:

Is Barnes good enough to be a part of a top 6 starting 11? 

Is Maddison?

[SheppyFox]

11 minutes ago, Bozman said:

Is Maddison?

No, might be one day, he’s already settled in the starting 11 though and has nothing to do with the Barnes being good enough 

[shade]

this kid might be good but i’ll wait and see, i remember when chris wood, knockaert, iheanacho etc etc were all the best player ever ?

[RODNEY FERNIO]

Leave him at the Baggies for the season and let him develop more.

There is a chasm between the top league and the championship.

Matty James was the new Pirlo when he was at Barnsley.

The lad at Celtic is being raved about.... but will he cut the mustard in the Premier ?

Derby County mate of mine thinks Tom Lawrence is God.

 

Think he can play in the same team as Maddison … but it's all about getting the timing right

and just think letting him have a full pre season next year to try formations out is more beneficial

than having back now in a League campaign where to be honest there is not much to play for

.. we're not going to make top six and we are not going to be relegated.

[That_Dude]

13 hours ago, Fox92 said:

What good will bringing Barnes back do. He won't score in three games and people will be saying "not good enough for the PL". 

 

I can remember when he came back last season, played in the FA Cup and people starting writing him off.

It's a common trend here that anyone who doesn't play is suddenly a world beater. Then they get some game time and are properly trashed after two, three matches. Happened with Chilwell, Choudhury, Barnes etc.

 

It might be very tempting to get him back, but as most said, I'd let him finish the season at WBA then assess the situation in the summer. Unless the manager deems him good enough to play for us now.

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

14 hours ago, SheppyFox said:

Is Barnes good enough to be a part of a top 6 starting 11? 

Is he signing for Spurs or Man Utd then?

[SheppyFox]

Just now, bmouth_fox said:

Is he signing for Spurs or Man Utd then?

You want us to field players that aren’t good enough to fulfil our top 6 aspirations? Why not buy as-well as develop? Barnes can have Grays spot next year IMO, this January we need to be spending.

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

I would personally like to see Barnes given a crack ahead of Gray, who really hasn’t come along as I’d have hoped. Though obviously both need to be afforded time to develop.

 

With all the threads about Maddison and Choudhury, we really to have some exciting talent - and more in the academy (Hughes, Johnson, Ndukwu etc).

 

Another reason to back Puel as well. He is a nurturer of young talent, and we have plenty of it.

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

1 minute ago, SheppyFox said:

You want us to field players that aren’t good enough to fulfil our top 6 aspirations? Why not buy as-well as develop? Barnes can have Grays spot next year IMO, this January we need to be spending.

I never said that. We are some distance from being top 6, though not a million miles away.

[Bozman]

46 minutes ago, SheppyFox said:

No, might be one day, he’s already settled in the starting 11 though and has nothing to do with the Barnes being good enough 

Oh, so your saying that position is already taken,but the chap that plays there is not good enough...

[coolhandfox]

12 hours ago, SheppyFox said:

Again, a bit odd if your ambition is top 6, to bring less than a top 6 quality player into your starting 11, as though he’s the saviour because he’s doing well in the championship. Pretty obvious he has potential, should we rely entirely on it? I guess if we’re happy where we are, my question is why not invest and develop?

 

Why rely on him becoming good enough, why not hedge your bets and buy some actual quality aswell, have both  

We are not in a position to buy players of that quality, firstly we do not seem willing to spend the money required and general they will not want to come to Leicester. We would need to be signing players of players like Hakim Ziyech from Ajax or Hirving Lozano from PSV, which is not going to happen. Our average net spend each season over the last 5 years is £25 million, the only top 6 clubs to have a net spend less than £45 million are Liverpool and Spurs, discounting Liverpool as they figures are effect by the sale of Coutinho. With that average spend going out and buying players is not a option for get in the top six, I would also argue that their ambition is long term not short term with that level of spending.

 

For me the model we should be looking at is Spurs, developing our own talent and spotting talent at lower levels and developing them over time. 

 

Vardy, Mahrez and Kante weren't top six players when they arrived, all three developed to that level over time, for me we need to keep developing players and then keep them, by matching their ambition

[frany104]

At this minute in time I would sooner give Barnes a chance over Maddison and Gray. Both are over rated by the fans and themselves. Bring Barnes back and play him. What he has shown for WBA this season is lot more ability and desire than Maddison and Gray.

[Leicester_Loyal]

17 hours ago, volpeazzurro said:

I don't think Europe this season is a priority at any cost,  I think it's a season of evaluation and gauging what dead wood needs shipping out finally and buying wisely to the new plan that we seem to have. Europe, like it has been with burnley can be problematic without a good squad in depth.  

I agree with this. We won't get top 7 this season, we aren't consistent enough. If we're gonna stick with Puel then Fuchs, Okazaki, King, James, Slimani etc. all need to be gone by the end of the summer and replaced. We need a proper go at chasing a European spot.

[MPH]

i think what is being made clear to me about Gray is that he is an old fashioned out and out winger. he really isn’t good in any other position.

 

Now if we played a traditional 4-4-2 i think he would really grow. But we are not. 

[Kasey Keller]

We all want him recalled, but Puel will again ignite the flames with the fans and leave him at WBA...

[coolhandfox]

9 minutes ago, MPH said:

i think what is being made clear to me about Gray is that he is an old fashioned out and out winger. he really isn’t good in any other position.

 

Now if we played a traditional 4-4-2 i think he would really grow. But we are not. 

I'd agree looks lost in the 4-2-3-1, he looks at his best, running with the ball at pace, taking people on. 

 

To me, he looks like his to afraid to give the ball away and instead pass it inside or backwards, one of my concerns is Puel is so focus on ball retention that players take the safe option.

[mozartfox]

5 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

I'd agree looks lost in the 4-2-3-1, he looks at his best, running with the ball at pace, taking people on. 

 

To me, he looks like his to afraid to give the ball away and instead pass it inside or backwards, one of my concerns is Puel is so focus on ball retention that players take the safe option.

'ball retention'???   So why do we give it away so often? Our Pass completion stats, whilst better than in Shaky's 'hoof and hope' era, is still an aspect of our came that is crying out for improvement.