Stanislav Lobotka

[Frost]

This lad is the absolute business. Fingers crossed we sign him but think he'll have bigger clubs sniffing around.

[CosbehFox]

22 minutes ago, Frost said:

This lad is the absolute business. Fingers crossed we sign him but think he'll have bigger clubs sniffing around.

Napoli and Dortmund keen.

 

[Buzzell]

Never heard of him.

[Suzie the Fox]

"It’s claimed that Lobotka is currently protected by a €50m release clause."  

 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

Wasn’t he a character in the Port season of The Wire?

[Finnegan]

3 minutes ago, bmouth_fox said:

Wasn’t he a character in the Port season of The Wire?

 

Sobotka. Close. 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

Just now, Finnegan said:

 

Sobotka. Close. 

Just as long as he’s also not fat and bald!

[Finnegan]

9 minutes ago, bmouth_fox said:

Just as long as he’s also not fat and bald!

 

Or a useless drunk with a massive nob. 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

2 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Or a useless drunk with a massive nob. 

Well I dunno... now Benny has departed!

[Ric Flair]

If we are spending £25m on a Celta Vigo player then surely its Brais Mendez? It shouldn't even be a negotiation, pay his release clause.

[StriderHiryu]

11 hours ago, Kasey Keller said:

Underrated post!

[Haywood_6]

13 hours ago, urban.spaceman said:

Sports Witness, but still. New name. Yay. 

 

http://sportwitness.co.uk/bournemouth-leicester-city-ready-offer-e25m-la-liga-midfielder/

Sports witness - so take no notice in other words.

[MC Prussian]

31 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

If we are spending £25m on a Celta Vigo player then surely its Brais Mendez? It shouldn't even be a negotiation, pay his release clause.

Got to get rid of Ghezzal first.

If this January transfer window is all about cost-cutting and getting some of the money back on players Puel doesn't need, we'll have to see a few more players leaving and wait another five and a half months for something to happen on the other side of the transfer spectrum.

 

Patience.

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

6 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

Got to get rid of Ghezzal first.

If this January transfer window is all about cost-cutting and getting some of the money back on players Puel doesn't need, we'll have to see a few more players leaving and wait another five and a half months for something to happen on the other side of the transfer spectrum.

 

Patience.

Except we've already brought a player in, Barnes, and are clearly looking for more options if the right deal is available

 

Patienceeee

[StriderHiryu]

This guy and Dani Olmo are deep lying playmaker type midfielders, and that's good news because I feel that at home against defensive teams we lack a player who can create chances for us. Against Southampton in fact Maddison came so deep he was almost playing as a number 8, and I think we need someone like that in the 8 position with Maddison at number 10. Barnes could also play as a 10, but think he will be better as one of the 3 forwards in our system.

 

Regarding the player himself, his stats might not seem too exciting, but the way playmakers are rated stats wise, is often misleading. For example, let's take a look at the following player:

 

This player averages less than 5 assists a season, so he's surely crap right? Oh except it's Andres Iniesta, one of if not the best creative midfielders of all time. If you are the player that gives the assist to an assist, it doesn't register many points statistics wise. But it's one of the most important parts of football, to run the game and keep the midfield ticking over.

 

I'm not sure which player we should sign, but I'd love us to sign a deep lying play maker in the summer.

 

 

 

Edited 18 January 2019 by StriderHiryu

[Nick]

5 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

This guy and Dani Olmo are deep lying playmaker type midfielders, and that's good news because I feel that at home against defensive teams we lack a player who can create chances for us. Against Southampton in fact Maddison came so deep he was almost playing as a number 8, and I think we need someone like that in the 8 position with Maddison at number 10. Barnes could also play as a 10, but think he will be better as one of the 3 forwards in our system.

 

Regarding the player himself, his stats might not seem to exciting, but the way playmakers are rated stats wise, is often misleading. For example, let's take a look at the following player:

 

This player averages less than 5 assists a season, so he's surely crap right? Oh except it's Andres Iniesta, one of if not the best creative midfielders of all time. If you are the player that gives the assist to an assist, it doesn't register many points statistics wise. But it's one of the most important parts of football, to run the game and keep the midfield ticking over.

 

I'm not sure which player we should sign, but I'd love us to sign a deep lying play maker in the summer.

And in a 4231 where would you play him?

 

 

[MC Prussian]

20 minutes ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

Except we've already brought a player in, Barnes, and are clearly looking for more options if the right deal is available

 

Patienceeee

Where did you get that?

Can't really count in Barnes, as he was our player from the start, anyway (with the loan being a sole technicality).

 

We've sent Slimani out on loan, Iborra is gone, Silva on his way out, with King, Benalouane and Simpson allegedly following soon. Jakupovic wants to leave, Okazaki could be gone by the summer the latest, Fuchs on his way to the MLS sooner than later.

This June/July/August will make for a busy period.

 

So, we're more likely to continue trimming the squad down to an acceptable minimum in January, rather than splashing the cash.

Which is only reasonable, as the prices during this transfer window are usually exorbitant.

 

Edited 18 January 2019 by MC Prussian

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

Just now, MC Prussian said:

Where did you get that?

Can't really count in Barnes, as he was our player from the start, anyway (with the loan being a sole technicality).

 

We've sent Slimani out on loan, Iborra is gone, Silva on his way out, with Benalouane and Simpson allegedly following soon. Jakupovic wants to leave, Okazaki could be gone by the summer the latest, Fuchs on his way to the MLS sooner than later.

This June/July/August will make for a busy period.

 

So, we're more likely to continue trimming the squad down to an acceptable minimum in January, rather than splashing the cash.

Which is only reasonable, as the prices during this transfer window are usually exorbitant.

 

Rumours in the press as well as mightyfin suggest we have been making enquiries/bids

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/claude-puel-reveals-thoughts-leicester-2440351

 

Someone looking to make a negative spin on things would look at the words in that link and moan about excuses or some such thing

 

But looking to buy in the January window whilst being able to walk away from deals instead of being had over a barrel is the right thing position to take.  No point in buying just anyone that everyone will be moaning about anyway when we could do better in the summer

 

And Barnes, whilst already our players, is the right type of player in a position we needed ti improve in and still something to be pleased about imo

[MC Prussian]

1 minute ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

Rumours in the press as well as mightyfin suggest we have been making enquiries/bids

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/claude-puel-reveals-thoughts-leicester-2440351

 

Someone looking to make a negative spin on things would look at the words in that link and moan about excuses or some such thing

 

But looking to buy in the January window whilst being able to walk away from deals instead of being had over a barrel is the right thing position to take.  No point in buying just anyone that everyone will be moaning about anyway when we could do better in the summer

 

And Barnes, whilst already our players, is the right type of player in a position we needed ti improve in and still something to be pleased about imo

Puel needs to play him more regularly first before we he can be talked about as a success. Found it disappointing that after all the positive achievements at West Bromwich, the manager decided to bench a young player on the up, instead preferring a defensive-oriented central midfield.

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

1 minute ago, MC Prussian said:

Puel needs to play him more regularly first before we he can be talked about as a success. Found it disappointing that after all the positive achievements at West Bromwich, the manager decided to bench a young player on the up, instead preferring a defensive-oriented central midfield.

I dont know if throwing him into the starting 11 1-2 days after coming back would have been a great idea

 

Obviously that defensive central midfield was definitely dubious to start the game with, but thats a separate issue

 

Barnes looked a good player to me and he will get the chances under Puel and if he puts in the performances on the pitch to warrant a start i'm sure he'll get one.

 

Its a free player who genuinely gives us another option, whats not to like?

[StriderHiryu]

16 minutes ago, Swan Lesta said:

And in a 4231 where would you play him?

 

 

An option to compete with Mendy and Ndidi, so replacing one of them in the double pviot.

 

Not saying we should sign this player specifically, but if we are away from home, then having two "robust" players in the double pivot makes sense. But at home against a team that sits back (so everyone in the bottom 10) either Ndidi or Mendy could rotate out for a player who is less good at tackling but far better on the ball, who can pass and is brave enough to pass the ball forwards.

[FoxFossil]

1 hour ago, Swan Lesta said:

And in a 4231 where would you play him?

 

 

With Messi as an extra line of DMs in front of the back 6.

[Nick]

1 hour ago, StriderHiryu said:

An option to compete with Mendy and Ndidi, so replacing one of them in the double pviot.

 

Not saying we should sign this player specifically, but if we are away from home, then having two "robust" players in the double pivot makes sense. But at home against a team that sits back (so everyone in the bottom 10) either Ndidi or Mendy could rotate out for a player who is less good at tackling but far better on the ball, who can pass and is brave enough to pass the ball forwards.

Well for a double pivot to be remotely effective both DM’s need to be able to carry the ball forward otherwise it may well as be a bloody diamond midfield.

 

If we buy a player like this we’d have one at least but I’m uncertain that’s what Puel seeks.

 

Whilst people I’m sure will argue that Silva wasn’t good enough, if Puel was prepared to entertain such a player I’d have thought he’d of given him a greater run of games, afterall this was what he was supposed to be good at.

[StriderHiryu]

42 minutes ago, Swan Lesta said:

Well for a double pivot to be remotely effective both DM’s need to be able to carry the ball forward otherwise it may well as be a bloody diamond midfield.

 

If we buy a player like this we’d have one at least but I’m uncertain that’s what Puel seeks.

 

Whilst people I’m sure will argue that Silva wasn’t good enough, if Puel was prepared to entertain such a player I’d have thought he’d of given him a greater run of games, afterall this was what he was supposed to be good at.

Puel used Seri (now at Fulham) alongside Mendy at Nice, though they did often play a diamond formation. So I could see such a player being at our club. Seri is pretty good IMO even for a struggling team. 

[Babylon]

5 hours ago, MC Prussian said:

Found it disappointing that after all the positive achievements at West Bromwich, the manager decided to bench a young player on the up, instead preferring a defensive-oriented central midfield.

He'd been training for one day, get real.

 

This ultra negative taking a pop at the manger over everything is just ridiculous.