Ben Chilwell's Message for Leicester Fans

[Nick]

42 minutes ago, ThaiFox said:

I agree. Anyone in the public limelight will be hated as much as they are loved. Younger players will be more effected until they discover this comes with the job they have.

 

I said on another post, I think the reason we are playing much better away from the King Power is because of the toxic and poisonous atmosphere our fans are bringing to our home games. All I could hear on the Man Ure game, live on TV out here, was United fans singing and Leicester fans booing or groaning. There was little positive support for the team. 

 

I know the booing of Ghezzal was for Puel's substitution of Maddison, but it must have been ringing in his ears when he ran on. Huge credit to him he had an excellent 30 minutes and was the best player on the pitch in that time.

 

As for Chilwell, he is right to say this, and he is spot on with his comments. The home atmosphere IS a problem, and fans should realize that young players can be inconsistent and need time to gain confidence. Look at Chilwell himself and how people on hear were moaning about him last season when he came into the team.

 

Now Chilwell is a top player. I love watching him. His performance v Liverpool was top notch. That match finished at 5am out here but I'd sit up every night to watch a Leicester City player play that well.

He did okay but seriously? ? 

[Richie_Wellens_Cat]

11 hours ago, Tom12345 said:

It is good to see youngsters coming through, though I feel the rapid disregard for the old pros who helped win the league only a few seasons ago is a mistake. Ferguson was great to introduce youngsters at Man Utd, but he never completely changes the team every two seasons.

 

I feel we have dismantled the title winning team too quickly. There must have been something in that team right? Also, we owe it to them to let them play a bit more given the success they gave us and that we are meant to be a family club that made us bond better and more unique. I am concerned that if we change the old guard too quickly, we will lose the essence of what made us special, what all the players have said about the unique bond we have in the dressing room, and then we become just like any other club.  Fans need to get behind this as well and don’t always call for new faces to come in.  Doing so will fundamentally change what Leicester has been about and we will lose our special winning mentality that came from the boys being like a ban of brothers. The treatment of King and the rapid degradation of Fuchs have been hard to see in this light. We need to absolutely keep Vardy, Kasper and Albrington for a while until the youngsters and newbies that come through are ingrained with the Leicester way.

Who would you still keep playing then? Simpson over Ricardo, Fuchs over Chilwell?

 

Ferguson didn't top load his team full of old players, which is what we'd done and which is why there was a need for a transition to start quickly.

[Nick]

1 minute ago, Ric Flair said:

I didnt hear too many of them moaning about the atmosphere when we beat Man City. They no doubt all posted on social media " superb result, merry Christmas everyone. Fans were class as always "

 

These players have now been part of a growing issue for over a year and the atmosphere turns in matches due to the repeated mistakes. When he says they are learning and improving, is a complete contradiction. In what way? We are still conceding the first goal and then being unable to break down teams that sit back. Theres scant evidence of any improvement. The last time we beat a team that sat back was Huddersfield in September and prior to that was Huddersfield and Watford the season before. Its horrific when you analyse what is happened to our home form under Puel.

 

The young players though arent the victims of the dismay from the fans, sadly they are caught in the cross fire as our fans are showing their dissatisfaction with a manager who makes it very difficult to like. I wish we could all remain supportive and positive when watching countless misplaced passes, aimless high crosses in to a hapless Vardy, conceding an early goal an being part of the Midlands version of Groundhog Day for what feels like an eternity. Fans are emotional and at times irrational, I really dont see anything that is happening right now that doesnt happen elsewhere or has happened in the past. 

 

It can and will change quickly though if the manager and players can evoke something to stop this disconnect and downward spiral. But theres a sense of inevitability that Puel is going in the near future and that it's going to get worse before it gets better.

I don’t think the fans are not behind our young players (with the exception of a couple of idiots) at all and painting them in the light that they are is disingenuous.

 

The fans are not behind the football in terms of selection, formation/style, and in-game decision making and that’s the manager.

 

I think people who boo in the game are idiots personally but whilst I give credit to Puel for him bringing through youth, the football is bleak. It’s much easier to watch on TV than at the KP oddly but still one dimensional with an obvious unaddressed floor and hasn’t changed significantly in over a year. 

 

The young players need time and patience and I’m more than happy to give them that, the manager needs to address the problems with the football and I’ve given him 12 months plus to do that and I’m now happy for someone to come in and take the project forward who doesn’t think that 4231 and 433 suit the personnel at his disposal.

[StriderHiryu]

 

I don't think I've seen any post garner as many reactions as this one from @AlloverthefloorYesNdidi !

 

Well at least it gives me some faith that most people on here can see the bigger picture.

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

2 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

 

I don't think I've seen any post garner as many reactions as this one from @AlloverthefloorYesNdidi !

 

Well at least it gives me some faith that most people on here can see the bigger picture.

I know, I couldnt believe it   not even my best work

 

I assumed half agreed with me and the other half thought i intended the opposite sentiment and agreed with that  

[Toddybad]

18 hours ago, ARTY_FOX said:

It’s another case of misinterpring what the frustrations are though. The results aren’t solely why everyone is getting annoyed it’s shit football we turn out unless we’re playing a ‘big club’. People wouldn’t be so pissed off with where we are and some of the results we’ve had if we were atleast entertaining to watch.  

I don't get this though. 

We're boring to watch when we play teams that sit back with ten men behind the ball because we've got the better players. If you watch Chelsea playing teams with ten men behind the ball it's often boring. When we play the better teams we're not too bad to watch at all. And we're not as good as Chelsea. We have to learn, as fans, that better teams often have to play keep ball. Our team is young and improving all the time. 

[Ted Maul]

Imagine being a grown man and booing a substitution at a football match  there should definitely be some sort of register for behaviour like that.

 

We've definitely got one of the worst fanbases in the league. Depressing.

[HighPeakFox]

I agree we've been tough to watch at times under Puel, but that's been true for the 2 previous managers too. However, Sunday wasn't one of those occasions, I enjoyed it despite the result.

 

Whatever his faults (and I'm not in denial that they exist), I think Puel is bearing the pent up frustration at the club's numerous failures since the title win. Thus, I'll forgive him being stubborn. 

[stripeyfox]

27 minutes ago, Ted Maul said:

Imagine being a grown man and booing a substitution at a football match  there should definitely be some sort of register for behaviour like that.

 

We've definitely got one of the worst fanbases in the league. Depressing.

booing your own players at a football match is just a useful way of publicly validating your lack of intelligence.

 

 

[Grebfromgrebland]

1 hour ago, ThaiFox said:

I agree. Anyone in the public limelight will be hated as much as they are loved. Younger players will be more effected until they discover this comes with the job they have.

 

I said on another post, I think the reason we are playing much better away from the King Power is because of the toxic and poisonous atmosphere our fans are bringing to our home games. All I could hear on the Man Ure game, live on TV out here, was United fans singing and Leicester fans booing or groaning. There was little positive support for the team. 

 

I know the booing of Ghezzal was for Puel's substitution of Maddison, but it must have been ringing in his ears when he ran on. Huge credit to him he had an excellent 30 minutes and was the best player on the pitch in that time.

 

As for Chilwell, he is right to say this, and he is spot on with his comments. The home atmosphere IS a problem, and fans should realize that young players can be inconsistent and need time to gain confidence. Look at Chilwell himself and how people on hear were moaning about him last season when he came into the team.

 

Now Chilwell is a top player. I love watching him. His performance v Liverpool was top notch. That match finished at 5am out here but I'd sit up every night to watch a Leicester City player play that well.

Basically our fans have become self entitled knobs. There's probably about 10,000 in the stadium who don't support Leicester as their first team who started attending after the great escape season because it became 'entertainment'

[shade]

people could follow me round the streets booing me if i was picking up £50,000 every. single. week. realtalk.

[murphy]

Isn't there some kind of a check that the club could apply at the turnstiles?

 

[murphy]

Ironic really that a complaint that I often hear regarding Puel is that his detachment and lack of charisma leads to a loss of relationship between club and fans.   Then they behave like they did on Sunday.

 

Yeah, right.  Perhaps some of these people should be looking closer to home.

 

[Ric Flair]

I suppose the sub plot to this is, do fans have the right to " expect " being entertained or at least get some form of value for money, or as supporters should it remain unwavering? I've always struggled to relate the torment  I go through being a football fan to anything else, analogies like " the customer is always right " does that have any relevance in football or team sport in general? In most other cases such as paying for a service or going for a nice meal, to watch a live music concert there's a real element of consumer choice. However, in football unless you are a complete piss ant, you shouldn't or can't pick and choose. So we soldier on, with unquestioning loyalty and have to try and remain positive at all times.

 

I know how much of a disgrace I am at that last line above, remaining positive or curbing my abuse of my club is a pipe dream on my part. I wear my heart on my sleeve and the high and lows are acted out in a frenetic manner, wildly going over the top. In fact I come alive when we are struggling or there's uproar with the establishment, it's what i'm used to. The title win was almost alien and I loved it, but was so nervous and petrified to believe or not stay in the moment.

 

I've been part of this forum since 2004/05, what we are witnessing under Puel and how the fans are growing inpatient and angry is nothing new. I think what's slightly different right now is the dismay has been rife for bordering on a year now and we aren't used to that without there being a new dawn, however false to kid ourselves it'll be different this time. Go back to 2010/11, we'd had 2 years of what felt like a new era after a poorly managed club from top to bottom for nearly a decade. I would class the fanbase as pretty much all on Pearson and Mandaric's side. There was a feelgood factor finally at our new ground that had barely seen any joy since we moved in. The heartbreak of the playoffs then led to Pearson either being " allowed " to leave or being pushed, in came Sousa. It was a disaster and the fans were up in arms, the atmosphere in such a short space of time was horrible. I remember the level of abuse in the first game vs Palace away and it was unreal, we were 3-0 down and it was evil.

 

This is why I find it bizarre that anyone is surprised by fans venting their anger, it's been happening for years and will continue to happen. We aren't alone in this supposed national disgrace. Carrying on, Sousa was quickly disposed of and in came Sven. The atmosphere picked up and we were hoping that what we were seeing was the start of an exciting champagne era under the sex pest swede. Then barely a year later it had turned again and there will have been some in game toxic atmosphere that we are witnessing now, what changed? Sven was quickly removed when there was a point of no return. The same can be said for nearly every manager we've had since, when it's going badly then it's not a nice place to be. I baulk at anyone who would expect it to be any different. Even the year of the great escape, after being under the stewardship of our best manager for years who had created an unbelievable team spirit between all facets of the club, the atmosphere was atrocious as the rot set in and we were rooted to the bottom of the table. Expectations were much lower then, we'd been a decade out of the top flight and we were heading straight back out of it, yet there's no legislation for failure as fans when you're being subjected to the pain of something you love and can't walk away from. We are emotional beasts and even as grown men, we let it get the better of us. But what this era showed and what then became of it, was how quickly we as fans will be revitalised by just a small spark from the playing field. That scrappy win vs West Ham and we never looked back, the King Power became a fortress and all anger and vitriol was gone and replaced by encouragement and pride. I wish it was so easy to always maintain that encouragement and pride regardless of what is being played out on the field but you are off your pickle if you think there is any collection of humans that will do that.

 

We might not be in the relegation zone like we were under Pearson for a large chunk of that season, or Ranieri the season after we won the league when the atmosphere also turned way more poisonous than this but our home form the last year isn't far off relegation form and that is a big reason for the in game hostility. The majority of our fans only get to see us at home, so to be subjected to the last year of home performances like this is up there with any of the other terrible eras we've had in the last decade. It's just the way it is.

 

 

[foxy boxing]

So Chilwell is asking the fans to stick with the youngsters as they continue to develop, fine but will these youngsters we are developing stick with the club and not hot foot it to a bigger club the first chance they get!. there needs to be signs that the team is continually developing and progressing as these 'youngsters' learn and play together and develop understandings together that will progressively move the team forward.if we are on a long term plan then will these ' youngters' stick around long enough for that plan to ripen and bear fruit which will last for years as long as we keep it refrigerated( chilled).

[HighPeakFox]

A very fine post @Ric Flair

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

8 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

I suppose the sub plot to this is, do fans have the right to " expect " being entertained or at least get some form of value for money, or as supporters should it remain unwavering? I've always struggled to relate the torment  I go through being a football fan to anything else, analogies like " the customer is always right " does that have any relevance in football or team sport in general? In most other cases such as paying for a service or going for a nice meal, to watch a live music concert there's a real element of consumer choice. However, in football unless you are a complete piss ant, you shouldn't or can't pick and choose. So we soldier on, with unquestioning loyalty and have to try and remain positive at all times.

 

I know how much of a disgrace I am at that last line above, remaining positive or curbing my abuse of my club is a pipe dream on my part. I wear my heart on my sleeve and the high and lows are acted out in a frenetic manner, wildly going over the top. In fact I come alive when we are struggling or there's uproar with the establishment, it's what i'm used to. The title win was almost alien and I loved it, but was so nervous and petrified to believe or not stay in the moment.

 

I've been part of this forum since 2004/05, what we are witnessing under Puel and how the fans are growing inpatient and angry is nothing new. I think what's slightly different right now is the dismay has been rife for bordering on a year now and we aren't used to that without there being a new dawn, however false to kid ourselves it'll be different this time. Go back to 2010/11, we'd had 2 years of what felt like a new era after a poorly managed club from top to bottom for nearly a decade. I would class the fanbase as pretty much all on Pearson and Mandaric's side. There was a feelgood factor finally at our new ground that had barely seen any joy since we moved in. The heartbreak of the playoffs then led to Pearson either being " allowed " to leave or being pushed, in came Sousa. It was a disaster and the fans were up in arms, the atmosphere in such a short space of time was horrible. I remember the level of abuse in the first game vs Palace away and it was unreal, we were 3-0 down and it was evil.

 

This is why I find it bizarre that anyone is surprised by fans venting their anger, it's been happening for years and will continue to happen. We aren't alone in this supposed national disgrace. Carrying on, Sousa was quickly disposed of and in came Sven. The atmosphere picked up and we were hoping that what we were seeing was the start of an exciting champagne era under the sex pest swede. Then barely a year later it had turned again and there will have been some in game toxic atmosphere that we are witnessing now, what changed? Sven was quickly removed when there was a point of no return. The same can be said for nearly every manager we've had since, when it's going badly then it's not a nice place to be. I baulk at anyone who would expect it to be any different. Even the year of the great escape, after being under the stewardship of our best manager for years who had created an unbelievable team spirit between all facets of the club, the atmosphere was atrocious as the rot set in and we were rooted to the bottom of the table. Expectations were much lower then, we'd been a decade out of the top flight and we were heading straight back out of it, yet there's no legislation for failure as fans when you're being subjected to the pain of something you love and can't walk away from. We are emotional beasts and even as grown men, we let it get the better of us. But what this era showed and what then became of it, was how quickly we as fans will be revitalised by just a small spark from the playing field. That scrappy win vs West Ham and we never looked back, the King Power became a fortress and all anger and vitriol was gone and replaced by encouragement and pride. I wish it was so easy to always maintain that encouragement and pride regardless of what is being played out on the field but you are off your pickle if you think there is any collection of humans that will do that.

 

We might not be in the relegation zone like we were under Pearson for a large chunk of that season, or Ranieri the season after we won the league when the atmosphere also turned way more poisonous than this but our home form the last year isn't far off relegation form and that is a big reason for the in game hostility. The majority of our fans only get to see us at home, so to be subjected to the last year of home performances like this is up there with any of the other terrible eras we've had in the last decade. It's just the way it is.

 

 

A good post and i'm loathe to pick out one line from up because it looks like i'm dismissing the rest, which i'm not, having said that  ......

 

Is it not possible that one good home performance against a team around us or below us could do that? 

 

We have been so close to getting results in so many games, we just need a few moments where everything clicks, we get the needed goal, get a good win at home and things could turn around for the end of the season

 

Those screaming for Puel's head dont see it that way of course, but in reality we are not far off turning some of these losses into draws and wins.  It has always been fine margins

[RonnieTodger]

There's quite a lot wrong with Leicester at the moment, but the last two games have been pretty good by all accounts.

 

We really shouldn't have lost on Sunday.

[murphy]

18 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

I suppose the sub plot to this is, do fans have the right to " expect " being entertained or at least get some form of value for money, or as supporters should it remain unwavering? I've always struggled to relate the torment  I go through being a football fan to anything else, analogies like " the customer is always right " does that have any relevance in football or team sport in general? In most other cases such as paying for a service or going for a nice meal, to watch a live music concert there's a real element of consumer choice. However, in football unless you are a complete piss ant, you shouldn't or can't pick and choose. So we soldier on, with unquestioning loyalty and have to try and remain positive at all times.

 

I know how much of a disgrace I am at that last line above, remaining positive or curbing my abuse of my club is a pipe dream on my part. I wear my heart on my sleeve and the high and lows are acted out in a frenetic manner, wildly going over the top. In fact I come alive when we are struggling or there's uproar with the establishment, it's what i'm used to. The title win was almost alien and I loved it, but was so nervous and petrified to believe or not stay in the moment.

 

I've been part of this forum since 2004/05, what we are witnessing under Puel and how the fans are growing inpatient and angry is nothing new. I think what's slightly different right now is the dismay has been rife for bordering on a year now and we aren't used to that without there being a new dawn, however false to kid ourselves it'll be different this time. Go back to 2010/11, we'd had 2 years of what felt like a new era after a poorly managed club from top to bottom for nearly a decade. I would class the fanbase as pretty much all on Pearson and Mandaric's side. There was a feelgood factor finally at our new ground that had barely seen any joy since we moved in. The heartbreak of the playoffs then led to Pearson either being " allowed " to leave or being pushed, in came Sousa. It was a disaster and the fans were up in arms, the atmosphere in such a short space of time was horrible. I remember the level of abuse in the first game vs Palace away and it was unreal, we were 3-0 down and it was evil.

 

This is why I find it bizarre that anyone is surprised by fans venting their anger, it's been happening for years and will continue to happen. We aren't alone in this supposed national disgrace. Carrying on, Sousa was quickly disposed of and in came Sven. The atmosphere picked up and we were hoping that what we were seeing was the start of an exciting champagne era under the sex pest swede. Then barely a year later it had turned again and there will have been some in game toxic atmosphere that we are witnessing now, what changed? Sven was quickly removed when there was a point of no return. The same can be said for nearly every manager we've had since, when it's going badly then it's not a nice place to be. I baulk at anyone who would expect it to be any different. Even the year of the great escape, after being under the stewardship of our best manager for years who had created an unbelievable team spirit between all facets of the club, the atmosphere was atrocious as the rot set in and we were rooted to the bottom of the table. Expectations were much lower then, we'd been a decade out of the top flight and we were heading straight back out of it, yet there's no legislation for failure as fans when you're being subjected to the pain of something you love and can't walk away from. We are emotional beasts and even as grown men, we let it get the better of us. But what this era showed and what then became of it, was how quickly we as fans will be revitalised by just a small spark from the playing field. That scrappy win vs West Ham and we never looked back, the King Power became a fortress and all anger and vitriol was gone and replaced by encouragement and pride. I wish it was so easy to always maintain that encouragement and pride regardless of what is being played out on the field but you are off your pickle if you think there is any collection of humans that will do that.

 

We might not be in the relegation zone like we were under Pearson for a large chunk of that season, or Ranieri the season after we won the league when the atmosphere also turned way more poisonous than this but our home form the last year isn't far off relegation form and that is a big reason for the in game hostility. The majority of our fans only get to see us at home, so to be subjected to the last year of home performances like this is up there with any of the other terrible eras we've had in the last decade. It's just the way it is.

Firstly, we as football supporters are different from consumers in general.  One is unlikely to be a 'supporter' of a restaurant for example.  If you can't support your team, through good and bad then you don't have the right to be called a supporter.  Perhaps such people should be called Leicester City customers?

 

Justifying bad behaviour with previous bad behaviour doesn't wash with me either.  We have a role to play and we as fans are falling short.  Of course we get frustrated, annoyed or whatever but we can let off steam here or with your mates.  Perhaps I'm idealistic but I believe that we should always support the team in the ground no matter what.

 

Finally, booing your team off is one thing.  I don't like it, I never have, but booing a substitution?  Pathetic.  F***ing pathetic!  Booing a player on, a player that is struggling, is disgraceful and there is no dressing that up. 

[Babylon]

15 minutes ago, RonnieTodger said:

There's quite a lot wrong with Leicester at the moment, but the last two games have been pretty good by all accounts.

 

We really shouldn't have lost on Sunday.

I can't look at any of the last three and say the manager lost us that, some suicidal decision making cost us at the very least three draws.

[Xen]

26 minutes ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

A good post and i'm loathe to pick out one line from up because it looks like i'm dismissing the rest, which i'm not, having said that  ......

 

Is it not possible that one good home performance against a team around us or below us could do that? 

 

We have been so close to getting results in so many games, we just need a few moments where everything clicks, we get the needed goal, get a good win at home and things could turn around for the end of the season

 

Those screaming for Puel's head dont see it that way of course, but in reality we are not far off turning some of these losses into draws and wins.  It has always been fine margins

Agreed.

What seems different this time is that those fans who are currently vehemently Puel-out don't seem to be wavering from that view at all, and I can't see it changing even with good results. Some will come round of course, and those of us who have more-or-less supported Puel throughout will remain so, but there seems to be a large section of our support who have made their minds up and that's that.

 

Exactly the same behaviour we're already seeing with Ghezzal. People decided he was crap after a few admittedly-shaky early performances and now he gets abuse whenever he represents our club (audible cries of "Oh no, not that twat" from seats around me when he came on), despite the fact that he's actually been quite decent recently.

 

Guaranteed that if we do turn it around and fans do start supporting Puel, though, that they'll conveniently forget their negativity and claim they always supported him. Fickle.

[ARTY_FOX]

2 hours ago, Toddybad said:

I don't get this though. 

We're boring to watch when we play teams that sit back with ten men behind the ball because we've got the better players. If you watch Chelsea playing teams with ten men behind the ball it's often boring. When we play the better teams we're not too bad to watch at all. And we're not as good as Chelsea. We have to learn, as fans, that better teams often have to play keep ball. Our team is young and improving all the time. 

It’s not just the bottom teams though is it? 

Everton for instance was a prime reason for everyone to cancel sky sports. They didn’t sit back we were just awful. You can play against a team that wants to sit in with it being entertaining for the attacking team. We just don’t try anything at all. It’s just pass out wide cut back and pass to the DM’s pass out wide the other side, back to the full back, back inside to the CB back to the DM and repeat until we either float something in or lose possession. Try and beat your man, try and slip a risky ball through have a pop. Just do something pro active instead of breaking to their 18 yard box and then playing it back to schmeical to hoof out of play. 

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

6 minutes ago, Xen said:

Agreed.

What seems different this time is that those fans who are currently vehemently Puel-out don't seem to be wavering from that view at all, and I can't see it changing even with good results. Some will come round of course, and those of us who have more-or-less supported Puel throughout will remain so, but there seems to be a large section of our support who have made their minds up and that's that.

 

Exactly the same behaviour we're already seeing with Ghezzal. People decided he was crap after a few admittedly-shaky early performances and now he gets abuse whenever he represents our club (audible cries of "Oh no, not that twat" from seats around me when he came on), despite the fact that he's actually been quite decent recently.

 

Guaranteed that if we do turn it around and fans do start supporting Puel, though, that they'll conveniently forget their negativity and claim they always supported him. Fickle.

Aye, sadly this is probably true.  Even when we win those against Puel say its because the players have ignored his instructions.  Some now still saying Puel was wrong to bring Ghezzal despite how well he played

[Xen]

10 minutes ago, Babylon said:

I can't look at any of the last three and say the manager lost us that, some suicidal decision making cost us at the very least three draws.

I'd go back even further than that.

 

United - Early mistake cost us, deserved at least a point.

Liverpool - Well deserved draw.

Wolves - Strong attacking display, would have been a draw were it not for a last minute lapse.

Southampton - Error made us fall behind, they defended resolutely. Had we not made those mistakes and kept it 0-0 we looked more likely to score first, in which case I think we'd have won comfortably.

Newport - Same as Southampton.

Cardiff - Drawing until a lapse in concentration at the end. Good strike. Should have won but for a poor Maddison penalty.

[hackneyfox]

16 hours ago, ARM1968 said:

Totally agree. New manager will need to generate funds, so expect McGuire and Chilwell to go at least. Probably several others too. Not much point kidding ourselves about that either. 

Based on what?

We don't sell two first team players in one window but you think it will be three or more.

Deluded