Football365: Leicester are one fine summer from a Champions League squad

[z-layrex]

9 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

We're not Spurs.

Yeah we're not playing in Champions League finals.

[FoxFossil]

Or lose the first five games and Brendan gone by Christmas.

 

[Buce]

 

An optimistic article, to be sure - but weren't these achievements Puel's?

 

"And the Northern Irishman has painted a pretty picture thus far. Leicester are one of two teams who took points off Liverpool at Anfield, one of two teams who took points off both Liverpool and Manchester City, and the only visiting team to win at Stamford Bridge..."

[lgfualol]

If we sign Tielemans and the players are fired up all season then top 6 is a possibility. Knowing Leicester though there will be some drama and we'll **** it up.

[CosbehFox]

28 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

An optimistic article, to be sure - but weren't these achievements Puel's?

 

"And the Northern Irishman has painted a pretty picture thus far. Leicester are one of two teams who took points off Liverpool at Anfield, one of two teams who took points off both Liverpool and Manchester City, and the only visiting team to win at Stamford Bridge..."

Can’t say that Buce! Puel did nothing here 

[Captain...]

15 hours ago, PhillippaT said:

Would we be willing to accept cwappy performance in the cups (as usual) if it means focusing on (and hopefully getting) getting a CL place?  Afterall, it'#s really our 2nd team/reserves that are the main weakpoint atm. - our first team isn't looking too bad (so long as we get Tielemans).

I don’t think I would accept crappy cup performances, I get the need to use cup games to rotate but we need to have a squad strong enough that resting a few players doesn’t turn us into a sub league one standard side. 

 

This means a squad with options, not a clear first 11 and some others, and options that can be used in league games tactically and not just because of injuries.

 

I liked the idea of Puel trying to play Gray as a striker giving an option other than Iheanacho to Vardy and a change in playing style. OK it didn’t work but having a forward that can play wide or through the middle would give us a lot of options to rotate and keep players fresh. We need to start thinking of a permanent alternative to Vardy but we can’t bring someone in just to play cup games and a few league minutes and expect them to reach potential.

 

The other consideration is form, especially in young players, they have dodgy patches where a few games off just to give them a break work out any niggles and they generally come back fresher. 

 

This window Dow will be difficult we can’t just make one big money signing we already have a few squad players to replace and hopefully a few more will leave, but we can’t sign Youri and then add 3 or 4 more proven quality players, we don’t have the budget.

[StriderHiryu]

Nice read and I love the optimism.

 

I think hoping for a spot in the top 4 is getting ahead of ourselves given that since the title win the highest we have finished is 9th. We should look to lock down 7th and a return to Europe first, something which is not as straightforward as many think it is. However, the crux of the article we all know to be true - we have a great core of players who have improved as the season has gone on. If we could add one or two more players of the Ricardo quality level to the team, especially in attacking positions, we could be in for a very exciting season indeed.

 

I think we will have a good idea of what to expect 10 games into the season. In 18/19 we were 12th after 10 games with a goal difference of 0 as a comparison. 

[norwichfox]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

An optimistic article, to be sure - but weren't these achievements Puel's?

 

"And the Northern Irishman has painted a pretty picture thus far. Leicester are one of two teams who took points off Liverpool at Anfield, one of two teams who took points off both Liverpool and Manchester City, and the only visiting team to win at Stamford Bridge..."

Please don't cloud the issue with facts....

[Sol thewall Bamba]

16 hours ago, AKCJ said:

I like the optimism and i'm inclined to agree.

 

I honestly don't see the first 11 (that's including Tielemans) as being that far away from the so-called Big 6.

 

Trouble is when we need a goal we bring on Iheanacho, when we need to beef up the midfield we bring on Mendy and when we need to shore up the defence we bring on Morgan etc etc

 

Our first 11 is more than enough (would like to sign a quality winger) but the squad as a whole needs beefing up.

 

Yes, but without consistent European football we don't play enough games to keep 18 (or more) first team standard players happy. It's a fine line to tread really. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, lgfualol said:

If we sign Tielemans and the players are fired up all season then top 6 is a possibility. Knowing Leicester though there will be some drama and we'll **** it up.

Instead of signing Tielemans, we'll sign Lee Cattermole and @Col city fan will be ecstatic.

[Guest TaggertvsWise]

I love this article and have been banging out this sentiment for a while. My take on it is that we place so much emphasis on breaking into the top 6.... I think this relies too much on other top teams and detracts from our focus week in week.  I don’t see why we can’t join them to create a top 7, we could easily finish 12-15 points above Everton etc with this squad and add to the breakaway group as oppose to replace someone.

[les-tah]

17 hours ago, Foxxed said:

Goalkeeper - Great

Full backs - Great

Centre backs - Great (and still great if we sell Maguire and Benkovic comes in)

Defensive midfielder - Great

Creative midfielder1 - Great

Creative midfielder2 - Great if we buy him

Striker - Great

Winger1 - Young and could be his season

Winger2 - Got four goals last season, may get upto 6 the next

 

Buy Tielemans. See Barnes flourish. But a new winger. Get a lot of luck. Could see Europe.

I agree..Our young hugely talented squad is another year wiser so if we Keep Tielemans and buy a world level winger..  we are in for a shout of 4th place like you said.

 

What will be the difference is the ability to break the teams down who sit back that we struggled against. But the creative Tielemens and a world level winger would certainly help that. 

[Dan]

This optimism can only possibly end in relegation 

[Corky]

Going to need another 20 points from somewhere (and this is after a season where 3rd-6th were all underwhelming).

 

I think the points about the club being settled on a path after the title win with younger players and ambitious manager are correct. It does feel like we've got a plan.

[Nicolo Barella]

On 22/05/2019 at 19:42, urban.spaceman said:

I’ve said it before: 4th place is up for grabs next season. Arsenal and Man Utd are in need of a huge overhaul from top to bottom, which isn’t going to happen in one summer. Chelsea have a transfer ban, Hazard is likely on his way out, Sarri doesn’t have a clue what to do with Kante. We have no Europe next season, and with a couple of great additions to the squad we should be challenging for the Europa League regardless. But a Champions League is definitely possible IMO. 

Just to be a pedant, Arsenal have the best striker pairing in the league, so it's not quite a top to bottom overhaul.

[Guest Col city fan]

22 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Instead of signing Tielemans, we'll sign Lee Cattermole and @Col city fan will be ecstatic.

 

 

[Out Foxed]

With some of the big boys being in their weakest position for years in terms of squad talent and depth, now is the time. so long as we retain and improve; next season could be a corker.  

[Xen]

19 hours ago, Corky said:

Going to need another 20 points from somewhere (and this is after a season where 3rd-6th were all underwhelming).

 

I think the points about the club being settled on a path after the title win with younger players and ambitious manager are correct. It does feel like we've got a plan.

20 points would have had us miss out on 3rd on goal difference. We'll obviously need to improve our points total to have a chance but +15pts would have us competing at that level Assuming we do step up a gear, then looking at results from this season and considering just how poor we were then we should be able to eke out some more points.

 

Home losses to the likes of Cardiff, Southampton and Newcastle could all be converted to wins, even Everton and Palace (who we really should be beating by now).

Lacklustre draws (WHam H/A, Burnley H, Fulham H, Brighton A) all had potential for more points.

Even some of the tougher games (Wolves A, ManU H/A) we put in good efforts and arguably deserved more than we got.

 

Obviously things wont all go our way, but with a progressive manager for the full season, a few top signings (e.g. Tielemans) then we could feasibly be aiming for at least 10-12 extra points, which puts us in the low-60s. If ManU, for instance, continue to slide then we're within reach.

[l444ry]

What a difference time makes. The same squad Puel had to work with and yet optimism is rampant because the right decision was made eventually. Can't wait for the new season myself.

[foxes_rule1978]

Rodgers is a very good manager and I’m sure he knows what is required. Tielemans should be the first signing and we do need another striker because nacho is useless 

[Paninistickers]

On 23/05/2019 at 10:23, TaggertvsWise said:

I love this article and have been banging out this sentiment for a while. My take on it is that we place so much emphasis on breaking into the top 6.... I think this relies too much on other top teams and detracts from our focus week in week.  I don’t see why we can’t join them to create a top 7, we could easily finish 12-15 points above Everton etc with this squad and add to the breakaway group as oppose to replace someone.

I get you. But think the opposite, tbh.

 

Palace, Newcastle, West Ham, Southampton are all aides well capable of beating anyone. I think next season will be an absolute cage fight, championship style, of all teams ripping points of each other. 

 

Even Spurs/chelses might get dragged into the mess between 3rd and, say, 5th bottom....where as little as 10 points may separate the positions

[Guest Col city fan]

Spot on imo

I wrote on the forum a few weeks ago that we really could push next season with the right signings.

We must get a viable alternative for Vardy (unless Brendan works miracles with Kelechi)

and another top central midfield playmaker.

The first team is now very competitive. The squad needs strengthening.

I’m just not having that Amartey could replace Ricardo or Mendy can come in for Wilf. Neither are bad players. But imo neither are good enough to kick us on

[Guest SO1]

On 23/05/2019 at 03:58, StriderHiryu said:

Nice read and I love the optimism.

 

I think hoping for a spot in the top 4 is getting ahead of ourselves given that since the title win the highest we have finished is 9th. We should look to lock down 7th and a return to Europe first, something which is not as straightforward as many think it is. However, the crux of the article we all know to be true - we have a great core of players who have improved as the season has gone on. If we could add one or two more players of the Ricardo quality level to the team, especially in attacking positions, we could be in for a very exciting season indeed.

 

I think we will have a good idea of what to expect 10 games into the season. In 18/19 we were 12th after 10 games with a goal difference of 0 as a comparison. 

I don't know much about the particulars of Football Training Periodisation but think this should be a factor in our expectations of how well we do and when we do it.

Some teams start the season like a house on fire while others don't. Consistency and survival through the grueling schedule of the Premier League has to be taken into account.

Especially through the holidays. I'm sure Rodgers is very concerned with this aspect of the game as he doesn't have a squad with very much depth.

Sure he'll wring out every last drop of energy by the end.

[TheSomersetFox]

1 hour ago, Col city fan said:

Spot on imo

I wrote on the forum a few weeks ago that we really could push next season with the right signings.

We must get a viable alternative for Vardy (unless Brendan works miracles with Kelechi)

and another top central midfield playmaker.

The first team is now very competitive. The squad needs strengthening.

I’m just not having that Amartey could replace Ricardo or Mendy can come in for Wilf. Neither are bad players. But imo neither are good enough to kick us on

The 2 players you mention at the end there are capable back up for a club like ours though. It’d be nice to have Man City-style depth but you’ll never keep those players on the bench happy for long.

 

If that pair are happy to play a bit part role next season we should be spending the money elsewhere. Think Tielemans, a winger and potentially another striker are our priorities.

 

Hopefully we don’t have to see Amartey at right back too often though.

[StriderHiryu]

45 minutes ago, SO1 said:

I don't know much about the particulars of Football Training Periodisation but think this should be a factor in our expectations of how well we do and when we do it.

Some teams start the season like a house on fire while others don't. Consistency and survival through the grueling schedule of the Premier League has to be taken into account.

Especially through the holidays. I'm sure Rodgers is very concerned with this aspect of the game as he doesn't have a squad with very much depth.

Sure he'll wring out every last drop of energy by the end.

These quotes make me really excited to get behind Rodgers:

 

https://readceltic.com/2019/05/25/brendan-rodgers-taught-celtic-how-to-win-says-scott-brown/

 

"I remember feeling a little bit jealous that they were in a cup final and we weren’t. But Brendan came in and changed our mindset. We didn’t have a great track record at Hampden before that but he made us realise how to change our mindset, how to improve, how to win. 

 

While he was here we won seven trophies on the trot. Now Neil’s here, we need to make sure we make it nine. Brendan pushed us to another level. It was great man management more than anything. He made us believe in ourselves. "

 

These quotes were from Celtic captain Scott Brown. It says a lot that despite him leaving he would still say this, which I think is a great sign. In too many games under Puel I thought we started without enough aggression until we went behind in games. This has already changed under Brendan and hopefully leads to a really good 2019/20 season.