An unpopular opinion...?

[Charl91]

1 minute ago, AKCJ said:

If you don't want people to think that you think Vardy is detrimental to the team and that we should be phasing him out then don't say it?

     

[coolhandfox]

The beauty of our PL title season was if Vardy didn't get you, Mahrez did. 

 

For me teams are happy when our wide men have it, they shut down the space in behind and down the middle cutting of the supply to Vardy from Tielemans and Maddison. 

 

They know that there is little treat from Albrighton, Gray, Perez and Barnes is nullfied in the same was as Vardy. 

 

We are have been crying out for a quality wide man since Mahrez left, a player who can beat a man or two.

Edited 27 July 2020 by coolhandfox

[volpeazzurro]

14 hours ago, GingerrrFox said:

This is probably going to be a divisive opinion and maybe not many people will agree with me. However I think it’s the way forward for Leicester City. 
 

If you read Sir Alex Ferguson’s autobiography when he discusses moving away from Ruud Van Nistelrooy and evolving his Manchester United team, he spoke about how he felt football had moved away from having a 20+ goal a season striker who has to be fed chances in the box and cannot create for others.
 

If you look at the trios of Tevez/Rooney/Ronaldo, Firmino/Mane/Salah or Bergkamp/Henry/Pires which have been successful, it’s because they are a whole unit, they are interchangeable and they create for each other as well as being able to put the ball in the back of the net. 
 

Look at Rashford/Martial/Greenwood today as an example of a trio that are being primed for the future, they are going to be a unit that if they stay together will make United title winners again in the not too distant future.

 

Earlier in the season there was an article in the Athletic that said our expected goals was only 14.27 but our actual goals tally was 27 at the time. It was predicted that it would be unsustainable and we would see a drop off. This has proved to be the case with our 15th position in the form table for the last 12 rounds of matches. Our team right now is built around providing chances for Jamie Vardy and this puts pressure on both the team to feed Vardy and for Vardy to regularly convert those chances at high percentages. It is not a sustainable game plan because it relies on one man being at the top of their game consistently and is too one dimensional and predictable for the opposition. 
 

So the potential unpopular opinion from me is that I think it is time to start the process of moving on from Jamie Vardy and bring in a striker who is not just a goal scorer. We will never be able to sign a star such as Mbappe or Haaland, however buying a more complete striker who can contribute to chances being made as well as putting them away is what we need to progress as a football team in my opinion. It’s time to buy a striker who will genuinely push Vardy to be the starter in that position and is in a different mould of striker to Vardy. 

 

No doubt Vardy still has a role in the squad, especially against teams where they will look to make things difficult for us and we can sacrifice a midfielder for an extra striker. Vardy is a legend for Leicester fans and rightly so, this is not meant to take anything away from how good he has been for us or his achievements for the club and I am happy for him that he has won individual recognition with the golden boot award. However for me it is becoming apparent his acceleration is dropping off - a few seasons ago he would have blitzed past Lindelof on the through ball that we saw today in the first half. He also doesn’t seem to be able to repeat high intensity sprints like he used to, which was another key asset to his game as the opposition became tired. For me, it’s time to genuinely bring in a successor to Jamie Vardy’s crown who can compete for his position in the team and either replace him now or in the not too distant future. 

Not controversial for me I think you're making good sense. Had we lost Vardy to injury in October last year, where would we be now without his goals. We undoubtedly need to recruit for the future but at the present time Vardy, Iheanacho and Barnes if played slightly differently could be a decent option albeit Barnes in particular needs help to improve his composure and shooting desperately. I see no place for Perez in there whatsoever ever though. We'll just have to see who they bring in but I agree with your thinking. 

[HighPeakFox]

I should not be astonished by people unable to distinguish the difference between people saying 'Vardy is the problem' from 'Over-reliance on Vardy is the problem', but I am. The distinction is obvious - we need other threats apart from Vardy, not just Vardy. He's just won POTY & the Golden Boot, I don't think anyone sees him as the problem somehow.

[Col city fan]

Vardy isn’t the problem ffs!

We have Barnes who’s form has gone to pieces at exactly the wrong time, Maddison is injured, Tielemans looks like a gust of wind could blow him over, Kasper has had a brain fart in two big games, Rodgers makes some weird substitutions, Bennett looks a strange signing, we’ve had to play Morgan again recently who’s gone about as big as a bus.... the list is endless

Possibly the two shining lights have been James Justin, who looks like he’s going to be solid enough given time, and Vardy who is STILL the golden boot in the Premiership, beating the likes of Ings, Kane and Abuyemang. His assists record is up there too

This squad needs sorting but to start with offloading still the biggest jewel in the crown is barmy, even for this forum

[fuchsntf]

2 hours ago, Charl91 said:

     

Can I Add a Thicker wall...

[fuchsntf]

20 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Vardy isn’t the problem ffs!

We have Barnes who’s form has gone to pieces at exactly the wrong time, Maddison is injured, Tielemans looks like a gust of wind could blow him over, Kasper has had a brain fart in two big games, Rodgers makes some weird substitutions, Bennett looks a strange signing, we’ve had to play Morgan again recently who’s gone about as big as a bus.... the list is endless

Possibly the two shining lights have been James Justin, who looks like he’s going to be solid enough given time, and Vardy who is STILL the golden boot in the Premiership, beating the likes of Ings, Kane and Abuyemang. His assists record is up there too

This squad needs sorting but to start with offloading still the biggest jewel in the crown is barmy, even for this forum

There are times I could send you to Skeggy & Ingoldmells & Wrap you around One of the blades on the Wind farm..

Then you packout your bags, & then deliver Top posts like this....

[Guest]

37 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Vardy isn’t the problem ffs!

We have Barnes who’s form has gone to pieces at exactly the wrong time, Maddison is injured, Tielemans looks like a gust of wind could blow him over, Kasper has had a brain fart in two big games, Rodgers makes some weird substitutions, Bennett looks a strange signing, we’ve had to play Morgan again recently who’s gone about as big as a bus.... the list is endless

Possibly the two shining lights have been James Justin, who looks like he’s going to be solid enough given time, and Vardy who is STILL the golden boot in the Premiership, beating the likes of Ings, Kane and Abuyemang. His assists record is up there too

This squad needs sorting but to start with offloading still the biggest jewel in the crown is barmy, even for this forum

****ing hell mate nobody wants to offload him and nobody thinks he's the problem. OP suggested it might be time to begin the process of phasing him out by bringing in someone who can compete with him, possibly more of an all-rounder to wean the team off solely relying on Vardy to score the goals. There is a middle ground between "Vardy must start every game forever" and "we need to get rid of Vardy".

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

9 hours ago, Ted Maul said:

Vardy isn't the problem- the problem is out wide.

 

We were relying on a kid in his first full top flight season and a lightweight support striker to provide the goals and assists needed to propel us into the top 4- that's ultimately been our downfall.

 

We have had 4 transfer windows to try and replace Mahrez and we simply haven't bothered.

We have (but on the cheap) 

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

Just change Maria to Jamie  🤪

[Col city fan]

34 minutes ago, Guest said:

****ing hell mate nobody wants to offload him and nobody thinks he's the problem. OP suggested it might be time to begin the process of phasing him out by bringing in someone who can compete with him, possibly more of an all-rounder to wean the team off solely relying on Vardy to score the goals. There is a middle ground between "Vardy must start every game forever" and "we need to get rid of Vardy".

Wasn’t that player meant to be Iheanacho?

I recall a lot of people were shouting to drop Vardy in favour of Nacho, especially under Puel. And some even favoured dropping Vardy for Gray as a straight centre forward.

Who realistically do we sign to ‘start phasing out’ the Premierships Golden boot boy?

I don’t agree with the OP. This squad has got FAR bigger problems to contend with than focussing on the phasing our of Vardy

Edited 27 July 2020 by Col city fan

[foxpleasure]

17 hours ago, GingerrrFox said:

This is probably going to be a divisive opinion and maybe not many people will agree with me. However I think it’s the way forward for Leicester City. 
 

If you read Sir Alex Ferguson’s autobiography when he discusses moving away from Ruud Van Nistelrooy and evolving his Manchester United team, he spoke about how he felt football had moved away from having a 20+ goal a season striker who has to be fed chances in the box and cannot create for others.
 

If you look at the trios of Tevez/Rooney/Ronaldo, Firmino/Mane/Salah or Bergkamp/Henry/Pires which have been successful, it’s because they are a whole unit, they are interchangeable and they create for each other as well as being able to put the ball in the back of the net. 
 

Look at Rashford/Martial/Greenwood today as an example of a trio that are being primed for the future, they are going to be a unit that if they stay together will make United title winners again in the not too distant future.

 

Earlier in the season there was an article in the Athletic that said our expected goals was only 14.27 but our actual goals tally was 27 at the time. It was predicted that it would be unsustainable and we would see a drop off. This has proved to be the case with our 15th position in the form table for the last 12 rounds of matches. Our team right now is built around providing chances for Jamie Vardy and this puts pressure on both the team to feed Vardy and for Vardy to regularly convert those chances at high percentages. It is not a sustainable game plan because it relies on one man being at the top of their game consistently and is too one dimensional and predictable for the opposition. 
 

So the potential unpopular opinion from me is that I think it is time to start the process of moving on from Jamie Vardy and bring in a striker who is not just a goal scorer. We will never be able to sign a star such as Mbappe or Haaland, however buying a more complete striker who can contribute to chances being made as well as putting them away is what we need to progress as a football team in my opinion. It’s time to buy a striker who will genuinely push Vardy to be the starter in that position and is in a different mould of striker to Vardy. 

 

No doubt Vardy still has a role in the squad, especially against teams where they will look to make things difficult for us and we can sacrifice a midfielder for an extra striker. Vardy is a legend for Leicester fans and rightly so, this is not meant to take anything away from how good he has been for us or his achievements for the club and I am happy for him that he has won individual recognition with the golden boot award. However for me it is becoming apparent his acceleration is dropping off - a few seasons ago he would have blitzed past Lindelof on the through ball that we saw today in the first half. He also doesn’t seem to be able to repeat high intensity sprints like he used to, which was another key asset to his game as the opposition became tired. For me, it’s time to genuinely bring in a successor to Jamie Vardy’s crown who can compete for his position in the team and either replace him now or in the not too distant future. 

How very dare you

[Fox92]

Taking the only player out the team who actually scores won't fix our problems.

 

The three examples you've used (Henry/Bergkamp/Pires, Tevez/Rooney/Ronaldo, Firminho/Mane/Salah) works because they all score goals. Simple as that. 

 

Barnes/Gray don't score enough and Albrighton has never scored enough. Perez would get us 10 goals minimum if used correctly. Maddison doesn't score enough.

 

I agree getting in a striker, getting in a "successor", but we need players who will score.

[Guest]

Just now, Col city fan said:

Wasn’t that player meant to be Iheanacho?

I recall a lot of people were shouting to drop Vardy in favour of Nacho, especially under Poo Hell. And some even favoured dropping Vardy for Gray as a straight centre forward.

Who realistically do we sign to ‘start phasing out’ the Premierships Golden boot boy?

I can't say I was all that involved in the planning process that led to us signing Iheanacho so I can't answer that first one unfortunately. If a player goes through extended periods of poor form then yes, I think you can expect people to call for them to be dropped.

 

I don't know who we should sign, that falls slightly outside my remit, but what I do know for certain is that the day will soon arrive when Vardy is no longer our main striker. We can cover our eyes and pretend this isn't the case and then one day find ourselves with nobody to fall back on, or we can try to plan for this by integrating a potential successor into the team. I happen to think the latter makes more sense.

[PrecociousFox93]

As others have stated, the issue isn’t Vardy, it’s our reliance on Vardy. As soon as his goals dry up our form plummets. Opposing teams know that Barnes, Perez or Nacho do not provide the same goalthreat as Vardy, so if they null Vardy they null most of our threat. Other teams around us (bar Arsenal) have more than one significant goal threat.

 

No doubt about it we need more, which in modern day football is usually being provided by the widemen (Neymar, Sancho, Sterling, Salah etc) and this truly is our downfall. Hopefully this is addressed this summer. 
 

I hate to say it but Vardy can only carry us for so long and unfortunately he’s in the tail-end of his career so we do need to be considering our options for when he inevitably retires in the next few years.

[Col city fan]

13 minutes ago, Guest said:

I can't say I was all that involved in the planning process that led to us signing Iheanacho so I can't answer that first one unfortunately. If a player goes through extended periods of poor form then yes, I think you can expect people to call for them to be dropped.

 

I don't know who we should sign, that falls slightly outside my remit, but what I do know for certain is that the day will soon arrive when Vardy is no longer our main striker. We can cover our eyes and pretend this isn't the case and then one day find ourselves with nobody to fall back on, or we can try to plan for this by integrating a potential successor into the team. I happen to think the latter makes more sense.

I agree

The point I’m trying to make is that I DON’T see this as a priority. Vardy has got at least a good season left in him. Why? Because he’s athletic and has looked after himself

I won’t repeat myself anymore after this... there are far bigger problems in this squad than Vardy.

Evans for instance. I could make even more of an argument for replacing him before long