Danny Simpson reveals double blow to 'hurt' Leicester City players

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/danny-simpson-reveals-double-blow-4370199

 

 

The title-winning right-back has spoken to the some members of the City squad after they were defeated 2-0 by Manchester United to miss out on a Champions League place

ByJordan Blackwell
07:00, 28 JUL 2020
SPORT

A dejected Danny Simpson with Wes Morgan after Leicester City's most recent Champions League match, the second leg of their quarter-final against Atletico Madrid (Image: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)

Leicester City players are feeling the effects of a double blow: failing to realise their Champions League dream, and knowing that a top-four challenge will be a tougher task next season.

After a slump in the second half of the campaign, a defeat to Manchester United on Sunday condemned City to fifth, ensuring they missed a golden opportunity to face off against Europe’s biggest clubs next season.

Although the final position surpassed the pre-season expectation, title-winning right-back Danny Simpson said he had spoken to some of the players and that they were bruised after throwing away a 14-point advantage inside the top four.

While Simpson believes the squad will come to reassess the campaign in a few days’ time, they will also know that the elite clubs will be more careful not to leave the door ajar next term.

“Because it started so well, the boys will be disappointed, I know what they’re like,” Simpson told talkSPORT 2. “They were so close. They were 14 points ahead at one point.

“I’ve spoken to some of them. Some of them, their dream again was to play in the Champions League. It’s not happened and they’ll be hurt.

“It’ll be a few days and then they’ll move on. They’ll look and think: ‘We’ve finished fifth, and we nearly got to a final.’

“If you look at it that way, it’s not a disappointment. It’s only because of the way we built them up, the way the media built them up, for the first five months, saying: ‘Are they Liverpool’s title challengers?’

“Since Project Restart, they’ll probably admit certain games and certain performances haven’t been up to their standard, and that’s good, because they know they want to be setting high standards."

He added: “But it’s that time where you think is this the only opportunity you’re going to get. Was this the chance for Leicester to be in the top four? Because we all know next season it’s going to be a lot tougher.

“Arsenal will get better, Tottenham will get better. Even United and Chelsea will get even better.

“Look at the start of the season, the target was European football and maybe a cup final. They’ve fifth, we just need to take a breather. It has been a good season. If you’d said that at the start of the season, you’d have taken that.”

Over the course of the second half of the season, City had the 12th best form. Over the final nine games, after football resumed, they ranked 16th.

Over the final six weeks, they were hit with a spate of injuries, and Simpson believes that is the key reason behind the form.

“You’ve got to take into consideration, when you lose your two full-backs, Ricardo and Chilwell, and then Maddison through injury, if they were playing for any other team in the top six, they would have struggled with losing those types of players,” the 33-year-old, who is a free agent after leaving Huddersfield, said.

“And then there’s Soyuncu with his red card, missing the last three games. They’re four key players to what Leicester achieved in the first half of the season when they were performing really well.

“It plays a part. Brendan mentioned squad depth. We’re talking about Chilwell, Ricardo, and Maddison. The top four, I think they’d all take them. They’re influential players who make them who they are.”

[Spudulike]

I hope they are disappointed and hurt, as we are. A big incentive for next season now to do better. This must make them more determined, hungry and mentally stronger. Not quite Deeney Day proportions but the club can build on this almost sense of injustice. As a fanbase, I've always felt we are better in adversity and this has most likely lifted us out of the cosy lethargy we seemed to have found ourselves. I can't wait to get back in the stadium.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

I think they need to get some perspective personally. 

[UHDrive]

Spot on. Genuine guy is Simpson and the more I hear him talk about LCFC and Huddersfield recently the more I respect him.

Edited 28 July 2020 by UHDrive
Typo

[StriderHiryu]

Love Simmo! Can see him joining Elliott, Tags, Walsh and co for the LCFC build-up stuff in the future one day, and he'd be very welcome if he did so!

[don_danbury]

so the double blow is that teams will improve next season? pretty obvious 

[AKCJ]

If they wallow in disappointment or look to blame injuries/var/luck or whatever then they'll be destined to carry on in this shite form.

 

We need to go into the pre-season with a blank slate. Give players a chance to prove themselves. Lick our wounds and get the squad back together.

 

If we go into preseason with the post-Deeney Day mindset of "that's not ****ing happening again" then we'll be fine. I am sure of it.

 

[Leicester_Loyal]

They need to look in the mirror and at themselves as to why they missed out, very poor performances for half the season.

 

Simpson is a great bloke, I really like him, very underated in our title win too.

[That_Dude]

They, including the manager, squandered it badly but can't afford to dwell on it, or the next season will be a massacre. The end of the season was bad enough. As much as it absolutely gutted me, the CL was never in the books at the beginning of the season and certainly won't be in the next one.

 

Learn your lessons, and move on.

Edited 28 July 2020 by That_Dude

[Sol thewall Bamba]

17 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

If they wallow in disappointment or look to blame injuries/var/luck or whatever then they'll be destined to carry on in this shite form.

 

We need to go into the pre-season with a blank slate. Give players a chance to prove themselves. Lick our wounds and get the squad back together.

 

If we go into preseason with the post-Deeney Day mindset of "that's not ****ing happening again" then we'll be fine. I am sure of it.

 

This is the acid test. Post DDay the players came back fitter, stronger, hungrier and we walked it. But that squad with chocked full of characters. I know we've had our disagreements in terms of leaders in this squad but I think how we start next season will be really telling in terms of the mentality of everyone involved. Unfortunately they only have themselves to blame so it's in their hands to turn it around and progress again next season. 

[Gevans_97]

5 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

This is the acid test. Post DDay the players came back fitter, stronger, hungrier and we walked it. But that squad with chocked full of characters. I know we've had our disagreements in terms of leaders in this squad but I think how we start next season will be really telling in terms of the mentality of everyone involved. Unfortunately they only have themselves to blame so it's in their hands to turn it around and progress again next season. 

Post DDay we also had a manager that could easily light that fire under them. Big test for Rodgers coming up. 

[UniFox21]

7 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

This is the acid test. Post DDay the players came back fitter, stronger, hungrier and we walked it. But that squad with chocked full of characters. I know we've had our disagreements in terms of leaders in this squad but I think how we start next season will be really telling in terms of the mentality of everyone involved. Unfortunately they only have themselves to blame so it's in their hands to turn it around and progress again next season. 

Fully agree here, this is where the big characters need to step up. Where the likes of Morgan/Kasper need to stamp down on not letting standards slip again. We have a lot of young characters who I think will step up. Chilwell wouldn't have been brought into that leadership group for no reason. 

[AKCJ]

54 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

This is the acid test. Post DDay the players came back fitter, stronger, hungrier and we walked it. But that squad with chocked full of characters. I know we've had our disagreements in terms of leaders in this squad but I think how we start next season will be really telling in terms of the mentality of everyone involved. Unfortunately they only have themselves to blame so it's in their hands to turn it around and progress again next season. 

I think there are enough leaders in the team for it to happen. The likes of Vardy, Kasper, Evans, Wes, Youri and Chilwell are all part of this elusive "leadership group" that John Percy speaks about quite regularly.

 

The trouble is it's not just about being a strong voice, it's about showing you won't stand for a drop in concentration or standards. I feel like the group of leaders will still do that. I just worry that they're not backed up by the likes of Drinkwater, James, King, Nugent, Konch etc.

 

We can only wait and see. I also wonder whether Brendan is the type of manager that's great at picking players up (like Nige was). I think he's clearly tactically brilliant and is great when we're on top, I just have reservations as to whether he's the inspiring leader when we need him to be.

[Matt]

A couple of years ago i'd expected the disappointment and hurt to push the squad on, make them more resolute and focused to kick on a prove people wrong.

 

I'm not sure we have that mentality anymore and i'm not sure we've had it for a couple of years now.

 

We all wanted to play in Europe, we achieved that in one fashion or another but I feel it's gives them more excuses to hide behind if things don't go well next season rather than push on to better themselves.

 

We need a nasty ****er in the camp, whether it be within the management team or in the playing staff to pull others through the trenches, give them a kick up the backside when needed.

[sacreblueits442]

6 hours ago, AKCJ said:

I think there are enough leaders in the team for it to happen. The likes of Vardy, Kasper, Evans, Wes, Youri and Chilwell are all part of this elusive "leadership group" that John Percy speaks about quite regularly.

 

The trouble is it's not just about being a strong voice, it's about showing you won't stand for a drop in concentration or standards. I feel like the group of leaders will still do that. I just worry that they're not backed up by the likes of Drinkwater, James, King, Nugent, Konch etc.

 

We can only wait and see. I also wonder whether Brendan is the type of manager that's great at picking players up (like Nige was). I think he's clearly tactically brilliant and is great when we're on top, I just have reservations as to whether he's the inspiring leader when we need him to be.

...not too sure about that!!!

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

6 hours ago, AKCJ said:

I think there are enough leaders in the team for it to happen. The likes of Vardy, Kasper, Evans, Wes, Youri and Chilwell are all part of this elusive "leadership group" that John Percy speaks about quite regularly.

 

The trouble is it's not just about being a strong voice, it's about showing you won't stand for a drop in concentration or standards. I feel like the group of leaders will still do that. I just worry that they're not backed up by the likes of Drinkwater, James, King, Nugent, Konch etc.

 

We can only wait and see. I also wonder whether Brendan is the type of manager that's great at picking players up (like Nige was). I think he's clearly tactically brilliant and is great when we're on top, I just have reservations as to whether he's the inspiring leader when we need him to be.

I don't think the evidence bears that out sadly. 

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

7 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...not too sure about that!!!

Just saw your post when I posted. Agree entirely. 

[Spiritwalker]

7 hours ago, don_danbury said:

so the double blow is that teams will improve next season? pretty obvious 

Every season they say “ the big 6 will be much stronger next season” and every season 

at least one of them is shite/in transition. We need to concentrate on being the best we

can be and see where it takes us.

[AKCJ]

18 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...not too sure about that!!!

That Nige was a brilliant motivator or that Brendan is a brilliant tactician?

 

I think both have clearly proven themselves at Leicester.

[sacreblueits442]

2 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

That Nige was a brilliant motivator or that Brendan is a brilliant tactician?

 

I think both have clearly proven themselves at Leicester.

..he really is not!!!!

 Take a look at the clubs that have out maneuvered him, Norwich took 4 points off us and they were relegate some time ago.

[AKCJ]

5 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

..he really is not!!!!

 Take a look at the clubs that have out maneuvered him, Norwich took 4 points off us and they were relegate some time ago.

I would say that that was due to the players not being up for the fight/having the motivation.

He's clearly very switched on tactically? Surprised any Leicester fan would argue that. Genuinely baffled in fact.

[Matt]

17 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

I would say that that was due to the players not being up for the fight/having the motivation.

He's clearly very switched on tactically? Surprised any Leicester fan would argue that. Genuinely baffled in fact.

I'm only providing one example here but Bournemouth 2nd half was certainly not being 'switched on tactically'. Without any need, rhyme or reason for the 'tactical' changes made.

 

There have been other things in a majority of games that I along with many others havn't and can't understand that have not worked but continually happen for the worse.

 

As for players not being up for the fight/having the motivation I was led to believe he was this great man motivator, having people run through walls for him.

(Not that they should have needed motivating for the task in hand, that should come from within themselves).

 

Listen i'm not for sacking him for numerous reason but i'm not exactly enthralled by what i've seen, far from it.

 

Edited 28 July 2020 by Matt

[AKCJ]

6 minutes ago, Matt said:

I'm only providing one example here but Bournemouth 2nd half was certainly not being 'switched on tactically'. Without any need, rhyme or reason for the 'tactical' changes made.

 

There have been other things in a majority of games that I along with many others havn't and can't understand that have not worked but continually happen for the worse.

 

As for players not being up for the fight/having the motivation I was led to believe he was this great man motivator, having people run through walls for him.

(Not that they should have needed motivating for the task in hand, that should come from within themselves).

 

Listen i'm not for sacking him for numerous reason but i'm not exactly entrawled by what i've seen, far from it.

 

The second half of the Bournemouth game came about through a sheer lack of professionalism and mentality from the players.

[Nod.E]

Teams are always apparently going to be better the season after the current one. Consistently over the past 6 or 7 years that has ended up not being the case, with a number of clubs promising to improve but ultimately lagging behind. Look at Everton's investment, for instance. 

 

No point thinking about other teams. If we turn up and win a good number of games, we can finish top 4 next season. Easy as that.

Edited 28 July 2020 by Nod.E

[HesNotGudjonsonn2]

I just think the issue is glaringly obvious. Strength in depth or in our case lack of it. It is a long season and players will get tired, injured and have drops in form. We need to be able to replace them with a better standard than we can. This isn’t easy to do as you need players to be willing to buy into the long plan and be prepared to work in a rotational or reserve situation. It will take time.

 

Look at Man City as a prime example,

 

B Silva goes off and Mahrez comes on.

Sterling goes off and Sane comes on.

Aguero goes off and Jesus comes on.

 

They can even replace a £60 million Right Back with a £50 million Right Back.

 

We have a long way to go to be able to do that but we have to persevere and give time for building.

 

Lets see where we are in a few years.