Slimani, Silva and Ghezzal.

[sacreblueits442]

2 hours ago, Paddy. said:

Totally agree. People saying he's shite but he isn't. He's decent. Tbh I'm curious to see what BR can do with him.

...Rodgers was also arrogant enough to believe he could tame Balotelli when no one else would touch him!!!

Let us hope this is not just bravado and a genuine attempt to utilise our roster. 

[volpeazzurro]

I think Slimani is a prime example of one of those players bought for their particular attributes but, once they arrive at the club, are asked to do something different and then people are disappointed when they don't or can't do it. The player can also become disillusioned very quickly because of this as they must know that they are being perceived as an expensive flop.

 

Leicester City are not the only club that have done this of course. 

 

Whether he was bought as a potential replacement for Vardy or not who knows. But, his strengths at that time that had commanded such a high fee were those that made him a goalscoring number 9, a main man, the focus of an attack at his previous club. We then asked him to play another role,  a role he struggled with and then we complained when he couldn't do it.

 

Let's not forget that when Pearson played Vardy in a not dissimilar role that he too struggled, albeit that it was a big step up for him also. When Ranieri played him to his strengths, that is precisely when we started to see him take off. Slimani was never given either time to adapt or a chance to perhaps play in his best role.

 

Slimani is a completely different type of player to and a different  option to Vardy. I have no idea of his personality and relationships with other players, who really knows the truth there but, as highly paid professionals they should not let that get in the way in a work situation. Andy Cole and Dwight York notoriously didn't get on but performed together at a very high level. I'm sure that there are many such examples in a world of huge egos and that's precisely where a good manager should earn his corn.

 

If Slimani is to remain at the club, if he trains to the required standard and if he is deemed good enough by Rodgers, why would he not come into the reckoning as a potential different option. They are big ifs of course but he was none to shabby at Monaco. The situation should be dealt with in facts and not myth and rumours. 

[TamworthFoxes]

14 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

I think Slimani is a prime example of one of those players bought for their particular attributes but, once they arrive at the club, are asked to do something different and then people are disappointed when they don't or can't do it. The player can also become disillusioned very quickly because of this as they must know that they are being perceived as an expensive flop.

 

Leicester City are not the only club that have done this of course. 

 

Whether he was bought as a potential replacement for Vardy or not who knows. But, his strengths at that time that had commanded such a high fee were those that made him a goalscoring number 9, a main man, the focus of an attack at his previous club. We then asked him to play another role,  a role he struggled with and then we complained when he couldn't do it.

 

Let's not forget that when Pearson played Vardy in a not dissimilar role that he too struggled, albeit that it was a big step up for him also. When Ranieri played him to his strengths, that is precisely when we started to see him take off. Slimani was never given either time to adapt or a chance to perhaps play in his best role.

 

Slimani is a completely different type of player to and a different  option to Vardy. I have no idea of his personality and relationships with other players, who really knows the truth there but, as highly paid professionals they should not let that get in the way in a work situation. Andy Cole and Dwight York notoriously didn't get on but performed together at a very high level. I'm sure that there are many such examples in a world of huge egos and that's precisely where a good manager should earn his corn.

 

If Slimani is to remain at the club, if he trains to the required standard and if he is deemed good enough by Rodgers, why would he not come into the reckoning as a potential different option. They are big ifs of course but he was none to shabby at Monaco. The situation should be dealt with in facts and not myth and rumours. 

It was Cole and Sheringham that didn’t get on.

[Tielemans63]

1 hour ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...Rodgers was also arrogant enough to believe he could tame Balotelli when no one else would touch him!!!

Let us hope this is not just bravado and a genuine attempt to utilise our roster. 

It's pretty common knowledge that Brendan didn't want Balotelli, the LFC owners did:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/brendan-rodgers-i-never-wanted-sign-mario-balotelli-a6818276.html%3famp

[sacreblueits442]

1 hour ago, volpeazzurro said:

I think Slimani is a prime example of one of those players bought for their particular attributes but, once they arrive at the club, are asked to do something different and then people are disappointed when they don't or can't do it. The player can also become disillusioned very quickly because of this as they must know that they are being perceived as an expensive flop.

 

Leicester City are not the only club that have done this of course. 

 

Whether he was bought as a potential replacement for Vardy or not who knows. But, his strengths at that time that had commanded such a high fee were those that made him a goalscoring number 9, a main man, the focus of an attack at his previous club. We then asked him to play another role,  a role he struggled with and then we complained when he couldn't do it.

 

Let's not forget that when Pearson played Vardy in a not dissimilar role that he too struggled, albeit that it was a big step up for him also. When Ranieri played him to his strengths, that is precisely when we started to see him take off. Slimani was never given either time to adapt or a chance to perhaps play in his best role.

 

Slimani is a completely different type of player to and a different  option to Vardy. I have no idea of his personality and relationships with other players, who really knows the truth there but, as highly paid professionals they should not let that get in the way in a work situation. Andy Cole and Dwight York notoriously didn't get on but performed together at a very high level. I'm sure that there are many such examples in a world of huge egos and that's precisely where a good manager should earn his corn.

 

If Slimani is to remain at the club, if he trains to the required standard and if he is deemed good enough by Rodgers, why would he not come into the reckoning as a potential different option. They are big ifs of course but he was none to shabby at Monaco. The situation should be dealt with in facts and not myth and rumours. 

...the issue was not only with Vardy, there were plenty other players giving him grief on the pitch!!!

He was not making the runs and finding the spaces as required by his teammates and they were fed up with him and too often you saw players lambasting him for not doing what he should be.

  The one caveat to all this is the players who previously played with Slimani are no longer at the club so you would think the problem with playing with him potentially would not exist, but with Kasper,Vardy, Morgan still there as part of the team as advisors you can see it would not be easy to incorporate him back in the fold.

[sacreblueits442]

1 hour ago, Paddy. said:

It's pretty common knowledge that Brendan didn't want Balotelli, the LFC owners did:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/brendan-rodgers-i-never-wanted-sign-mario-balotelli-a6818276.html%3famp

...so, he maintained he had the final say on transfers for 3 1/2 years but will not take responsibility for the Balotelli purchase!!!

  He maybe telling the truth, the problem is he comes across as a second hand car dealer,

[volpeazzurro]

2 hours ago, TamworthFoxes said:

It was Cole and Sheringham that didn’t get on.

Really, perhaps I remember wrongly. Nevertheless, same meat, different gravy.

[volpeazzurro]

51 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...the issue was not only with Vardy, there were plenty other players giving him grief on the pitch!!!

He was not making the runs and finding the spaces as required by his teammates and they were fed up with him and too often you saw players lambasting him for not doing what he should be.

  The one caveat to all this is the players who previously played with Slimani are no longer at the club so you would think the problem with playing with him potentially would not exist, but with Kasper,Vardy, Morgan still there as part of the team as advisors you can see it would not be easy to incorporate him back in the fold.

Perhaps those individuals need to put the good of the team before their personal feelings. I watched every home game he played in and bar the odd moments of frustration, I can't say he was picked on excessively more than others. Who really knows what his relationships were with other players, there'sa huge amount of supposition seemingly based on rumour and not fact. Is it not possible that there was fault on more than one side. I have no particular reason to defend him but it all sounds a bit playground and childish if any of it's true.

[foxile5]

40 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...so, he maintained he had the final say on transfers for 3 1/2 years but will not take responsibility for the Balotelli purchase!!!

  He maybe telling the truth, the problem is he comes across as a second hand car dealer,

This is my biggest issue with the bloke. Insists one thing then, in the face of failure, claims the opposite. 

 

I should say now - I think him a good manager for us with potential to be even better. 

 

That in mind - he's serpentine and doesn't take responsibility for his own failures. For him to be the best version of himself he needs to address that aspect. He's done this a lot through his career and it doesn't paint him positively. 

[MPH]

58 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...so, he maintained he had the final say on transfers for 3 1/2 years but will not take responsibility for the Balotelli purchase!!!

  He maybe telling the truth, the problem is he comes across as a second hand car dealer,

 

Not many managers will sell their employers under the bridge. That will get you the sack very quickly. there’s usually then clauses in you’re severance pay that forbids you from talking about anything for a while.

Edited 10 October 2020 by MPH

[sacreblueits442]

39 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

Perhaps those individuals need to put the good of the team before their personal feelings. I watched every home game he played in and bar the odd moments of frustration, I can't say he was picked on excessively more than others. Who really knows what his relationships were with other players, there'sa huge amount of supposition seemingly based on rumour and not fact. Is it not possible that there was fault on more than one side. I have no particular reason to defend him but it all sounds a bit playground and childish if any of it's true.

...LCFC is a multi million company with vast assets and billionaire owners!!!

For a situation like this to exist makes little sense and as you said smacks of a childlike predicament of which we may one day get the full story. I trust the owners in the option they have taken regarding his previous omission from the team if he is to be reinstated into the squad I would suspect there has been a major compromise, as I said previously LCFC  is a multi million pound company.

[1972 Fox]

8 hours ago, Lambert09 said:

My strongest footy attribute is in the air, but lump aimless balls up to me and i wouldn’t do much. Fizz in the the types of balls youri, mads, under and our full backs are  capable of and he’ll show his strength.

So you're more of an Ian Marshall than a Mark de Vries? 

[volpeazzurro]

7 hours ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...LCFC is a multi million company with vast assets and billionaire owners!!!

For a situation like this to exist makes little sense and as you said smacks of a childlike predicament of which we may one day get the full story. I trust the owners in the option they have taken regarding his previous omission from the team if he is to be reinstated into the squad I would suspect there has been a major compromise, as I said previously LCFC  is a multi million pound company.

Yes, I agree. I trust Rodgers and his staff in team matters to do what's best. Whilst it seemed that Slimani at one time, for playing reasons, even to our eyes didn't appear to fit into the counter attacking style we played in the job he was being asked to do was visually understandable. The personality and troublesome attitude or behaviour in the camp less so, as it was based on rumour but nevertheless cannot be totally discounted. 

 

IF however, Rodgers and his staff now feel that he is a viable option within their style of play at times and that he's manageable as an individual then so be it. He was once a valuable asset for a good reason and that was because he was good at his particular job. If Rodgers did consider him to be such a disruptive influence I doubt he'd have him anywhere near the squad. If he does pick him in the squad and not being entirely desperate to do so, I would think that it's because he can see something usable in him and that he's manageable. I think it's unhealthy to base opinions on stories and if it's good enough for Rodgers and his staff I wish him all the best. Rodgers is not a stupid man and he's not going to risk his position for one individual player. I don't see this as a Liverpool/Balotelli type situation, I think our owners would hold great stay in Rodgers thoughts on such an issue. I may at times criticise Rodgers over certain things but I'm sure he's very capable in matters like this.

[Fox_in_a_Box]

Rodgers doesn't want him, he wont play him. When he did the Q&A with the fans at the ground someone asked him about having a big man up top for plan B and he made it clear he doesn't want that. Something along the lines of if you are resorting to plan b you are failing at plan a and that's the problem. He even said I dont want a "Donkey" up top. 

[1972 Fox]

17 minutes ago, Fox_in_a_Box said:

Rodgers doesn't want him, he wont play him. When he did the Q&A with the fans at the ground someone asked him about having a big man up top for plan B and he made it clear he doesn't want that. Something along the lines of if you are resorting to plan b you are failing at plan a and that's the problem. He even said I dont want a "Donkey" up top. 

I thought he was quoted as saying he wouldn't play with a lamppost up top?

 

Either way, Slimani ain't playing for us under Rodgers.

[MonmoreStef]

Although Rogers himself said after beating Man City he’d realised he needed to do things different to his philosophy occasionally so might be accepting a plan B will be required occasionally. 

[BKLFox]

Just can’t see where he would fit in, play him on his own you have to drop Vardy but play him with Vardy you now have to change shape and effectively have to drop 2 players to accommodate. 

[Ric Flair]

1 hour ago, BKLFox said:

Just can’t see where he would fit in, play him on his own you have to drop Vardy but play him with Vardy you now have to change shape and effectively have to drop 2 players to accommodate. 

He fits in with us having to play 3 times in 7 days pretty much from now until Christmas. He's comfortable on his own or in a front 2. I'd certainly squeeze him in over Gray in the 25 man PL squad as Gray is done here now. Slimani still has a point to prove IMO.

[sacreblueits442]

2 hours ago, MonmoreStef said:

Although Rogers himself said after beating Man City he’d realised he needed to do things different to his philosophy occasionally so might be accepting a plan B will be required occasionally. 

...that was his Plan B!!!

[1972 Fox]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

He fits in with us having to play 3 times in 7 days pretty much from now until Christmas. He's comfortable on his own or in a front 2. I'd certainly squeeze him in over Gray in the 25 man PL squad as Gray is done here now. Slimani still has a point to prove IMO.

Slimani is done here too. Hence both of them not named in the EL squad.

 

If Slimani had a future here he would have been named in both the EL & PL squads, to allow a variation in selection if/when necessary. What would be the point in having him available for PL games but not for EL games?

[Fridgechef]

1 hour ago, Blue Fox 72 said:

Slimani is done here too. Hence both of them not named in the EL squad.

 

If Slimani had a future here he would have been named in both the EL & PL squads, to allow a variation in selection if/when necessary. What would be the point in having him available for PL games but not for EL games?

He provides an option that isnt travel datuigued etc etc that cna be fresh on a matchday

[HighPeakFox]

3 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

He fits in with us having to play 3 times in 7 days pretty much from now until Christmas. He's comfortable on his own or in a front 2. I'd certainly squeeze him in over Gray in the 25 man PL squad as Gray is done here now. Slimani still has a point to prove IMO.

Aren't we playing 2 games a week between now and then? Thursday/Sunday ad nauseam....?

[Ric Flair]

4 hours ago, Blue Fox 72 said:

Slimani is done here too. Hence both of them not named in the EL squad.

 

If Slimani had a future here he would have been named in both the EL & PL squads, to allow a variation in selection if/when necessary. What would be the point in having him available for PL games but not for EL games?

UEFA rules slightly different and we could only name 24 with one of them being KDH. I don't think Fofana counts towards the 25 man PL squad so we have 2 more spots available than we have named in the EL squad. Slimani may well get one of those.

[1972 Fox]

47 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

UEFA rules slightly different and we could only name 24 with one of them being KDH. I don't think Fofana counts towards the 25 man PL squad so we have 2 more spots available than we have named in the EL squad. Slimani may well get one of those.

Not sure about that as I believe Slimani is done here.

[Ric Flair]

14 hours ago, Blue Fox 72 said:

Not sure about that as I believe Slimani is done here.

There's very few alternatives. Rodgers may through circumstance decide that Slimani has more of a point to prove here than Gray does and therefore which would be of more use to him until January at the earliest?