How many players do we need to be title contenders?

[les-tah]

so.. I seen this article saying Man UTD are three players short of having a first XI that could take the fight to Liverpool and Manchester City https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/man-utd-title-race-transfers-19461017 

 

Which led me to question Based on our strongest team (Ricardo, Castagne, Soyuncu etc) What additional players do we need to improve our starting 11 that you would then consider us 'title contenders' and challenge Liverpool and Manchester City?... and yes some might say we already are up there  

 

Be interesting to hear what people think in its own thread.

Edited 15 December 2020 by les-tah

[Lambert09]

none. We are 1 point off top after 12 games with a very injury hit squad. Having already gone to man city and Liverpool away. Although I dont think we will win the league we surely have to at least consider ourselves contenders until we fall away?

[majaco]

We lose too many games.  

 

We currently have more than  11 players who could feature in a 

League winning team but lack an  x factor.  We had that x factor I  2016.  Perhaps it is resilience.

 

I don't look at other teams and think I would like many of their players.  I do think we would benefit from a left footed left back and having better back up to Vardy would  be useful.

 

If we could sign better players I would still want to retain Schmeichel, Perreira, Castagne, Justin, Evans, Caglar, Fofana, N'didi, Maddison , Tielemans, Praet, Vardy, Cenghis, Barnes and Albrighton.  I like Choudhury, Mendy and Perez offer some quality.  Thomas is emerging.  Iheanacho is good in some games.  This suggests that we can't be far short.

[Ashley]

Another decent striker and to grow a back bone. 

 

I said it in a group chat I'm in after the game v Brighton Sunday. We will win tomorrow night. Liverpool vs Tottenham will draw and it'll be first v second going into Sunday. 

 

Sky hype the game up and we get brought down a peg or two yet again and have our arse handed to us. 

Edited 15 December 2020 by Ashley

[AjcW]

A striker to give us another option

 

A different player to Youri for when he needs rotating/we need more of a “bastard” presence. 
 

Other than that we just need people to be fit/stay fit! 

[KFS]

We’re a very efficient team when we want to be but I’d argue we don’t have that creative spark enough to be contenders. We will always buy players who start to blossom just in time for a big boy to come buy them. Until we go out and buy two or three top class signings who snub the big boys to come here, we won’t break that top club glass ceiling imo.

[winteriscoming]

We definitely need at least one more quality striker. Possibly 2. As we are fvcked if vardys out. Unfortunately we are too inconsistent. For every brilliant result - Man City and Leeds  away there is always a few poor results - Fulham, West Ham and villa. As shown last season we also lack toughness when we’re up against it. 

[StriderHiryu]

3 minutes ago, Ashley said:

Another decent striker and to grow a back bone. 

 

Papu Gomez is being discussed in the transfer thread, and that's the sort of player I would say would make us genuine title challengers. We do over rely on Vardy and Nacho is decent but not in the same league, but  we also struggle in many games even when Vardy is playing. I think we need a forward that can grab the game by the scruff of the neck and win games by themselves. Maddison to be fair did that against Brighton, but we could do with more options. You normally win the title by scoring a ton of goals and keeping tight at the back. Assuming Soyuncu and Ndidi are back, we can keep it relatively tight, but we don't score enough to really challenge IMO.

 

Papu already has 5 goals 4 assists in 15 games this season, and last season had 8 goals and 18(!) assists. To be fair his team mate Ilicic would be an even better addition, as he's more of a finisher than provider. Either way, a top class player that contributes to tons of goals would be the missing piece for me.

[Dahnsouff]

Two step plan for never ending success

• Buy Fabian Reese from Holstein Kiel to be Vardy’s understudy
• Rescue William Saliba from Arsenal

 

[Leicester_Loyal]

We'd be within 10 points or so (to me that's contending) of the eventual winner at the end of the season if we sorted out defending set pieces, that's been our main issue so far this season.

[ScrumpyJack]

13 minutes ago, majaco said:

We lose too many games.  

 

We currently have more than  11 players who could feature in a 

League winning team but lack an  x factor.  We had that x factor I  2016.  Perhaps it is resilience.

I genuinely believe this Leicester squad is stronger than the 15/16 team. I am definitely not on my own in thinking that. 

 

In response to the thread, we could certainly benefit from two additional players (or rather two players in exchange for Slimani and Amartey.) A more mature and consistently fit centre back with Premier League experience, and a more prolific second fiddle to Vardy. Tarkowski would be a welcome addition. Not sure who to suggest up-top striker-wise as good forwards are gold dust these days. Maybe Callum Wilson if he were available?

 

@Ric Flair was keen on that Thauvin chap awhile ago. I disagreed with him at the time, but he would definitely provide a more direct goal threat if he could replicate his Ligue 1 form. 

[AKCJ]

I would say we could well win the league with the team we have. We know that more than anyone considering we saw a side that was worse on paper win it.

 

But I would say we couldn't be considered close to Liverpool and Man City while we only have one world class attacker in the side. We need 2/3 to be properly competitive.

[Gordon the Great]

9 minutes ago, winteriscoming said:

We definitely need at least one more quality striker. Possibly 2. As we are fvcked if vardys out. Unfortunately we are too inconsistent. For every brilliant result - Man City and Leeds  away there is always a few poor results - Fulham, West Ham and villa. As shown last season we also lack toughness when we’re up against it. 

Been watching City since 1954.......believe me,...it was ever thus!!

[winteriscoming]

Imo we should of signed either bowen who went West Ham or adams who went Southampton. Either would be good back up and potential long term to replace vardy. 

[whoareyaaa]

none

[SexyGammonFox]

24 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Two step plan for never ending success

• Buy Fabian Reese from Holstein Kiel to be Vardy’s understudy
• Rescue William Saliba from Arsenal

 

I think we might see a few Arsenal fans spontaneously combust if we signed Saliba. It would be worth it just for the sheer trollery.

Edited 15 December 2020 by SexyGammonFox

[deanolegend1989]

A Vardy and a Tielemens back up as either of these 2 being out would finish our chances.

 

Our first 11 though is good enough to win the league I think. The problem is the quality drops off hugely if we get injuries.

[Happy Fox]

Champions League football qualification has to be the aim this season whether that’s winning the Europa League or Finishing Top 4 anything else is a bonus.

 

With a fully fit first 11 I definitely feel we have the quality to push the other contenders all the way in a title race.

[Blanchflower78]

Good thread this and in truth there is no number. 2015-16 taught us that. It's about having the right blend, luck, quality, character etc etc...

To be a serious challenger consistently its evident you need to have goals from numerous areas and we do suffer here. 

Defensively all fit it's a great defensive group. I think we can all recognise where we need strengthening and if we can achieve that in the next 18 months whilst retaining our top performers then you have a serious threat.

[filthyfox]

A left back and a striker. Possibly a more consistent keeper.

[rachhere]

4 minutes ago, deanolegend1989 said:

A Vardy and a Tielemens back up as either of these 2 being out would finish our chances.

 

Our first 11 though is good enough to win the league I think. The problem is the quality drops off hugely if we get injuries.

This plus a replacement for Wes. It seems he's been primarily kept on to come on in the last ten minutes help us see out games, alongside of course his general presence in the dressing room, but this season has shown we need more than that from our 4th CB. Potentially Josh Knight could come into that role though, depending on whether the club do see him as a future prospect and if he would be happy taking on that role. It sounds like he's done well in the championship though, so... 

[Jimbo]

With a fully fit squad I reckon we're 2 players short of a proper "title challenge" 

 

A striker to contend with Vardy and a left back, a proper left back. We only have Thomas who's a proper left sided player.

 

In my honest opinion though we're a good sports psychologist short of being proper contenders. We still seem to shy away in bigger games (recently results against Liverpool and Man United as examples) we show them too much respect. Whether or not this is down to management, set up, tactics etc is another question I suppose but we need to believe in ourselves a bit more

[SheppyFox]

We need consistency, the squad is good enough to win the league once this is addressed. Too often we alternate between title form and relegation form, one month to the next. As I keep saying, our first 11 is up there with anyone in the world on its day. We’re not far off.

[GrumpySnowflake]

Manager with a plan B, when plan A fails. Something Brendan lacks.

[yorkie1999]

All these suggestions are so small minded. Offer Lewandowski a half season sabbatical loan from Bayern on a million a week till the end of the season which would almost guarantee a prem medal. We wouldn't have to worry about oppos set pieces cos we'd score 5 goals a game.