LCFC vs Slavia Prague (2nd Leg) - Match Thread - 25/02/2021

[Carl the Llama]

Kasper

 

Amartey - Evans - Soyuncu - Thomas 

 

Ndidi - Hamza

 

Under - Tielemans - Albrighton

Vardy

 

Substitutes: Ward, Jakupović, Barnes, Ricardo, Mendy, Castagne, Fuchs, Leshabela, Tavares, Flynn

 

So what are we all moaning about exactly?  Defence-wise that's about as strong as we're realistically going to get with our injuries and schedule, maybe swap Ricardo for Amartey but is he fit enough yet to start today and Sunday?  I'm not sure.  Rather have him as a sub option when the opposition's tired than potentially have him play for 120 minutes.  Ndidi-Tielemans-Vardy down the middle is our strongest available lineup so can't be any complaints there. I can see an argument for Mendy being more suitable than Hamza but iirc we never really gel when Ndidi and Mendy play together whereas Hamza's looked pretty solid and up for it in his recent appearances so it's one that could go either way for me. The only thing I'd do different is having Barnes for Under or Albrighton but again it's one where Brendan's clearly got an eye on the broader schedule and we all know he can change the game off the bench if needed.

 

Personally I'm fairly optimistic, reckon we'll see a much less bitty game of football with it being played on a surface that isn't on a par with the local rec.  They'll still try their dark arts, the ref will give silly yellows, but I reckon overall that team's got enough about it to bag a 2 or 3 goal margin in the 90 minutes.  Just need to get through the first 15 or so without conceding any silly goals.  COYB 

[hackneyfox]

1 minute ago, murphy said:

Are you sure?  Europa League winners get 8.5m euros.  

 

About half a Ghezzal.

The prize for winning this is CL qualification and 8.5m euros

[TJB-fox]

4 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Spoken like someone that is either heavily biased or doesnt watch a great deal of football outside of Leicester games

 

Nope just realistic. That lineup should beat Slavic Prague at home. They are a completely different animal back in Prague. 

[Nick]

2 minutes ago, murphy said:

Are you sure?  Europa League winners get 8.5m euros.  

 

About half a Ghezzal.

Nobody wanted a whole one.

[lcfcsnow]

The best formation with those players is the old 4-1-4-1 with two number 8's in Tielemans and Choudhury.

[hackneyfox]

3 minutes ago, Strokes said:

I’m not sure I agree.

There are 8 games to get through in this competition, 13 in the league.

Lose one game badly and we're out, not the case in the PL.

[murphy]

2 minutes ago, Strokes said:

And qualify for the champions league, which is where the money for 4th comes from.

Yep, geddit now, just a bit slow on the uptake tonight.

 

[Finnegan]

Sorry to ask a question that I assume has already been answered, is Barnes injured? 

[adam]

Depressing reading that people would rather come in the top 4 than win this. This competition is very winnable if we play our best side. Would be unbelievable to win something like this. 

[STUHILL]

Would have liked to see one of Ricardo or Castagne start, but I get they are both not long back from injury and can make an impact from the bench.

 

Glad to see Under start and I imagine Tielemans will be pushed further forward

 

Interesting line-up, thought we would go bit stronger but lets see what Rodgers can come up with as that team should have enough 

[st albans fox]

2 minutes ago, hackneyfox said:

The prize for winning this is CL qualification and 8.5m euros

The 8.5m is pretty irrelevant - pot 1 in next years CL and a decent wedge of coefficient for the next five years ......our 16/17 will soon be gone .....

[Buce]

20 minutes ago, Clever Fox said:

This is obviously a tactically picked team Brendan has in mind.  I guess Timmy and Ricky are being eased back gently.

 

I still think we can do this especially at home.

 

With no crowd home advantage counts for very little.

[mozartfox]

14 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

I remember thinking it was ok to lose to Chelsea in the fa cup in July .........

Well hopefully we do not implode in the League this time.

[Webbo]

23 minutes ago, NaijaFox said:

Just in case anyone was wondering...  

 

They've got rid of the Holes in their team. 

[PhillippaT]

1 minute ago, Buce said:

 

With no crowd home advantage counts for very little.

A better pitch and ref hopefully will!

[StanSP]

 

From @Union FS

[Fox in the North]

Hamza! Search and destroy!

[jonthefox]

Just now, StanSP said:

 

From @Union FS

Class. I was literally about to post this. 

[goody2028]

They deserve to go out just for that ref last week 

[Alf Bentley]

3 minutes ago, Webbo said:

They've got rid of the Holes in their team. 

 

Bah! They're showing their true Kolars now. The Provod of the pudding is in the eating and too many Kuchtas spoil the broth. They're living on Boril-ed time as we're ready to Sima or even to Zima....

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

Do BT ask football people before putting Hamza in a formation behind Vardy?

[foxfanazer]

Just me that's fairly confident about this one? 

[Marshall Cockney Fox]

It's an interesting conundrum resting players. As lose this game the tournament is over. But lose to Arsenal we are still well in the top 4. So I think I'd prioritise tonight 

[Foxes96]

Not sure if I’m the only one but would rather win this for winning a European Trophy than the CL place that goes with it. Obviously want us to get CL football as much as the next fan but winning trophies is what it’s all about. I just want us to be challenging for the top 6 year on year and have a go at winning some of the cups. A European trophy would be huge and on a similar scale to the PL IMO, and a bigger coup than the FA or Carabao cup. 

 

Happy with that lineup, we can’t afford to lose Ricardo or Castagne to injury, and we need Barnes on the bench fresh to replace Vardy up top if needs be, and he’s played a lot of football recently and is even more important to us now that Maddison is injured. So given all that not sure how the lineup could be stronger

[Blue-fox]

I’m feeling a Sharky V Seville performance incoming