Time to reassess expectations

[Pliskin]

20 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

We are possibly 2 or 3 poor results on the spin away from some of our fans calling for Rodgers head, I can sense it. Even throughout his 2 unbelievable seasons here that both ended in a nose dive in the league our fans can't put it behind them. Winning the FA Cup and Community Shield don't carry much goodwill in the bank either, he's very under appreciated as a manager. Some have never taken to him and its taking quite unreasonable expectations to even tolerate him from some of the stuff I read.

 

We have been spoilt as a club under Brendan and because of our catapult in to stardom in 2015/16 and the QF run in 2016/17. We are now very much accustomed and almost entitled to be a team that's considered one of the big boys. Our fans are so temperamental, they cannot stand any big club bias because we are now proving we can go toe to toe with them and the fact they've all been successful and big powerful clubs for decades shouldn't count for anything. We are everything. The same as our fans can't handle when teams like West Ham, Leeds or Villa are praised by others, it threatens our mantle as the dogs bollocks. We crave all the attention and adulation.

 

We cannot handle the inevitable drop off that will come at some point again, we're seeing reactions already in the midst of an incredible few years where Rodgers came in and instantly turned us from a mid table plodder to a comfortable top 6 team who goes very far in Cup competitions to the point of winning the one we hadn't previously won in our entire existence.

 

Our squad has some issues that have to be rectified in this next 7 days, the injury problems we have can't be ignored either as this could well start to scupper what Rodgers has built here and we've seen in football how quickly things can unravel. With a fan base that will quickly turn on Rodgers and the exaggeration of a crisis that will be picked up and ran with by the media given the chance we are at a pivotal moment in Rodgers tenure here. He's only another 1 or 2 losses in the next few games from having to deal with pressure he's not experienced as a manager for several years and everything will feel very negative and bleak.

 

I believe in our manager, I still don't forget where we've come from and that we have no automatic right to remain in the top 6 because we've done it 2 seasons on the bounce and won 1 title and 1 Cup. Football doesn't work like that, the reason the elite are the elite isn't because of a purple patch, it requires years of institution and monopoly and plenty of unfair advantage and bias. We have built an incredible story and club in the last decade under Vichai and Top and we can't let rough spells threaten the legacy of that. 

 

Over to you Brendan to do what you're good at and keep building this club I'm so proud of.

Sadly it’s modern day football for you….. Not even the mighty West Ham have won a trophy recently and they probably won’t either that just shows you how good we have been under Brendan.

 

The fact is he has got us punching above our weight. Well above our weight….. these folk starting to get the knife set our ready, need to have a look at what other clubs have achieved recently? 
 

Who else besides the regular teams have won what we have over the last few years? No one…

 

Because were punching above our weight, nights like last night will happen. We will have good spells and bad spells, but we do need to address the CB and attacking options, but we’re still in a good place. Luckily we do tend to pick up and go on good runs too. 
 

We can have a winge and a moan when we get whacked because I hate the way the pundits seemingly seem to enjoy it, but yea, well done West Ham, when was there last trophy? 
 

All will be forgotten when we’ve won the EL.

[Le Renard]

I know we're not Man Citeh, but they had a pretty crap start to last season, we just have to trust Rodgers and let him earn his wages.  If after 10-15 games we are near the bottom 6 or 7 then I'll start to worry.

[Ric Flair]

I'd like to see us develop a more aggressive way of playing. I know if you want to see the rainbow you've got to put up with the rain, which in our case is in order to see the unbelievable football we play that at times you'll see us make a pigs ear of possession and be completely torn apart but is that always the one and only way we can do things?

 

The blistering football we played in the 1st half of the 2019/20 season hasn't been quite as frequent since then and a lot of that has been down to injuries and the schedule and not being able to press and take the risks we used to do but the alternative has seen us have way too much possession in areas of the pitch that pose no threat to the opposition but in which on several occasions have caused problems for us which led to gifted goals and points for the opposition. I don't want to see us clout the ball up to the opposition each time but we need to be a bit shrewder, set some traps of our own and expose teams. We've been crying out for more aggression and physicality but in reality how are we going to get that when we don't sign players that are immediately going to start for us. Likewise we're missing our defensive brain and calm authority in Evans. Although he's no warrior or aggressive leader who the whole team then feed off, we've lost plenty of physical battles with him in the team, he still glues us together and allows us to do what we're very good at and right now we are looking weaker and unable to get on the ball and open teams up. Not sure what the answer is but Rodgers will need to be open minded and positive in order to get a handle on this.

[goose2010]

I dont have expectations when supporting Leicester there is no point as you have no control over then.

 

We lost to the better team last night its that simple. 

 

Just enjoy the ups and downs it is what it is with Leicester and any club really. 

 

probably 45+ games left this season so getting your knickers in a twist after 2 games is ridiculous. 

[coolhandfox]

21 minutes ago, SydenhamFox said:

This is part of the problem with some of the reactions I’m getting. People are replying to me as if I’m the only one who has hoped we might get that. I’d direct those people having a go at me for this to the pre-season poll where the majority thought we would place. For the record I put 5th-7th. 

You used the word expectation before, for me to hope to finish 4th or 5th is fine, but to expect it is crazy.

[ARM1968]

Still think we need another CB and RW. Fofana is likely out in reality for the season. He might be back March/April but he won’t be up and running at his best. Evans is now an unknown as he is likely to spend long periods out with injury. I would still get Kabak in, if he’s available. Should gel with Soy easy enough and with Europa League as well we likely need him, or someone similar. 

[whoareyaaa]

19 minutes ago, NasPb said:

Problem with Rodgers is sometimes he's too conservative and or trusting in his own tactics. He's hard headed a bit. This was the game to change it up a bit. Doesn't mean he's a bad coach by any means but this loss was on him unfortunately. He needs to not be so afraid sometimes. Regardless doesn't help Pérez got sent off or that we don't have a true week in week out

We need to start games by attacking teams we have the players to do it then hold onto the lead if we get a couple of goals we look piss poor in the current systems

[FLINTHAMFC]

7 minutes ago, goose2010 said:

I dont have expectations when supporting Leicester there is no point as you have no control over then.

 

We lost to the better team last night its that simple. 

 

Just enjoy the ups and downs it is what it is with Leicester and any club really. 

 

probably 45+ games left this season so getting your knickers in a twist after 2 games is ridiculous. 

Agree 100%

[An Away Move]

12 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

You used the word expectation before, for me to hope to finish 4th or 5th is fine, but to expect it is crazy.

I’m not going to be the whipping boy over a semantic like that when literally the majority of our forum predicted a 4th or 5th finish in a poll. There’s some serious cognitive dissonance on here. 

[goose2010]

Just now, SydenhamFox said:

I’m not going to be the whipping boy over a semantic like that when literally the majority of our forum predicted a 4th or 5th finish in a poll. There’s some serious cognitive dissonance on here. 

which i imagine was more hope than expectation. 

[It'sblueupnorth]

2 hours ago, Webbo said:

It's 1 match, we had someone sent off. 

The sending off made little to no impact in how we were playing and realistically how likely was it that Perez was going to change the game with a goal/assist?
Fact of the matter is having Dan amartey at the back last night made a difference in how we normally play and that’s not a dig at big Dan he’s a solid defender but Vestergaard would have been able to break the lines and get us on the front foot, big Dan just doesn’t have it in his locker and also Luke Thomas, again a good player but his lack of experience last night really hindered us. 

Rodgers got it completely wrong which is no surprise in these sort of games, it needed mixing up, too many lightweight players, Thomas, Maddison, Perez, Barnes got completely bullied and trying to playing out last night clearly wasn’t working after 10 minutes so why we persisted with it especially when down to 10 and not having the players on the pitch to make it work, I hate sounding agricultural but would having a midfield 3 of Soumare hamza and ndidi and hitting the channels and trying to counter ourselves been any worse than that?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but it was clear as to how they were going to set up and clear they would try and stop us playing football mixed with aggressive and quick counters which were not good at coping with anyway, never mind with a makeshift back 4. Not sure why Soumare and praet weren’t favoured over Perez and Maddison at least that way we’d have had a bit of steel in midfield or even hamza. I would have played ndidi-tielemans-soumare/hamza. Daka vardy iheanacho as the midfield and attack, plenty of pace and creativity and ndidi and Soumare with athleticism and power to deal with West Ham’s midfield when they eventually did counter. 
The annoying thing about the game last night was nobody could say it was a surprise, we all knew we were getting beat but just probably expected a closer scoreline, we just don’t have the ability to switch things up or have the players to dig in and grab a game by the scruff of the neck. 
In terms of expectations this season the injuries at the back will make a massive difference, I think top 4 is a write of but still think we should be going for at least the European conference or whatever it’s called, and a cup win would be an excellent season.  Realistically we should now be getting to the quarters of each of the cup comps but it is going to be difficult unless we can get Evans
and Vestergaard fit, having this makeshift back 4 will really hinder us if were not careful

[An Away Move]

1 minute ago, goose2010 said:

which i imagine was more hope than expectation. 

Actually a prediction. The majority predicted it. Then the majority go mental at me on this thread for saying we might want to think about downgrading the expectation. You couldn’t make it up. 

[Switzfox]

Obviously our defensive injury issues are a concern and could damage our season.  But we are only 2 games in, should fancy our chances at Norwich even with the problems we have, then there is a 2 week break.  If we can get Evans or Vestergaard back mid September I think we should remain positive for a top 6 finish.  

[FLINTHAMFC]

6 minutes ago, SydenhamFox said:

I’m not going to be the whipping boy over a semantic like that when literally the majority of our forum predicted a 4th or 5th finish in a poll. There’s some serious cognitive dissonance on here. 

I always know when my smart arsed daughter is in the wrong. She starts to use poncy words she thinks you won't understand as some sort of subterfuge.

[coolhandfox]

5 minutes ago, SydenhamFox said:

I’m not going to be the whipping boy over a semantic like that when literally the majority of our forum predicted a 4th or 5th finish in a poll. There’s some serious cognitive dissonance on here. 

That's a little extreme, it just a forum with people discussing opinions. 

 

 

[Fox92]

44 minutes ago, pmcla26 said:

Read the next line of my post haha

haha yeah true. I didn't know how to word it. They live in a complete other world where they can just spend what they want to get the perfect side.

[Greg2607]

coming in to the season, looking at our squad and the injuries, I fully expected us to finish somewhere between 6th - 10th.

 

having seen the first two games and looking at the areas where we are lacking cover AND with the E/L to contend with, I still stand by that finish.

 

For context, I do think that would still be a great achievement, especially if we go far in any of the Cups.  "Top 4" isn't the be all and end all in my eyes, especially for a club of our size.  

 

We are building exceptional infrastructure and protecting the future of the club.  it cannot be a consistent push upwards, there will be blips and bumps along the way. 

 

this is the best era for the club in my lifetime and it's massively exciting.....  but i'm still realistic about our size and stature.... we wont ever be a consistent top 4 team.

[Fox92]

54 minutes ago, RonnieTodger said:

I'd say that's a minority. 

 

If we lost at home to anyone other than Man City, United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs or Arsenal we'd get booed off. 

Exactly.

 

I don't get why people are now making out we're not as good as we thought we were, when we've all spent all summer saying how good we are/why players shouldn't join other clubs etc. Now that one person criticises, regardless of whether I agree or not, the same people say we're not that good now.

 

It seems people don't know what we are. Are we a top 6 side? Should we be pushing top 4? Now we're only as good as top 8? Last week Spurs were finishing mid table, and we would be finishing 6th, now we're only as good as them...

 

Dunno why people are pretending they didn't predict us to be top 6.

Edited 24 August 2021 by Fox92

[ARM1968]

Think Inpredicted that we’d win the league, but then as everyone knows, I’m an idiot. I stand by my stupidity. 

[goose2010]

28 minutes ago, SydenhamFox said:

Actually a prediction. The majority predicted it. Then the majority go mental at me on this thread for saying we might want to think about downgrading the expectation. You couldn’t make it up. 

just don't have an expectation its certainly the easier way and makes supporting Leicester a lot more fun. 

 

it was the realisation when we won the league. NO one expected us to win the league even the ones that put a bet on at 5000/1 but we did. It was at that point the way i support Leicester changed. What's the point in expecting anything, you have no control over it, you have no idea what goes on behind closed doors at training, in players personal lives and anything that could affect their performance. 

 

It took so much football related stress and over analysing performances because where you might not agree with their ways of working its not like they just make it up their goal is to well score more than the opponent. Last night they got it wrong but they didn't do it on purpose. 

 

I have said the same in threads like these since 2010 when i joined FT just enjoy the rollercoaster that is Leicester City and dont expect anything that you have no control over as it will only stress you out. 

[drumbeat]

I sometimes see us as only a rash pass away from a tonking. I'm not sure how that equates to league position so, tbh, I don't make predictions. But whatever, I get where the OP is coming from. I personally try to take nothing for granted and just be pleased (and, dare I say, proud) when we do click... even though the defeats hurt. We're not yet - how can I say it? - reliable?? That we end up doing as well as we do over the season is what makes me smile. FA Cup? That's pretty incredible no?

 

Villa tonked Liverpool 7-2 early last season (coincidentally the same day WH put three last us at home) and they ended up doing ok.  It happens, it hurts, but it needn't define you. We will get beat again this season, and we do have issues that need addressing, but we're certainly not alone in that.   

 

[coolhandfox]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

We are possibly 2 or 3 poor results on the spin away from some of our fans calling for Rodgers head, I can sense it. Even throughout his 2 unbelievable seasons here that both ended in a nose dive in the league our fans can't put it behind them. Winning the FA Cup and Community Shield don't carry much goodwill in the bank either, he's very under appreciated as a manager. Some have never taken to him and its taking quite unreasonable expectations to even tolerate him from some of the stuff I read.

 

We have been spoilt as a club under Brendan and because of our catapult in to stardom in 2015/16 and the QF run in 2016/17. We are now very much accustomed and almost entitled to be a team that's considered one of the big boys. Our fans are so temperamental, they cannot stand any big club bias because we are now proving we can go toe to toe with them and the fact they've all been successful and big powerful clubs for decades shouldn't count for anything. We are everything. The same as our fans can't handle when teams like West Ham, Leeds or Villa are praised by others, it threatens our mantle as the dogs bollocks. We crave all the attention and adulation.

 

We cannot handle the inevitable drop off that will come at some point again, we're seeing reactions already in the midst of an incredible few years where Rodgers came in and instantly turned us from a mid table plodder to a comfortable top 6 team who goes very far in Cup competitions to the point of winning the one we hadn't previously won in our entire existence.

 

Our squad has some issues that have to be rectified in this next 7 days, the injury problems we have can't be ignored either as this could well start to scupper what Rodgers has built here and we've seen in football how quickly things can unravel. With a fan base that will quickly turn on Rodgers and the exaggeration of a crisis that will be picked up and ran with by the media given the chance we are at a pivotal moment in Rodgers tenure here. He's only another 1 or 2 losses in the next few games from having to deal with pressure he's not experienced as a manager for several years and everything will feel very negative and bleak.

 

I believe in our manager, I still don't forget where we've come from and that we have no automatic right to remain in the top 6 because we've done it 2 seasons on the bounce and won 1 title and 1 Cup. Football doesn't work like that, the reason the elite are the elite isn't because of a purple patch, it requires years of institution and monopoly and plenty of unfair advantage and bias. We have built an incredible story and club in the last decade under Vichai and Top and we can't let rough spells threaten the legacy of that. 

 

Over to you Brendan to do what you're good at and keep building this club I'm so proud of.

Its an odd one, it just seems some fans can't warm to him no matter what he does. 

 

Best win ratio of any Leicester Manager in the top flight, two 5th place finishes and one of only 4 LCFC manager to have won a major trophy.

 

I hope he is here for a good few years yet. 

 

 

 

[Fox92]

4 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Its an odd one, it just seems some fans can't warm to him no matter what he does. 

 

Best win ratio of any Leicester Manager in the top flight, two 5th place finishes and one of only 4 LCFC manager to have won a major trophy.

 

I hope he is here for a good few years yet. 

 

 

 

I think this applies to every manager if I'm honest.

 

To me it seems the majority love Rodgers, and rightly so (although it's shocking he hasn't got a proper song), but the trouble is now that we've got the internet it's so easy to see criticism etc. This is the difference between now and the 90's, for example, where everybody loved O'Neill but if we had the internet then he'd have got some bashing also. Look at how much divide there is over Pearson still despite everything he did for us.

 

I hope he is here for a good few years yet, also.

[Finn Claw II]

Depends on what your expectations are.  We didn't finish in the top 4 the last 2 seasons so we are not a top 4 club.

 

Add to that how much at least 3 of the top 4 have strengthened and most would see a top 4 finish as well  beyond expectations.

 

After that it’s Spurs, West Ham, Everton, us, possibly Wolves and Arsenal.  We all have pretty similar ambitions to win a cup and finish in a Europa league spot. 
 

injuries add a different dimension as the above is true assuming fully fit squads.  We clearly have some significant injuries but so to do Arsenal, others will during the season. 

[coolhandfox]

Just now, Fox92 said:

I think this applies to every manager if I'm honest.

 

To me it seems the majority love Rodgers, and rightly so (although it's shocking he hasn't got a proper song), but the trouble is now that we've got the internet it's so easy to see criticism etc. This is the difference between now and the 90's, for example, where everybody loved O'Neill but if we had the internet then he'd have got some bashing also. Look at how much divide there is over Pearson still despite everything he did for us.

 

I hope he is here for a good few years yet, also.

Your probably right.