Europa League Squad 2021/22

[StriderHiryu]

Benkovic given a place, Mendy, James Justin, Fofana all miss out.

 

Perhaps means that JJ is further way than we think, or more likely that even when he comes back that he will need many sub appearances and U23 matches before he's ready. Interesting that Hamza gets a place despite almost leaving on deadline day.

 

Full Squad:

 

Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel, Danny Ward, Eldin Jakupovic

Defenders: Ricardo Pereira, Timothy Castagne, Ryan Bertrand, Caglar Soyuncu, Jonny Evans, Daniel Amartey, Jannik Vestergaard, Filip Benkovic

Midfielders: Youri Tielemans, Wilfred Ndidi, Hamza Choudhury, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Boubakary Soumare, James Maddison, Marc Albrighton, Harvey Barnes, Ademola Lookman

Forwards: Jamie Vardy, Ayoze Perez, Kelechi Iheanacho, Patson Daka

 

The list can be amended next year if we make the knockout stages.

[moore_94]

10 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Benkovic given a place, Mendy, James Justin, Fofana all miss out.

 

Perhaps means that JJ is further way than we think, or more likely that even when he comes back that he will need many sub appearances and U23 matches before he's ready. Interesting that Hamza gets a place despite almost leaving on deadline day.

 

Full Squad:

 

Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel, Danny Ward, Eldin Jakupovic

Defenders: Ricardo Pereira, Timothy Castagne, Ryan Bertrand, Caglar Soyuncu, Jonny Evans, Daniel Amartey, Jannik Vestergaard, Filip Benkovic

Midfielders: Youri Tielemans, Wilfred Ndidi, Hamza Choudhury, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Boubakary Soumare, James Maddison, Marc Albrighton, Harvey Barnes, Ademola Lookman

Forwards: Jamie Vardy, Ayoze Perez, Kelechi Iheanacho, Patson Daka

 

The list can be amended next year if we make the knockout stages.

After Ricardo came back we saw how long it took him to get back up to speed, I don’t think he was really back to himself until the last few games of the season

 

With Ricardo, Castagne, Bertrand and Thomas we have the depth to be able to give JJ a chance to have a good recovery period and not rush him

 

I imagine Hamza was included just because we can, I don’t think Mendy could’ve replaced him because he is just taking up a home grown space so might as well

Edited 6 September 2021 by moore_94

[ts_1010]

That squad is almost a formality with the way our squad options are.

 

We've only picked 24 players as we have to leave 4 for our home grown talent that is over the age of 22(?). That's why hamza is in and Mendy isn't. It's not a comment on their abilities.

[StriderHiryu]

Just now, ts_1010 said:

That squad is almost a formality with the way our squad options are.

 

We've only picked 24 players as we have to leave 4 for our home grown talent that is over the age of 22(?). That's why hamza is in and Mendy isn't. It's not a comment on their abilities.

Yep that's correct, well spotted.

[Leicester_Loyal]

JJ won't be back and ready until the knockouts, so it was pretty pointless including him. I think he'll be used in the two domestic cups (if we're still in them) once he's regained his fitness. I bet he's still another 6-8 weeks away anyway.

[Ric Flair]

Benkovic being in ahead of Justin makes it all the more weirder why Rodgers decided to name 2 keepers on the bench and zero defenders rather than Benkovic vs Norwich.

 

Justin is surely more likely to get minutes in Europe to start with than the league? 

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

22 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Benkovic being in ahead of Justin makes it all the more weirder why Rodgers decided to name 2 keepers on the bench and zero defenders rather than Benkovic vs Norwich.

 

Justin is surely more likely to get minutes in Europe to start with than the league? 

Unless benkovic was injured?

[MarriedaLeicesterGirl]

20 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Benkovic being in ahead of Justin makes it all the more weirder why Rodgers decided to name 2 keepers on the bench and zero defenders rather than Benkovic vs Norwich.

 

Justin is surely more likely to get minutes in Europe to start with than the league? 

Maybe 1) Benko had a knock or 2) something was being lined up for a move, bit it fell through 

[moore_94]

28 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Benkovic being in ahead of Justin makes it all the more weirder why Rodgers decided to name 2 keepers on the bench and zero defenders rather than Benkovic vs Norwich.

 

Justin is surely more likely to get minutes in Europe to start with than the league? 

Rodgers said October/November return for JJ at the start of August, so it could’ve gone not quite as quickly as that so far

 

If he is back by November the Europa games are:

 

Spartak (H), Legia (H), Napoli (A)
 

He could maybe get minutes in the first 2 but he wouldn’t be playing against Napoli, and if the first 3 games go badly we may need to go strongest in the final 3 and JJ could get minutes in the league

 

I think we are more likely to see him getting minutes for the under 23s in November/December than for the first team anyway, no need to rush him at the moment as our full back depth is good

Edited 6 September 2021 by moore_94

[coolhandfox]

26 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Benkovic being in ahead of Justin makes it all the more weirder why Rodgers decided to name 2 keepers on the bench and zero defenders rather than Benkovic vs Norwich.

 

Justin is surely more likely to get minutes in Europe to start with than the league? 

I heard somewhere he didn't travel and the decision not included Bertrand as a sub was a late decision so we just used the keeper to have a full bench.

 

[UHDrive]

32 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Benkovic being in ahead of Justin makes it all the more weirder why Rodgers decided to name 2 keepers on the bench and zero defenders rather than Benkovic vs Norwich.

 

Justin is surely more likely to get minutes in Europe to start with than the league? 

It's almost like he doesn't like/rate him (which we know about). But he's been kept well clear of the U23's and retained in the first squad whether that be for training/preseason/EL. I genuinely don't think BR knows what to do with him.

[coolhandfox]

5 minutes ago, UHDrive said:

It's almost like he doesn't like/rate him (which we know about). But he's been kept well clear of the U23's and retained in the first squad whether that be for training/preseason/EL. I genuinely don't think BR knows what to do with hi

Probably play in a dead rubber if we can qualify early! 

[UHDrive]

1 minute ago, coolhandfox said:

Probably play in a dead rubber if we can qualify early! 

Maybe BR wants him to play on an icy pitch in Russia.....

[mozartfox]

17 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Probably play in a dead rubber if we can qualify early! 

Dead rubbers are worth something in terms of bonuses.  UKP630k in the group stages. 

[coolhandfox]

8 minutes ago, mozartfox said:

Dead rubbers are worth something in terms of bonuses.  UKP630k in the group stages. 

Yes, but is that worth flogging your squad to death for? 

 

 

[Ric Flair]

4 hours ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

Unless benkovic was injured?

I don't think it was that, as @coolhandfox pointed out it was possibly because Bertrand was ill again. Benkovic has been in every training video for the last few months, just odd that we've decided not to have a CB on the bench for the last 2 PL games.

[Guest Col city fan]

Literally what is the point in having Mendy at the club?

Discuss…

[turlo]

20 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Literally what is the point in having Mendy at the club?

Discuss…

The Turkish transfer window is still open for a few more days and reckon he'll end up being loaned out. 

[coolhandfox]

21 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Literally what is the point in having Mendy at the club?

Discuss…

He going to play in the League Cup, FA Cup, he's going to be in the PL squad.

 

 

[Guest Col city fan]

6 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

He going to play in the League Cup, FA Cup, he's going to be in the PL squad.

 

 

And you know this how?…

[coolhandfox]

Just now, Col city fan said:

And you know this how?…

I don't know, it's a educated guess.

 

We have 6 games in September, 3 PL, 2 EL and 1 LC game.

 

I'd say there is a good chance he will get time against Millwall.

 

[majaco]

Perez is a forward?

[HybridFox]

3 hours ago, majaco said:

Perez is a forward?

He's just too good for a position 

[Lesta2014]

Who’s on the B list we can use other than Thomas?

[StanSP]

16 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Benkovic being in ahead of Justin makes it all the more weirder why Rodgers decided to name 2 keepers on the bench and zero defenders rather than Benkovic vs Norwich.

 

Justin is surely more likely to get minutes in Europe to start with than the league? 

I wouldn't be risking Justin when we know what happened with Ricardo. 

 

Justin is scheduled back for training next month but that'll only be the beginning of his recovery, and maybe the plan is to ease him in here as opposed to travelling to Europe like we did with Ricardo.