Best way to improve our points count next season?

[Leicester_Loyal]

47 minutes ago, Happy Fox said:

If we don’t qualify for Europe the likes of Maddison etc will be off.

No chance. In 12 months I’d agree with you but not this summer. I doubt we’re qualifying for Europe either as we’ll need to win it. 

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

If we dont qualify for Europe and can play our best team every week we'll be absolutely fine.

[Rigga]

1 minute ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

If we dont qualify for Europe and can play our best team every week we'll be absolutely fine.

We can still get injuries by not being in Europe ?

 

Also, how will we appeal to potential new signings by not having Europe..

let’s be ambitious eh.. We want Europe every season surely ??

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

2 minutes ago, Rigga said:

We can still get injuries by not being in Europe ?

 

Also, how will we appeal to potential new signings by not having Europe..

let’s be ambitious eh.. We want Europe every season surely ??

Playing once a week will stop the overloading on the players - we'd have far less injuries. And whilst I agree we want Europe as fans I'm not sure the europa is that exciting for players.

[Scotch]

People need to realise, if Kasper dominated his box and had excellent distribution ON TOP of his shot stopping and leadership... He wouldn't be here because he would be one of the best GK's on the planet. 

[turlo]

Employ Roy Keane or Vinnie Jones to headbutt the players everytime they switch off or make silly mistakes that are costing us so many points. Like against Spurs when we cleared it forward with a few seconds to go the players were expecting the ref to blow up for full time and completely switched off. I doubt they got the hair dryer treatment on either occasion and will continue to make the same errors until someone beats it out of them. 

[Shane]

Stop switching style of play every other week. 

 

How can we go from high pressing intensity against Crystal Palace to pedestrian, slow football against Newcastle. 10 of the 11 who started vs Newcastle also started against Palace, so what has changed so much in the space of a week?

 

Brendan really needs to build around one specific system like Klopp, Conte and many other managers do with their squads.

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

7 minutes ago, Shane said:

Stop switching style of play every other week. 

 

How can we go from high pressing intensity against Crystal Palace to pedestrian, slow football against Newcastle. 10 of the 11 who started vs Newcastle also started against Palace, so what has changed so much in the space of a week?

Having 2 days in between a game and a gruelling game on Thursday.

[Shane]

2 minutes ago, Chocolate Teapot said:

Having 2 days in between a game and a gruelling game on Thursday.

Only Kasper, Tielemans and KDH played the full 90 though. Our constant change in tactics and style of play has been ongoing for 18+ months, it must be very confusing for the players.

 

Injuries haven’t helped but Liverpool also had an injury crisis and Klopp never reverted from his 4-3-3 system, he even played Rhys Williams and other fringe players. 

[lcfcbluearmy]

Have a fit team

[VictorFox]

Need to sign 2 or 3 players that will improve the starting 11 not the squad. May as well of spent 60 million in the summer on winger that would guarantee us goals and assists instead of 3 players that have offered us nothing. 
Also need to stop dropping so many points from winning positions.

[The Horse's Mouth]

Put the ball in the onion bag

[Leicester_Loyal]

38 minutes ago, VictorFox said:

Need to sign 2 or 3 players that will improve the starting 11 not the squad. May as well of spent 60 million in the summer on winger that would guarantee us goals and assists instead of 3 players that have offered us nothing. 
Also need to stop dropping so many points from winning positions.

No guarantees the 60m player would fit in and work well here. 
 

Buying 3 increases the odds of one of them becoming good or world class, so we at least cover our bases when selling and make our money back for all 3. 

[CosbehFox]

1 hour ago, Shane said:

Only Kasper, Tielemans and KDH played the full 90 though. Our constant change in tactics and style of play has been ongoing for 18+ months, it must be very confusing for the players.

 

Injuries haven’t helped but Liverpool also had an injury crisis and Klopp never reverted from his 4-3-3 system, he even played Rhys Williams and other fringe players. 

It’s also the travelling and the natural mental reaction to it all. 
 

Personally I think the latter has been a factor all season after the high of winning the Cup. Saw it before after winning the league. It’s hard to be that focused repeatedly

[SouthStandUpperTier]

So do we or don't we want European football next season?

[The Year Of The Fox]

2 minutes ago, SouthStandUpperTier said:

So do we or don't we want European football next season?

I do

Halifax doesn’t  

[Clever Fox]

Brendan is right when he says the squad needs a shake up.

 

I'd clear out 6 or 7 from the squad who don't offer enough going into a new season.

 

I'd bring in 3 quality players and 3 with potential while also blooding a couple from the development squad.

 

We've got to sign another commanding CB like Fofana, Then Evans can play if and when needed.

 

A quality Midfielder with pace and a physical presence.  A proven winger for the right.

 

Then we should move back up into the top 6

[Leicester_Loyal]

2 hours ago, SouthStandUpperTier said:

So do we or don't we want European football next season?

100% do, purely for the away trips. However, I don't think it'll be a bad thing if we don't, we'd perform a lot better in the league and could have a real go at top 6 again. I think aiming for and achieving Europe every 2 or 3 years is about the best we can ask for.

Edited 18 April 2022 by Leicester_Loyal

[SouthStandUpperTier]

2 minutes ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

100% do, purely for the away trips. However, I don't think it'll be a bad thing if we don't, we'd perform a lot better in the league and could have a real go at top 6 again. I think aiming for and achieving Europe every 2 or 3 years is about the best we can ask for.

It's a double edged sword. The players will be fresher, but will we be able to attract the required standard of player without European football? Will some of our better players want to leave?

[Always Next Year]

Put two up front and play attacking football and cut out the tip tap football at the back.

[brucey]

12 minutes ago, SouthStandUpperTier said:

It's a double edged sword. The players will be fresher, but will we be able to attract the required standard of player without European football? Will some of our better players want to leave?

Our better transfer windows in recent years (eg summer 2018) have been ones without European football, and our worst ones (eg summer 2016) have been ones with European football. Our best young players are tied down to long contracts already, the old ones are unlikely to go anywhere, and the ones that haven't signed extensions after 2 years of European football (Youri/Cags) are unlikely to be swayed by whether or not we get a 3rd year of playing in the EL. Some players might even secretly prefer a break from Europe, being knackered / still recovering from long injuries / seen what the extra games and injuries have done to the team.

 

Edited 18 April 2022 by brucey

[CloudFox]

Sort out the injury issues by revamping the medical department. Then refresh the squad to bring in more hungry players. Add a bit of pace in central midfield, and, wait for it...

 

Enjoy the rollercoaster, because points on the board are never guaranteed in football.

[cruzFOX]

Things to improve on?

- set piece defending (especially corners)

- managing games (especially in xtra time)

- holding onto leads 

- stop conceding silly mistakes 

- start strong every game

[SouthStandUpperTier]

2 minutes ago, brucey said:

Our better transfer windows in recent years (eg summer 2018) have been ones without European football, and our worst ones (eg summer 2016) have been ones with European football. Our best players are tied down to long contracts already, and the ones that haven't signed extensions after 2 years of European football are unlikely to change their mind whether or not we get a 3rd year of playing in the EL. Some players might actually rather have a break from Europe, having had long injuries themselves and seen what injuries have done to the team.

There's a lot of truth in what you say. But I would add the caveat that contracts are pretty meaningless these days. I'm sure if, for example, someone like Fofana wanted to move, he could find a way to force it through.

[brucey]

Just now, SouthStandUpperTier said:

There's a lot of truth in what you say. But I would add the caveat that contracts are pretty meaningless these days. I'm sure if, for example, someone like Fofana wanted to move, he could find a way to force it through.

Yes, but us having EL or not is going to make zero difference to Fofana moving, given he would only leave for a CL club which is an upgrade either way.

Even having CL ourselves might make a difference to some, but not all players (see Kante).