We do not have a superior squad to our relegation rivals.

[Chrysalis]

I think talent wise squad is above bottom 3, but mentally wise no.

 

A lot of it is also how they been managed hence the criticism of Rodgers.

 

Tielemans has been so good because before he was here we had no one doing what he does, creating chances for strikers, however he will never be top tier as he gets caught on the ball far too often.

[SixtiesFox]

This squad lacks, grit, determination, confidence and organization, all part of a coaches remit, but in terms of talent...really? Looking at the players on the other teams around us, how many would you take over our own? We dismantled Villa and Spurs in consecutive games, how many of the other bottom feeders are capable of doing that. Rodgers failed to get the best out of this talented group and finally the club woke up and showed him the door. Like most on here I fear that decision was left too late and that our new coaching team just won't have enough time to undo the damage Rodgers has done. At least with our new coaching team in place if we do go down we'll go down fighting and us fans will be able to back our team with pride once again!

[Dan]

4 hours ago, MattFox said:

Yeah said this before

 

If we go down it’ll arguably be the worst relegation in the last 30 years at least by any club

I think it's in the discussion 100%. Nobody would've had us going down this season as a neutral. Nobody would've had West Ham either. If they had said Leicester v West Ham on the final day was a shootout for anything it would probably be a European place.

 

3 hours ago, Beachyboy said:

This attitude of get us safe and then **** Smith off for Potter while simultaneously saying get rid of the players who think they are above us is beyond me. Potter didn't want the scrap now, there's no way I wanna guy in like that. I'd actually argue Smith has proved as much in the premiership as Potter and more in English football.

I thought this as well. I'm really not convinced that Potter is this protégé - maybe there was a point where I could've bought it but it was pretty spectacular failure at Chelsea, and while people discuss tricky circumstances, I do think if you're that good you'll overcome them.

[Dan]

2 hours ago, SixtiesFox said:

This squad lacks, grit, determination, confidence and organization, all part of a coaches remit, but in terms of talent...really? Looking at the players on the other teams around us, how many would you take over our own? We dismantled Villa and Spurs in consecutive games, how many of the other bottom feeders are capable of doing that. Rodgers failed to get the best out of this talented group and finally the club woke up and showed him the door. Like most on here I fear that decision was left too late and that our new coaching team just won't have enough time to undo the damage Rodgers has done. At least with our new coaching team in place if we do go down we'll go down fighting and us fans will be able to back our team with pride once again!

Yep. Southampton, Forest, Wolves, Bournemouth, Leeds etc... aren't sticking 4 past Villa/Spurs in consecutive weeks if they had 50 attempts each. Our ceiling is a lot higher than the others.

[sylofox]

To a point I agree with the OP.

 

But on paper we do have, if they all gave 100% effort and 100% quality we have. But sadly Rodgers has knocked it out of them all. His borefest tactics only picking certain players and alienating others within the squad you end up with what we have.

 

Pearson built a family and squad atmosphere. Since then it's slowly deteriorated. But what was left Rodgers has totally kicked the shit out of it. Then the players he's wanted but not used is the reason we are in this shit state with under performing players that don't give a fvck.

[fuchsntf]

If we are better than the other > Rubbish <   The league at the EOS will prove it…

 

Watching full games,& long highlights of our so called >Rubbish< opposition, 

I disagree that all those bottom half squad are poor. 
AND No..!!  I ain’t easily entertained,too old to have soft feelings in sport..

We are seeing  a normal season, where the various clubs have up & down seasons,

good runs & form,then total drops ,that’s football..

 

Of them all including us,We LCFC has been playing & performing the worse football.

What we are on paper doesn’t get it done…Soton/LCFC need an eight game run..

Any of the others have shown,they can fight and play in the process decent football.

No matter how much foxes fans, want to twist and turn the bias,bottom 8 have had

those good performances & a mixed bag of turning results.Not once this side of the Wcup,have we shown any spark that we could turn it over a long period,too many crazy errors from so many different individuals..little long periods of quality turns.

I still enjoy watching All the teams fight for success or survival,and their various struggles,plus their football…Newcastle,Man.city,Arsenal,Brighton so easy to hold them up has sellers of the PL, but all others have thrown down their gauntlet just to say “ we are still here” hoping to strike out to mimic Brentford or A,Villa,Fulham..

Some found a short path, hoping to compete but then like us stumbling all the way.

unlike us some played decent good solid PL football..

I will always plead ,that over this and many seasons and especially this season those bottom 4-8, have played good watchable football…Or since football began,

football as always been rubbish…Grandads of grandads and their grankids will say they love the football or hate it according to their bias..

[Staffs Fox]

I had this debate with my mates on Monday, two are Villa and one is Wolves. All of them said the same things ‘na, you’ll be alright, you’ve got the players’ but when I actually broke the team down to them and also explained who was in our rivals team, they soon came round to my way of thinking. 
Very quickly our squad has become very poor and it shows the damage only a couple of bad windows can do. Add to that key players like Evans and Vardy getting older and former key players like Ndidi and Soyuncu either losing form or being frozen out and here we are. The last truly successful signing was Fofana imo and that was nearly 3 years ago. 

Edited 12 April 2023 by Staffs Fox

[ARM1968]

Yes we do, so there. Cockwomble. 

[LCFCJohn]

6 hours ago, Beachyboy said:

This attitude of get us safe and then **** Smith off for Potter while simultaneously saying get rid of the players who think they are above us is beyond me. Potter didn't want the scrap now, there's no way I wanna guy in like that. I'd actually argue Smith has proved as much in the premiership as Potter and more in English football.

Agree with this. Wouldn’t want us to go anywhere near Potter now. If these guys keep us up, I’d rather keep them on than have Potter.

 

He has shown he isn’t up to scratch mentality wise both at Chelsea and the fear of taking on this job.

[Guest Col city fan]

2 hours ago, sylofox said:

To a point I agree with the OP.

 

But on paper we do have, if they all gave 100% effort and 100% quality we have. But sadly Rodgers has knocked it out of them all. His borefest tactics only picking certain players and alienating others within the squad you end up with what we have.

 

Pearson built a family and squad atmosphere. Since then it's slowly deteriorated. But what was left Rodgers has totally kicked the shit out of it. Then the players he's wanted but not used is the reason we are in this shit state with under performing players that don't give a fvck.

Rubbish post carrot cruncher 😉

[Beachyboy]

9 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

Agree with this. Wouldn’t want us to go anywhere near Potter now. If these guys keep us up, I’d rather keep them on than have Potter.

 

He has shown he isn’t up to scratch mentality wise both at Chelsea and the fear of taking on this job.

Also look at Brighton now, they are as good if not better with De Zerbi.

[whoareyaaa]

Pretty much the same team was challenging for Top 4 for two season in a row, we have lost one key player in Kasper which is probably one of the reasons we find ourself in the relegation places plus Rodgers basically gave up and so did the players.

 

We have lacked any kind of leadership until now, Smith, Terry and Shakespeare all posses those quality's and are looking forward to the challenge something Rodgers had clearly given up on.

[Fox92]

3 minutes ago, Beachyboy said:

Also look at Brighton now, they are as good if not better with De Zerbi.

It's pretty much Potter's squad and work to get them into that position though. 

[Beachyboy]

6 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

It's pretty much Potter's squad and work to get them into that position though. 

It is but they were never higher than about 9th with him in charge. Some people are fans of Potter, I know a Brighton fan that wanted him sacked a while back. I thought he was overreacting, but agree with LCFC John, not keen on his mentality, we have a weak underbelly currently, don't wanna another soft manager.

[Beachyboy]

8 hours ago, MattFox said:

Yeah said this before

 

If we go down it’ll arguably be the worst relegation in the last 30 years at least by any club

 

That Leed team of 2004 sticks in my head, Smith, Viduka, Harte, Milner, Gary Kelly, Robinson. 

[majaco]

We have ability in many areas.  

 

Iversen is one hell of a shot stopper.   Unfortunately,  his distribution is reminiscent of the Royal Mail on a strike day..

 

Justin, Ricardo, Castagne and Kristiansen are all able full backs.  Unfortunately,  Justin is injured,  Ricardo is never quite match-fit and Kristiansen lacks experience.

 

As dms,   Ndidi and Mendy can both be impressive on their day.  Unfortunately,  it is rarely their day.  

 

KDH, when confident,  puts in a he'll of a shift.  Unfortunately,  he seems to have lost confidence. 

 

Maddison is on the verge of world class.  Unfortunately,  he is aware he is a pearl in a turd and seems to lack motivation.

 

Tielemans can be superb but unfortunately seems to have issues akin to a junior doctor worrying about pay and conditions.

 

Praet is able but unfortunately has been so under-rated that he seems to no longer rate himself.

 

Barnes can be brilliant, electric but unfortunately seems unplugged at times.

 

Tete has an incredible skill set, unfortunately...

 

Vardr.  GOAT.  Unfortunatel...

 

Daka, so much potential and ability. Unfortunate...

 

Iheanacho, can be superb.  Unfortunat...

 

That's 16 players who should be part of a strong squad.  Unfortunately,  I forgot Soyuncu and Evans.  That's 18.

 

And we have Ward, Thomas, Bertrand, Amartey, Vestergaard and Soumare too!

 

Our squad is stronger than  our position.   But we are running out time. It is possible that Smith, Shakespeare and Terry will be able to get something out of these players.

[MattFox]

1 hour ago, Beachyboy said:

That Leed team of 2004 sticks in my head, Smith, Viduka, Harte, Milner, Gary Kelly, Robinson. 

Yeah same or West Ham in 2003 with Defoe , Carrick, Joe Cole etc

 

 

[Sampson]

32 minutes ago, majaco said:

 

Tielemans can be superb but unfortunately seems to have issues akin to a junior doctor worrying about pay and conditions.

Genuinely have no idea what this is even supposed to mean.

[Trav Le Bleu]

On 11/04/2023 at 07:36, SkidsFox said:

We still get posters claiming our squad is better than our rivals. What planet are they on? We have regular first team starters - Amartey, Soumare, Daka, Vardy (sorry not the great player he once was), NDidi (ditto), Ward, Castagne, Mendy who would struggle to be chosen elsewhere. Yes we have the odd star player like Barnes and Maddison, but every Premiership team has at least a couple of good players.

I'm not saying it's totally impossible to avoid relegation, but let's not kid ourselves we have a superior squad.

Castagne? Really? Plays regularly for the 4th ranked international team (recently 1st)

 

Have a word.

[majaco]

7 minutes ago, Sampson said:

Genuinely have no idea what this is even supposed to mean.

It was a long post to pick this out of.  I am suggesting he is somewhat demotivated.  Unfortunately. 

[Fox92]

25 minutes ago, MattFox said:

Yeah same or West Ham in 2003 with Defoe , Carrick, Joe Cole etc

 

 

I always said that West Ham team is the best to be relegated from the PL. Les Ferdinand was there too, obviously we picked him up, Defoe/Carrick both went to Spurs and Joe Cole/Glen Johnson to Chelsea. Think Di Canio was in that squad too and maybe David James. 

[Fox92]

1 hour ago, Beachyboy said:

It is but they were never higher than about 9th with him in charge. Some people are fans of Potter, I know a Brighton fan that wanted him sacked a while back. I thought he was overreacting, but agree with LCFC John, not keen on his mentality, we have a weak underbelly currently, don't wanna another soft manager.

They were never higher than 9th under Potter but might have been this season. 
Loads of Brighton fans wanted him sacked, he got booed I remember at times, I said all along he’s a builder (which is what we need). His first two finishes were relegation battles but he oversaw it all however he didn’t see it through. 

[sylofox]

2 hours ago, Col city fan said:

Rubbish post carrot cruncher 😉

No carrots now it's just cream tea's for me.

 

Not in sunny Norfolk now.

[jim5000]

On 11/04/2023 at 07:38, LCFCCHRIS said:

Been in the back of my mind too recently. Every pundit seems to claim we have a much higher level squad then we do, that’s even been the reason they’ve cited for us not going down up until we actually found ourselves in the relegation zone. 
Yes a lot of these players had us in the top 4 a couple of years ago but a lot have also regressed passion and ability wise… 

 

12-18 months ago it was true. However we’ve sold, not strengthened, lost multiple key players to long term injuries, and had the form of other key players fall off a cliff.

[MattFox]

42 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

I always said that West Ham team is the best to be relegated from the PL. Les Ferdinand was there too, obviously we picked him up, Defoe/Carrick both went to Spurs and Joe Cole/Glen Johnson to Chelsea. Think Di Canio was in that squad too and maybe David James. 

They went down with 42 points tbf

 

Very unusual