The Enzo Thread

[BenTheFox]

2 minutes ago, Bilo said:

Maresca with a Premier League budget once we're promoted will be a frightening prospect. His signings look great, he has developed players in an incredibly short period of time and the football he has us playing is exceptional.

 

Once we go up, you get the sense that Maresca will not be the kind of manager to accept a relegation battle even in our first season back.

If (and it's a big if) we get promoted, then I am concerned as to how successful this style of football will be in the Premier league. As much as I am enjoying watching us at the minute, we are giving away a lot of chances. Conceding chances like that, even against bottom half Premier league sides, will result in us conceding a lot of goals.  I think his style can work in the Premier league because we can all see how well Brighton are doing implementing a similar style. However, he will need to be backed heavily if we are to be successful at a higher level. I suspect that if it happens, the first thing he will look to do is bring in quality defenders. 

 

I don't want to sound negative because I love what he is doing here, and there's a chance that he might be a bit more pragmatic in his approach at a higher level. In fairness, when we have played on the counter at times in the past couple of games, we have looked very effective. 

[Nicolo Barella]

2 hours ago, BenTheFox said:

If (and it's a big if) we get promoted, then I am concerned as to how successful this style of football will be in the Premier league. As much as I am enjoying watching us at the minute, we are giving away a lot of chances. Conceding chances like that, even against bottom half Premier league sides, will result in us conceding a lot of goals.  I think his style can work in the Premier league because we can all see how well Brighton are doing implementing a similar style. However, he will need to be backed heavily if we are to be successful at a higher level. I suspect that if it happens, the first thing he will look to do is bring in quality defenders. 

 

I don't want to sound negative because I love what he is doing here, and there's a chance that he might be a bit more pragmatic in his approach at a higher level. In fairness, when we have played on the counter at times in the past couple of games, we have looked very effective. 

I have thought the same thing. Hermansen equivalents in centreback, brilliant passers on top of excellence in their position. Good thing is I think Justin and Ricardo can make the jump back because they've shown they can play at the highest level

[Tom12345]

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-pearson-leicester-bristol-city-8770427?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

 

Leaving aside the football side of things, I wish Enzo can emulate Pearson here in continuing the culture for the good of the club.

 

Keep Vardy, Albrighton and hopefully one day Kasper and King, together with Morgan, as our club culture ambassadors.

[SecretPro]

Tactically superb again. Making sure the player stayed patient, telling then to slow up and play keep-ball in the last 5 was great too. 

[Tuna]

Need a hide Enzo thread

[BenTheFox]

Carries himself like an elite manager. He has a certain arrogance, but not an offensive arrogance. He's a man who appears to be in control and knows exactly what he wants. 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

Blokes a miracle worker. Not only the style of play, but clearly the culture shift within the team and club. Really really impressive.

[Foxmeister]

5 hours ago, Tuna said:

Need a hide Enzo thread

I'm thinking this, they could come sniffing around much sooner than we'd like.

[Corky]

Making me enjoy football again.

[LCFCJohn]

It feels like for a long time, we have bounced between managers who are builders and destroyers (the latter in a broader sense) and been constantly needing to rebuild. When I say destroyer, I include those who have actually had our greatest successes regarding trophies, but did this on the back of previous managers work and subsequently pulled it apart.

 

Pearson (first time) - builder

Sousa/Sven - destroyer

Pearson (second time) - builder

Ranieri - destroyer (sounds harsh to the great man as we had the ultimate achievement but in terms of how the club was left

Shakespeare - basically a caretaker

Puel - builder

Rodgers - destroyer

And here we found ourselves needing another rebuild.

 

Whisper it quietly, but from what we have seen so far and the fact he has been a student of Pep, Maresca May break that mould in being capable of picking the pieces up (as already being evidenced) but there is definitely a sense he has potential to realise this and realise success in the way those I have labelled as destroyers did, but able to conduct an ongoing building of the squad and refresh (urgh Todgers term I know) rather than having a big rise and big fall again. 

 

 

Edited 24 September 2023 by LCFCJohn

[volpeazzurro]

3 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

It feels like for a long time, we have bounced between managers who are builders and destroyers (the latter in a broader sense) and been constantly needing to rebuild. When I say destroyer, I include those who have actually had our greatest successes regarding trophies, but did this on the back of previous managers work and subsequently pulled it apart.

 

Pearson (first time) - builder

Sousa/Sven - destroyer

Pearson (second time) - builder

Ranieri - destroyer (sounds harsh to the great man as we had the ultimate achievement but in terms of how the club was left

Shakespeare - basically a caretaker

Puel - builder

Rodgers - destroyer

And here we found ourselves needing another rebuild.

 

Whisper it quietly, but from what we have seen so far and the fact he has been a student of Pep, Maresca May break that mould in being capable of picking the pieces up (as already being evidenced) but there is definitely a sense he has potential to realise this and realise success in the way those I have labelled as destroyers did, but able to conduct an ongoing building of the squad and refresh (urgh Todgers term I know) rather than having a big rise and big fall again. 

 

 

I think a bit harsh on Ranieri. With Kante and Drinkwater gone etc it just wasn't possible to maintain our previous style of play. I think we had to change our style somewhat and I think he tried but the players were reluctant and we didn't effectively replace any players that left. Shakespeare faired little better. 

[LCFCJohn]

Just now, volpeazzurro said:

I think a bit harsh on Ranieri. With Kante and Drinkwater gone etc it just wasn't possible to maintain our previous style of play. I think we had to change our style somewhat and I think he tried but the players were reluctant and we didn't effectively replace any players that left. Shakespeare faired little better. 

I was trying to be clear that I wasn’t looking to disparage Raneiri’s achievements or take away from what he did. I suspected that it would be picked up on though!

 

To clarify, I refer to a manager who was amazing (better than any) at what he did achieve. That one season, just wow!

 

But, he was not the kind of manager to have an eye for players (transfers) and did not have the ability to ‘go again’ so to speak. Fortunately, he left early enough that his legacy was 100% preserved and we saved ourselves and went again.

 

Simply put, we go from a manager who can build a squad but not realise it’s potential to one (in Ranieri and Rodgers case) who initially realise the potential they have inherited but things go quickly backwards.

[volpeazzurro]

16 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

I was trying to be clear that I wasn’t looking to disparage Raneiri’s achievements or take away from what he did. I suspected that it would be picked up on though!

 

To clarify, I refer to a manager who was amazing (better than any) at what he did achieve. That one season, just wow!

 

But, he was not the kind of manager to have an eye for players (transfers) and did not have the ability to ‘go again’ so to speak. Fortunately, he left early enough that his legacy was 100% preserved and we saved ourselves and went again.

 

Simply put, we go from a manager who can build a squad but not realise it’s potential to one (in Ranieri and Rodgers case) who initially realise the potential they have inherited but things go quickly backwards.

Yes, I see your point but hardly a destroyer like Rodgers. Despite his protestations, we managed to spend over 250m during Rodgers tenure, many of the signings with his stamp on them.

 

Ranieri on the other hand, I agree, made the best of what he inherited and made some huge changes tactically compared to Pearson to achieve what Pearson could never have done. 

 

However, from Ranieri's own mouth, he claimed that he didn't pick the players, he merely coached what he was given. Our previous style or system was effectively decimated by the outgoings which weren't his fault and they weren't replaced. The  board in fairness had little choice over Kante either. He hardly destroyed it, it was circumstances beyond his control. 

 

Only when Puel arrived and started spending did we arguably start to improve. He too was a little unfortunate because although he created other problems and also recruited quite well, but when he arrived he inherited not one competent attacking midfielder. 

 

Fingers crossed with Enzo though eh, signs are good. However, IF we got promoted, we need to spend quite a bit again because quite a few of this squad will simply not be quite good enough unless, and it's possible, Enzo can continue to get a lot of improvement out of them. 🤞

[LCFCJohn]

6 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

Yes, I see your point but hardly a destroyer like Rodgers. Despite his protestations, we managed to spend over 250m during Rodgers tenure, many of the signings with his stamp on them.

 

Ranieri on the other hand, I agree, made the best of what he inherited and made some huge changes tactically compared to Pearson to achieve what Pearson could never have done. 

 

However, from Ranieri's own mouth, he claimed that he didn't pick the players, he merely coached what he was given. Our previous style or system was effectively decimated by the outgoings which weren't his fault and they weren't replaced. The  board in fairness had little choice over Kante either. He hardly destroyed it, it was circumstances beyond his control. 

 

Only when Puel arrived and started spending did we arguably start to improve. He too was a little unfortunate because although he created other problems and also recruited quite well, but when he arrived he inherited not one competent attacking midfielder. 

 

Fingers crossed with Enzo though eh, signs are good. However, IF we got promoted, we need to spend quite a bit again because quite a few of this squad will simply not be quite good enough unless, and it's possible, Enzo can continue to get a lot of improvement out of them. 🤞

100% Ranieri doesn’t in any way deserve comparing with Rodgers, I agree. As I say, it was a broad term of builder and destroyer to illustrate how I view the strengths of our managers in recent history. 
 

We seem to have had ones who build but then reach their peak (Pearson and Puel) or those who achieve great things but then go the wrong way. 

 

I think in the former category, it’s also harsh on Pearson as we would almost certainly not have won the title if he’d stayed, but steady progress would have contained. Same as how the second category is harsh on Ranieri I suppose.

 

Im hoping with Enzo, that he is currently in his ‘Pearson’ phase which culminates with winning the Championship. But then to be able to take the squad further but also have the nouse to refresh the squad and be sustainable long term.

[Jobyfox]

1 hour ago, volpeazzurro said:

I think a bit harsh on Ranieri. With Kante and Drinkwater gone etc it just wasn't possible to maintain our previous style of play. I think we had to change our style somewhat and I think he tried but the players were reluctant and we didn't effectively replace any players that left. Shakespeare faired little better. 

Kante yes, but Drinkwater went in the transfer window under Shakespeare a few months after Ranieri had already gone 

[volpeazzurro]

10 hours ago, Jobyfox said:

Kante yes, but Drinkwater went in the transfer window under Shakespeare a few months after Ranieri had already gone 

Quite right!

[coolhandfox]

Ipswich and Leicester have become only the 5th and 6th teams in Championship history to win 7 of their first 8 games.

[OntarioFox]

On 20/09/2023 at 23:04, SecretPro said:

Costs us £5m to play him apparently but Enzo won't care if he thinks it's the right thing to do.

Worth every penny if we finally beat Liverpool at Anfield with an out-of-the-blue masterclass. 23 years and counting.

[Kinowe Soorie]

I know that it’s still early days with Enzo’s managerial career, at Leicester, but how good can he be?

Could be really exciting times ahead.

[Happy Fox]

6 minutes ago, Kinowe Soorie said:

I know that it’s still early days with Enzo’s managerial career, at Leicester, but how good can he be?

Could be really exciting times ahead.

 

No reason to not be back to midtable in the premier league, when we get promoted.

 

Hopefully we can get the expansion sorted and then push on for Europe again in the next 4 seasons.

[Countryfox]

Bit long in the tooth now but still a fantastic car and way ahead of its time ..  but only in red ! 

[BenTheFox]

There is a long way to go this season and things may still go wrong, but I would like to thank him for giving me some hope after our last permanent manager rode roughshod over the whole football club and was allowed to do so for far too long. 

[Langston]

I don't think the job he's done with Vestergaard can be spoken about enough. Not just the fact he looks competent but also looks so engaged with everything after being out the door for what feels like forever. 

 

Everyone at the minute just seems to get it, lads like Akgun who are hovering on the periphery at the moment but know they have a part to play are seemingly loving it, it's brilliant. He's managing the squad fantastically so far with two anomalies in Daka and Souttar who I assume we just thought would be out the door.

 

Complete antithesis to Rodgers and long may it continue.

Edited 2 October 2023 by Langston

[whoareyaaa]

9 hours ago, Kinowe Soorie said:

I know that it’s still early days with Enzo’s managerial career, at Leicester, but how good can he be?

Could be really exciting times ahead.

Next season we will be competing at the top of the table.

 

Enzo is a mastermind, a genius some might say.

 

With the right backing (which he will get) he could turn us into a team fighting for Europe again, the big question is how long can we keep him for.

[SkidsFox]

He's done great so far, but let's see how he copes with a poor spell before going overboard... That said, it's hard to see who could have done better. I agree that getting promotion is one thing, but our defence will need a lot of attention in the PL. At least we've got good options in goal now.