State of the squad and rest of the season, an opinion.

[funkyrobot]

2 hours ago, splinterdream said:

at 3 -1 coming out after half time, dawson should have been giving a test to a midfield of facundo, bilal and skipp, to see if.it'd work, try BDCR as striker, give Ruud something to look at, because the game was done. The performance of Dawson reminds me when Sadler took charge and doubled down on brendan ball against villa, when we obviously needed to attack them 

 

I was completely with you until that point. 

[funkyrobot]

2 minutes ago, Miella27 said:

Our squad is as weak as it has been for 10+ years, however there's enough there to make it competitive. We've just got to be better than the teams around us, who are all equally rubbish - Soton, Ipswich, Palace, wolves, Everton

 

I think these players would play a significant part in the squad of 10-12 prem teams - 

 

Mads, Okoli, Buonanotte, Fatawu

 

These players would be in and around the matchday team/squad of the bottom six sides - 

Vardy, Ricardo, Vestergaard, Coady, Winks, Skipp, Ndidi, Mavididi, 

 

That's enough to make a go of it, we just need someone to give them a bit of structure, confidence and hope.

Can’t see Okoli getting in any other team other than ours. Bang average defensively and not great with the ball at his feet. 
 

Coady looks ready for retirement. If he’s honest he’s probably best suited to league 1 or 2 levels these days 

[Chrysalis]

3 hours ago, Finnegan said:

I'm definitely someone that sees the positives in our players more than the negatives, I think, whilst others tend to get stuck seeing our players only as 'shit.' I don't mean this in any happy-clappy, get-behind-the-lads, not-allowed-to-criticise them sense. It's just my bias, if you play for Leicester than I usually tend to look upon you more favourably than if you didn't (unless you're Jordan Ayew.)

 

So I accept that I might be a little bit naive and occasionally slightly delusional but I don't think our squad is beyond hope and I think there's a lot to work with there for the right coach.

 

We've all seen Jamie Vardy, James Justin, Wilfred Ndidi and Ricardo Pereira win the FA cup and muster back-to-back 5th place finishes. We know they have the potential to play at that level.

 

Caleb Okali looks quite a bright prospect as do both Facundo and Bilal, Harry Winks is an exceptional footballer that would have been right at home in a top-six challenging Rodgers side and Mads Hermansen is destined for much bigger things than Leicester City.

 

Even looking at the likes of Faes, Vestergaard, Daka, Coady, Kristiansen, Mavididi and Skipp you've got players here who have played in and won plenty of games in the Premier League or Europe's top 5 equivelants, in UEFA continental competitions and, in some cases, playing for their country.

 

I think the squad lacks depths in some key areas but even with the injuries I think we're able to put out an 11 that I'd be confident would be beating any side currently in the bottom half if Enzo was still here.

 

But almost every player on the planet is going to look shit if the team around him isn't a team. We are an abject mess, there's no plan, there's no structure, there's no tactics. A guy with next to no management experience just threw a change of formation together today and sent a bunch of demoralised and despirited young men out on to a football pitch with minimal instructions to play one of THE most settled and well coached teams in the league. What did anyone think was going to happen?

 

Individuals look like better players when the team around them is playing, at very least, as the sum of its parts if not more so. Midfielders look shit when the passing options aren't there, forwards look shit when nobody creates chances for them, defenders look shit when they're alone and isolated with no support and a chaotic mess of a defensive shape and EVERYONE makes more brain-fart mistakes when they're scared, under pressure and lacking confidence.

 

I don't feel like we can particularly write off most of the players in the squad right now when a lot of this team has only played together in the Premier League under Cooper. Anyone suggesting that last year we looked poor is a moron, we absolutely smashed the league despite almost every team parking the bus and making life hard. We won probably the most competitive Championship season is recent memory and we did it with an absurd amount of points and goals.

 

There's loads of potential in this side to come together, put in a good run and stay up. How many people were on here in 14/15 when we were rock bottom saying things like "I'm sorry, the players just aren't good enough" and suggesting the likes of Danny Simpson, Marc Albrighton and even Wes Morgan weren't cut out for the Premier League? I doubt any of you moaning bastards lurking are honest enough to put your hands up and admit that was you.

 

Yeah, sure, we could probably use with an injection of quality in January if we want to give ourselves a better chance but the biggest thing the squad needs right now is just an injection of spirit and self belief because it'd have an enormous impact on how they played, individually and collectively.

 

Teams parking the bus is probably what every manager dreams off, it gives your team free roam of the pitch as the other team is frit of you, those teams parking the bus made us look better than what we were, the teams that didnt do it caused us some big problems.  I get your point about the players working together as a team, and you seem to think Cooper massively under performed which is an opinion you have the right to have, but on the other hand, we have the 3rd lowest squad value in the league, spent the least out of the promoted 3 teams, and can see lots of quality issues, we are unable to play the same way as our opponents because to be frank we not good enough, and some are having a very hard accepting that.

14/15 was very different, back then we didnt have spoilt fans, and so Pearson was given a chance, the Huth signing was instrumental in terms of defensive quality as well, if we had Pearson now he would have been hounded out of the club.

The vast majority of neutrals, whether its fan of teams we played against, pundits, or ex managers, have formed this opinion as well, you are basically saying they all wrong.  Whoever has had most involvement in building this squad has failed on a grand scale, all the money spent and what do we have.

 

Brentford, Fulham, Forest, Villa, Newcastle, Brighton, Bournemouth are examples of teams who have progressed since 3 years ago, a squad that was good in 2021 is not necessarily good now, teams dont stand still.

 

Sorry to say, there is no Stoke, Cardiff, Rotherham in this league to make the team look good.

Edited 30 November 2024 by Chrysalis

[splinterdream]

1 hour ago, funkyrobot said:

I was completely with you until that point. 

he has played there before i believe and has scored for us, my point is we need to know what we've got

[Fox92]

I was always amazed to see people post how they rated this squad. It’s awful. 

[Raj]

The quality of the  squad reflects the senior leadership at the top of the club.

 

Edited 30 November 2024 by Raj

[The Horse's Mouth]

47 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

I was always amazed to see people post how they rated this squad. It’s awful. 

This is why I never understood the level of hysteria behind Coopers tenure, this team is awful. Needed to be a lot more bullish in the summer. The football being shit was fair enough but you give him the 1975 and expect definitely maybe then it’s not happening lads 

[cityfanlee23]

We need a huge window in January which will be difficult, but just some random defenders names to throw out there, proper football manager stuff. 

Cancel Edouards loan deal. 

Victor Lindelof - (Loan) Not the greatest, but is a huge improvement on Faes, he's struggling for game time and his deal is up in the summer, a good 6 month loan deal could be what he needs to put himself in the window for potential clubs

Devyn Rensch - Dutch right back at Ajax, he's been slightly unsettled last couple of seasons as he was fighting with Mazraoui for a starting place before Mazraoui joined Bayern, 21 years old and his deal is up in the summer, maybe he wants to join the Dutch revolution in Leicester and would likely be on a cut price deal if he's only got 6 months left. 

Chancel Mbemba - CB, Played 54 prem games for Newcastle 2015-2018 before moving to Porto, played 87 games for Porto over 4 years and moved to Marseille where he's played 61 games in 2 seasons, not featuring this season, deal is up in summer. 

Very random one:
Simon Kjaer - (6 month deal if interested) he's on a free transfer and had a pretty solid Euros as Denmark Captain, very solid on the ball, played 20+ games for Milan last season and Milan fans loved him, if he's kept fit he could help shore up the defence on a short term 6-12 month deal, he retired from International football in August but I don't think he's fully retired from club football? 

Edited 1 December 2024 by cityfanlee23

[Aus Fox]

4 hours ago, Miella27 said:

Our squad is as weak as it has been for 10+ years, however there's enough there to make it competitive. We've just got to be better than the teams around us, who are all equally rubbish - Soton, Ipswich, Palace, wolves, Everton

 

I think these players would play a significant part in the squad of 10-12 prem teams - 

 

Mads, Okoli, Buonanotte, Fatawu

 

These players would be in and around the matchday team/squad of the bottom six sides - 

Vardy, Ricardo, Vestergaard, Coady, Winks, Skipp, Ndidi, Mavididi, 

 

That's enough to make a go of it, we just need someone to give them a bit of structure, confidence and hope.

So of the four who you think could start for the other sides: One is out for the season, was in on loan from another prem side because he can’t get into their 11. And one the jury Is massively out on at this stage. Mads is quality.

Of the players in the squads half of them are not making our starting XI, can’t see the likes of Coady or Vestergaard making anyone else’s squad in this league.

Our actual squad is really poor at this level, and will need significant work in January if we are to even come close to staying up. 

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

I've said all season there are delusions amongst some on here about the standard of our squad.

 

I've seen it in this thread again with some saying that Vardy, Ndidi, Ricardo Justin etc are PL standard players because of what they did 4 or so years ago. No recognition of what time and injuries do in professional physical sports. 4 years is a long time. It is not disrespectful to them or others to realise they are not going to perform at the level we need consistently now. Vestergaard is being touted again. But he isn't suddenly faster of thought or importantly deed than he was when we were last in the PL. We know his weaknesses. We lack strikers - stating the bleeding obvious. 

 

This quality of this squad is where we currently are and you can argue about whether that is misleading, i.e. better than it should be.

 

Van Nistelrooy has a hell of a task, as did Cooper (but no going down that route, that's gone). Hopefully, he can galvanise attitudes and commitment - and organise. But he has little quality to play with. Let's be honest and give him some latitude in that task. 

 

 

Edited 1 December 2024 by Cadno'r Cymoedd

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

8 hours ago, dannythefox said:

He can play that role. We need him back the squad all of a sudden is on it arse. I’d also bring Harry back and play him, something my shed Utd mates can’t understand why he couldn’t get a kick, cooper strikes again.

Maresca didn't rate him, so not just Cooper. 

[Mike Oxlong]

I think we have reached the point where if you go to the game and watch the game you're really wasting your afternoon/evening. I spent much of the last one chatting to two very pleasant people sat next to me. The gross mismanagement and lack of direction on and off the pitch really isn't deserving of my time and attention. 

[Lambert09]

4 hours ago, cityfanlee23 said:

We need a huge window in January which will be difficult, but just some random defenders names to throw out there, proper football manager stuff. 

Cancel Edouards loan deal. 

Victor Lindelof - (Loan) Not the greatest, but is a huge improvement on Faes, he's struggling for game time and his deal is up in the summer, a good 6 month loan deal could be what he needs to put himself in the window for potential clubs

Devyn Rensch - Dutch right back at Ajax, he's been slightly unsettled last couple of seasons as he was fighting with Mazraoui for a starting place before Mazraoui joined Bayern, 21 years old and his deal is up in the summer, maybe he wants to join the Dutch revolution in Leicester and would likely be on a cut price deal if he's only got 6 months left. 

Chancel Mbemba - CB, Played 54 prem games for Newcastle 2015-2018 before moving to Porto, played 87 games for Porto over 4 years and moved to Marseille where he's played 61 games in 2 seasons, not featuring this season, deal is up in summer. 

Very random one:
Simon Kjaer - (6 month deal if interested) he's on a free transfer and had a pretty solid Euros as Denmark Captain, very solid on the ball, played 20+ games for Milan last season and Milan fans loved him, if he's kept fit he could help shore up the defence on a short term 6-12 month deal, he retired from International football in August but I don't think he's fully retired from club football? 

You’d expect if anyone would be availble from man u we’d be first in line. Only one player aloud on loan but he’s not a bad about. 

[Matt]

6 hours ago, Fox92 said:

I was always amazed to see people post how they rated this squad. It’s awful. 

The penny is finally dropping for many.

[erlee]

what if the squad wants him out.?.after yesterday's trashing

[Pliskin]

When we beat West Ham, I’m going to be so revoltingly over the top about how good we are ya’ll feel sick.

[Dahnsouff]

5 hours ago, cityfanlee23 said:

We need a huge window in January which will be difficult, but just some random defenders names to throw out there, proper football manager stuff. 

Cancel Edouards loan deal. 

Victor Lindelof - (Loan) Not the greatest, but is a huge improvement on Faes, he's struggling for game time and his deal is up in the summer, a good 6 month loan deal could be what he needs to put himself in the window for potential clubs

Devyn Rensch - Dutch right back at Ajax, he's been slightly unsettled last couple of seasons as he was fighting with Mazraoui for a starting place before Mazraoui joined Bayern, 21 years old and his deal is up in the summer, maybe he wants to join the Dutch revolution in Leicester and would likely be on a cut price deal if he's only got 6 months left. 

Chancel Mbemba - CB, Played 54 prem games for Newcastle 2015-2018 before moving to Porto, played 87 games for Porto over 4 years and moved to Marseille where he's played 61 games in 2 seasons, not featuring this season, deal is up in summer. 

Very random one:
Simon Kjaer - (6 month deal if interested) he's on a free transfer and had a pretty solid Euros as Denmark Captain, very solid on the ball, played 20+ games for Milan last season and Milan fans loved him, if he's kept fit he could help shore up the defence on a short term 6-12 month deal, he retired from International football in August but I don't think he's fully retired from club football? 

Would rather have Mentality Reset and Tek Sum Accountability, both available on a free

Edited 1 December 2024 by Dahnsouff

[teblin]

11 hours ago, Finnegan said:

I'm definitely someone that sees the positives in our players more than the negatives, I think, whilst others tend to get stuck seeing our players only as 'shit.' I don't mean this in any happy-clappy, get-behind-the-lads, not-allowed-to-criticise them sense. It's just my bias, if you play for Leicester than I usually tend to look upon you more favourably than if you didn't (unless you're Jordan Ayew.)

 

So I accept that I might be a little bit naive and occasionally slightly delusional but I don't think our squad is beyond hope and I think there's a lot to work with there for the right coach.

 

We've all seen Jamie Vardy, James Justin, Wilfred Ndidi and Ricardo Pereira win the FA cup and muster back-to-back 5th place finishes. We know they have the potential to play at that level.

 

Caleb Okali looks quite a bright prospect as do both Facundo and Bilal, Harry Winks is an exceptional footballer that would have been right at home in a top-six challenging Rodgers side and Mads Hermansen is destined for much bigger things than Leicester City.

 

Even looking at the likes of Faes, Vestergaard, Daka, Coady, Kristiansen, Mavididi and Skipp you've got players here who have played in and won plenty of games in the Premier League or Europe's top 5 equivelants, in UEFA continental competitions and, in some cases, playing for their country.

 

I think the squad lacks depths in some key areas but even with the injuries I think we're able to put out an 11 that I'd be confident would be beating any side currently in the bottom half if Enzo was still here.

 

But almost every player on the planet is going to look shit if the team around him isn't a team. We are an abject mess, there's no plan, there's no structure, there's no tactics. A guy with next to no management experience just threw a change of formation together today and sent a bunch of demoralised and despirited young men out on to a football pitch with minimal instructions to play one of THE most settled and well coached teams in the league. What did anyone think was going to happen?

 

Individuals look like better players when the team around them is playing, at very least, as the sum of its parts if not more so. Midfielders look shit when the passing options aren't there, forwards look shit when nobody creates chances for them, defenders look shit when they're alone and isolated with no support and a chaotic mess of a defensive shape and EVERYONE makes more brain-fart mistakes when they're scared, under pressure and lacking confidence.

 

I don't feel like we can particularly write off most of the players in the squad right now when a lot of this team has only played together in the Premier League under Cooper. Anyone suggesting that last year we looked poor is a moron, we absolutely smashed the league despite almost every team parking the bus and making life hard. We won probably the most competitive Championship season is recent memory and we did it with an absurd amount of points and goals.

 

There's loads of potential in this side to come together, put in a good run and stay up. How many people were on here in 14/15 when we were rock bottom saying things like "I'm sorry, the players just aren't good enough" and suggesting the likes of Danny Simpson, Marc Albrighton and even Wes Morgan weren't cut out for the Premier League? I doubt any of you moaning bastards lurking are honest enough to put your hands up and admit that was you.

 

Yeah, sure, we could probably use with an injection of quality in January if we want to give ourselves a better chance but the biggest thing the squad needs right now is just an injection of spirit and self belief because it'd have an enormous impact on how they played, individually and collectively.

 

Agree with this. Confidence and a lack of structure is an issue.

 

We do lack some quality but we have enough to stay up hopefully. 
 

need a couple of wins before the end of the year though.

[StevieH]

I think Maresca suddenly leaving in the summer has left the club in a big void. Panick appt of Cooper and no real thought on transfers that have turned out to be mediocre at best. Need a massive reset with RVN coming in. Needs to have a good look at squad and major surgery required in Jan. 

[Finnegan]

12 hours ago, Chrysalis said:

Teams parking the bus is probably what every manager dreams off,

 

Do you actually watch football? 

 

This statement alone is wild. 

 

[Muzzy_no7]

There’s still absolutely no doubt in my mind that we have a better squad than Ipswich, Everton and Southampton.

 

I don’t think our squad it too dissimilar to the likes of Palace and Wolves either and Fulham aren’t exactly streets ahead.

 

We just look incredibly poorly coached as a team and add in the fact that Faes is an absolute bomb scare then that’s why, performance-wise, we are lucky to not be BOTTOM of the league.

 

Ruud will command respect and hopefully he gets in the right coaching staff to get us going again. 
 

I believe Ruud will believe in Alves, too. 
 

With 3-4 additions in January we should be absolutely fine. 

[winteriscoming]

With all the cbs we’ve got and we still desperately need at least 2 imo. The ones we currently have are dreadful. 
Will never understand sending Nelson out on loan. 
A Huth type signing in January is what’s needed. 

[surrifox]

Maybe start the rebuild with some smart recruitment and making use of the analytics and scouting reports rather than just selecting some hapless donkeys off the list of whichever agent has the closest ties to the club , its owners , officers or employees 

[dannythefox]

8 hours ago, Cadno'r Cymoedd said:

Maresca didn't rate him, so not just Cooper. 

So what. Cooper didn’t rate Ricardo, probably in our top 3 players at the club. 

[Claridge]

1 hour ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

There’s still absolutely no doubt in my mind that we have a better squad than Ipswich, Everton and Southampton.

 

I don’t think our squad it too dissimilar to the likes of Palace and Wolves either and Fulham aren’t exactly streets ahead.

 

We just look incredibly poorly coached as a team and add in the fact that Faes is an absolute bomb scare then that’s why, performance-wise, we are lucky to not be BOTTOM of the league.

 

Ruud will command respect and hopefully he gets in the right coaching staff to get us going again. 
 

I believe Ruud will believe in Alves, too. 
 

With 3-4 additions in January we should be absolutely fine. 

Southampton just about, the others have players i would like here, im not sure Ipswich or Everton would want any of ours apart from Mads. I mean I would be happy to see any of ours leave and replacements bought. Now Fatawu is injured we have literally nothing of any quality, exceptions to a 37 yr old Vardy. Hope i'm wrong but I think we are going to find out  Cooper wasn't the whole problem