Enzo - where would we be?

[Lambert09]

5 minutes ago, phoneticerror said:

It’s the summer signings that have killed us, and a stagnant January is making it far worse.

 

Selling KDH for FFP absolutely stunk. We’d be better off keeping him and getting the points deduction.

Yeah I do agree on that, we completely wasted the window.  But I’m not convinced we would have done an awful lot better with Enzo in charge, because his type of signings also wouldn’t have fixed the issues we had. 
 

our biggest issue and it’s clear as day, is the backline. If Enzo had even come in and targeted players , it would have been for their ball playing ability and we still wouldn’t keep out enough goals. 
 

Truthfully, the only type of manager who would have had a good shot at saving us was someone like dyche because we aren’t out playing any teams in this league, so the only real way, is to stop leaking silly goals and build from that foundation 

Edited 18 January by Lambert09

[lfu]

3 minutes ago, Danizen said:

I know it's a lazy comparison to make but Kompany and Martin both failed because neither showed any pragmatism. 

 

Enzo showed signs of the same problem, last spring.  We'd be right where we are now.

Enzo said he played that way because he thought it was the best way to score points over the course of the season in the Championship. He did make some tactical changes against certain teams (e.g. moving Ricardo up the pitch as an additional attacker) which is more foresight/tactical knowledge than I've seen from Russell Martin whose single idea was possession for the sake of having possession. I think Enzo wouldn't have been THAT naïve enough to go into the PL season exactly the same, he suggested that the style of play would evolve over time to suit the needs of the team.

[Nolucklcfc]

He saw what he had to work with in regard to this board. 

[KFS]

Enzo was right, Rudkin’s shite

[inckley fox]

1 minute ago, Skidmark said:

Mid table. He had a clear plan and vision, and with his signings, god knows what could have happened.

 

The pirate ship that is Leicester City lost their captain and the sailors began a mutinee. The first new captain walked the plank, and we're now seeing a second mutinee.

 

I was a critic of Maresca like many, but my word were we better off. 

 

Signings like Cannon and Coady! And are Winks or Mavididi good enough at this level? Did Fatawu look good enough when he was available (Southampton game excepted)?

 

We weren't even in promotion form for the second half of last season and plenty of people on here wanted Enzo gone. As misguided as that might have been, there's no reason to believe that this squad is mid-table material. If it were, we should stop getting on at the chairman and concentrate on getting rid of the manager. But that would be totally nuts, because the truth is that we're nowhere near a PL standard squad.

 

Part of our problem now is that upon relegation we went for an instant return, spent big and invested in a style of football that we weren't willing to carry on into the PL. And it's quite expensive to pay for PL-quality players who can play the Guardiola way - too expensive for what we had at our disposal. As such, Maresca isn't that great lost leader at all. Many of our current problems stem from what we did, and what we didn't, when we had to rebuild in the FLC.

 

Of course, well done Enzo for taking us up, and well done for being a good coach, but the nature of our promotion has added to our current problems, and is in keeping with the long-term mismanagement that we've been seeing since Top took charge.

[phoneticerror]

4 minutes ago, Lambert09 said:

Yeah I do agree on that, we completely wasted the window.  But I’m not convinced we would have done an awful lot better with Enzo in charge, because his type of signings also wouldn’t have fixed the issues we had. 
 

our biggest issue and it’s clear as day, is the backline. If Enzo had even come in and targeted players , it would have been for their ball playing ability and we still wouldn’t keep out enough goals. 
 

Truthfully, the only type of manager who would have had a good shot at saving us was someone like dyche because we aren’t out playing any teams in this league, so the only real way, is to stop leaking silly goals and build from that foundation 

You’re spot on. We continue to play THE SAME BACK LINE that got us relegated, including 1.5 games with Danny Ward.

 

Inexcusable and frankly ignorant moves

[Gubbins]

Maybe a few extra points but we'd still be going down. Signings would have been different but would that injury prone italian we were after a year ago and presumably another cb who could pass but not defend make us any better? Also it would be dull as f#@k!

[Number 6]

Think we'd have had a much better transfer window with Enzo. That would have been the difference. With this exacy squad I don't think we'd be in much different a position.

[5waller5]

12th

[phoneticerror]

4 minutes ago, KFS said:

Enzo was right, Rudkin’s shite

Rudkin was what turned Brendan too. I know he was an utter c^nt but I’d give anything to be back in Europe right now 

[phoneticerror]

Just now, Number 6 said:

Think we'd have had a much better transfer window with Enzo. That would have been the difference. With this exacy squad I don't think we'd be in much different a position.

I agree with this speculation. Nobody can keep this lot up. Dysche probably would’ve been our best chance.

[Hamilton Fox]

He’d be left with the same crappy defence and no money to buy replacements . Unless he had spent the money better in the summer..

[phoneticerror]

2 minutes ago, Gubbins said:

Maybe a few extra points but we'd still be going down. Signings would have been different but would that injury prone italian we were after a year ago and presumably another cb who could pass but not defend make us any better? Also it would be dull as f#@k!

It’s dull as f**k now

[Bordersfox]

With the benefit of momentum, a clear plan and Enzo having more influence on transfers (no Skipp, no Ayew, no BDCR) I think we'd be bottom half of the table but better off than we are.

 

How much better off I'm not sure because we really are p1ss poor from front to back.  But better off.  

[Gubbins]

3 minutes ago, phoneticerror said:

It’s dull as f**k now

No it's horrible and depressing. Adding our defence passing it between themselves for long periods before inevitably losing it would just add boredom and frustration to the mix.

[CosbehFox]

Had this conversation earlier. Don’t think tactically we’d have been better off but I think the man-management and overall management of the swuad (players in/out) would have been better 

[Tuna]

Much better than where we are now, we'd have much better recruitment and a plan and identity.

[Chrysalis]

28 minutes ago, don_danbury said:

probably where we are now.

Probably 19th, possibly 20th, under Ruud we playing more like we would have under Enzo and PPG nosedived, Ruud's 1 win was a back to the wall counter game.
On the flip side, I am not sure we would be out the bottom 3 with Cooper, as Cooper looked like he was losing control of the squad, his early relegation avoiding performances he looked like he was struggling to get the players to buy into it.

Edited 18 January by Chrysalis

[JimJams]

I think we'd be doing better.

We wouldn't have completely wasted preseason trying a tactical change only to abandon the idea as soon a ball was kicked in anger.

The players brought in during the summer would have been a fit for the system, although I wouldn't say he'd have made better signings necessarily.  We made some very good signings last season, but he also insisted on shit like Casadei and he really wanted Doyle despite not wanting to persevere with him second half of the season, nor sign him at the end.

It also appears he didn't fancy Yunus which I think was a mistake.

But if he'd stayed, there'd be far less to do.  Maybe Okoli was bought on his say so?

For me his system got the best out of most of the players we had last season.  Improvements in personnel could have been enough.

Put it this way, our team last season beats the team this season.  So I'll conclude it'd have gotten something from more games than this side.

[filbertway]

Tough to tell. Given the same squad, just as bad. He likely contributes to a higher quality of player coming in. Can't shake the idea that he would have signed casadei though.

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

29 minutes ago, SouthStandUpperTier said:

He knew we didn't have the players to compete, and weren't likely to get them in either. That's why he was off like a shot when Chelsea came calling.

TBF, he was always going to pick Chelsea whatever. 

[Raj]

His style of footy would have been better in this league if he was allowed to get his own players.

I'm sure he woukdnt have bought Ayew,Eduoard etc.

Be nice to have a manager showing some passion on the touchline too.

I reckon mid table 

[Vestan Pance]

26 minutes ago, phoneticerror said:

You’re spot on. We continue to play THE SAME BACK LINE that got us relegated, including 1.5 games with Danny Ward.

 

Inexcusable and frankly ignorant moves

It's worse than that, Vestergaard didn't play that season did he? Now he's first name on the team sheet, with a new contract.

[phoneticerror]

4 minutes ago, Vestan Pance said:

It's worse than that, Vestergaard didn't play that season did he? Now he's first name on the team sheet, with a new contract.

It was JJ, Kristiansen, Faes and Vesty. 

[Dr The Singh]

Who knows, who cares.

 

What next what if we had Pearson in charge.....