Marti Cifuentes appointed new manager

[JonnyBoy]

2 hours ago, kristianity77 said:

I mean, I can’t stand the club right now but I don’t get the hate for the manager. When will people realise that we have a truck load of shit players?  You can only go so far with players that aren’t up to the job! 
 

what has got us here isn’t bad manager failings, it’s failings to get any decent players in for the past 5 years whilst selling on or letting decent ones go on a free.

 

No manager can solve this!  It needs Top to either sort out his minions beneath him, or sell the club so we can get fresh ideas

He picks the team and decides to pick Faes every week. That’s on him, no one else. So yes, you can blame the manager 

[lcfc_forever]

In the post-match comments, Marti talked about too many players not doing the basics - the likes of Soumare and Faes simply don’t consistently enough. They may have more ability than other players but they’re not consistent enough and lack the attitude to do the basics.

 

Too many cavaliers, not enough roundheads. His style of football requires energy for the press yet he plays lazy, lethargic players. It doesn’t make sense, but based on his comments post-match, maybe he’s realised? Let’s hope so.

[JonnyBoy]

We needed a dyche type character to come in who would change the culture. Marti is soft as butter, every time I listen to him he just has no aura, no authority and doesn’t seem a leader in any way shape or form. Not his fault but we just didn’t need someone so soft. We needed a nasty bastard to sort these overpaid willy pullers out.

 

Don’t know where we go from here. I’m checked out now tbh 

[whoareyaaa]

4 minutes ago, lcfc_forever said:

In the post-match comments, Marti talked about too many players not doing the basics - the likes of Soumare and Faes simply don’t consistently enough. They may have more ability than other players but they’re not consistent enough and lack the attitude to do the basics.

 

Too many cavaliers, not enough roundheads. His style of football requires energy for the press yet he plays lazy, lethargic players. It doesn’t make sense, but based on his comments post-match, maybe he’s realised? Let’s hope so.

I suspect we will see 3 at the back next game, or at least make a change in defence

Edited 21 October 2025 by whoareyaaa

[kingfox]

“We missed the transition”

”Tracking back should be better”

 

If you want to rectify those two issues, then don’t go starting a Winks/Soumare combo who lack defensive nous. 
 

But I think we’re also seeing the facts that we haven’t replaced Ndidi’s attributes.

[Mendi]

That was bad tonight.

[Fox92]

10 hours ago, kristianity77 said:

I mean, I can’t stand the club right now but I don’t get the hate for the manager. When will people realise that we have a truck load of shit players?  You can only go so far with players that aren’t up to the job! 
 

what has got us here isn’t bad manager failings, it’s failings to get any decent players in for the past 5 years whilst selling on or letting decent ones go on a free.

 

No manager can solve this!  It needs Top to either sort out his minions beneath him, or sell the club so we can get fresh ideas

If we have a “truck load of shit players” then what do the opposition have? Do Hull have a better squad than us? Preston? No. Portsmouth, Wrexham, Oxford? No.

 

He’s still working with a good selection of players. Ricardo, Winks, Fatawu, Monga get into any other team. I have never liked Faes or Vestergaard but, at this level, they get into the other 23 teams too.

 

I’m fed up of people defending this manager, he should be getting much more out of this squad, and should actually act on his words. “Non stop attacking football” he said we would play…. Where is this?? He keeps picking the same players every week regardless. 
 

I expect to have more than 2 points from Wrexham H and Portsmouth H. Our only wins of the season have been against 2 promoted teams, a Sheffield Wednesday B team and Swansea. It is not good enough. He is not good enough.

 

Managers have worked with much worse and got much more.

[RobHawk]

If last night isn't the turning point to realise wout faes is never the answer, and we have an unchanged CB pairings next game, then I am done. 

 

There's issues throughout the team, but that CB pairings are the foundations of our defence, and they aren't good enough. Wout faes positioning for the second goal again was shit yesterday. 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

16 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

 I have never liked Faes or Vestergaard but, at this level, they get into the other 23 teams too.

 

This isn't fuelled by personal dislike of them but I'm genuinely not sure they do. Both of their abilities 'at this level' grossly exaggerated despite continued evidence to the contrary. Arse end of the Maresca season they were both putting in 2/10 performances n all.

[damolcfc]

Playing a number 9 seems an absolute waste of a player 

Can't remember the last time we actually played that any attacking football where crosses or thru balls played a striker on.

Might as well have 2 number 10s? 

 

[OwnGoal]

He needs to realise. The senior players he’s picking just get the managers sacked. They are not the answer. I’m convinced he keeps his job finishing 8th or 9th if he plays the likes of Evans, Monga and Nelson and introduces a couple of other youngsters into the match day squad. He needs to realise we hate the two central defenders and don’t want to see Soumare, Daka and Ayew stinking the place out week after week. 

[Fox92]

29 minutes ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

This isn't fuelled by personal dislike of them but I'm genuinely not sure they do. Both of their abilities 'at this level' grossly exaggerated despite continued evidence to the contrary. Arse end of the Maresca season they were both putting in 2/10 performances n all.

I have a personal dislike of both of them too so it's okay  I still think at this level they are better than a lot of opposition centre backs (although I do want to see Nelson starting for us instead). Over the course of a season Maresca got performances from them, albeit I do agree the end of the season it dropped off (and for a lot of other players too). Still a joke we then gave Vestergaard a new deal.

[murphy]

13 hours ago, Nods said:

Just don't play the obviously shite players mate. It's that simple. The fans will back you. 

 

Faes

Thomas

Soumaré 

Daka

Ayew

 

All have absolutely no business in a starting 11 at this level.

 

I'd also like to see us start with 3 at the back. Nullifies a clear weakness at full back, gives us more solidity centrally, which we lack, and gives us that extra man when we attack, opening space that we've otherwise struggled to create. 

 

The best we've looked all season has been when we've moved to that formation chasing deficits away at Preston and Hull.

 

Start in that shape with that desire and we'll be too much for most sides.

It's sickening to think that those players (bar Thomas) were all signed to play in The Premier League yet can't even cut it in The Championship.

[Scotch]

My biggest problem with Marti isn't his team selection, although, it IS a close second. My biggest problem is that his system isn't working and he doesn't seem to be addressing the glaring issues that it has. 

 

Look at last night. Their wingers, particularly that Miller lad on their left kept getting the ball and Hamza or Thomas were no where near them. Now as bad as I think those two are, that wasn't on them. That was a tactical decision to have them invert, leaving the wingers with space. So when they get the ball, the FB has to react and if he doesn't do it on time, the ball goes into the box and exposes our CB's. And this isn't an isolated case, this has been happening all season. 

 

Another example is in attack. Our FBs invert, allowing their two wide players to double up on our wingers. This is asking too much of them so they have to pass is backwards into our midfield who have a striker in front of them that doesn't score so they have no option but to go to the wingers again. And if they do manage to get to the byline or make the pass to the underlapping player, they pass it into the box for a striker who doesn't score goals. 

 

We are seeing this again and again and nothing is being done about it. 

[trooky]

12 hours ago, JonnyBoy said:

He picks the team and decides to pick Faes every week. That’s on him, no one else. So yes, you can blame the manager 

And so has every other manager since he's been at the club and so will the next manager pick an international CB in the Championship. 

 

So the FT criteria for a decent manager is someone who doesn't pick Faes🤔

Edited 22 October 2025 by trooky

[Dahnsouff]

Why doesn’t he get given time? 
Expecting a rapid turnaround after a few horrid years, coupled further poor transfers and a couple of dubious management appointments, was always unlikely.

Give him time I say, as if he does not clean house, it will only be the next person.

Then we will just repeat this cycle of expectation, disappointment and trying and failing to fill gaps.

[Dahnsouff]

2 minutes ago, trooky said:

And so has every other manager since he's been at the club and so will the next manager pick an international CB in the Championship. 

 

So the FT criteria for a decent manager is someone who doesn't pick Faes🤔

Also 

• Ayew
• Jannik
• BDCR
• Viktor
• Skipp
• Winks
• Luke
• Daka
• Hamza
• etc

[Gamble92]

12 hours ago, kingfox said:

“We missed the transition”

”Tracking back should be better”

 

If you want to rectify those two issues, then don’t go starting a Winks/Soumare combo who lack defensive nous. 
 

But I think we’re also seeing the facts that we haven’t replaced Ndidi’s attributes.

Agree with you but I think that still happens last night with Ndidi next to Winks

[Tommy G]

16 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Also 

• Ayew
• Jannik
• BDCR
• Viktor
• Skipp
• Winks
• Luke
• Daka
• Hamza
• etc

What is he supposed to do then if he doesn't field any of the above, what would your team be?

 

He didn't sign one of those players above either. 

[HankMarvin]

RVN was giving the kids more minutes in the prem towards the end.

Apart from a couple of screamers from Fatawu we have witnessed 16.5 hours of boring dross.

 

A slump in form, that realistically could be 1 win in 8 after the weekend and the team looking less confident by the week 

[SafewayFox]

Marti’s is like every other manager, knows the right things to say to the media after a dreadful performance.

 

Yet, I can predict Saturday, we start front footed with a couple of long range shots outside the box as we don’t create clear cut chances, all before Millwall counter (likely from a mistake) and they take the lead within the first 15 minutes. 

[trooky]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

Also 

• Ayew
• Jannik
• BDCR
• Viktor
• Skipp
• Winks
• Luke
• Daka
• Hamza
• etc

That's 50% of the squad, at least some will be out of contract soon. 

 

So basically what your saying is for Marti to be a decent manager he has about 11 1st team  players to chose from that don't make the list and the U18s?

 

I've not formed any strong opinion on Marti either way, other than that he has a very difficult job because of the situation he's inherited and fan expectations. 

 

We didn't have that many takers for the job before we appointed him, but if we're giving managers 12 games without significant signings before they're sacked then we'll soon have shortlist of zero. 

 

 

 

 

[BKLFox]

Marti Cifuentes hints at Leicester City selection rethink after explaining four changes (Mercury) hopefully he stands by this & has realised his mistakes.

 

I didn't mind the 3 at the back either & thinking maybe we could deploy but with different personel, we need that additional player in the centre of the pitch or next to the striker so my thinking would be to have 

This allows us Ricardo to slip into RB when/if required pushing Aluko to LB
                   Jacub
      Okoli, Nelson, Aluko
   Ricardo, Winks, James
Fatawu, Ramsey, Monga/Mavi
               Sparewheel

This gets at least 2 bodies in the box ontop of runners
                  Jacub
      Okoli, Nelson, Aluko
          Winks, James
Fatawu, Ramsey, Monga/Mavi
               Evans/ Sparewheel

Both set ups get rid of the issues we have at the back, Nelson good enough to step in in place of Vestergaard & the other 2 have the aggression & speed of Faes but also add more control.
I wanted to put Evans in upfront but just can't see all 3 sparewheels being dropped but would have him on the bench along with Page & S Thomas in place of *sparewheel.

I think this set up or atleast the names will get fans back on side & give him a platform to build on.
I don't think sacking him now will do us any favours because any manager will look at senior players 1st anyway so another 8-10 games in whilst they 'assess'
After lastnight i think Marti is seeing the seniors who he can trust & those he needs to bin but lets see Saturday.


edit: added Evans to 2 up top sod it

 

 

Edited 22 October 2025 by BKLFox

[Dahnsouff]

4 hours ago, Tommy G said:

What is he supposed to do then if he doesn't field any of the above, what would your team be?

 

He didn't sign one of those players above either. 

 

3 hours ago, trooky said:

That's 50% of the squad, at least some will be out of contract soon. 

 

So basically what your saying is for Marti to be a decent manager he has about 11 1st team  players to chose from that don't make the list and the U18s?

 

I've not formed any strong opinion on Marti either way, other than that he has a very difficult job because of the situation he's inherited and fan expectations. 

 

We didn't have that many takers for the job before we appointed him, but if we're giving managers 12 games without significant signings before they're sacked then we'll soon have shortlist of zero. 

Was being a sarky bugger, he has been given a poisonous task, so he needs time.

[CarolinaFox]

17 hours ago, kingfox said:

“We missed the transition”

”Tracking back should be better”

 

If you want to rectify those two issues, then don’t go starting a Winks/Soumare combo who lack defensive nous. 
 

But I think we’re also seeing the facts that we haven’t replaced Ndidi’s attributes.

Agreed. The physicality of prime time Ndidi is something we are missing in our midfield. Someone who can almost cover for the back line and give them that extra bit of protection. I'm glad that Cifuentes sees that there are some footballing basics that are being missed by this group, but he needs to do something about it to hold credibility in my book. Honestly think its a case of you can't teach old dogs new tricks. We need to vet the younger players - they are blank canvas for the footballing philosophy Cifuentes wants. I wouldn't mind us finishing midtable if it was with a group of younger players, building experience, developing a philosophy and a style of play, and giving our team character. We are the most character-less football squad. Vanilla ice cream literally has more character.