Marti Cifuentes appointed new manager

[honeybradger]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

This might hold some weight if Belgium were not so high in the FIFA rankings. 

That's the point I was making though. Belgium are high in the FIFA rankings but that is purely down to a few standout individuals and are weak in multiple positions compared to where they are as a team.

 

Belgium is considered the 8th best national team but does Wout Faes even get into a single PL side? The 3 promoted are the only ones he has an argument for. Similarly i dont think he gets into most of the teams in the top 5 leagues. Yes Faes plays for the 8th best national team but that isnt a good representative of his individual quality as it is simply because Belgium are bereft of good options in his position. The belgium national team is an absolute anomaly in respect to the gap in quality between the team overall and their weaker players.

[Dahnsouff]

28 minutes ago, honeybradger said:

That's the point I was making though. Belgium are high in the FIFA rankings but that is purely down to a few standout individuals and are weak in multiple positions compared to where they are as a team.

 

Belgium is considered the 8th best national team but does Wout Faes even get into a single PL side? The 3 promoted are the only ones he has an argument for. Similarly i dont think he gets into most of the teams in the top 5 leagues. Yes Faes plays for the 8th best national team but that isnt a good representative of his individual quality as it is simply because Belgium are bereft of good options in his position. The belgium national team is an absolute anomaly in respect to the gap in quality between the team overall and their weaker players.

Understand and I think Wout is decent at his best, but the defensive performance over the last few seasons have been shambolic, and that’s being kind. However, because of this collectively substandard performance, everybody looks dreadful, the only ones getting a pass are largely youth like Nelson, who is decent but who is always judged kindly.

 

Not convinced him being crap for Leicester means he is crap full stop, as we seem to be dragging most players down to our level at a frightening rate!

 

Vestergaard and Coady, sure 

Edited 26 July 2025 by Dahnsouff

[Jazzy_Jeff]

It’s important to remember that with Faes he’s not had a decent cb partner since he’s been here.

 

Whilst Nelson is younger and less experienced, Faes may benefit from playing with him. Must be difficult as a cb to be constantly worrying about covering your partner with no pace (Coady, Vestergaard) or bad decision making (Amartey, Okoli) 

[Dr The Singh]

14 minutes ago, Jazzy_Jeff said:

It’s important to remember that with Faes he’s not had a decent cb partner since he’s been here.

 

Whilst Nelson is younger and less experienced, Faes may benefit from playing with him. Must be difficult as a cb to be constantly worrying about covering your partner with no pace (Coady, Vestergaard) or bad decision making (Amartey, Okoli) 

I would agree, however he is just as garbage playing for the Belgium Team 

[LcFc_Smiv]

36 minutes ago, Jazzy_Jeff said:

It’s important to remember that with Faes he’s not had a decent cb partner since he’s been here.

 

Whilst Nelson is younger and less experienced, Faes may benefit from playing with him. Must be difficult as a cb to be constantly worrying about covering your partner with no pace (Coady, Vestergaard) or bad decision making (Amartey, Okoli) 

I would say it's a case of whoever has been partnered alongside him has had a car crash of a centre back as a partner since he arrived.

[teblin]

Think in the middle of September we can look into how we will play etc…

[coolhandfox]

Actually think Nelson and Faes would be a good pairing.

[Finnegan]

1 minute ago, coolhandfox said:

Actually think Nelson and Faes would be a good pairing.

 

In a five a side tournament with a no over head height rule? 

 

[-sodapop]

17 hours ago, AjcW said:

I thought the team mix was actually really clever today.

 

A lot thought this mornings XI was the unfancied lot. But after watching that back 4 in the second game, I actually think it was Marti thinking "I'm really not sure about JJ, Vesty, Coady and I want to see them against a proper test"

 

Given that Fiorentina will be the closest to a starting XI possible, today really was his last chance to give people in that Koln game a chance to show what they're made of.... a lot of them failed.

 

 

 

I also like how he got to try Nelson out in two different configurations that way.

[coolhandfox]

12 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

In a five a side tournament with a no over head height rule? 

 

Nelson is pretty dominant in the air at Championship league watching him at Oxford.

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, Jazzy_Jeff said:

It’s important to remember that with Faes he’s not had a decent cb partner since he’s been here.

 

Whilst Nelson is younger and less experienced, Faes may benefit from playing with him. Must be difficult as a cb to be constantly worrying about covering your partner with no pace (Coady, Vestergaard) or bad decision making (Amartey, Okoli) 

Pace is bugger all to do with it, Morgan and Huth were no racing snakes but seemed to cope admirably. So did Vestergaad when played advantageously by Maresca. Faes is very poor in his positioning, decision making and strength. He also seems to believe that he’s far better than he actually is just because he’s a very weak link in his international side.

[Finnegan]

10 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Nelson is pretty dominant in the air at Championship league watching him at Oxford.

 

He's certainly the best of our fit defenders, although that isn't saying much. 

 

[Ric Flair]

7 hours ago, Chelmofox said:

If Faes stays, freezing him out would be stupid. I know he is the no 1 boogie man on here but he is more than capable at championship level. Ideally i would like to see him move on but we have to be realistic that it might not happen.

 

Soumare i agree with.

It's not about freezing them out per se but we are well within our rights to say to any player that has expressed the desire to leave that they are to focus on that and won't be considered part of the starting eleven unless they don't get a move. That's what Enzo did and it was no issue. A couple of players ending up staying and working their way in to the team as well (Daka and Praet)

[whoareyaaa]

3 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

It's not about freezing them out per se but we are well within our rights to say to any player that has expressed the desire to leave that they are to focus on that and won't be considered part of the starting eleven unless they don't get a move. That's what Enzo did and it was no issue. A couple of players ending up staying and working their way in to the team as well (Daka and Praet)

That’s a rare case though not many managers so what Enzo does overtime yea they build there own squad but it’s rare they completely freeze them out 

[Ric Flair]

11 minutes ago, whoareyaaa said:

That’s a rare case though not many managers so what Enzo does overtime yea they build there own squad but it’s rare they completely freeze them out 

Happens multiple times every summer. Players that want out are often left out of pre-season tours and agreements between club and player that whilst they focus on a move away they won't be considered. Often deals don't materialise and they come back in to the fold. 

 

Ndidi, Faes, Soumare and even Ricardo have said they want out this summer. There's others with less than a year to go that we can be bullish with as we need to get serious with sorting out the financial strain at this club. We won't do though, will ask for unrealistic fees for many of them and they'll walk for free next summer with their performances levels falling off the closer to the 2nd half of the season as we've seen multiple times here in recent years.

[Chelmofox]

18 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

It's not about freezing them out per se but we are well within our rights to say to any player that has expressed the desire to leave that they are to focus on that and won't be considered part of the starting eleven unless they don't get a move. That's what Enzo did and it was no issue. A couple of players ending up staying and working their way in to the team as well (Daka and Praet)

I see that different and agree. I would like to consider Nelson and Okoli higher priorities than him. I consider freezing out to be like what Brendan did to Cags, where you would sooner play anyone at all costs. If he can’t be moved, Faes should be a rotation option. 

[Sly]

 

[worthosoriginals]

On 26/07/2025 at 16:33, coolhandfox said:

Actually think Nelson and Faes would be a good pairing.

In tennis?

[brookfox]

23 hours ago, volpeazzurro said:

Pace is bugger all to do with it, Morgan and Huth were no racing snakes but seemed to cope admirably. So did Vestergaad when played advantageously by Maresca. Faes is very poor in his positioning, decision making and strength. He also seems to believe that he’s far better than he actually is just because he’s a very weak link in his international side.

Requirement for pace at CB is all down to how you play imo. It worked with Huth and Morgan as we sat back, tucked the full backs in, defended our 18yd box and counter attacked. Similarly worked with Vesty as we invited teams onto us then tried to play through the press (until teams started not pressing our defence!).
 

Looks like it may be more useful under Marti as both full backs inverting leaves gaps down the channels so some recovery pace to cover these areas may be useful.

[coolhandfox]

1 hour ago, worthosoriginals said:

In tennis?

If that floats your boat......

[volpeazzurro]

54 minutes ago, brookfox said:

Requirement for pace at CB is all down to how you play imo. It worked with Huth and Morgan as we sat back, tucked the full backs in, defended our 18yd box and counter attacked. Similarly worked with Vesty as we invited teams onto us then tried to play through the press (until teams started not pressing our defence!).
 

Looks like it may be more useful under Marti as both full backs inverting leaves gaps down the channels so some recovery pace to cover these areas may be useful.

Absolutely re how you intend to play but also, some centre halves like Jonny Evan’s for example, read the game so well, pace isn’t the ‘get out’ some lesser players need it for. However, it’s just my opinion, but a good manager will always play a system or way that plays to the strengths of the players he’s actually got, not ones he wished he had just so he can showcase an all the rage popular system for systems sake regardless. There’s dozens of these tactical philosophical tossers about now who seem to be of the opinion that it’s about them as a manager and not the team or actually winning a game of football.

 

It remains to be seen what camp this new chap falls into?

Edited 27 July 2025 by volpeazzurro

[Corky]

23 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Happens multiple times every summer. Players that want out are often left out of pre-season tours and agreements between club and player that whilst they focus on a move away they won't be considered. Often deals don't materialise and they come back in to the fold. 

 

Ndidi, Faes, Soumare and even Ricardo have said they want out this summer. There's others with less than a year to go that we can be bullish with as we need to get serious with sorting out the financial strain at this club. We won't do though, will ask for unrealistic fees for many of them and they'll walk for free next summer with their performances levels falling off the closer to the 2nd half of the season as we've seen multiple times here in recent years.

Yes, we are way too soft and accommodating to average players who believe they are bigger than the club (Ndidi and Ricardo have contributed to better times so I won't go in on them as much).

 

We desperately need an overhaul. A drab squad full of players who don't offer much or think they are above us. If we had proper leadership we could do more but instead keep employing inadequates living off other people's work.

 

Terrible.

[coolhandfox]

23 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Ndidi, Faes, Soumare and even Ricardo have said they want out this summer.

Source? 

[JimJams]

Ricardo's one was his agent saying that he is open to/looking for a new challenge. Usual spiel.

[Ric Flair]

10 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Source? 

Pretty sure via their agents they have said they want a new challenge.