Marti Cifuentes appointed new manager

[Greg2607]

53 minutes ago, honeybradger said:

I am worried that Nelson isn't starting, Monga isn't starting, Alves isn't coming off the bench and Evans isn't even involved.

 

Feels like the youngsters are going to held at arms length for yet another season which would be the wrong decision.

Across 46 league games and the cups, they will all get minutes.  If they are good enough, they will force their way in. If they aren't, they won't. It's that simple. 

[davieG]

I believe they are two weeks behind us in prep for the season hence the major changes so a pinch of salt is probably needed.

[Craig]

Just now, davieG said:

I believe they are two weeks behind us in prep for the season hence the major changes so a pinch of salt is probably needed.

Yes, and their team for the first 60 was very weakened. 

[davieG]

Just now, Craig said:

Yes, and their team for the first 60 was very weakened. 

aye

Fiorentina emerged defeated 2-0 in a pre-season friendly against Leicester City, while Cremonese swept Pro Patria aside 3-0 in another test.

Stefano Pioli used an experimental starting XI at the King Power Stadium, where Leicester City were gearing up to kick off the Championship season next weekend.

Fabiano Parisi made a mistake to spark the move for the opening goal, where Bilal El Khannouss set up Jordan Ayew.

Issahaku Fatawu doubled their lead soon after, sprinting away from Parisi and Alessandro Bianco, cutting inside Pablo Mari to curl into the far corner.

 

After introducing many of the top players on the hour mark, the Viola did better, but Moise Kean and Albert Gudmundsson both went for the ball and collided on a Dodo pull-back.

Kean also saw penalty appeals rejected for potential handball.

 

[Ric Flair]

12 minutes ago, Greg2607 said:

Across 46 league games and the cups, they will all get minutes.  If they are good enough, they will force their way in. If they aren't, they won't. It's that simple. 

It's only that simple if the manager is brave enough to do so. I think Cifuentes is, but plenty in the past don't dare blood youngsters and allow them time to settle in. 

 

What I want to see here is what Marti alluded to last week. That the squad is trimmed right down and doesn't block thr pathway for the academy. He wants a smaller squad so he can call upon them.

[MGLCFC]

I appreciate Fiorentina played their second string until 60 mins, but that will be similar standard to the majority of Championship teams we face. Even with their top players on, I thought the teams were evenly matched. What I did like, irrespective of the opposition, was that there appeared to be an understanding of how we want to play and I thought the pressing was very good. Only concern for me is the midfield of Skipp and Soumare. Whilst they did ok today, I think this is an area that requires strengthening.

[Lionator]

Another one who’s mates with Ballague 🥹

[lcfcbluearmy]

I do think we will see a lot of the youngsters heavily involved this season but I wouldn’t be suppressed if we hardly ever see them start at least to start with they will be brought on at 60/70/75 minutes each game to get experience. This is probably the right thing to do I mean look at how throwing Luke Thomas in at the deep end knocked his confidence and stunted his progression it’s taken him 3 years to start looking like a decent player again don’t want that to happen. So yes the youngsters need to be regularly included but we need to be careful not to put them into to many confidence knocking situations

[LVFox]

Very impressed with how well Marti has set us up already, think we’ve seen Hamza, Skipp and Thomas have really took his tactical instructions on board really well.

 

Really hope we don’t see Vestegaard start ahead of Nelson but I back that to change over time.

Think we still need a DM, CF and a creative midfielder (should BEK leave), but I’m super excited for the season ahead now. Love how quick he wants us to play the ball forward and get our wingers (who are insane for this level) involved.

[GrobyLCFC31]

Get Brownhill and Kone in and we’ll go up another level under Marti 

 

I like what I see so far, it’s obvious to most but it’s clear that he’s recognised that our wingers are our brightest, strongest areas of the pitch and implemented a game plan to get the ball to them quickly for as many 1 v 1 situations for them as possible

 

There must’ve been 7-8 clear 1 v 1 opportunities for Mavi & Fatawu in that first half,

Under Enzo/Cooper/Ruud it always felt like there was a pass too many or a touch too many before going wide, I didn’t see that today! Sharp and quickly out to wingers 
 

Great to see! 

Edited 3 August 2025 by GrobyLCFC31

[Ric Flair]

1 hour ago, lcfcbluearmy said:

I do think we will see a lot of the youngsters heavily involved this season but I wouldn’t be suppressed if we hardly ever see them start at least to start with they will be brought on at 60/70/75 minutes each game to get experience. This is probably the right thing to do I mean look at how throwing Luke Thomas in at the deep end knocked his confidence and stunted his progression it’s taken him 3 years to start looking like a decent player again don’t want that to happen. So yes the youngsters need to be regularly included but we need to be careful not to put them into to many confidence knocking situations

Such a myth about Luke Thomas. Throwing him in, saw him have an extremely good first few seasons. He lost his way in 2022/23 and then Enzo didn't fancy him at all and he had a couple of poor loan spells. Worked his way back to being solid. 

[lcfcbluearmy]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

Such a myth about Luke Thomas. Throwing him in, saw him have an extremely good first few seasons. He lost his way in 2022/23 and then Enzo didn't fancy him at all and he had a couple of poor loan spells. Worked his way back to being solid. 

Yes but do you not think that part of the season he lost his way was loss of confidence from poor form?

 

Just to be clear I absolutely think we should be playing the youth players most/every game just don't think they necessarily have to start straight away

[baldeagle]

Looks promising to say he’s only had 3 weeks with them . 

[Ric Flair]

7 minutes ago, lcfcbluearmy said:

Yes but do you not think that part of the season he lost his way was loss of confidence from poor form?

 

Just to be clear I absolutely think we should be playing the youth players most/every game just don't think they necessarily have to start straight away

Quite possibly, many players suffer loss of form and then confidence. What is also quite common is how fearless young players are and as they get older things effect them more. It's not a case of becoming battle hardened, more the ignorance of youth and not got the baggage of past failures.

 

[Bluearmyfox28]

5 hours ago, Chelmofox said:

I sat in H1 and got to see Monga up close in the 2nd half. Mavididi has to start over him, but surely he will be used a lot in the season.

The one thing I will say compared to Stephy, every time Monga picked up the ball he had 2 men on him every time.

[Tielemans63]

Regarding Luke Thomas - he looked very solid at the start of his career. Rodgers playing him as a left wing back absolutely destroyed his confidence imho.

 

He played a couple of games in a more advanced position and looked hopelessly uncomfortable. Brendan being the genius that Brendan is, persisted with it. The home game v Arsenal in which he got absolutely humiliated by Nicolas Pepe springs to mind. I actually felt sorry for him that day. 

 

I honestly think that killed LT's confidence for a good 18-24 months. I've always thought he looks decent in flat back 4. However, he's not great in any variation of that position. 

 

* I should add, the loan to Sheffield United was a disaster for everyone involved. That won't have helped. A player shorn of confidence playing in one of the worst PL teams ever 

Edited 3 August 2025 by Tielemans63

[Ric Flair]

14 minutes ago, Bluearmyfox28 said:

The one thing I will say compared to Stephy, every time Monga picked up the ball he had 2 men on him every time.

Mavididi and Fatawu had so many 1 v 1s today because of the way they both pressed relentlessly and created the space. Often needs them both to be on it to open up the pitch. I'd be interested to see Monga behind the striker with those two either side.

 

Scary prospect

[trabuch]

My verdict? Quite good. I'll give him until he loses before I demand his head on a plate.

[Bluearmyfox28]

14 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Mavididi and Fatawu had so many 1 v 1s today because of the way they both pressed relentlessly and created the space. Often needs them both to be on it to open up the pitch. I'd be interested to see Monga behind the striker with those two either side.

 

Scary prospect

I’ve seen this take quite a lot but I’ll be honest I’m not for it. Monga best trait is in a 1-1 situation and driving at his man, as a No.10 you take that part of his game away.

[Ric Flair]

4 minutes ago, Bluearmyfox28 said:

I’ve seen this take quite a lot but I’ll be honest I’m not for it. Monga best trait is in a 1-1 situation and driving at his man, as a No.10 you take that part of his game away.

He says himself his best position is as a #10. I'd be interested to see if he's that good. His skill rather than his pace might make him very dangerous centrally.

[Bluearmyfox28]

Just now, Ric Flair said:

He says himself his best position is as a #10. I'd be interested to see if he's that good. His skill rather than his pace might make him very dangerous centrally.

I think for now developing him in one position would do him the world of good.
 

If anything the one thing I want to see from him is to trust himself more and get some more shots away. 

[lcfcbluearmy]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

Quite possibly, many players suffer loss of form and then confidence. What is also quite common is how fearless young players are and as they get older things effect them more. It's not a case of becoming battle hardened, more the ignorance of youth and not got the baggage of past failures.

 

Yes I get that too. I think we have 3 or 4 youth ayers that will have a decent part to play in the team this season and hopefully by the end they will have established themselves as starters

[honeybradger]

9 hours ago, Greg2607 said:

Across 46 league games and the cups, they will all get minutes.  If they are good enough, they will force their way in. If they aren't, they won't. It's that simple. 

Monga forced his way in to the starting XI on merit this pre season. As much as i like mavididi monga has been magical.

 

If he's now being held back at arms length and will only get substitution minutes behind the senior players then that's no reflection on him but it's a reflection of the typical cowardice of managers who dont want to bench the senior pros irrespective of performance. Monga has shown he doesnt need to be eased in, he's already our best left winger.

 

You can apply this logic to all the academy players I mentioned, they all deserved more than they got this last pre season game on merit. If this is the approach Cifuentes will apply to them going into the season i will be disappointed, on this basis dont be surprised if Alves is dropped out of the squad for Bcdr when he's back fit.

[foxile5]

If he's planning on starting Soumare there's an issue there. 

 

He should be nowhere near the pitch. No exceptions
.  

[Noahfence]

I think our fans will take this his style more so than Marescas. 
 

Talk is cheap but I was glad to hear him say if we’re 1-0 up we’ll still look to score more.
 

It did feel at times under Enzo when we went ahead he was happy for us to just keep the ball and barely attack their goal.