Rate the newboys

[gatesheadfox]

Why is everyone slating Josh Low? I reckon hes a decent player, hes one of very few players at the club that can actually run down the wing and put a cross in. 7

I agree with Johnson he's poor. 3

Kenton is just there when you need him, not too good not too bad. 7

McAuley from what i have heard had a good game on Sat but just a squad player at best. 7

Welsh is a decent player. 8

low drifts out of the game quite a bit but i felt he did a good bit of link up play with elvis and kenton at times. he is the best we have in that position anyway

[Jonbluefox9]

Kenton can play across the back four - he's our true utility man. We could probably lose a CB (Nissa) without too much trouble as we'd still have cover there.

The most sensible thing to do with a squad with so much cover at CB is to lose a CB (Nissa) and replace him with a proper LB. Kenton can cover LB if needed, and we'd still have plenty of options for CB.

Easier said than done I fear. Losing Johansson will be easy enough but finding a left back for nothing of good enough quality will be much harder. The best prospect we've got at left back is not much either side of 17 and may be ready for the first team (if he continues to progress as he is doing) by this time next season but the lack of a reserve team will probably make it difficult to step up.

[Thracian]

Easier said than done I fear. Losing Johansson will be easy enough but finding a left back for nothing of good enough quality will be much harder. The best prospect we've got at left back is not much either side of 17 and may be ready for the first team (if he continues to progress as he is doing) by this time next season but the lack of a reserve team will probably make it difficult to step up.

It's a ridiculous situation. These lads have been taken on as apprentice footballers with a view to emerging as professional footballers at the end of their time. They are not taken on to go threequarters of the way.

Some fail through lack of either ability, courage, commitment or temperament.

But for people to fail through lack of a proper final structure is daft and self-defeating especially with the production line we've got right now.

People said Logan and Porter were too young and, truly I couldn't believe Mattock was as young as he is.

So Jonbluefox might be right and I've every respect for his view because he sees these players and probably knows a few of them.

But there are two problems with continuing to play him in Academy football. First he's needing a bigger challenge and secondly, he's keeping someone else out who would be more suited to that level of football.

I championed Sheehan for the first team squad because he was skillful, had an irrespressible desire to get forward and could deliver crosses and free-kicks.

But I've not been blind to his temperament, his rash challenges, his defensive limitations. I believed, on balance, Sheehan's qualities would benefit the sort of team Leicester needed better than Nils but 12 months on, Nils has done well defensively and Sheehan doesn't seem to have made much progress in this department.

But Mattock is a different player completely. He gets forward with attitude and he delivers when he gets there. He can cross, can spot a pass, can provide support and can even beat a man though he's not especially quick.

Mattock though, can also defend. He's tight, aggressive and picks his moment to win the ball. Yes his reading of the game and choice of priorities might be youthful at times but he doesn't need holding back through lack of options.

There is another reason I'm concerned about the lack of a genuine Reserves team. Steve Beaglehole!. This bloke has worked wonders with our youngsters and has a cracking approach. Even against last season's League leaders Villa recently there was no thought of negativity. Four-one City won with some cracking football.

I don't know how ambitious he is but Leicester need to make sure he doesn't get away. Cos if he ever got the first team playing the way the Academy and Reserves have played, it would sure be worth watching.

[davieG]

Kenton - A reasonbly solid defender but an unnecessary addition to the squad as he is no better than Maybury was when he first arrived and was a considered a valuable member of the team. This signing reflects poor management, either more should have been made of Maybury by raising and maintaining his motivation and not purchasing Kenton or Maybury should have been sold.

Johnson - Presumably seen by RK as some sort of short term replacement for Joey and to allow Weso to grow into the midfield role. However it is proving to have been a misjudgement of his ability and adaptability. In hindsight a poor signing

Low - I believe, played in the correct way he is good enough for this level but he really needs to receive the ball to his feet, although he is relatively tall it is not within his range of competencies to deal with punts up to his head. If we have ambitions to get out this league then it was a mistake to give him a 3 year contract.

McAuley - I like what I see in him as a footballer, he may not be particularly fast but he's no slouch either; besides we've managed reasonably well with CB who were not consider fast. With McAuley it's a joy to see that we potentially have a CB who seems to have a 'football brain' and knows how to pass the ball.

Tiatto - Not strictly new but definitely a 'new' signing by RK, frankly I can't and never have been able to see what this guy offers, his footballing ability is very limited, his positional and tactical 'nouse' is at a minimum, his experience hasn't brought with it stability and good sense, he's now very injury prone.

[Jonbluefox9]

It's a ridiculous situation. These lads have been taken on as apprentice footballers with a view to emerging as professional footballers at the end of their time. They are not taken on to go threequarters of the way.

Some fail through lack of either ability, courage, commitment or temperament.

But for people to fail through lack of a proper final structure is daft and self-defeating especially with the production line we've got right now.

People said Logan and Porter were too young and, truly I couldn't believe Mattock was as young as he is.

So Jonbluefox might be right and I've every respect for his view because he sees these players and probably knows a few of them.

But there are two problems with continuing to play him in Academy football. First he's needing a bigger challenge and secondly, he's keeping someone else out who would be more suited to that level of football.

I championed Sheehan for the first team squad because he was skillful, had an irrespressible desire to get forward and could deliver crosses and free-kicks.

But I've not been blind to his temperament, his rash challenges, his defensive limitations. I believed, on balance, Sheehan's qualities would benefit the sort of team Leicester needed better than Nils but 12 months on, Nils has done well defensively and Sheehan doesn't seem to have made much progress in this department.

But Mattock is a different player completely. He gets forward with attitude and he delivers when he gets there. He can cross, can spot a pass, can provide support and can even beat a man though he's not especially quick.

Mattock though, can also defend. He's tight, aggressive and picks his moment to win the ball. Yes his reading of the game and choice of priorities might be youthful at times but he doesn't need holding back through lack of options.

There is another reason I'm concerned about the lack of a genuine Reserves team. Steve Beaglehole!. This bloke has worked wonders with our youngsters and has a cracking approach. Even against last season's League leaders Villa recently there was no thought of negativity. Four-one City won with some cracking football.

I don't know how ambitious he is but Leicester need to make sure he doesn't get away. Cos if he ever got the first team playing the way the Academy and Reserves have played, it would sure be worth watching.

I'd love to see how players like Mattock could do at reserve team level but realistically, even if we had a reserve team, Mattock would probably make the bench at most because priority would be given to first team players who are out of the starting 11 and the older lads from the under 18s.

Henderson/Douglas

Maybury, Lycett, Kisnorbo, Magunda

Sylla, King/Tejan-Sie, Wesolowski, Gradel

O'Grady, Odhiambo/Mckay

Is the kind of line-up I think you'd get if we'd had a reserve game yesterday (of course if we didn't have a first team match tonight). The 1st year scholars like Chambers, Mattock and Garner would be on the bench more than likely.

[The Stig]

Kenton 6

Handy player to have around as he can play accross the back four, reasonably solid and a decent signing

McAuley 5

Good enough for what we 've saw of him, didn't really need to sign him though

Logan 8

Early days but looking bloody good

Low, 3

Not championship standard, give Momo a chance maybe??

Porter 6

Better than Tiatto, lets see if he's better than Welsh

Kelly ?

I'm giving him one more month, if were 12th or above ill be happy with him

Other general comments seeing as we're having a bit of a reflection, Tiatto out and i'd like to see a striker on loan if possible

[Thracian]

I'd love to see how players like Mattock could do at reserve team level but realistically, even if we had a reserve team, Mattock would probably make the bench at most because priority would be given to first team players who are out of the starting 11 and the older lads from the under 18s.

Henderson/Douglas

Maybury, Lycett, Kisnorbo, Magunda

Sylla, King/Tejan-Sie, Wesolowski, Gradel

O'Grady, Odhiambo/Mckay

Is the kind of line-up I think you'd get if we'd had a reserve game yesterday (of course if we didn't have a first team match tonight). The 1st year scholars like Chambers, Mattock and Garner would be on the bench more than likely.

They'd soon get Mattock off the bench with that line-up. Has Joe Magunda ever played left-back? He always seems more right than Mrs Thatcher.

And the lads wouldn't like Douglas in goal one bit - he's played awful on the rare occasions he's done the job as have other first teamers apart from Hammond and O'Grady.

Clever moving Gradel to give Sylla a game he needs, but I'd bring him off after 10 minutes and look to Ryan Beswick on the left and Gradel on the right ...then that lot look better than the first team cos King/Tommy TS are like blood brothers in the centre and we could perhaps sneak Weso on as an extra man, with his being small and barely noticeable.

Couldn't see the game being goalless!!!!

Beaglehole for England

PS: With Chambers and Mattock in reserve the opposition would negotiate a 3-0 defeat on condition we didn't bring em on!!!!

[potter3]

Kenton 7

Started great, no hes consistantly decent

McAuley 7

Decent defender too like Kenton, seems realoly good at heading

Low 4

He started well, now he just crap

Johnson 4 <_<

Too crap, too old, get rid

[Jonbluefox9]

They'd soon get Mattock off the bench with that line-up. Has Joe Magunda ever played left-back? He always seems more right than Mrs Thatcher.

And the lads wouldn't like Douglas in goal one bit - he's played awful on the rare occasions he's done the job as have other first teamers apart from Hammond and O'Grady.

Clever moving Gradel to give Sylla a game he needs, but I'd bring him off after 10 minutes and look to Ryan Beswick on the left and Gradel on the right ...then that lot look better than the first team cos King/Tommy TS are like blood brothers in the centre and we could perhaps sneak Weso on as an extra man, with his being small and barely noticeable.

Couldn't see the game being goalless!!!!

Beaglehole for England

PS: With Chambers and Mattock in reserve the opposition would negotiate a 3-0 defeat on condition we didn't bring em on!!!!

I wasn't particualrly putting them into a formation. Magunda would play right back and Maybury left. They're just the kind of players who would more than likely start reserve games if we had a team. Magunda's played for the reserves on a fair few occasions so he'd definitely start ahead of the younger lads like Garner and Mattock imo.

[Cheese Me]

Best 'new' player this year has been Porter. Would like to see one or two others follow his example.

Kenton and McAuley seem useful, problems though are still left back and CM. No idea why we still haven't tried to solve them.