MBK Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 LEICESTER Latest club news Leicester City Nickname: The Foxes Ground: The Walkers Stadium Capacity: 32,500 Last season: 19th Manager: Martin Allen (May 2007) In: Bruno N'Gotty (Birmingham), Jimmy Nielsen (Aalborg), Ricky Sappleton (QPR), Radostin Kishishev (Charlton), Carl Cort (Wolves), Sergio Hellings (Anderlecht), James Chambers (Watford), Hossein Kaebi (Persepolis), Shaun Newton (West Ham), Stephen Clemence (Birmingham), DJ Campbell (Birmingham), Jonathan Hayes (Reading). Out: Paddy McCarthy (Charlton), Andy Johnson (Barnsley), Danny Cadamarteri (Huddersfield), Nils-Eric Johansson, Danny Tiatto, Alan Maybury, Rab Douglas, Darren Kenton, Stephen Hughes. BBC Sport verdict: Chairman Milan Mandaric has put his money where manager Martin Allen's mouth is. The acquisitions are mostly established, experienced players but the boss himself may need a season to adjust at this level. Key man: Stephen Clemence http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/e...v_1/6229538.stm
Simi Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 Out: Alan Maybury, Rab Douglas, Darren Kenton, Stephen Hughes. Am I missing something.
MBK Posted 6 August 2007 Author Posted 6 August 2007 Am I missing something. They're only here on trial
Blue Bob Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 BBC site struggles to get things right. They still have Leeds on 0 points for god sake!!!
Nationwider Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 It doesn't actually say anything. A bit of a waste of space really.
Nationwider Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 BBC site struggles to get things right. They still have Leeds on 0 points for god sake!!! If you were being pedantic - which I'm not, obviously, but if you were - you might say that until Leeds have some points to deduct, they cannot have any points deducted. If they lose every game this season, would the 15 point deduction carry on into the following year? I don't know why I just wrote that.
Brainy Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 I used to enjoy this time of year where websites etc. give us their view on the upcoming season But where's the actual prediction
Blue Bob Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 If you were being pedantic - which I'm not, obviously, but if you were - you might say that until Leeds have some points to deduct, they cannot have any points deducted. If they lose every game this season, would the 15 point deduction carry on into the following year?I don't know why I just wrote that. According to Wise they are targeting 105 points this season so they get 90 points and go up as champions.
dandannieldanok Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 BBC site struggles to get things right. They still have Leeds on 0 points for god sake!!! Also it has Paul Sturrock down as Sheffield Weds manager despite mentioned Brian Laws in thier verdict
David Guiza Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 obviously only counts players who are actually going to play a game and not stay in the reserves
DB11 Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 How on earth does this dampen expectations? It just tells us what we already know
Geo V Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 From the Beeb to teletext, SS to the tabloids, all will have there say but most of the so called experts will undoubtedly be wrong!! I think it was two or three seasons ago that Chris Kamara was tipping us to get promoted with Connolly being top scorer and he didnt score for about 7 games I wont allow any website to dampen my mood on the optimistic bus, I`ll just let the players do that (oops, one foot in the pessimistic bus after all???)
He's not bald Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 If you were being pedantic - which I'm not, obviously, but if you were - you might say that until Leeds have some points to deduct, they cannot have any points deducted. If they lose every game this season, would the 15 point deduction carry on into the following year?I don't know why I just wrote that. Like what your saying though!..in a few seasons they could be playing sunday morning football with a 15 point deficit
Dames Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 Ian Holloway doesn't even mention us. The man doesnt know much. Southampton and West Brom will flop this season they had thier chances and failed to take them.
He's not bald Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 The man doesnt know much.Southampton and West Brom will flop this season they had thier chances and failed to take them. one maybe..possibly.. but defo not both!
Lamby Posted 6 August 2007 Posted 6 August 2007 They got The Valley as 26,500 on the website when its 27,11
Bluefoxtim Posted 7 August 2007 Posted 7 August 2007 They got The Valley as 26,500 on the website when its 27,11 What's that then? Not familiar with Charltonese.
Stevosevic Posted 7 August 2007 Posted 7 August 2007 The Guardian's view. http://football.guardian.co.uk/season20070...2139427,00.html The Championship: Expert View Garry Birtles Monday August 6, 2007 The Guardian Jostling for promotion The relegated teams are impossible to discard from the promotion shake-up. Charlton need to find a new source of goals following Darren Bent's departure but the money from his sale should allow Alan Pardew to build the division's best squad. Sheffield United have endured a turbulent summer but I'm confident they will go the distance. Watford will be right up there if Aidy Boothroyd can keep his biggest players, while West Brom and Wolves will challenge again. Sheffield Wednesday have the players to make the play-offs and rarely does a season pass without Preston making a push. Leicester are my big dark horses. Article continues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mid-table mediocrity Southampton and Stoke will again be close to the play-offs but at present both lack the quality to make it into the promotion shake-up. Cardiff over-achieved in the first half of last season and, while they have quality with Robbie Fowler and Peter Whittingham, they lack strength in depth. Blackpool play great, attacking football and could cause a surprise, while Bristol City, another promoted side, should also be OK. Iain Dowie has been going about his business quietly at Coventry, so it would be foolish to rule them out, but I feel Ipswich and Crystal Palace will endure indifferent seasons again. Fearing the drop QPR, Barnsley and Hull appear to have done little to bolster their squads and look set for another dogfight. The way Burnley tailed off last season is a worry. If S****horpe had kept Billy Sharp, they would have had a good chance of surviving. Colchester have seen bigger clubs hunting for their best players. Norwich were a disappointment last season and, with the loss of Robert Earnshaw, could get worse. Plymouth is not the easiest location to attract top players to and that could prove their Achilles' heel.
harry Posted 7 August 2007 Posted 7 August 2007 Hello overyone. Does anybody feel the BBC's analysis might reflect that of many other unbiased pundits? We haven't brought in a great deal of quality, Clemence in my opinion is our only truly quality signing. If you look at our first team it's not greatly improved from previous seasons and we've also lost our only established left-back plus our team captain and first choice centre half who, like him or loathe him, was very much part of Allen's plans. If you take a quick look at the signings; Cort already looks like the new Morris; Hellings could well be irrelevant, N'Gotty is 36 and seemed disorientated for much of the Portsmouth friendly, Hayes looks nothing more than a League 2 winger, Kishishev was heavily criticised last season and deemed severely accident-prone by many Charlton fans in what was an extremely below-par side, Nielsen is nothing more than a reserve keeper, Sappleton is unlikely to feature this side of Christmas, Newton was playing for us when we were nearly relegated at the end of last year and we won't see much of Kaibi (who can't get in the Iranian national team) for a month or two. As for Chambers, let's not forget how good Makin looked in friendlies a few years back. Chambers wasn't exactly a favourite at Watford, who were relegated so spectacularly last year that we have to wonder whether they'll even make the top half of the table this time round. We needed a left winger, an attacking midfielder, a left back, a replacement for Paddy and a target man. I'm not sure we've actually signed a regular first choice player in any of those positions. Our only new first teamers, or at least the only ones I expect to be seeing for 30+ games this year, are Clemence, Kishishev, Campbell and Chambers. I was feeling quite optimistic about things, but the mixed bag of friendly results and performances - and the sudden, barely rational resurgence in support for De Vries - made me look a bit closer. And it's not a particularly pretty picture. I'm guessing that any success this year will be predominantly down to a manager's organisational and motivational skills. Any thoughts?
mancunianfox Posted 7 August 2007 Posted 7 August 2007 I was feeling quite optimistic about things, but the mixed bag of friendly results and performances - and the sudden, barely rational resurgence in support for De Vries - made me look a bit closer. And it's not a particularly pretty picture. I'm guessing that any success this year will be predominantly down to a manager's organisational and motivational skills. Any thoughts? So should players not work hard to get fit again and try and win back their place in the side?
harry Posted 7 August 2007 Posted 7 August 2007 No, I agree that players should regain their fitness, I was speaking from a fan's perspective, that our sudden faith and reliance on this particular player isn't an especially rational one. Put it this way, if you spoke to an objective party and said De Vries was our first choice striker going into this season, would you expect them to be impressed with our promotion credentials? I'd love De Vries to make it, because I saw flashes of potential in him on one or two occasions in the past, but he is on the list and he is on the list for a good reason. He was very poor for us for several seasons. And as for him regaining his fitness, I remember at the start of his first full season at City he turned up early for pre-season training and people were raving about him - yes, he scored a few goals, but ultimately it was clear that as a consistent performer he was nowhere near the required standard. Now, after the 'heart transplant' our club has undergone, we find ourselves looking at the prospect of him back in the first team. I wouldn't say his attitude is by any means irrational, but I would say that it would be irrational for us to place any hope in him whatsoever. Now I'm prepared for a hell of a backlash if he bangs in a hat trick on Saturday. I hope he does, but then again let's remember he's the player who scored a hat trick (I think) on his debut for Hearts, and tore Spurs apart for City a couple of years ago, only to be utterly irrelevant in every subsequent game that he played for the club. We criticise Rob Kelly for many things, but at that particular time shipping De Vries out on loan was sufficient to make him a hero at City. Let's not forget why.
Ultra Posted 7 August 2007 Posted 7 August 2007 Hello overyone. Does anybody feel the BBC's analysis might reflect that of many other unbiased pundits? We haven't brought in a great deal of quality, Clemence in my opinion is our only truly quality signing. If you look at our first team it's not greatly improved from previous seasons and we've also lost our only established left-back plus our team captain and first choice centre half who, like him or loathe him, was very much part of Allen's plans.If you take a quick look at the signings; Cort already looks like the new Morris; Hellings could well be irrelevant, N'Gotty is 36 and seemed disorientated for much of the Portsmouth friendly, Hayes looks nothing more than a League 2 winger, Kishishev was heavily criticised last season and deemed severely accident-prone by many Charlton fans in what was an extremely below-par side, Nielsen is nothing more than a reserve keeper, Sappleton is unlikely to feature this side of Christmas, Newton was playing for us when we were nearly relegated at the end of last year and we won't see much of Kaibi (who can't get in the Iranian national team) for a month or two. As for Chambers, let's not forget how good Makin looked in friendlies a few years back. Chambers wasn't exactly a favourite at Watford, who were relegated so spectacularly last year that we have to wonder whether they'll even make the top half of the table this time round. We needed a left winger, an attacking midfielder, a left back, a replacement for Paddy and a target man. I'm not sure we've actually signed a regular first choice player in any of those positions. Our only new first teamers, or at least the only ones I expect to be seeing for 30+ games this year, are Clemence, Kishishev, Campbell and Chambers. I was feeling quite optimistic about things, but the mixed bag of friendly results and performances - and the sudden, barely rational resurgence in support for De Vries - made me look a bit closer. And it's not a particularly pretty picture. I'm guessing that any success this year will be predominantly down to a manager's organisational and motivational skills. Any thoughts? Christ, this is more negative than a Craig Levein team talk! It's a moot point whether McCarthy would have had a first team place had he stayed. I personally believe he'd fallen below McAuley in the pecking order and with N'Gotty arriving as well, his chances for us would have been limited. He wasn't quite as central to Allen's plans as you make out. Kishishev was widely respected for his performances by fans of a poor Leeds team. I see no reason why he can't do a similar job for us, and if he doesn't, we have a fit and eager Weso waiting to take over. Chambers and Newton will offer us stability down the right side - certainly more than Maybury and Hughes/Sylla/Low ever did. The left side needs more work, but if we know this, I'm sure Allen does too. You ask for a target man - it's a role that MDV has fulfilled in pre-season in Cort's absence, to the satisfaction of Allen and many fans. His resurgence is a tribute to the efforts of a quality manager - something he wouldn't have been used to during his time with us. If Allen can bring that much out of him, what can he achieve with the squad as a whole?
harry Posted 7 August 2007 Posted 7 August 2007 I'd argue it's an objective rather than a negative outlook. Personally I'd like to be blindly optimistic about the forthcoming season, but I think there's a long way for this team to come in terms of personnel. I don't believe it makes any more sense to be excited about De Vries's pre-season this year than it did for many fans two years ago. As for Newton and Chambers, I imagine there are fans of other teams out there who would be more excited about signing Hughes and Maybury than that particular pairing. That's not to say they won't prove to be very good players, it's just to say that a neutral pundit writing for someone like the BBC will be looking at these things and draw the conclusion that Leicester probably aren't going to be a very good team this year. That doesn't mean I'm not personally excited. I always believe that we are in some way blessed by some supreme power at Leicester City, I always feel like every new player is going to miraculously turn out to be a revelation and that every new manager will be our messiah. But that isn't rational.
Ultra Posted 7 August 2007 Posted 7 August 2007 I can understand why pundits sitting in an office in London or wherever may not rate us that highly. After all, we haven't exactly set this league alight during the past three seasons. I personally doubt that Allen will lead us into the top six this season, but will be pleasantly surprised if he proves me wrong. However to slate him, his signings and his tactics before the season's even begun makes no sense at all, especially if it's simply because he favours a player one doesn't like. In fact, I'd call it irrational!
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